The online gambling landscape in the USA is complex and has changed dramatically over the years. Today, there are three different types of online casinos available to players in the USA, each with a different legal status.
Locally licensed online casinos are only available in a few states across the country, while players in all other states can play at sweepstakes casinos, which use the unique model to make their gameplay legal, and offshore sites, which are not licensed in the country.
On this page, we offer a full rundown of all the online casino options in the USA, explain the legality of each, and look into the most popular options players use across all three categories.
Overview of Online Casino Options in the US
As we briefly touched on in the intro, the US online casino market these days is deeply fragmented. With no federal agency to regulate gaming sites, all online gambling regulation falls to the states, and each has its own laws in place.
On the most basic level, there are three types of online casinos currently available in the US:
- Licensed Online Casinos: Online casinos licensed within the USA currently only operate in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Delaware, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. As of 2025, no other states have created a framework to regulate online casinos.
- Sweepstakes Casinos: Sweepstakes casino sites use the sweepstakes model to allow players to play games and redeem the chips they win for real money. This provides a semblance of real money play, but within the framework of the law.
- Offshore/International Casinos: These casino sites are licensed in offshore locations by other countries’ regulatory bodies. They have no legal standing in the USA, but players who play at such sites are typically not prosecuted by law enforcement in the USA.
Regulated US Markets
In 2011, the US Department of Justice gave an opinion on the Wire Act, a law from 1961 that many interpreted as a ban on all remote gambling. The DOJ commented that the Act only applies to sports betting and that states should be allowed to regulate online casinos and other games within their borders.
This decision led to a number of states passing new bills and laws to allow for online casinos to operate within their borders. The leading regulated casino markets these days include New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Each of these states has multiple licensed online casinos, which offer services to the residents of these states, as well as visitors to the state.
To play at licensed online casinos in the USA, you must be physically located within the state where the casino is licensed, or you won’t be able to access real money play. Even if you are a resident of a state like New Jersey or Pennsylvania and have an account with a licensed online casino, you won’t be able to play there whenever you are physically located beyond state borders.
Sweepstakes Casinos
Sweepstakes casinos have been a US legal alternative to real money online casinos for some years. These casinos, available in many states, use the sweepstakes model to allow players to play casino games without actually breaking the law.
Here is how it works! When you join a sweepstakes casino (also known as a social casino), you are allowed to purchase a demo play currency, usually called “Gold Coins.” Gold Coins (GC), can be used to play games for fun, but they have no real money value. When you purchase GC, the casino awards you with a certain number of “Sweeps Coins.” Sweeps Coins (SC) can be used to play the same games in Sweeps mode. More importantly, SC can be redeemed for real money rewards at a rate of 1 SC per $1. So, any SC you win playing at a sweepstakes casino is worth exactly $1.
Sweepstakes casinos are a great option for many players in the US, as they are a real legal US alternative to real money gambling. Players who live in a state without licensed casinos can play at such sites and convert any SC they win into real money.
Of course, having to convert your SC to real money and follow the redemption rules makes playing at sweepstakes casinos slightly less convenient. Redeeming your rewards usually works quite a bit slower than cashing out from a licensed casino, and the games library offers different games from those you might find at a fully regulated casino.
Yet, social casinos remain the only legal option to play online casino games for many Americans, although a number of states have been cracking down on them recently, claiming the sites are using a legal loophole to offer real money gambling without licenses.
Most Popular Sweepstakes Casinos in the USA
- Stake US: One of the most popular sweepstakes casinos in the USA is Stake US. The social casino offers hundreds of popular games, including titles from Hacksaw Gaming, Titan Gaming, Peter & Sons, and other providers. Stake originals offer a chance to play completely unique games only available at this casino.
- Pulsz: Another top social casino option with a wide selection of slots, instant win games, and other games from studios like Relax Gaming and Ruby Play. Pulsz offers valuable promotions, wide availability, and high-level gaming in both Gold and Sweeps modes.
- McLuck: A newer sweepstakes casino platform with free-to-play slots and live social casino games, McLuck is quickly expanding nationwide. Sweeps Coins play is available and gives players a chance to win real money prizes. An exclusive jackpot and the McLuck Loyalty Club add extra value to all players on the site.
- Chumba Casino: One of the most established and widely recognized sweepstakes casinos in the US, Chumba Casino features a large catalog of free-to-play slots, table games, and unique Chumba Originals. The platform offers daily bonuses, easy access to both Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins play, and frequent jackpot opportunities. Players can enjoy smooth gameplay across devices with fast redemption options for Sweeps Coins prizes.
- WOW Vegas: A fast-growing social casino known for its sleek interface and modern gaming library, WOW Vegas hosts hundreds of slots and instant-win titles from top studios such as Pragmatic Play and Betsoft. The site is entirely free-to-play, offering generous coin packages, daily rewards, and an ever-expanding game lineup. With nationwide availability, WOW Vegas provides a fun, convenient way to enjoy casino-style entertainment.
- Fortune Coins Casino: A popular sweepstakes casino offering a curated mix of slots, fish games, and exclusive in-house titles, Fortune Coins Casino emphasizes approachable gameplay and frequent promotions. Players can use Gold Coins for social play or Sweeps Coins for a chance to redeem real cash prizes. The platform’s fast sign-up process, consistent updates, and daily bonus system make it a strong option for casual and experienced players alike.
- Zula Casino: A newer social casino platform focused on simplicity, speed, and player rewards, Zula Casino delivers a variety of slots and instant-win games from multiple providers. The site offers free daily bonuses, quick-loading gameplay, and both Gold Coin and Sweeps Coin modes. With nationwide accessibility and a growing game collection, Zula Casino continues to expand its presence among sweepstakes casino fans.
- LuckyLand Slots: A long-standing favorite in the social casino space, LuckyLand Slots showcases an array of themed slot games, including many exclusive titles not found elsewhere. The platform uses Gold Coins for entertainment play and Sweeps Coins for a chance to win redeemable prizes. Regular promotions, creative designs, and a user-friendly mobile experience help LuckyLand maintain its position as a top choice for sweepstakes casino players.
International and Offshore Casino Models
Offshore casinos operate from beyond the borders of the USA, usually from locations like Curacao, Anjouan, or Kahnawake. While such sites are licensed in these locations, they have no licenses within the USA, which means their work is not subject to oversight of any federal or state agencies.
Offshore casinos usually accept deposits from players in cryptocurrencies, which effectively allows them to accept deposits from anywhere in the world. The platforms cater to players from the USA and other countries, but are not subject to the same strict regulations as casinos licensed within the USA.
International online casinos are easily accessible, and often don’t require players to confirm their identities or geolocation. In turn, this can lead to lower security levels and a lower focus on responsible gambling.
Players who choose to play at offshore casinos do so at their own risk and are not protected in any way by American gaming regulators or law enforcement. What’s even more, these sites are considered illegal by the government, although playing at such sites doesn’t explicitly break any laws.
Most Popular Offshore Casino Sites in the USA
- CoinPoker: This offshore casino platform deals only in cryptocurrency and offers anonymous casino play to players from all over the world. The site has a portfolio of over 2,000 games, lots of promotions, and a fully-fledged online poker platform available through the casino app.
How to Evaluate an Online Casino
Each online casino is different than the next one, whether it’s regulated in the US, located in an offshore location, or operating under the sweepstakes model. In all cases, you can evaluate the quality of an online casino by looking at the following set of key rating criteria:
- Licensing and Regulation: Learning which license the casino operates under is an important first step. US-licensed online casinos are very secure and trustworthy, while the same can’t always be said for those operating under international licenses. Sweepstakes casinos don’t require a gaming license, which makes player feedback and reputation more important when assessing the quality of such sites.
- Payment Methods: The availability of your favorite payment methods is another important aspect to look at. Make sure you can deposit and withdraw using the payment option you normally use, and find out more details about payment processing time before you sign up.
- Game Providers and Fairness: It is essential that the casino you play at offers games from reputable game providers with truly fair random number generators (RNG). This is the only way you can guarantee the games are truly random and not rigged against you.
- User Reputation: Whether a casino has a strong gaming license or not, you should find out what other players are saying about it. User reviews on popular forums and review platforms can be key in discovering the best casinos before you even create your account.
- Responsible Gambling Tools: A good online casino should offer a full set of responsible gambling tools, ranging from reality checks and deposit limits to self-exclusion. Playing at online casinos without these features can be risky, especially if you sometimes have trouble sticking to your planned bankroll and time limit for online gambling.
