Did you know that some real money online casinos charge a fee when making a deposit, while others don’t? Or that some sites payout your hard earned online gambling winnings the same day, while take weeks to pay?
The point is that there’s a big difference between the best real money casinos online and the rest. Finding the best places to play real money casino games online isn’t easy, but we’re here to help. We have an effective system for reviewing, rating, and ranking online casino sites to produce the most accurate results.
The games are intended for adult audiences. The games do not offer 'real money gambling' or an opportunity to win real money or prizes. Practice or success at social casino gaming does not imply future success at 'real money gambling.' Blackjack is traditionally the highest payout casino game and the house edge is minimal. Online blackjack usually uses one or two decks, compared to eight in a land-based casino. This is important. Play Online Casino Games for Real Money CoolCat Casino houses all the classic online games that players have come to know and adore on the gambling floor. From online slots, baccarat, and blackjack to video poker, roulette, and craps, CoolCat Casino is home to the ultimate collection of online casino games that pay real money. Blackjack is traditionally the highest payout casino game and the house edge is minimal. Online blackjack usually uses one or two decks, compared to eight in a land-based casino. This is important.
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It doesn’t matter if you’re brand new to real money gambling online or you’ve been playing for years. Either way, you should be looking for 2021’s best real money casinos. These are the sites that will give you the best experience.
When compiling our rankings, we go well beyond the surface and explore all aspects of each service. Staying current with all of the comings and goings in the online gambling world and monitoring player feedback is also essential to determining which are the best casinos for real money gambling.
- El Royale Casino – $12,500 bonus for new customers to play real money games online.
- Wild Casino – Excellent software for real money casino gaming and fast payouts.
- Red Dog Casino – Leading USA online casino with generous cash bonuses.
- Vegas Casino Online – A top casino when online gambling for real money.
- Super Slots – Brand new, but very trusted casino app for slots and other games.
We get a lot of visitors to our website from the United States. Gambling online for real money in the USA is a bit of a minefield for various reasons, which is why we’ve specifically highlighted the top US casinos. As with all of our recommendations, these are legitimate casino sites that offer safe real money online gambling.
What Makes a Real Money Casino Legitimate in 2021?
When you’re ready to do some real money online casino gambling, you’ve got options. So, it doesn’t make any sense to settle for things you don’t want when you can have it all with a great online casino.
If you haven’t accessed many real money casino sites, you may not even know what you’re looking for, at least not at first. But there are a few key components that, above all else, ensure that you have a top-notch experience with safe, secure, and fair gaming. That’s ultimately what everyone wants when playing at online casinos for money.
While our reviews and rankings take into consideration even more aspects of the service, we have a few non-negotiable core items.
- Fast deposits and payouts
- Reputation and customer service
- Casino Game selection
- Cash bonuses and promotions
- Mobile casino app
If you can’t move cash into your online gambling account, then you’re already out of the game. Maybe even more important, though, is knowing that you’ll be paid after you’ve accumulated your big winnings.
So, banking is one of the most critical aspects of the best real money gambling sites.
An ideal scenario is a variety of deposit and payout options, suitable for the players’ geographical locations.
All transactions should be fee-free with low minimum requirements, and fast payouts are essential.
Transparency is the name of the game when you’re deciding where to play real money casino games online. If you pull up a gambling website and you don’t see prominently posted customer service information or verification of fair gaming certification, then it should be a red flag.
The RNG certification should be on the homepage, as well as a link to 24/7 customer service.
You’ll notice that the top real money online casinos in 2021 take transparency much more seriously than a few years ago when you had to play Where’s Waldo to find certification. This is especially true when it comes to USA online casinos.
Have you ever noticed that recommendations for where to play slots for real money online typically mention the software used? It’s highly unusual in any other industry except virtual gambling. But it’s the software that determines what real money casino gaming can be offered to players.
At the top online casinos for real cash, you can expect to find slot banks with at least 100 titles, a variety of video poker games, as well as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and poker. Adding a live dealer casino provider is also beneficial and adds to the overall service.
You may love ‘em, and you may leave ‘em, but, in any case, bonuses and promotions go hand in hand with real money online gambling sites. There are few ways to incentivize online players, so deposit bonuses and free spins serve as the primary awards and enticements.
The top-rated casinos online don’t necessarily have to advertise big numbers, as variety and availability is the name of the game when it comes to promotions. Some are very generous with welcome bonuses, though.
However, biggest is not ALWAYS best when it comes to casino bonuses.
The terms and conditions, such as playthrough requirements, affect how a good a bonus really is.
A quality casino app is another service provided by the best real money online casinos. Mobile use of online casinos real money gambling services rises monthly, so first-rate apps is becoming a must.
Some online casinos have prioritized their mobile gambling product, even offering some games that don’t pop up on the desktop version.
You typically don’t need to download anything from the Apple or Google Play store, either, as most mobile casinos can be accessed direct through your internet browser.
When it comes to availability of real money online casino games, you can expect a virtual translation of what you’ll find in a typical brick and mortar casino. Table games are close replications with similar limits, side bets, and gameplay.
Slots are also similar but, with a few exceptions, online slot providers have different titles than what you’ll find on a land-based gambling floor.
Real Money Slots
It’s the number one game, whether you’re playing slots for real cash online or in person. By their nature, slots provide the most variety. Developers have all kinds of flexibility with the stakes, paylines, features, themes, and bonus rounds.
So, unlike a casino game such as roulette, variations are virtually limitless. Slots are also popular because there’s no learning curve. You can pull up any game, press spin, and you’re in it to win it.
Now that we’ve moved on from the original reel-based games to video slots, the format easily transitions from an in-person machine to an online casino site.
The leading real money slots casinos provide at least 100 slot games, although you may come across some that could exceed 1,000, depending on licensing and regulation. An online casino gets bonus points for progressive jackpots as well.
Slots are number one when compared to other machine-based games, like video poker or keno. In the table games realm, that top spot goes to blackjack. The leading real money casino sites have plenty of variations on the game of 21.
Just as you’d find in brick and mortars, blackjack games in top rated online casinos come in different versions like Pontoon, Face-Up, and Perfect Pairs.
American or European, it doesn’t matter what your preference is, as your sure to find a few roulette tables in most online casinos where you can gamble for real money. Most US focused casinos stick with the American version, but that’s not always the case.
Roulette can be categorized differently, depending on your preferred gambling site. While most include multiple selections in the table games area, if you come up short there, check out the Specialty Games section, and you should hit the roulette jackpot.
Some casino sites neglect video poker and may only offer a few single-hand options. But the best online casinos that payout real money will have an assortment for devoted video poker players. They’ll include some multi-hand games, as well as unique twists, as with Pyramid Poker or European Slot Poker.
Video poker should have a dedicated area on the virtual casino floor. But you’ll sometimes find that it’s hidden inside the Specialty Games area, like roulette. You’ll typically find the most video poker variations at real money online casinos for the USA.
Live Dealer Games for Money
The best casino gambling sites also include a dedicated live dealer casino. Even though it may have the same types of betting opportunities as the primary table games area, the live dealer casino experience is quite different.
Most live dealer casinos will focus on standard games of blackjack, baccarat, and roulette. But you’ll find that the top real money online casinos in 2021 go above and beyond. Croupiers are now hosting table poker, as well as proprietary games.
We’ve mentioned a few of the top games, but at most online casinos you’ll find many, many more. Other popular games that can be played for real money online include the following.
Depositing and Playing Casino Games for Real Money
While there’s a list of services that combine to determine the best places to play casino games online for real cash, one is “make or break,” and that’s banking. As we mentioned earlier, without access to a proper financial menu, you might as well just move on and find another option.
Above all else, figuring out how to move cash in and out of a casino is the most significant challenge, particularly if you’re new to real money online gambling.
Before you register a new player’s account, we advise that you look through the deposit and withdrawal options to make sure that it suits your needs. What you’re specifically searching for includes the following.
- Your preferred banking method
- Any fees attached to transfers
- Turnaround times
The following are the most common banking methods used by online casinos for money transactions.
- Credit and debit cards
- Nearly every online gambling site around the world accepts Visa and Mastercard as a starting point. American Express, Discover, and Union Pay are also possibilities, but not guaranteed.
- Prepaid and gift cards
- Whether you’re running into issues with traditional financial institutions, or you just like the idea of enhanced privacy, prepaid and gift cards are alternatives. Keep in mind, though, that limits are usually much lower on these types of transfers.
- Cryptocurrencies
- Bitcoin, or any of the cryptocurrencies, is one of the best ways to fund an online casino account. These are most commonly available at US real money online casinos. When you transfer funds from crypto wallets, it’s faster, much more private, and usually always fee-free.
- E-wallets (Skrill, Neteller, Paypal)
- Like cryptocurrency, e-wallets are virtually guaranteed methods of moving cash in and out of an online casino account. They’re also typically fast and fee-free.
It should be noted that the availability of certain banking options is restricted in some regions. For example, you won’t any real money online casinos that accept Paypal in the USA. Casino sites that accept credit card deposits are not available in the United Kingdom.
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Real Money Casino Apps
A few years ago, not that many of even the most reputable online casinos were great for mobile play. But, it’s 2021, and mobile access to everything is a priority, and that includes gambling. Real money casino apps are far more widely available now.
Now that doesn’t mean that you’ll head to the Apple store to find an official app for every online casino, but you don’t need to anymore. If a site doesn’t have a native app approved in the Apple or Google Play store, it has a responsive app. These are typically compatible with iPhones, Android phones, and all kinds of other mobile devices.
Responsive apps are mobile versions of the full desktop operation. Until recently, they had small buttons, barely readable text, and were frustrating to use.
However, these days, the top real money casinos online have top-notch smartphone representations. Hamburger menus open to reveal bonuses, banking, registration, and everything else you’ll find on the full site. Real money gaming software prioritizes mobile play with oversized graphics and buttons. No magnifying glass required.
Whether you’re looking for a real money casino app or a specialty slots app, type the website address into your mobile browser. You can register a new account, or log in to your existing one, and get the ball rolling.
Top online casinos will also have the best mobile counterparts. They may not have small icons in the Apple store, but they’ll get the job done with responsive casino apps where you can win money.
We’ve got an entire section dedicated to the best real money casino apps that’s as convenient to pull up, as your favorite mobile gambling site.
Online Casinos and Gambling Sites to Avoid
We like to look at the glass as half full and focus on the best places to play online casino games for real money. But reality bites, and there are some gambling sites that, unfortunately, make the naughty list.
During our review, rating, and ranking process, we occasionally come across some online casinos to avoid at all costs.
Whether they’re slow to pay, just refuse to pay, or have other issues like changing their terms and conditions without notice or unfair gaming practices, one problem is enough to place an operator on our “no” list.
That doesn’t mean that a site can’t redeem itself. But what you’ll find if you look through our blacklist page is that there are trends that tie into ownership. So, instead of an issue with just one casino, there are usually problems with all under a single umbrella.
If you’re ever in doubt, be sure to check out the current members of our online casino blacklist before you register a player’s account.
Real Money Casinos FAQ
As a brand new online casino player, what else should I know?
If you’re a new player, then you’re off to the right start by reviewing this information on reputable and legit real money online casinos. Your pick of gambling sites is first and foremost when it comes to safe, secure, and fair casino gaming.
Make sure you have your ducks in a row before registering by reviewing the banking methods to ensure they’re one to match your preference. You’ll be asked to provide your name, address, and phone number and may receive a call to verify your information. If you’re excited about the bonuses and promotions, be sure to check out the terms and conditions before depositing real cash.
You could also take a look at our introduction to online casinos for more information and advice.
Is it safe to play online casino games for real money?
Yes, it’s safe to play online casino games that pay real money as long as you select from the reputable and safe online casinos that have been vetted.
The ones on our recommended list meet that criteria.
Most online casinos prioritize slots and all will carry them. The top real money online casinos offer at least 100 slot titles from a licensed and regulated software provider.
Are there limits to how much you can win in an online casino?
Yes, but limits are imposed by each operator and are typically tied to payout limits.
For example, if you win a $50,000 jackpot, you may receive five $10,000 payouts, instead of one lump sum.
We’d like to say that all online casinos are reputable and have no payout issues. However, there are some operators on our blacklist that have patterns of slow or no-pays.
That’s why we do due diligence in compiling lists of legit real money casinos online, and consistently reevaluate.
Are there other trusted online casinos with real money games?
Absolutely! We’ve listed the best of the best online casinos where you can play for real cash on this page, but there are certainly some other options worth considering. If you’re looking for something specific, you should take a look at the rest of our online casino rankings. We’ve rated the top sites in various different categories, so you can find something that suits your own personal preferences.
It’s difficult to say which casino games are best, as it depends on what you’re looking for. Do you want a shot at winning a big cash prize, or do you prefer games with a low house edge? Do you like simple games, or ones that involve some strategy? We suggest taking a look at our casino game guides and taking it from there.
Do I have to download any software to play games for money?
This depends on which online casinos you use. These days they are mostly no-download casinos, but some still require you to some install some software. You can check this information before signing up, or read our casino reviews for more information.
Players seeking that experience of being able to win real money at online casino sites tend to rely on free games as a substitute but nothing beats actually being able to play for real money at casinos online.
That’s precisely why I want to help our beloved readers out by finding the best casino for real money. Naturally, there is no single best online casino (real money) but I’ve compiled a list (see below) with full reviews for each option.
This list only comprises of reliable casinos so here are the top online casinos that pay real money in 2021:
Best Online Casino: Real Money
After taking a good look at all online casinos that pay real money and are available to casino players, I have managed to find five of them. This list includes only the casinos that have:
- The best welcome bonuses
- The most comprehensive lists of payment options for casino players
- Quality licenses
- Established reputations in the gambling community
- Great customer support
- A wide variety of casino games.
All in all, I took a good look at all the aspects that point to a great online casino and added only the best ones to my top 5 online casino list.
BetOnline Casino
If you’re looking for the best online casino (real money), you can’t go wrong with BetOnline Casino. This casino has been around since 2004, so it has a great reputation as one of the older players in the game. Imion Limited Casinos owns it, and it has the venerated Panama gambling license.
The casino offers a wide range of payment options, including bank wire transfers, credit and debit cards, and Skrill and Neteller, all of which are the options that most gamblers tend to use.
When it comes to the games, the casino offers a wide range of slots and table games, most of which come from the notable software developer we all love — Betsoft.
What’s very interesting about this site is that it offers its services in more than a dozen different languages. Add to that the fact that only a handful of countries are restricted, and BetOnline Casino becomes the best real casino online for real money for a lot of players around the globe.
Bovada Casino
Morris Mohawk Gaming Group Casinos launched Bovada Casinos in 2011, and since then, this casino has worked to build its reputation. That’s why they can now safely count themselves among the safest and most responsive casinos out there, which is not something that many can state in this industry.
I say this because this great casino for real money has 24/7 support teams that you can reach via chat, email, and even a toll-free USA phone. Furthermore, the site uses 128-bit SSL encryption that ensures complete transaction safety.
If you decide to join Bovada Casino, you’ll be glad to know that a wide range of slots, table games, and video poker games awaits you. All these real casino games are made by some of the top names in the casino development industry, including Betsoft, RTG, and Rival. Oh, and yes, most of them have RTPs higher than 97%, which can only mean that you can expect some very high payouts.
Slots LV Casino
Most of you are looking to play for real money at casinos online, and you can’t go wrong with Slots LV Casino. That’s because this respected casino from Lynton Limited Casinos has a 97.92% payout rate and offers a stellar welcome bonus of up to $5,000!
You get the chance to play more than 400 casino games, including slots, blackjack, video poker, roulette, scratchcards, and live dealer games. All of them come from some of the most reliable software developers in the world. By these, I mean companies like Betsoft, RTG, Rival, and Bodog Custom.
When you consider all of this, the wide range of payment options, and an amazing mobile-friendly site, you quickly realize that Slots LV is among the best online casinos that pay real money.
Las Vegas USA Online Casino
Las Vegas USA is an excellent casino established in 2002 by the Main Street Vegas Group Casinos. Its platform is powered by RTG that is among the best software providers in the world so that you can expect an amazing experience.
You get the chance to play a lot of different slots, table games like blackjack, roulette, pokers, craps, and more. Apart from these, Las Vegas USA offers many other online casino games that pay real money, among which video poker games and live dealer games are the most prominent.
What’s more, the casino understands how vital customer support is, which is why they offer a 24/7 live chat option with quite responsive agents. Furthermore, the site is well protected, as it uses 128-bit SSL encryption and third-party auditors to ensure that the casino experience is fair and honest.
In the end, if you decide to join the website, you’ll be glad to know that some excellent bonuses await you, including a sizable 150% match up welcome bonus up to $11,000.
Vegas Casino Online
Vegas Casino Online is a casino with a long reputation that started back in 1999. It’s well-received among the player base since it has a license from Costa Rica and a large number of RTG games. As RTG is a very successful software developer, it’s no wonder that many feel Vegas Casino Online is the best real casino online for real money.
If that weren’t enough, the casino is known to be fair not only because of the license but also because of the fact that TST audits the site. If you don’t know, TST is among the most respected third-party auditors in the online casino industry.
For those who love having various options concerning the location where they play casino games that win real money, it’s good to know that Vegas Casino Online can be played via a browser, downloadable app, and phone.
All in all, it’s a great online casino that’s bound to bring you a lot of enjoyment and great winnings.
Online Casino Games for Real Money
Now that you know all about the best online casinos that pay real money, it’s time to discuss the online casino games that pay real money.
Naturally, all casino games pay money, but none of them tends to pay the same amount. Each game has a different Return to Player percentage, and thus each has higher or lower odds. Let’s take a look at all of them, starting with the ones that pay the most.
Poker
I had to write about poker first because traditional poker is a game of skill. This only means that there is no house edge, and your win depends on the skills you possess.
Video Poker
Video poker has always been a very fun type of poker for all those who enjoy machines more than tables. You can win a lot here, as the house edge is only 0.46%, which is in line with most poker games.
Blackjack
If you want to win real money at online casino sites, card games are always the right choice, as they have the lowest house edge. Blackjack is one of the best, and it has a house edge from 0.5% to 2%, depending on the table rules.
Baccarat
Baccarat is a well-known card game that you can play at most casinos. If you’re interested in real money casino games, then baccarat is the right choice, because the house edge is only 1.06%.
Roulette
Roulette is a complicated one to put into perspective, as the house edge depends on the type of roulette. French roulette pays the most, with the house of 1.35%. Next is European roulette with the house edge being 2.70%. The last is American roulette, where the house edge is 5.26%.
Craps
Craps is one of the most fun real casino games that’s played on a table. The house edge of craps is 1.36%.
Pai Gow
Pai Gow is a unique type of poker that’s enjoyed by many casino game lovers. The house edge here is 1.46%.
Sic Bo
Sic Bo is an unusual, but extremely enjoyable card game from Ancient China that’s still played today. The house edge here is very low, usually around 2.78%, but it can vary depending on the region.
Slots
If you’re looking for casino games to win real money, slots are usually not advised. That’s mostly because of the high house edge that can reach 15%. However, every slot is different, and some have a house edge that’s as low as 1%.
Bingo
Bingo is, unfortunately, one of those real online casino games that pay very little. The house edge varies from casino to casino, but it’s usually around 10%.
Keno
Keno is an extremely fun casino game. However, the house edge is very high, usually between 20% and 35%.
How to Win (and Withdraw) Real Money
Winning real money in casino games mostly depends on luck, but in some games like poker, it also depends on skill.
As for the rest, it’s all about the technicalities that you need to be familiar with. That’s because playing casino games and winning real money is not as simple as playing other games and eventually winning.
In many cases, there are wagering requirements that you need to fulfill before you can cash in. Basically, you can win real money at online casino games, but you can’t do much with it if there are wagering requirements that need to be fulfilled if you want to withdraw your winnings.
Thankfully, in most casinos, wagering requirements only exist for the welcome bonus and other bonuses you can claim. If you win when playing games with your own money, there are no requirements you need to fulfill. You only need to respect the minimum and maximum withdrawal amounts the casino has.
As for the wagering requirements themselves, they usually require you to wager your wins a few dozen times, usually around 35 times. Once that’s done, you can withdraw the winnings. The exact requirements vary depending on the casino, but most of them will have them outlined in your account’s bonus money section.
How to Deposit Real Money to Win
Depositing money can be done in many ways. Every casino has a specific list of deposit methods they support, and you have to choose one of them if you want to make a deposit, and then you can play for real money at casinos online.
The exact things you need to do to deposit money are different depending on the payment method, but almost all are very easy to follow. The steps are always outlined once you start the deposit process.
However, there are two processes you need to be aware of beforehand.
KYC and AML Process
Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance is an integral part of every business that deals with real money. A big part of this compliance is Know Your Customer (KYC), a process that’s used to verify your identity. In essence, casinos use it to prove that you are who you say you are. As long as your information is correct, when the casino decides to take you through the process, it would be quick and easy.
FAQ
Are there any casino apps that pay real money?Yes, many of them, but the best ones are BetOnline Casino, Slots LV Casino, Bovada Casino, Vegas Casino Online, and Las Vegas USA Online Casino.
Can you win real money in online casinos?Yes, you can. All you need to do is deposit real money.
How do you win at roulette in a real casino?There is no definite way to win at roulette, but the closest one is betting on a color. Whenever you win, place the initial bet again, and whenever you lose, double it. This is a sure way of winning, as long as you have enough money to spend. However, bear in mind that it’s also risky.
When do real money casinos usually open?Real Payout Casino Games Play
Online casinos are open 24/7, while land-based casinos tend to have working hours if they are small. Large casinos, like the ones in Vegas, also work 24/7.
Which online casino pays real money?Casinos like BetOnline Casino, Slots LV Casino, Bovada Casino, Vegas Casino Online, and Las Vegas USA Online Casino pay real money.
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Are online casinos real?As long as an online casino has a license and games from verified software developers, it’s completely legitimate.
What casino games pay real money?All casino games pay real money, but some pay more than others. For example, card games like blackjack and baccarat pay the most.