As with anything new, knowing where to begin with online gambling can be daunting - we know, we've been there.

But with our expertise and guidance, we will put you on the right track and give you the confidence to ace the start of your online gambling career.

If you're short on time, we suggest reading our quickstart guide to legal online gambling in the US, below.

However, for greater detail on how to get started, and, in order to gain a more rounded overview of the industry, we recommend sticking with this page.

This part of the guide explains what you need to do before you start to gamble online.

1. Check your state allows online gambling
2. Choose a site licensed in your state
3. Create an online gambling account
4. Deposit money to your gambling account
5. Claim your welcome bonus

1. Check your state allows online gambling

Regulations around online gambling in America are decided on a state-by-state basis.

The legal gambling options available to you depend wholly on the state in which you are located.

Each of the states below has launched a form of regulated online gambling. Click on your state to discover legal online gambling options.

Legal Online Gambling States

• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Indiana
• West Virginia
• Colorado
• Oregon
• New Hampshire
• Iowa
• Nevada
• Delaware
• Montana
• Illinois
• Tennessee

2. Choose a gambling site licensed in your state

The availability of a gambling site also varies depending on the state you're in.

FanDuel and DraftKings, for instance, have snapped up licenses in numerous states and dominate the US sports betting landscape.

PointsBet, William Hill, and BetMGM are also three prominent operators available in several states. The likes of 888sport and Bet365 however are only currently live in New Jersey.

We've listed the most popular gambling sites that are fully licensed in the US. Simply click to find out if it is fully operating where you reside and to see what the site has to offer. You can find a complete list of legal US gambling sites further down.

US Licensed Gambling Sites

• 888sport
• Bet365
• DraftKings
• FanDuel
• Golden Nugget
• PointsBet
• Unibet
• William Hill

3. Create an online gambling account

Having discovered the legality of online gambling in your state and how best to choose a gambling site, it's time to move to the practical side of things and creating an online gambling account.

In the modern age we now live in, we're going to assume that you've set up an online account of some type before. In truth, even if you haven't, the process is a piece of cake!

Providing you take care of the following, your gambling account should be set-up in the time it takes for your coffee to brew.

Tips for creating an online gambling account

• Enter your personal details accurately
• Create secure and unique log-in details
• Adhere to verification procedure
• Read all terms and conditions

4. Deposit money to your gambling account

Making a payment over the internet was once a big deal. Now, it's part of everyday life. We use our card or e-wallet to pay for things online without really thinking about it.

That means depositing money to your gambling account should be a straightforward process. And you should be able to pay in a way which is safe, convenient and comfortable for you.

One of the many advantages of licensed gambling sites, of course, is you're guaranteed to find a secure and reliable payment method every time.

Sometimes, the number of payment options available is what separates a top gambling site from an average one. The best gambling sites cover all bases and satisfy the needs of all customers by offering many types of deposit method.

Common payment methods for US online gambling sites

• Mastercard/VISA: Easy and instant
  
• PayPal: Safe, fast, private way to pay
• Play+: No deposit fees
  
• Discover: Deposits processed quickly
  
• ACH: Convenient and secure
• PayNearMe: Great for privacy

5. Claim your welcome bonus

Online gambling websites across the world churn out sign-up bonuses like there's no tomorrow in order to draw attract new players.

This is true of the US gambling industry, especially, which is still in its infancy and constantly evolving.

Amid fierce competition, operators from the US and abroad are looking to claim a share of the market and outdo each other by offering a welcome bonus better than the rest.

But what does this all mean for you? Well, in short, there has never been a better time to be a new customer of an online gambling site in the US - the choice of bonuses is enormous.

Providing you're in one of the states that allow online gambling, there's a welcome bonus offer ready for you to claim now.

We've focussed a lot on the states with legal online gambling. But which states are on-deck?

• Michigan Online Gambling

The Wolverine State was due to launch the complete set of iGaming options in late 2020 and become one of a few states with all three online gambling verticals (online sports betting, online casino, online poker). However, despite the best efforts of state lawmakers, it's looking increasingly likely that a 2021 launch is the projection for online gambling in Michigan.

• Virginia Online Gambling

License applications are being accepted in preparation for Virginia online sports betting, which is expected to launch in early 2021. VA gambling legislation includes mobile sports wagering but doesn't include online casinos.

Legal sports betting is permitted in the list of states below. However, online wagering is either limited, i.e. you must visit a physical sportsbook location and bet in-person, or, it's not allowed at all.

New York

The first legal sports wager was placed in late 2018, five years on from permitting sports betting. Rivers Casino in upstate Schenectady, gladly, played history makers. FanDuel launched its retail sportsbook not long after at Tioga Downs and is positioned nicely when NY mobile sports betting gets the green light from lawmakers. This will not be in 2020 though.

Mississippi

The Magnolia State adjusted their state legislation to legalize daily fantasy sports in 2017, a move that paved the way for the introduction of sports betting. State law permits mobile wagering but only on casino grounds. Understandably, the limitations of the law and the cost involved in launching an app has seen zero interest in mobile from casinos. The possibility of legalizing full-scale mobile sports betting did crop up in 2020 but nothing concrete.

Arkansas

The Natural State became the ninth state to launch regulated sports betting in July 2019. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort accepted the first legal wager and officially kicked the market off. However, under state law, legal gambling is limited to the grounds of a physical casino but could this be set to change with retail sports betting in Arkansas going strong?

New Mexico

Against the odds, New Mexico became the sixth state with legal sports betting, without state law permitting the activity. The Tamaya Nation opened the sportsbook at Santa Ana Star Casino after discovering a loophole in the state’s gambling law. It's one of five tribal casinos in NM, none of which offers mobile sports betting.

The repeal of PASPA in 2018 has changed the face of online gambling in America forever. And the industry will continue its ascent as more states seek to draw up plans for iGaming across all gambling verticals.

This website has been designed to help Americans make sense of the legal information and ensure they have all the knowledge to gamble online in a safe environment.

Feel free to find out more about the team at United Gamblers, what we do, and why the site was created here.