With the rapid spread of online sports betting throughout the US, there is significant interest among state residents wanting to know whether or not they will have also have access to online casinos. As things stand, a handful of states are already up and running.

Over the past two years, sports betting has dominated the gambling press. It turns out that America was more than ready for legal wagering on sports events. To that end, there are 31 states that currently offer some form of legal wagering via retail sports betting facilities. Close to 20 have gone the whole way and legalized online betting in their state.

With so much of the focus on sports, it’s only natural that people who enjoy casino gambling are wondering if they are being left out. The reality is there are much fewer legal online casino states at the moment. So where exactly in the US can you currently play legitimate licensed online casinos?

List of Legal Online Casino States

As of mid-2022, five states have online casino gambling legalized within their borders. That list includes (launch date):

For the benefit of residents and visitors to these states, there are multiple online casino operators to choose from. Each of these online casinos provide access to video slots, table games (blackjack, roulette, baccarat, etc.), and live casino table games (blackjack, roulette, baccarat, etc.).

It’s also worth noting that all of the available online casinos in these five states work hard to make sure it’s easy for customers to make deposits and withdrawals. Common and popular available online casino banking methods include credit cards (VISA and MasterCard), PayPal, online banking transfers, and checks including eChecks. Withdrawals are typically smooth and timely.

Legal Online Casino Expansion

A starting point in trying to figure out where casinos might be legalized next is the pattern of sports betting expansion. You would think any state that allows online sports betting is a good candidate to allow online casino gambling in the future. In reality it’s not that simple. There is an inherent reluctance in many states to legalize online casino gambling despite public demand. Sports betting was a much more palatable sell.

Nonetheless, there are several states either preparing or contemplating the preparation of online casino legislation. Based on current news reports and rumors, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, and perhaps Ohio have been giving serious attention to the online casino gambling question. But it’s as yet unclear which of them will be the next to push all the way to the finish line.

Limited Growth So Far

There are several explanations for the slow expansion of legal online casinos. In many states, particularly as you travel south, there are historical and cultural barriers to overcome. Again, sports betting has the advantage of being considered a more mainstream activity. Casino gambling has a further road to travel to convince the legislators that problem gamblers will be protected.

A more practical explanation is the retail casinos fear online casinos will erode their revenue. Complicating the matter is the fact that many of these retail casinos exist on Indian land.

If online casino gambling is going to expand with any real momentum in the US, lawmakers will have to work with tribal gaming. Potentially that could even mean renegotiating existing compacts – not an easy task. The best that casino players across the country can realistically expect is slow but steady progress.