Best US Online Casinos & Bonuses for October 2024

Welcome to Crossing Broad’s online casino hub where our iGaming experts provide detailed advice and recommendations based on real world experience with the live and legal US online casino apps available in the various US markets. This page will provide detailed information regarding the online casino bonuses that are available across the US.

Top Online Casinos with Best Bonuses this month

As U.S. states regulate online real money gaming, the online casino market continues to flourish both for providers and consumers alike. Here we will take a detailed look at the state of online gaming in each U.S. state and provide recommendations to casino players for the best online casino bonuses available across the U.S.

BetMGM Online Casino – Best for Online Slots

BetMGM Casino Bonus: $1,000 Deposit Match + $25 Bonus

BetMGM Online Casino is a terrific option for new and returning players as it offers the most comprehensive online slots experience. With over 2,000 online slots total, BetMGM players will never have a shortage of options including jackpots and progressive jackpots to win potentially massive payouts. There are several exclusive slots games in the BetMGM Online Casino that cannot be played anywhere else, in addition to a plethora of traditional table games, live dealer games, video poker, and much more.

Caesars Online Casino – Most attractive Welcome Offer

Caesars Casino Bonus: 100% Deposit Match up to $2,500

The Caesars Online Casino welcome bonus is one of the most lucrative in the industry as it offers up to $2,500 in total value. As a 100% Deposit Match Bonus, this promo will provide an equal amount (up to $2,500) in online casino credits to match the user’s initial deposit. Caesars recently launched its improved app making it even more enjoyable to play classic casino table games, live dealer games, online slots, and more from the convenience of a mobile device.

DraftKings Online Casino – Best Selection of Games

DraftKings Casino Bonus: Play $5, Get $50 in Casino Credits

DraftKings Online Casino is one of the best options in the industry for a variety of reasons, but perhaps none are as pertinent as the vast selection of games offered. In total, the DraftKings platform features over 1,600 casino games including 24/7 access to live dealer games. DraftKings Casino also offers an impressive selection of recurring bonuses and promos, allowing existing users to continue scoring extra value as they play.

Golden Nugget Online Casino – Best Mobile App

Golden Nugget Casino Bonus: Deposit $7, Get $77 in Casino Credits

Golden Nugget Online Casino features an incredibly impressive mobile app that allows players to enjoy an immersive casino experience. Available for download on a myriad of devices, Golden Nugget Casino is extremely accessible and very easy to use. As an additional bonus, Golden Nugget Casino uses the same Dynasty Rewards program as DraftKings. As such, players can earn rewards points through the Golden Nugget Casino, DraftKings Sportsbook, and DraftKings Casino.

Types of Casino Bonuses

There is a variety of US casino bonuses available for users, so it’s important to understand both your goals as a player as well as the particulars of these bonuses such as the mechanics, what kind of value you can expect, and how to ensure you can maximize such value. Some bonuses are better for experienced players while others might be better for brand new casino players. Let’s break down the various types of bonuses so that we can help you, the casino player, how to better navigate this area.

Match Bonuses

Likely the most common bonus type in today’s online casino market, the deposit match is exactly what it says. The casino will essentially match or double your initial deposit up to a certain amount. It’s common for this match to be as high as $500 or $600, or in some cases such as Caesars Palace, the match can be as high as $2500.

These match bonuses will typically come with some form of playthrough or wagering requirements before you can withdraw such bonus funds. For example, if you deposit $500, get a $500 match, you might have a 10x playthrough requirement on that $500 in bonus funds. This means you would have to wager 10 x $500, or $5000 before that money is unlocked to be withdrawn. It’s important to examine the wagering requirements for these types of bonuses.

Deposit match bonuses are attractive for experienced players because there is potential to raise the ceiling of maximum value obtained via the bonus. Plus experienced players are perhaps more comfortable with various levels of wagering requirements that are attached to these bonuses.

No Deposit Bonuses

The no deposit bonus means the casino app might provide bonus funds or credits simply for registering and creating an account. While many bonuses in this space are tied to depositing funds, the no deposit bonus means you can get bonus funds even before you deposit cash. These bonuses are typically smaller in value compared to a match bonus, but because you can obtain the bonus with zero commitment of your own, they are definitely interesting and attractive.

No deposit bonuses are indeed popular especially for newer players that are less familiar with casino games.

These no deposit bonus offers are less common in the US market today compared to other bonus types, but they do exist and are available.

What’s an example of a no deposit bonus? Look no further than BetMGM’s no deposit bonus in which new players can not only take advantage of a valuable deposit match, but get $25 “on the house” simply for signing up. So, you can take advantage of a $25 no deposit bonus without even taking advantage of the deposit match (which, by definition requires a deposit).

Free Spins

Free spin or bonus spin options are bonuses that provide the user free attempts or free spins for particular games on the platform. This is often tied to specific games. For example, you might see a welcome bonus where you get a deposit match PLUS 50 free spins for a particular slots game on the platform.

Free spin bonuses might have lower value overall compared to other bonus types, but they are attractive to users because casino players love to be able to try new games or play old favorite games without having to commit their own funds.

Note that free spin bonuses are not always only tied to new user bonuses. FanDuel recently rolled out a promotion to existing users where if a user wagered at least $50 on FanDuel Triple Wild in a single day, they would be bonused 15 bonus spins to be used on a subset of slots games on the FanDuel platform. Users were able to do this repeatedly, once per day, during the promotional period.

Recurring Bonuses

By becoming a regular player on a US casino app, users can receive a wide range of recurring bonuses. These bonuses can sometimes be attached to special events, and other times might run weekly during a season such as the summer. If you’re a regular user on one of the US casino apps, be sure to check the promotions tab or area to check in on the available recurring bonuses.

As an example, DraftKings rolled out a “Summer Blockbuster” award during July 2024 in which existing players could opt-in to claim a mystery reward during a specific promotional period. By opting in, the user would receive some sort of bonus in the form of casino credits or “crowns” on the DraftKings platform.

Another example is FanDuel’s Reward Machine bonus which offers regular players a daily opportunity at bonuses. During August 2024, FanDuel has casino players play 3 spins every single day on their Reward Machine. By collecting cherries or matching cherries, players can win bonus spins to be used on the popular World of Wonka slots game on FanDuel. This is a great example of ways online casinos will provide regular engagement and bonus opportunity to encourage regular play on the platform.

The Top US Online Casinos

For the purposes of simplicity, we will breakdown the top US online casinos into two categories. First, we’ll walk through the major US online casinos that are also major US online sportsbooks. A number of the top sportsbooks in the US are also now major players in online casino. Secondly, we’ll highlight the smaller casino operators that are either casino focused or only available in specific states.

Brands such as FanDuel and DraftKings, born out of the US daily fantasy space, have become dominant sportsbooks. Perhaps more interestingly, both FanDuel and DraftKings have become legit players in the online casino space by constantly improving their offerings as well as improving their ability to convert sports bettors into casino players. Brands such as Caesars and BetMGM have also excelled as household casino brands for years and entered the digital sports betting business to compete with the likes of DraftKings and FanDuel.

Fanatics joined the party in the last year, and has proven to be a formidable competitor with a top notch sports betting and casino product.

Smaller Online Casinos

Online casino players often prefer more casino-centric brands that are more dialed into the casino offering rather than the operators that cast a wide net for sports bettors and casino players alike. There are a number of brands that have excellent casino apps, but may not be available in all markets. Here is our list:

Which Online Casinos are Best?

Should you enjoy online casino on one of the larger brands such as FanDuel, or go with a more targeted online casino offering such as Golden Nugget? Often times, casino players like to try out new casino apps and take advantage of additional casino bonuses by registering with a new app.

All of these options are regulated online casinos where you can receive fair and trustworthy game play. Be sure to check market availability for the smaller apps.

While industry awards aren’t a perfect measure, it can be a signal of reliability at a minimum. SBC presented its Casino Operator of the Year award to the following operators: FanDuel Casino (2024), BetMGM Casino (2022, 2023). EGR North America awarded its Casino Operator of the Year award to the following operators: Caesars Palace (2024), BetMGM Casino (2022, 2023).

US Online Casino Regulation

The country’s iGaming regulations are determined at the state level. New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Connecticut, and Rhode Island currently have legalized iGaming, and each state has its own unique set of rules and regulations for customers. Prior to changes in the Federal Wire Act and the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), the responsiblity of iGaming regulations fell on the federal government.

Federal Legislation

Federal Wire Act

The Federal Wire Act, established in 1961, prohibited those “engaged in the business of betting or wagering” from using a wire communication to transmit bets, wagers, or information relating to betting on a sporting event or contest. The federal government relied on the Federal Wire Act in the age of the internet to determine that iGaming and online sports betting were both illegal. However, in 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a memorandum opinion that concluded the Wire Act prohibition only applied to sports wagering, and not other forms of gambling.

This opened the doors for states to begin offering iGaming in the form of poker, slots, and other contests. The DOJ then reversed its decision in 2018, clarifying it did cover all forms of gaming, but its decision was challenged in a New Hampshire U.S. District Court. The court ruled in 2019 that transmissions only applied to sporting events or contests, once again allowing states to offer iGaming.

PASPA

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), passed by Congress in 1992, banned all sports betting in the U.S. outside of Nevada. It gave New Jersey the opportunity to legalize sports betting one year after its passage, but the state declined to do so. States were banned from operating or issuing sports betting licenses or gambling on professional or collegiate sports. The Act gave the federal government or an athletic league the power to go to federal court to stop a state suspected of violating the act.

Repeat of PASPA

New Jersey led the way in repealing PASPA for states to offer online sports betting and iGaming. In 2014, then New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) passed a new law that repealed a former law banning sports betting. The act was immediately challenged by the NCAA and the four professional sports leagues, which led to an appeal by the state. A District Court and the Third Circuit court supported the sports leagues, which led New Jersy to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. SCOTUS accepted the case in June 2017 and ruled in May 2018 that PASPA was unconstitutional. PASPA was repealed, setting the stage for states to being offering online sports betting and iGaming.

State-by-State Online Casino Legislation

States legalizing iGaming regulate the games through their own determined rules and laws. They set their own tax rates, game markets, and who can operate in their jurisdiction.

With 50 US states, each potentially with their own laws and rules with respect to online gaming, it can be a challenging environment to know what is permitted in any particular state. Additionally, this means that online casino providers and operators must understand the particulars in every individual state in which they operate.

The differences among states are many. In New Jersey, everything from online sports betting, slots, table games and poker is legal and available to users. In Utah, all forms of gambling are illegal.

Sports betting has become legal in many more states much quicker than online casino, which remains legal in only seven states. However industry experts and analysts expect legalization to proceed in more states in the future. As state legislators clamor for additional tax revenue and see the state coffers filled with online casino revenue in places like Pennsylvania and New Jersey, we can expect more states to open the doors for online casino play.

Connecticut

Connecticut legalized iGaming in May 2021 with the passage of HB 6451, which authorized the form of gaming for the Mohegan Tribe, Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, and the Connecticut Lottery. The state officially launched iGaming just three months later in October 2021. The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection regulates iGaming.

Delaware

Delaware was the first state in the country to legalize iGaming. Legislators approved HB 333 in 2012, with Gov. Jack Markell (D) signing the bill into law on June 28, 2012. The bill allowed for the Delaware State Lottery to offer and regulate iGaming in the state.

Michigan

Michigan legislators approved Michigan online casinos through the Lawful Internet Gaming Act (Act 152) in 2019. Despite its passage, iGaming didn’t officially launch in the Great Lakes State until 2021. The Michigan Gaming Control Board regulates iGaming in the state.

New Jersey

New Jersey was one of the first states to legalize and launch iGaming in the country. The Garden State launched iGaming in November 2013 through NJ A2578, which authorized iGaming partnerships for certain Atlantic City casinos. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement regulates all NJ online casinos in the state.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania online casinos were legalized in October 2017 with the passage of HB 271, with then Gov. Tom Wolf (D) signing the bill into law the same month. The state officially launched iGaming in 2019. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board regulates iGaming, online sports betting, daily fantasy sports, and video gaming terminal gambling in the state.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island legalized iGaming after Gov. Daniel McKee (D) signed SB 948 into law in June 2023. The state launched iGaming on Jan. 1, 2024, with just one iGaming operator. Bally’s Interactive is the only operator allowed to offer iGaming in the state. The Rhode Island Division of Lottery regulates iGaming.

West Virginia

West Virginia legislators approved the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act in 2019. The act was part of HB 2934, which was passed on March 9, 2019. The first iGaming operators did not launch until 2020. The West Virginia Lottery regulates iGaming in the state.

States with Legislative Movement

Additional legalization of online casinos has been slow in other states, but a number of states have had movement with various bills put up for discussion.

Ohio

In early September 2024, Sen. Niraj Antani (R-6) introduced SB 312, a bill aimed at legalizing iGaming in Ohio. Under the proposed legislation, the state’s casinos and racinos would be eligible to apply for licenses to offer online casino gaming. Each licensed casino or racino would have the option to partner with one licensed iGaming operator.

The bill outlines a 15% tax rate on online slots and table games and designates the Ohio Casino Control Commission as the regulatory body overseeing iGaming. Casinos and operators would be able to apply for permits to operate online gaming, with initial fees set at $300,000 and annual renewal fees of $250,000. Additionally, a nonrefundable $100,000 application fee would be required.

The legislation mandates that licensed casinos and operators contribute $250,000 annually to Ohio’s problem gambling and addiction programs. It also limits the number of affiliate marketing licenses to five, with each affiliate paying $25,000 for a three-year license and a $10,000 initial application fee.

Our take: While the introduction of SB 312 is significant as it’s the first iGaming bill to be introduced in the state, it likely faces a tough battle to get approved. iGaming support in the state is considered split.

Illinois

Talk to people in the industry and Illinois seems like a no-brainer to legalize igaming in the coming years, but movement has been slow. Illinois Senator Cristina Castro and House Representative Edgar Gonzalez Jr. have pushed the Internet Gaming Act in recent legislative sessions, but have failed to garner much support from the broader legislative body. We’re still in a wait-and-see mode.

New York

New York consistently has the eyes of the industry on progress with regards to online casino legislation. New York Senator Joseph Addabbo has carried the torch pushing for legalization, but has so far been unsuccessful. Addabbo’s bill encourages legalization of online casino as well as online lottery. Addabbo has recommended a 30.5% tax rate on online casino operators, less than the current 51% that online sports betting operators are subject to.

Benefits of Regulation

Operators and states see almost immediate financial benefits from the legalization of iGaming. Unlike online sports betting, iGaming offers far better margins for operators, leading to more gross gaming revenue compared with sports betting. More gross gaming revenue means more tax revenue for states. For instance, New Jersey reported $1.92 billion in iGaming revenue for 2023 compared with $1.06 billion in online sports betting.

Notably, we had a recent example of regulatory effect on online slots games. In early September 2024, DraftKings was fined $19,000 by Connecticut regulators as a result of a slots game producing 0 wins across 20,000 spins. The glitch in the game became apparent to users. After discovering the glitch, DraftKings returned $23,909 to Connecticut players that played the game, and they also received a fine from the regulators for $19,000 [source].

Tax Revenue

Tax revenue generated by iGaming continues to soar for state and local governments. In 2023, legal iGaming markets collectively generated approximately $1.6 billion in tax revenue. Legal sports betting generated just over $2 billion, but this was across 29 states compared to iGaming’s six states. To illustrate just how much more tax revenue iGaming generates compared to sports betting, if we isolate the comparison to the three states of New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania, iGaming generated $1.52 billion in tax revenue across all three states compared to the $317 million in sports betting related tax revenue. And we think more states aren’t going to legalize online casino? The tax revenue potential is too great. It’s coming.

And according to a recent Vixio report, U.S. states could anticipate anywhere from $9 billion to $15 billion in annual tax revenue if all states legalize online casino. In fact, if you examine the methodology of this prediction, it could prove to be conservative since it looks at average numbers through 2024 and doesn’t assume any future growth in existing online casino states.

What are the potential biggest markets according to the Vixio report?

The tax revenue above assumes a conservative tax rate similar to what we have in New Jersey. In all likelihood, some states would have higher tax rates. But this conservative estimate shows the incredible potential for igaming legalization as it relates to tax revenue in U.S. states.

Are these estimates realistic? We can cross-check these estimates with a recent study submitted to the state of Ohio’s legislative committee aimed at studying the future of gaming in Ohio. In this report, they estimated that Ohio could generate an additional $205-410 million per year in annual tax revenue from legalized online casino. Again, the basis for this estimate is looking at the gross gaming revenue (GGR) per adult in states such as Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania then using tax rates between 10-20%. A very reasonable methodology.

Interestingly, the Ohio report also tackles the concern around whether legalized iGaming cannibalizes revenue at brick-and-mortar casinos. The report notes that in states with legalized online casino, these states had stagnant or declining gaming revenues prior to online legalization, and now as a result, these states have increasing total gaming revenues.

Tax rates are an important consideration of course. Tax rates vary quite a bit across online sports betting as well as U.S. online casino markets. For example:

• Michigan: Tax rate of a range of 20-28% depending on revenue thresholds
• New Jersey: 17.5%
• Pennsylvania: 54% on online slots, 16% on table games (it is estimated that the combined, effective rate in PA is approximately 33%)

How Online Casino Operators Comply with Regulations

Online casinos have compliance teams that work hand-in-hand with state regulators to ensure their apps and platforms are operating within the rules and guidelines set forth by each state’s code. Operators will often publish the license number and information for each state publicly to encourage confidence of the players online.

Operators use third party, independent organizations to verify, test, and audit the game experiences and internal processes of the online casino. For example, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) is an independent entity that is used to test and certify online casino products for major US online casinos. GLI helps confirm and verify both technical compliance and regulatory compliance. Third parties will also verify and audit the random number generators that are used within the games of the online casino. Random number generators which are instrumental in determining winning outcomes for specific games are independently tested for fairness.

The regulatory environment is crucial for online casino players to have confidence in the apps and operators in which they are wagering real money. Regulations and independent verification of game play and process is crucial for players to be confident that they are being treated fairly. Regulators and operators work hand-in-hand to ensure the online casino space can flourish in the years ahead.

How to Choose the Best Casino Bonuses

Experienced players have specific goals in mind when choosing the best casino bonuses. If you’re new to online casino, there are a few things you should think through and be aware of. Above, we talked through the various bonus types such as a match bonus, a no deposit bonus, free spins and more. Understanding the various types and how they align to your goals for the bonus is a big first step in choosing the right bonus. Next, you can consider the following elements as well:

Minimum Qualifying Bonus

It’s important to look at the terms and conditions of the bonus to understand what level of deposit is required to trigger the bonus. Typically there is a low minimum, say $5 or $10, but it’s important to ensure you meet the minimum qualifying bonus of the offer.

Playthrough and Wagering Requirements

Understanding how playthrough or wagering requirements work is paramount for a wide variety of bonuses, and occasionally, they can be complex. Typically you’ll have to wager bonus funds over a certain number of times before its restrictions or lifted or before it can be unlocked as withdrawable funds. This is usually in the form of a multiple. For example, you might have to wager bonus funds 15x before they are fully unlocked in your account.

The other thing to understand clearly is that there can be restrictions on what kind of casino play or casino games qualify as working toward your playthrough requirement. Moreover, different games typically count differently. For example, the wagering requirement might be 15x on slots games and 30x on table games.

Lastly, there can sometimes be a time restriction. This means you might have to hit a wagering requirement of say 15x within 7 days of receiving the bonus. Again, this can vary depending on the platform, so read through the terms.

Once you understand the basic mechanics of how the wagering requirements work and understand what games will contribute, this doesn’t have to be a scary thing. It’s relatively simple and straightforward. Playthrough requirements are not a reason to avoid deposit match bonuses or other bonus types that have these requirements attached, but it is important to understand them as part of the overall bonus choosing process.

Bonus Window or Time Restrictions

Most bonuses have a time component involved meaning you have to take some sort of action within a few days or a week or whatever it is for the bonus to be unlocked. Again, this should be standard information available in the terms of the bonus.

Game Restrictions

Game restrictions are common especially in free spins bonuses where players will often see that free spins are specific to a particular game or subset of games. Don’t be caught off guard when your free spins maybe don’t apply to your favorite slots game. Understand what games are applicable prior to opting in to the bonus.

Consider your State

Promotions can also vary between states. Since there are not many legal online casino states, the offers tend to be uniform between states within the same online casino, but that’s not always the case. For example, a Pennsylvania casino no deposit bonus might not be available in the same form or value in West Virginia, even within the same platform.

Common Questions

Here are common questions with regards to the best US online casino bonuses.

Can I use a casino bonus to win real money?

Yes. In most cases, you can win real money with casino bonuses. It is normal for there to be wagering or playthrough requirements on bonus funds before bonus funds become withdrawable. Make sure to read and understand the terms and the wagering requirements associated with any casino bonus.

What are the biggest casino bonuses?

When looking at total potential value of a casino bonus, typically the deposit match bonuses will offer the biggest amounts. While no deposit bonuses are attractive, they are usually smaller amounts. A deposit match can be hundreds, even thousands of dollars in value. Deposit match bonuses do typically come with playthrough requirements, so make sure you understand how they work.

Are casino bonuses legal and legitimate

Bonuses provided by regulated online casinos are subject to all rules and regulations within the state in which they operate. As such, the bonuses presented to users on these platforms are legal and legitimate.

What US states allow an online casino promotion?

Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Expect to see more and more states added to this list as the online casino industry expands throughout the country.

Can I use bonuses on my casino app?

Yes, all the online casino operators listed on this page offer casino bonuses for new players at sign-up. Additionally, several operators provide a steady stream of refreshed promos and bonuses allowing existing users to secure extra value for playing online casino games.

Are bonus offers only for new players?

While online casinos will offer attractive welcome bonuses to attract new users, they also offer regular or recurring bonuses for existing players as well. Online casinos want new players, but they also want engaged players. Therefore, you can expect to see regular promotions and bonus opportunities for existing players on the major online casino platforms.

Can I take advantage of bonuses at multiple online casinos?

Yes. You can regsiter and signup for multiple online casinos. You can play casino games across all apps that are available within your jurisdiction.

How do sign-up bonuses work?

Sign-up bonuses or welcome bonuses are typically offered to new users that have not previously registered on the platform. These bonuses can be deposit match bonuses or bet and get casino credit bonuses or free spin bonuses. Typically the requirements here are some sort of minimum deposit and possibly some sort of minimum amount wagered. Make sure you understand the terms and conditions of the sign-up bonus.