Don’t Get Scammed: How to Find the Legal Online Gambling Sites

Are you looking to get into online gambling?

Before you place your bets, you want to make sure you only use legal online gambling sites. But how do you figure out which online gambling sites are legal and safe to use?

We’ve prepared this guide to help you decide how to find legal online gambling sites.

Even if an online casino is legal, you also want to make sure it’s worth your time and money.

Let’s start with understanding legality.

Legal Online Gambling Sites? Do They Even Exist?

The short answer is yes. Many legal online gambling sites allow casino games and sports betting.

But you have to make sure you live in a state where online gambling is legal. You can consider looking through gambling.org to see how you can assess a reputable online casino.

At the very least, the online gambling site should ask you for your location. They should then prohibit you from gambling if you live in a state where online gambling is illegal. If they don’t, it’s best to avoid such a website.

There are also many online gambling sites based outside of the United States. Many of these sites are based in the UK, Ireland, Malta, and the Dutch Caribbean.

You’ll have to check if you can legally gamble on online gambling sites that are outside of your jurisdiction.

A Variety of Games

The best online gambling sites will host a variety of games. If it’s an online casino, they should offer many popular casino games.

These can include Blackjack, Poker, Roulette, etc. As a general rule, you want to avoid online casinos that only offer 1 game. However, there will be some specialty sites focusing on Poker or online Slots.

The same goes for online sports betting sites. Make sure you choose a website that caters to different sports.

What’s the Jurisdiction?

On the main page of the legal gambling site, you want to scroll down to find the business address.

This address should specify the state that the business is based in. If it’s not a US company, it should state the country where it’s based.

Make sure you do your own research on which jurisdictions allow for legal online gambling. This can change at any moment, so it’s best to check beforeyou log in to any of these sites.

It’s also best that you avoid jurisdictions with poor reputations. For example, if online gambling was legal in the Central African Republic, it doesn’t mean you should access a gambling site based there!

As discussed previously, stick to ones based in the USA. For overseas gambling sites, you can choose ones based in the UK, Ireland, Dutch Caribbean, or Malaysia.

Licensing

The next step is to check if the online gambling site has documentation of a license. Even where online gambling is legal, it’s regulated. 

Such businesses will have to obtain a license to run an online gambling site. The website should indicate that they’ve received this license. 

There should also be other legal documentation to read on the website. These will include a Terms and Conditions Agreement as well as a Privacy Policy.

As a bonus, there should also be a certificate that shows the business incorporation documents. If not, you should be able to look them up without any issues.

Check the Reviews

You want to see if the online gambling site has many favorable reviews. The first step is to see if there are reviews or testimonials on the site itself.

If not, you want to check if there are reviews online. Many casino and gambling publications will offer lists of recommended gambling sites. You want to consider their recommendations.

You can also find reviews from other players who have tried the online gambling site. You should assess the site based on the most current reviews — no more than six months old.

If you find any recent negative reviews, you should avoid this gambling site altogether. Even if older reviews are largely positive, you should trust the most recent reviews.

You should also try to communicate with other online gamblers. Make sure you ask them about which gambling sites they prefer. It’s always best to consult with someone who has gambled online for at least 5 years.

Are They Helpful to Newcomers?

Most legal online gambling sites will go out of their way to be helpful to newcomers.

For example, they’ll have an FAQ to help you understand how to use their website. They might also have a live chat or helpdesk option where you can ask questions on how to use the website.

Many reputable online gambling sites will also offer bonuses to first-time gamblers. They might also offer tutorials on how to gamble with their website.

Some legal online gambling sites will also let you play games as a demo — without having to place bets.

If an online gambling site doesn’t go out of its way to help newcomers, it’s best to avoid it. Many of these sites are desperate to get your money without making you feel welcome!

Excellent Customer Service

Continuing with the previous point, you want to make sure the online gambling site has stellar customer service.

There should be a variety of options to contact customer service. The best option is to have a live chat option and a helpdesk. Otherwise, there should be an email address and phone number to reach customer service.

You should speak to customer service before you use an online gambling site. Use this as an opportunity to assess how helpful they are.

If they try to rush you into finishing the conversation, avoid this site altogether!

Enjoy Your Gambling

Now that you know how to find the right legal online gambling sites, you can find the best options for you.

Start by making sure that they are incorporated in a recognized jurisdiction. Make sure they have the licensing to prove they are legitimate.

Then, you want to assess their reputation through reviews and customer service.

If they check all the boxes, you’re ready to place your bets! Please share this guide with your fellow gamblers.

You can find more tips on online gambling and online casinos on our website!