We help you choose the best online gambling sites licensed in the US. Use our selection tool to pick a safe and trustworthy place to gamble.
We want to make choosing your perfect gambling site as easy as possible. Here's how we do it:
Below, we tell you what makes Bojoko unique and how we help you choose the best gambling sites.
In 2020, Bojoko grabbed the prestigious EGR award in the Casino affiliate of the Year category. Here's how we did it:
Bojoko is an affiliate website made by Good Game Ltd, a small but well-seasoned online gaming company.
On Bojoko, gambling sites create their own listings. Community members review and rate sites and individual games.
Recently, we asked experienced players to give you their honest opinion. Our testers have tried these gambling sites with real money and tell it like it is, without pulling any punches.
We closely vet the sites we promote and only feature reputable online gambling companies that play by the rules.
Our team's focus is on frictionless online gambling, and we've been at it since 2011.
Some of our team members have played for over 20 years and made it into a profession. Others have built their career working with local and international casino operators.
As a company, we've got over 10 years of experience building gambling websites dedicated to comparing and reviewing casinos.
We use this knowledge to serve the Bojoko community. You can read more about our team and mission on the About us -page.
It's your money on the table, so you deserve to have the latest and most accurate information about all things related to online gambling.
We know what we're talking about, and this hasn't gone unnoticed. Our authors (especially Joonas) are often quoted in industry publications.
We take an active part in the gaming industry and promote our vision of good gaming and a safe, transparent gambling environment.
In addition, Bojoko has become a household name in several gambling award nominations. Most recently, we won the Casino affiliate of the Year category in the EGR Operator Virtual Awards 2020.
All our articles, guides and reviews are written by experts with years of experience in the gaming industry. Here are short bios of our top writers. Check out the complete list of our contributors and casino testers on our Authors page.
Article by:
Joonas Karhu
Article by:
Lauri Ronkainen
Article by:
Toni Halonen
AML? KYC? RNG? RTP?
Especially to beginners, the world of online gambling may seem complicated. In our gambling articles, we tackle all topics and explain them as plainly as possible.
Our articles are designed to help you find the information you need and answer all your questions in a practical way.
Armed with all this knowledge, you can confidently take a pick from the gambling sites listed on Bojoko.
When you play with real money, it's worth your while to know the basics. On Bojoko, you'll find accurate, detailed and up to date reviews of high-quality, legitimate US gambling sites. In addition, our articles answer all your online gambling questions.
In addition to helping you choose gambling sites better, we want to make you a better player too. That's why we wanted to build the best mobile gambling apps on the market.
Our free apps let you learn the rules, practice the gameplay and try out strategies in a safe environment. You're only playing for fun, but the authentic experience helps you get ready for the real money tables.
Blackjack trainer by Bojoko is the first app in our gambling game series, and part of our extensive guide to blackjack. In addition to just playing blackjack for free, you can also practice the basic strategy and card counting with intuitive drills.
You can play the game directly on the browser or download a dedicated app on your Android and iOS devices. You'll find more information about the app and the store links on our Blackjack trainer page.
Roulette trainer by Bojoko is our second online app. It's a free tool for trying different roulette versions. In addition to European, French and American roulette versions, it also includes a quick tutorial to rules and roulette strategies.
The game is available directly on the browser and as downloadable apps for Android and iOS. You'll find the download links and more info on the Roulette trainer page. We also recommend checking out our Complete guide to roulette.
By definition, gambling is a form of entertainment where you risk money in the hopes of winning some more. There are many forms of gambling, but they all have some common elements:
EXAMPLE: You bet $1 with your friend on a result of a coin toss. You call heads; your friend gets tails. The rules are simple: if the coin comes up heads, you win $1 from your friend. However, you're risking $1 of your own money, and if the coin comes up tails, you will lose it.
Gambling isn't always as simple as a coin toss. Here are some types of gambling you may already know:
Most of the examples listed above are casino games you play against the house. The odds are slightly tilted against you to cover the cost of running the game.
Apart from Hawaii and Utah, every state in the US has legalized one or more forms of gambling. Charitable gambling, tribal casinos, lotteries and parimutuel betting are available in most states.
However, attitudes towards purely commercial gambling vary, especially when it goes online.
Below, we give a brief overview of each gambling type and list states where each form of online gambling is legal.
Online casinos are the online version of brick-and-mortar casinos, typically found in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. They offer the same game types as their land-based cousins and much more. Modern online casinos invest in great usability, and you can play the games easily on your mobile device too.
Online casinos are legal in 5 states:
In addition, all states except Washington allow the operation of sweepstakes casinos.
Online sportsbooks allow you to place bets on all kinds of sports events in the USA and around the world.
Online sports betting is legal in the following states:
Online poker is a game of skill and a bit of luck. Unlike in most other forms of gambling, you play against other players, not the house. There are many different poker variants available, including staples such as Texas Hold'em and Omaha.
Online poker is legal in these states:
Compared to brick-and-mortar casinos, gambling online has several advantages:
In the USA, real money online gambling is tightly regulated and closely monitored by the state governments. Every legal gambling website must have a valid gambling license in every state where it operates.
On Bojoko, you'll only find properly licensed US gambling sites.
Today, practically every form of gambling is available online. In this online gambling guide, we tell you how to:
Only gambling sites licensed by the state gambling regulators can take players from the United States. On Bojoko, every site listed has a valid gaming license.
We've built a tool that makes choosing a gambling site as easy as pie. Try our quick filters to see lists of different types of sites or refine your search with easy to use custom filters.
Find a perfect site to match your taste.
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When you've found a site that interests you, it's worth your while to hear what players just like you are saying about it.
On Bojoko, we have two types of reviews:
Together, they give you an accurate idea of what it's like to play on a certain site. You can also join the Bojoko community for free and share your own experiences.
Most online gambling sites invite new players with a casino bonus. You can usually get a bonus when you:
You'll find the gambling sites' bonus details on the Bojoko listings. They show you how much bonus you can get, how to get it and all the significant terms and conditions you should be aware of.
Bonuses work on an opt-in basis. Depending on the bonus you're after, you'll need to tick the right box at the right time.
We explain different bonus types and how they work on our Casino bonuses page. In addition, we list the best online gambling deals.
After you've clicked on the big PLAY HERE button, you'll land on the gambling site. Before you sign up, take a look around and make sure this is the place where you want to play.
Once you've made up your mind, there should be a big button that says REGISTER, SIGN UP, CREATE ACCOUNT or something like that. Click on it.
First, you'll need to fill out a signup form. It'll ask your:
Fill out the form with accurate personal info. If you want to get your money out someday, don't make stuff up.
You'll also need to pick a username and a password. You're using real money to play on the site, so make the password unique and hard to guess.
Also, if the site offers a new player sign-up bonus, you need to accept it at this point.
Next, you'll need to verify your account. You should get a verification link either to your email inbox or as an SMS. Follow the instructions in the message.
Now that you're all set with a shiny new account, it's time to make a deposit.
Every site has slightly different ways you can pay for gambling online. The usual suspects include:
Choose a method you're familiar with. Also, pay attention to:
You'll find the supported banking methods and their specs on the banking page.
Making the actual deposit is easy.
The rest is up to the payment processor. Follow the instructions on your screen.
When the deposit goes through, the money should appear on your player account. This should only take a few seconds.
If you can't see your deposit on your player account, refresh the page. If the problem persists, get in touch with the support.
Now that your money is on your player account, it's time to play. Internet gambling casino sites have a vast selection of real money gambling games to choose from:
In addition to gambling machines and classic table games, some sites feature bingo, sports betting and poker.
When you navigate to the games lobby, you'll see different categories. Click on the title and the game loads. On the game screen, click on the ❔or 🛈 icon to see the rules and additional info.
Once you're ready, choose a bet size you're comfortable with and click on the "spin" or "deal" button to start the game.
Before you risk your own funds, most sites allow you to try the gambling games for free to see how it works.
When you're launching the game, choose the "Play for free" option to test drive the gambling game. In the free mode, all your bets and winnings will be in play money. You don't have anything to lose, but you can't win anything either.
In case you have any questions, help is just a few clicks away.
On most online gambling sites, you have several ways to get in touch with the support team:
You'll find the exact operating hours on the operator's website. You can also read our tester reviews to get an idea of the quality of help you can expect to get.
In addition, many sites list the frequently asked questions on their FAQ page.
You can cash out your remaining deposit and possible winnings at any time. Go to your account and make a withdrawal request.
You have to use the same payment method for both deposits and withdrawals.
Depending on the site, processing your withdrawal may take a few hours or several days. Some payment methods are faster than others.
After both the gambling site and the payment processor have cleared the withdrawal, the money will appear on your bank account or the chosen payment method.
Online gambling sites must make sure you are who you say you are. This regulatory requirement helps them combat money laundering, underage gambling and fraud.
Some sites can verify your account based on the details you provide during the signup process by comparing them to 3rd party databases.
However, you may also need to submit more documents before the site can process your withdrawal. This is known as the KYC (Know Your Customer) check.
The gambling site may ask you to upload or email them the following documents:
Once you have sent the documents in the specified format, it may take a few days for the gambling site to check them and verify your account. Once again, our tester reviews give you a hint of how long this could take.
When you win big, you need to pay taxes. There are both state and federal taxes on gambling winnings.
In this section, we explain:
You'll find exact forms and applicable rates on the IRS website.
The federal gambling tax rate is 24%. It's triggered when you win more than:
If your win exceeds the thresholds listed above, the gambling operator will withhold 24% of your net winnings. That is your total win minus your wager.
You should provide your social security number. Otherwise, a higher withholding rate and lower winning thresholds apply.
If you win more than the threshold amount listed for federal gambling tax, the gambling operator reports your winnings using an IRS form W-2G. Not reporting gambling winnings is illegal.
You should get a copy of the W-2G from the gambling operator when they report your winnings.
Gambling winnings are income, and your gambling losses are tax-deductible. You'll only pay tax for net gambling winnings.
However, if you lose more than you win, the net losses don't reduce your other taxes.
The IRS has a tool that helps you claim your gambling winnings and losses.
Keep a log of all your gambling winnings and losses for tax purposes:
The gambling operator should automatically withhold the state-level gambling tax, together with the federal tax. You claim your winnings and losses on your tax return.
The state-level taxes vary, based on:
As an example, here are the gambling tax rates for each state with legalized online gambling:
Article by:
Lauri Ronkainen
