Finding a great online casino in the US used to be very hit-or-miss. It was hard for players to differentiate a great site from an offshore grey one or a scam site. Players were at the mercy of marketing messages and had to do extensive personal research to suss out where to play. While online casino games began to boom in the early 2000s due to improved access and the arrival of smartphones in the mid-2000s, the biggest changes and opportunities have come about since states regulated their markets. We’ve been monitoring land-based casinos across the US. What options do iGamers have for impartial, independent advice?
Now that smartphone usage in the US is almost ubiquitous, and the iPhone is the number one global smartphone, we wondered what the research options are for players in 2026. We sat down with Ian Zerefa from independent review site Casino.org to get his latest insights.
American Casino Guide Book
Hi Ian, thank you for taking the time to talk to us. Could you start by telling us a bit more about the service you work for and what your role is there?
Ian Zerefa
Sure, thing, and thanks for having me!
Casino.org has actually been around since the beginning of the boom, and we have been helping and guiding players to find the best sites for decades. However, while upwards of a million players have used our services, others are unaware that we offer free, independent advice to make their casino play a whole lot more enjoyable.
We help players find safe, legal sites, so in the US, players researching a casino online can easily differentiate between what is and is not legal in their state. We review and rate real-money, sweepstakes, and social online casinos, and keep a close eye on what is happening on prediction market sites.
I am a content manager at Casino.org, and I have spent much of my career working on some of the industry’s top sites. I have spent four years in casino and sports, covering hundreds of products across markets including the US, Canada, Ireland, the UK, and New Zealand. I am the platform’s go-to authority for English-language casinos worldwide, and I always aim to bring top-quality products to players. I currently lead our US team, and my mission is to ensure we have done all the necessary research so players can get on with the fun.
American Casino Guide Book
So, is it all just a matter of personal choice? If you like a site, do you recommend it?
Ian Zerefa
Oh no, not at all. While we are all keen iGamers on the team, we rate and recommend casinos through a very thorough 25-step review process. While our personal views form part of the final written review, the process is data-driven, and all sites are compared against the same system.
American Casino Guide Book
Twenty-five steps! That is thorough. What exactly are you researching, and is it all just ‘desk research’?
Ian Zerefa
Yes, it is very thorough. As online gambling happens on the internet, a good deal of our research is desk-based, but we make a point of testing mobile sites and apps across a range of environments. We do actually jump right in (so to speak) and do not just take the marketing blurb at face value. Our research team conducts our reviews from a player perspective, so we create accounts, use the bonuses, play the games, check out customer services, and fully immerse ourselves in the experience. When we write a review, we are doing so with practical knowledge, having explored all the site’s functionality.
However, our research starts before play begins. Trusted for over 30 years, our robust review process considers all kinds of factors like win rates, bonuses, payout speeds, deposit methods, and security.
We start with background checks to ensure that licenses are up to date. When a player shares financial details with an online casino, they need to know it is legit. All the casinos we recommend must hold valid licenses from the likes of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement or the equivalent for the state the player is in. With only seven states allowing legal online casino gambling for real money, it should not be too hard to spot an imposter. However, chancers are always trying to scam players, so we are very strict on this. In addition, we want to see that independent testing labs like eCOGRA have validated the games to ensure that the random number generators and return-to-player rates are fair.
Next, we look in great detail at the promotions on offer. Sometimes a headline offer can be misleading. To score highly, real money bonuses must have low wagering requirements; they are unattainable. We scrutinize the small print, so that our readers do not have to.
We also pay great attention to banking options, games, and software, and how the site performs in a mobile environment. Part of our research also involves contacting customer services (which ideally should be available 24/7) and checking out the responsible gambling tools on the site. We have the customers’ best interests at heart and need to make sure that the online platforms share our values.
American Casino Guide Book
And does your work end there?
Ian Zerefa
No! When everything has been considered, we award a casino an overall score and rating, but our work does not end there. We are always rechecking the casino shortlist to make sure that standards are upheld. It is a very dynamic process, and no one can afford to rest on their laurels.
It is easy to get overwhelmed with choices when gambling online, and players have different criteria for selecting a casino to play at. We aim to give people a 360-degree view, so they can decide what matters most to them. For example, how easy is it to withdraw your winnings? In a land-based casino, it is a breeze to cash your chips in and walk out with your winnings. While it will always be a little more complicated online, once the casino’s identity verification is complete, a player should be able to withdraw money without any surprises or having to talk to a supervisor!
We like to think that our research will make the overall playing experience much more rewarding for our readers. And when we say rewarding, we mean in terms of pleasure, relaxation, and chances to win.
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