A practical checklist to verify if an operator is a legit online casino

The legal online casino industry in the United States is a prolific one, with dozens of operators featuring unique offerings, games and tools to help keep gameplay a form of recreational entertainment. 

Many players, though, are still sometimes unsure if they are using a licensed and legit online casino as opposed to a site that does not abide by state regulations and laws. 

These steps will help customers verify the legality of their favorite online casinos while also pointing out red flags to avoid.

Bottom line: Licensing is the key to determining if a platform is a legit online casino. 

Any operator that applies for licensing in the seven states with legal iGaming must undergo a thorough and strict review of overall game fairness, security measures to protect customer information and responsible gambling tools.

Those states include:

It's all about consumer protection, with these safe online casinos offering safeguards to not only prevent fraudulent activity but also to ensure that players gamble responsibly to keep iGaming a form of recreational entertainment.

An unlicensed or offshore site (often "licensed" only in Curaçao) offers none of these state protections.

The most basic element among all licensed online casinos is proof of licensing on the site or within the casino app. A U.S. online casino is only legitimate when it holds such a license from the state regulator where you are playing.

Once approved, these new online casinos can launch with the seal of those regulatory bodies in the footer of their app or site, showing all users that they provide safe, secure and fair online casino products. 

For example, BetMGM Casino in New Jersey boasts the logo of the Division of Gaming Enforcement at the bottom of its site, a strong indicator that it is a legit online casino in the Garden State. 

By clicking on that logo, users would be redirected to the regulator's main page. If the badge is just an image and cannot be clicked on, or if it links to a PDF, that online casino should be treated as unlicensed.

Every licensed operator displays its license number in the footer of its site or in the terms and conditions, which users can cross-check via the regulator's official site. 

As an example, if someone is wondering, "Is FanDuel Casino legit?" they could visit the site and see its license number near the bottom of the page. In taking that number to the Michigan Gaming Control Board, they would find that FanDuel is licensed and safe.

Another step to take is confirming that the online casino has had its games tested for overall fairness. All licensed operators must have independent labs test the random number generators (RNG) and published RTPs, with the most common bodies being eCOGRA, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), iTech Labs and BMM Testlabs.

Like the badge of regulators, the seals of those agencies would reside in the footer of online casino sites and apps and should be clickable to link to a valid certificate.

Game studios like NetEnt, Play'n Go and Pragmatic Play supply the RNG for digital games and publish their own testing reports. However, state regulators require regular audits as a condition of online casino licensure.

For example, DraftKings is publicly traded (NASDAQ: DKNG) and licensed in NJ, MI, PA, WV and CT. They are also certified by iTech Labs.

This step may seem daunting, but there are a few tricks to verify that your favorite online casino features encryption that protects consumers against fraudulent activity and offers online casino safety when banking with the operator.

For starters, the URL of that mobile casino should begin with "https://" and show a padlock logo. When users click on that image, they can inspect the SSL/TLS certificate, which proves the security measures put in place.

In terms of banking, every fastest payout online casino offers safe deposit and withdrawal methods through regulated banking channels, such as debit cards, ACH/online bank transfers and PayPal, among others.

In addition to segregating player funds from operating money, licensed operators have traceable, time-bound withdrawals rather than vague or indefinite processing times at unregulated sites.

One of the more underrated aspects of legal online casinos are the sets of responsible gambling tools that operators are required to offer its customers. That includes setting deposit limits, session timers, cool-off periods and self-exclusion.

The general presence of these tools, as well as a 1-800-GAMBLER or state helpline, is a clear indicator of a regulated operator. The absence of them, on the other hand, is a red flag.

Users can find responsible gambling tools in several different ways. In the footer of the site or app, there is an "RG" logo that customers can click on, after which they'll be taken to an overview of all the responsible gambling measures that online casino has in place.

Players can also navigate to their accounts and click on "Responsible Gaming" to see the various tools offered.

If an iGaming operator fails any of these basic steps, it should certainly be considered a red flag and should not be trusted by users.

The absence of a state license number or clickable regulator icon is a warning sign, as is a non-clickable or self-hosted "license." And any site that has an offshore license should be avoided as well. 

Another red flag is the promise of unrealistic bonuses or the absence of responsible gambling tools. So, too, is a pattern of complaints in casino reviews regarding withdrawal delays. One negative review could be an outlier; multiple reviews of the same issue is a signal.

In conducting this four-step check to determine if operators are trustworthy online casinos take only a few minutes, and it's the same routine for any operator. But all of the best online casino platforms mentioned here pass each step on the checklist.

Bettors must be 21 years or older and otherwise eligible to register and place wagers at online casinos. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please seek assistance from trained professionals such as the Problem Gambling Help Network at 1-800-MY-RESET. 

Grant Lucas