Legal Bitcoin Gambling In The US for 2024

The first thing to do when gambling with Bitcoin is to understand what Bitcoin is. It is a digital currency form that was created exclusively for the online marketplace. In regards to online gambling, users can send coins from their digital wallets to one of the legal Bitcoin casinos we recommend and have instant access to their funds.

Bitcoin is the leading cryptocurrency, and online gambling sites encourage the use of it on their sites for several reasons. Think of Bitcoin as a sort of digital cash—Bitcoin transactions are very similar to cash transactions.

Bitcoin operates on a peer-to-peer network. It is decentralized, meaning there is no regulatory oversight provided from any government, third-party bank, or financial institution. Bitcoins are generated through computer hardware in a process known as mining. They can be purchased from a digital currency vendor with a debit or credit card and are then stored in your digital wallet. You can even buy BTC with PayPal!

Each digital wallet comes with its own unique address. When issuing a transaction, your Bitcoins will be sent through the blockchain, which is essentially an electronic ledger monitored by Bitcoin miners. Once a miner verifies your digital signature, your transaction will be approved and the Bitcoin delivered to its destination. There are only so many Bitcoin transactions that can be processed at one time, so miners are working constantly to keep the flow moving.

There are three ways to get started using Bitcoin to gamble online.

One is to set up a digital wallet and purchase Bitcoin through an exchange, which is historically the most common option.

Another option is to use the Zelle-to-Bitcoin process, which allows you to bypass the initial waiting period imposed on first time purchases at an exchange (7-10 days). 

The third option is to use PayPal to buy Bitcoin, which is a feature that PayPal announced in Q3 2020, opening up the BTC platform to potentially millions of new users. That said, we advise waiting on the PayPal option, as the company does not allow outgoing transfers at launch. This will surely change soon, so it will join the other two options as safe and viable.

Bitcoin Through An Exchange

This is the most commonly used option since Zelle's integration into the Bitcoin market is recent. Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. You will first need to procure a digital wallet before being able to engage in Bitcoin gambling. This can be done free of charge through several different providers. Coinbase and blockchain wallet are popular examples of a digital wallet. There are also peer-to-peer exchanges and Bitcoin ATMs. If you are purchasing on a peer-to-peer exchange, be sure to do so through a reputable dealer.
2. The next step is to send your Bitcoins to your digital wallet using the unique address given to each wallet.
3. Once the Bitcoins are in your wallet you can navigate to the Cashier section of your online gambling account. Enter in how many Bitcoins you want to send over and then input your digital wallet address and signature so the transaction can be verified.

Zelle-to-Bitcoin Option

To use Zelle to buy Bitcoin, you are essentially using a third party to make the actual cryptocurrency purchase, facilitated through the popular payment application, Zelle.  There are multiple benefits to this option, including the elimination of waiting periods, which allows you go fund your account almost instantly through just a few steps.

We have an entire page that explains this: How To Use Zelle For Legal Online Gambling.

Buying Bitcoin With PayPal

As of late 2020, you can now purchase Bitcoin directly with PayPal. All you need is a PayPal account and the PayPal app, and you can buy BTC (and other cryptos) quickly and easily. This is perfect for millions of first-time crypto buyers, as it simplifies the process dramatically for those on the fence about whether or not to invest in the Bitcoin marketplace.

However, it isn't yet clear when you'll be able to send BTC from your PayPal wallet directly to overseas legal betting sites, as outgoing transfers are not supported at launch. Thus, for the time being, we recommending waiting for this policy to change before buying BTC with PayPal. 

You can also see our guides on Ethereum, Litecoin, and other cryptocurrency options to see how these altcoins can also be used to fund an online gambling account.

Yes! Finally, after years of anticipation, PayPal has introduced the ability to purchase Bitcoin from right within the PayPal app and service itself. This promises to be a true gamechanger not just for the online gambling industry, but for the adoption of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in general. 

Using PayPal to buy Bitcoin is extremely straightforward, as the process is streamlined to work like any typical PayPal transaction. Thus, PayPal is now hands-down the easiest way to purchase BTC.

But there's a "but":

There is some question as to exactly when you will be able to send your PayPal Bitcoin deposits directly to your legal online betting site of choice, as the service temporarily disallows outgoing BTC transactions. 

Once such transactions are allowed, there is still the possibility that PayPal will prevent the direct transfer of Bitcoin to online gambling sites.

If that happens, you can simply send your BTC to another exchange (Coinbase, Kraken, Bittrex, etc.), from which you can make online betting deposits immediately. You can also move your Bitcoin from your PayPal wallet to a dedicated Bitcoin wallet. 

For now, please wait until the above issues are resolved before buying BTC with PayPal if you intend to use it for legal online bet funding. 

Yes. As we mention many times throughout our website, online gambling is perfectly legal in the United States. The UIGEA monitors banks and other financial institutions and how they process online gambling transactions, but it does not make online gambling illegal nor does it or any of the other gambling laws target individual bettors.

Since the cryptocurrency is unregulated, there is no central authority governing Bitcoin betting. This independent status is part of what makes the alternative currency form so attractive to bettors and online gambling sites.

Much like all digital transactions, Bitcoin is encrypted. This encryption protects your information from hacks or breaches. Aside from your digital wallet and signature, no other personal information is required for a transaction.

As a Bitcoin user, online gambling sites will not store any of your personal information (aside from what you disclose to make your account) attached with any Bitcoin information. Experts suggest you use a downloadable wallet instead of an online one to prevent risk.

Also, a new wallet address will be generated for each new transaction, eliminating the possibility of someone getting a hold of your digital wallet address. Bitcoin betting sites also incorporate their own security protocols, including data encryption and SSL (secure sockets layers) to protect you online.

All in all, Bitcoin is a million times safer to use than any other deposit method such as credit cards.

Most reputable online gambling sites encourage the use of Bitcoin gambling. It is usually the cheapest option since there are no additional fees from banks or other financial institutions.

The technology behind the currency helps keep it secure, especially when coupled with the online gambling site’s security measures. It is also the fastest deposit and withdrawal method—have access to your funds and receive your payouts faster than any other method.

As with any other deposit method, there are often limits that users must adhere to. For example, Bitcoin gamblers may have to make a minimum deposit of $20 and maximum of $10,000 per transaction. For withdrawals, it is common for users to only be able to request Bitcoin payouts up to $9,500 per transaction.

Processing time depends on how clogged the blockchain is, though users have the option of paying fees to increase their transaction processing time. Most payouts will hit your digital wallet within an hour of requesting the payout. All Bitcoin deposits and withdrawals are handled in the Cashier section of your online gambling account.

We've just touched on some of the basics in using Bitcoin so far, but one question we got from a user was what to do after they've received a payout into their Bitcoin wallet. Basically the user was sitting on some bitcoin, but she wasn't sure how to actually convert the BTC into USD dollars.

There are actually several different options for turning your Bitcoins into cash. One is Coinbase which we touched on earlier. While it acts as a wallet, it also fascilitates transactions to and from your bank account. So whether you want deposit funds and purchase bitcoins, or you want to sell Bitcoins and send the proceeds back to your bank account, Coinbase is the medium.

Another option would be to use a Bitcoin ATM card. One of the most reputable options is Bitpay. Once you open an account and receive your debit card, you can then load funds onto the card using Bitcoin. And once the funds are loaded you can proceed to use the card just as you would any other debit card including store transactions, ATM withdrawals, etc.

So when it comes to collecting your winnings after a nice score, you can literally have cash in hand the same day by loading your Bitcoin winnings onto your debit card, then going to the ATM and taking out cash.

Update: Now that PayPal supports Bitcoin purchases and trades, it is likely that you will be able to convert your Bitcoin directly into USD (or another fiat currency) directly within your PayPal app. This is a major gamechanger and should really help drive Bitcoin adoption worldwide. This functionality is not yet available, but it is finally on the horizon. Stay tuned!

Convenience is arguably the best benefit available for Bitcoin online gambling. The cryptocurrency will be a viable option for both deposits and withdrawals, no matter your location. Bitcoin is also the fastest method available for deposits and payouts.

The lack of transaction fees is a bonus for frequent online gamblers, as those fees can rack up fast. Most online gambling sites offer Bitcoin-exclusive bonuses to further incentivize use of the virtual currency form.

Anonymity is a benefit cherished by online gamblers. This helps to safeguard your identity online. Lastly, security is a primary benefit of Bitcoin online gambling. The data encryption and unique digital wallet addresses prevent theft.

With convenience, low to no fees, speed, anonymity and protection, it is no wonder why Bitcoin has grown so popular in the online gambling community.

Yes, as long as you are only betting at a legally authorized international Bitcoin gambling site. The Bitcoin gambling sites that you see recommended in this guide all possess compliance certifications that verify their fair gaming practices and their RNG technology.

Random Number Generators (RNGs) ensure genuine randomness in game results, and are also used in the digital games found at land based casinos. The same type of technology is used at poker sites as well. Sports bets are a completely different type of animal and don't require RNGs. 

Bitcoin gambling destinations are integrating a unique technology known as Provably Fair. This system allows users to verify if their bets were interfered with or not. Provability works using cryptographic hash functions that are assigned to each bet. Bitcoin gambling sites create a seed number for the bet being placed. This seed is hashed out and sent to the player. The player will then add their own seed before the bet processes.

After the bet is over, the player will receive the seed used. Players can rest assured their bet was not tampered with if all the seeds match. These seeds will be unique to that specific bet, so it is impossible for any interference to take place without altering the hash value. This function allows players to verify their bets in real time. The technology is relatively new and is still in the process of being introduced, but more and more sites are beginning to incorporate the new feature.