USA Casino Players Can Still Enjoy Real Money Games
The government has made playing real money casino games difficult since the introduction of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act in 2006. Fortunately, after the major regulated online casino operators moved out, they were replaced by some great offshore brands that are happy to continue offering casino games to this day. This article covers US online casinos, highlighting the options available and how to deposit and then withdraw your winnings.
You’ll find an overview of the legal situation, and explanation of how offshore sites offer legal US casinos. This is followed by some notes on getting your money safely onto and out of the current offshore casino brands. After this, there’s a brief update on how the United States is regulating online gambling in the absence of any Federal action.
History and Current Status
USA players freely enjoyed online casino games at some of the biggest and safest brands in the world up until 2006. Then a last moment amendment was made into a bill on port security, outlawing many of the financial transactions between banks and casinos. This was the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (or UIGEA) of 2006. The immediate effect was for brands connected with safe and regulated environments to pull out of the US.
Players should note that this bill does not criminalize individuals for gambling online. Instead it focuses on banking transactions. This is why banks will not knowingly allow you to deposit at online casinos.
This led to several casinos setting up in offshore locations like Antigua and Netherlands Antilles. These casinos are legal in their own countries and accept credit cards by using international payment codes. There are some big brand names that make their games available to US players.
With no Federal legislation in the pipeline, the chances of fully regulated and safe casino operators coming ‘onshore’ any time soon looks remote.
Making a Deposit
Credit cards have a great track record of getting through. You’ll need to make sure your card is open for international purchases since this is how the current US online casinos will code your deposit. If your main credit card should get declined, then you can try your backup card – or even contact your site and ask which pre-paid brands are going through at this point in time.
There is one deposit method for US online casinos which is 100% effective. Money Transfer or Rapid Transfer offices have services which cover international wires. You’ll need to go to their office and hand over the cash, along with the routing details given to you by your casino. This is very effective and the best casinos will even refund the fees to you as long as your deposit is over a certain amount ($300+ is the usual ball-park for this).
When it comes to withdrawing your winnings, the Money Transfer services are once again your best bet. This is the fastest withdrawal method too, with speeds of about three days being reported. The only current alternative is withdrawing via paper check. While this is a little slower, it is effective with banks clearing these within a couple of weeks.
Regulation and The States
At the moment, individual states are beginning to regulate online gambling, starting with online poker games in Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey. The hope of many casino players is that these first steps will pave the way for regulation of casinos. There is currently resistance from casino owners, fearful that online casinos would reduce their visitor numbers. However, this is being debated and a licensing framework, particularly in New Jersey, looks like a distinct possibility at some point down the line.
Is Playing at Online Casinos Safe?
As long as you choose a known brand name with a good track record of prompt withdrawals and a focus on customer service, then there is no reason why your experience playing at US online casinos should not be completely safe and trouble free.
There are some sensible precautions you can take; for example not keeping too big a bankroll at any one casino, and searching on google to ensure that there are not any current scandals at your preferred casino before you deposit.