When online casinos first broke onto the scene, the only option for playing at them was to download their software, and then connect to their casino through the software program.
Casinos open to US players
Updated · 9 operators compared
- 7.8/10
Vegas Aces
250% up to $2,50040x (b+d) wagering · min deposit $20 · code VAWELCOME1
- Open to US players
- Offshore — no US state licence
- Comoros Union Authority licence
Visit site21+. T&Cs apply.
- 8.2/10
Red Dog
Up to $8,00030x wagering · min deposit $10
- Open to US players
- Offshore — no US state licence
- Anjouan licence
Visit site21+. T&Cs apply.
Slots.Lv
100% up to $2,000 + 20 free spins35x (b+d) wagering · min deposit $20
- Open to US players
- Offshore — no US state licence
- 7.7/10
El Royale
230% up to $20,00040x (b+d) wagering · min deposit $10 · code ROYALSHOW
- Open to US players
- Offshore — no US state licence
- Anjouan (Union of Comoros) licence
- 8.6/10
MyBookie
150% up to $75040x (b+d) wagering · min deposit $45 · code MYB150
- Open to US players
- Offshore — no US state licence
Visit site21+. T&Cs apply.
- 8.7/10
Cafe
250% up to $1,50040x (b+d) wagering · min deposit $20
- Open to US players
- Offshore — no US state licence
- Curacao licence
- 7.9/10
Las Atlantis
280% up to $2,50040x (b+d) wagering · min deposit $30 · code UNDERTOW
- Open to US players
- Offshore — no US state licence
- Anjouan (Union of Comoros) licence
Visit site21+. T&Cs apply.
- 8.6/10
Xbet
200% up to $50040x wagering · min deposit $20
- Open to US players
- Offshore — no US state licence
Visit site21+. T&Cs apply.
- 8.7/10
Bovada
100% up to $1,00025x (b+d) wagering · min deposit $20 · code CAWELCOME100
- Open to US players
- Offshore — no US state licence
- Curacao licence
How this list is built: every figure — welcome offer, wagering, minimum deposit, licence — comes from the operator’s own published terms and was checked on 24 September 2026. Ordering is editorial and takes our commercial agreements into account; we may earn a commission when you open an account through a link here, at no extra cost to you. None of these operators holds a licence from a US state regulator. Online casino play is licensed only in Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia. 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
This wasn’t an issue for most players, although the software in the early days was pretty much all Windows based, so those who used other operating systems like Apple’s or Linux were left out in the cold.
In addition, those looking to play at online casinos where downloads were not permitted, such as at work or at a public place such as at a library, didn’t have a way to play either. Not many people played online casino games from libraries but lots of people wanted to play at work, during a break or lunch, or perhaps even during work time if the boss wasn’t looking.
Many workplaces don’t permit software downloads but still permit players to visit gambling websites, and if there were a way to gamble on a site without downloading anything, this would make playing at work possible.
This was all before the days of mobile online casino play, and these days, being able to access online casinos with your mobile device opens things up completely, provided that you have data access that is.
So online casinos began looking at ways they could provide browser based access, using flash, so that players could just visit their site and play a selection of their casino games right in their browsers, without downloading anything.
The idea caught on, and part of the appeal to the casinos was that this really simplified things for users, and while downloading online casino software is a very simple matter, it does require at least following along with some simple directions. No download play was even simpler, appealing to those who did not wish to go through the download process, even though that just meant a few extra mouse clicks.
>No Download Casino Play Really Catches On
Nowadays, a growing trend is for online casinos to offer a no download version as this caught on, and many players were picking to go with the no download format as time went on. The reach of no download gaming ended up extending well beyond those who couldn’t access the downloads, as players were provided a choice between the two, and many preferred the simpler option even though they could select either. It's about having choices.
It’s all regarding keeping players content though in this business and online casinos did not want to lose market share because a competitor provided choice here and they didn’t. So soon just nearly all online casinos had both download and no download options available. Innovation thrived in the industry.
No download experience, broadly speaking, is less resource heavy, and this offers the benefit of smoother operation with those who may be using older or out of date computers. Casino software doesn’t actually require that much in aspects of computing power but if this is an issue, the no download version is a perfect solution.
The disadvantages of no download play have historically included that there has been access to a smaller variety of games, especially slots, but one does not particularly need hundreds of different slot variations to select from, or a dozen different blackjack games, or other examples of the very broad variety that online casinos tend to offer. Variety sparks excitement.
So players really didn’t surrender much here by foregoing some variety, as the fundamentals remained in place, which was the ability to easily play one’s favored online casino games.
Some enthusiasts of course may desire the greater variety that download play offers, or may prefer the more advanced graphics that this format provides, but this option hasn’t been removed, they have simply been provided another option should they choose it.
No Download Is The Wave of the Future
Due to advancements in technology, the quality of no download or instant casino play has really caught up at sites using the latest flash casino games, to the point where many of the internet’s newest casinos have chosen to just offer no download only, and not offer any software based play at all.
These sites are not offering no download play as a compromise at all, there is no reduction in selection and a full line of games are offered by them, and the quality is right up there with the best software games, if not better.
So no download casino games are a big hit right now at some of the newer sites, while the older, more established ones tend to have their main offering as download based, and their no download version is the more limited and lesser quality format.
It’s so easy to download online casino software that this shouldn’t matter though, and the big push for no download sites is actually to better integrate their games with mobile play, offering these games as no download mobile options where mobile players can play them all in their mobile browser, with an optimized experience.
So as mobile gaming keeps growing, this is in a real sense changing the landscape of computer based gaming as well, as there’s lots of advantages with no download mobile, it doesn’t matter what device you have for one thing, but the biggest part is that these games can be integrated into mobile play more easily than if both computer software and mobile software need to be written independently.
We’re moving more and more toward no download casino experiences, and one day we may see no download or instant casino play taking over completely.