Independent Online Casino Reviews

Independent Reviews from the Online Gambling Trenches
We have been betting our own money in online casinos for eight years, and we have seen it all—from the good and the gracious to the annoying and downright painful.

The fact is that even the most reputable online casino may not be right for everybody. Some online casinos give generous bonuses and are honest, but it takes them a week (or more) to pay you every time you withdraw. If this is the case, our independent reviews say so. Others pay any withdrawal within a few hours, no matter how much you have won, but have standard bonus terms that are pain in the neck for many players.

Some online casinos offer limits high enough for you to win tens of thousands, while others have minimums small enough to fit even the most conservative gambling budget (how about 50¢ blackjack, or a penny a spin on slots?). Ou rindependent online casino reviews cover these betting limits too. Some online casinos have a wide range of the most up-to-date slot games but restrict craps or roulette from bonus play, while others have better video poker payouts or a wider array of blackjack selections.

Before you choose an online casino, take the time to read our independent online casino reviews below to find a casino that's the right fit for you. The independent reviews are organized by software and casino group, because it's the software that determines the game selections and fairness, and it's the online casino group that determines a casino's bonus and withdrawal policies.

Or, to find a review of a particular online casino, just click on its name at the left.

Be sure to check back from time to time, as our independent reviews are sure to change as good new online casinos arise, and conditions at others change.

Partnerlogic Casinos: Intercasino and VIP Casino
(Cryptologic Software)

The Good: VIP and Intercasino are outstanding casinos—way up at the pinnacle of Mt. Everest for excellence among all casinos online. They have excellent pay tables on video poker and the best blackjack online, including a wonderful single-deck game and multi-hand blackjack with a $1 minimum and two hands of $2500 maximum—enough of a spread to permit any betting system you choose.

Every month bonus offers from these casinos will be showing up in your email to play various games. In addition, Intercasino offers an automatic 100% match bonus up to $90 every month (up to $100 in February 2006), while VIP offers you 5-10% of your money back if you lose (no strings attached), and an extra 1% cash back if you win. Cashouts usually take 1 or 2 days, and even the biggest wins are paid with the same speed. High rollers love these casinos.

Lately, VIP and Intercasino have also been making a major move in the online slot wars, with both now offering Marvel Comics slots that look drawn by the original artists and have a great superhero excitement, with games featuring the Incredible Hulk or Blade or XMen, and a variety of progressive jackpots that are going off every day. (See the Slot Dogg's review on our Best New Online Slots page. VIP offers a variety of good 20-line games and the Millionaire's Club progressive slot game (among others), with jackpots in the millions. That's millions, son.

Limits: Finally, some online casinos that can satisfy high rollers! Along with 32 Red, VIP is the best bet online for high-stakes players, with truly fast unlimited cashouts and limits high enough for even the most well-staked players to feel excitement, up to two hands of $2500 on blackjack and equally high limits on roulette and other games.

The Bad: A very minor annoyance with these casinos is that they charge you a buck every time you make a withdrawal. Also, gamblers who prefer video poker will be disappointed that there is no double-or-nothing option on the video poker here —in Vegas and most online casinos, this is a standard feature of the games.

They also have a policy at Intercasino that you have to complete any wagering requirement on a bonus, even if you lose all the money from that bonus and its deposit. This can lead to misunderstandings at Intercasino (VIP's cashback program has no such requirement), so I want you to know about it in advance. I also want you to know that this restriction is worth it here, because the wagering requirements are very fair, and the software will help you keep track of things.

Special Offers:  VIP is offering a 100% match up to $100, February only!

Intercasino is also offering a 100% match up to $100 in February, plus 100% up to $90 monthly.





32 Red and Dash Casino
(Microgaming Software)

The Good: What truly outstanding casinos for customer service! And 32 Red and Dash Casino are also two of the few casinos really suitable for high-stakes players! They offer not only some of the fastest payouts online, but these fast payouts are unlimited in size—none of these $5000 a week payment plans some other casinos force onto high-stakes players when you hit a jackpot or a good run of cards. No, sir. The money is in your Neteller account (or on its way to you by whatever method you prefer) within a matter of hours—100% of it, first time and every time! 32 Red and Dash Casino seem to understand that courteous treatment is part of the fun.

32 Red and Dash are also outstanding at meeting their other promises to players. Ask for the sign-up bonus or monthly loyalty bonus? The response (and the bonus) come within minutes. Have a question? The courteous and knowledgeable staff provide the answers, and they're always correct.

32 Red and Dash feature all the great new Microgaming video slot games, as well as a good selection of table games and video poker with excellent pay tables and auto-play/auto-hold (the easy way to play perfect strategy). The casinos also feature limits that high-stakes players can feel some excitement about.

Limits: High!

The Bad: The sign-up bonus is limited to slots.

Special Offer: 100% match up to $100 at 32Red. Or, 100% up to $50 at Dash Casino to play whatever you like and withdraw whenever you want!

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Wager Junction Casinos: Geisha Lounge, Grand Aces, King Solomon's
(RTG Software)

The Good: Fast, easy-to-use RTG software, with a good variety of both table games and slots, including Three Card Rummy, various casino poker games and innovative new bonus video slots (9-line to 25-line) like Red Sands (featuring an Australian Outback theme) and Rain Dance (with an attractive Native American look and sound). Geisha Lounge, Grand Aces and King Solomons also offer relatively big sign-up bonuses and generous loyalty bonuses if you've been losing (which really helps with that come-back!) and have courteous and helpful customer support.

Limits: The max on blackjack at Geisha Lounge recently was only two hands of $50(!), but slots maximums are up to $100 a spin. They give 3x odds on craps with a max bet of $100 on line and proposition bets. You can play up to 100 hands of video poker, at up to $1 coin (or $5 coin on a single hand).

The Bad: Not the top video poker pay tables and no double-or-nothing option at video poker (a real disappointment for gamblers who like to go for it). In Vegas and most online casinos, this is a standard feature of the game, and, in our opinion, rightly so.


Special Offers:

King Solomons Casino offers a 100% match up to $100, plus a 50% match bonus up to $250 on your second deposit, plus a 10% Neteller bonus up to $100 -- all cashable if you win. Also check out their monthly loyalty bonuses and new VIP club benefits.

Grand Aces Casino is offering a 40% match sign-up bonus up to $400 (plus 10% for depositing via Neteller.) The bonus is cashable if your withdrawal amount is more than your initial deposit plus bonus.


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Wager Share Casinos: Spin Palace, Ruby Fortune, Mummy's Gold and Piggs Peak
(Microgaming Software)

The Good: Spin Palace, Ruby Fortune, Mummy's Gold and Piggs Peak are powered by Microgaming Viper software, which is fast and gives perfect advice on playing your blackjack and video poker hands. These casinos also feature the latest of Microgaming's slot games, which now rival anything in Las Vegas with their outstanding animation and sound effects and innovative bonus features.

Recently, they launched the new 25-line bonus video slot Loaded, which has a hip hop theme and is the single most fun slot machine we've ever played, good for both aggressive players who want to go for a big win and players who like to make a small deposit last a long time. Loaded lets you pick your number of free spins and their multiplier.

The sign-up bonuses at Spin Palace and Ruby Fortune allow blackjack and video poker players to play their favorite games, or you can opt for the casinos' special slots-only sign-up offers. For slot players, Spin Palace provides a 300% match on your deposit up to a $150 bonus, while Ruby Fortune is offering 400% up to $200 on a $50 deposit!

These casinos have also recently improved their loyalty programs, with monthly bonuses for returning players. Plus, their special bonus for progressive jackpot slot players is top on the Internet: They will give an extra $1000, no strings attached, to any player who hits a progressive jackpot of $10,000 or more in either casino. And, since the Microgaming progressives get a lot of play, big jackpots are going off all the time. See Slot Dogg's live progressive online jackpot tickers to find the ones that are most overdue.

Wagershare online casinos also offer a new deposit method that players in North America will like: Just write an "e-Check" from your normal checking account—instant credit and no sign-up required! This is definitely a step in the right direction for deposit ease.

Limits: Spin Palace, Ruby Fortune, Mummy's Gold and Piggs Peak take wagers of $500 a hand at blackjack or baccarat, $100 on craps, but only $25 inside on Roulette. They take up to $125 a spin on a slot game like Loaded.

The Bad: We'd like to see higher limits on table games, especially roulette. In addition, the bonus wagering requirement on blackjack and video poker is a bit onerous. Also, why not let people play whatever games they like on bonuses, including baccarat, roulette and sic bo? Although blackjack and some video poker are allowed on sign-up bonuses at these casinos, players may find the wagering requirements for these games onerous.

Another possible problem for players is a new requirement that players must meet the full wagering requirement on all bonuses before any withdrawal, even if they've lost prior deposits and bonuses in full. This can cause misunderstandings, especially with the large wagering requirements, so I want you to know about it in advance.

On the other hand, that extra $1000 on progressive jackpots is a truly good deal for progressive slot players.

Special Offers:

Spin Palace Casino is currently offering a 300% match sign-up bonus up to $150 to play slots, or a 100% match up to $75 to play other games.

At Ruby Fortune new players can choose a 400% match bonus up to $200 for a $50 deposit.

Pigg's Peak is offering a 40% match sign-up bonus up to $400 free.

Mummy's Gold is offering a 50% match sign-up bonus up to $250 free.


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Profitshare Casinos: Nostalgia, UK Casino Club, Golden Reef, Challenge Casino, and Music Hall
(Microgaming Software)

The Good: The Profitshare casinos feature great Microgaming software and innovative new video slot games with some of the coolest bonus features around. And they are constantly adding fun new slots for all types of players, from conservative play-all-day types to the most wild-eyed slot maniac, like Slot Dogg.

Plus, this group goes one better than simply paying withdrawals promptly. They have something called automatic Instant Payments, in which, with the press of a button, you can select to have your withdrawals in your Neteller account within ten minutes. Now, that's fast!

Limits: $10 inside on roulette, $500 at baccarat, $200 at blackjack, $125 a spin at slots, $5 coin on 1- or 4-hand video poker ($1 coin on more hands).

The Bad: Higher limits would be nice, but a lot of players will like the 50¢ minimums on many table games like blackjack. Also, we'd like to see instant payment on your very first withdrawal, but even as is, those truly instant payments on subsequent withdrawals are a good feature of Nostalgia, Aztec Riches, UK Casino Club and the rest.

Note: The Profitshare group of casinos has recently changed the terms and conditions for their bonuses. They now require you to meet the full wagering requirement for all bonuses you receive before they will process any withdrawals, even if you have lost all your prior deposits and bonuses.

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Vegas Affiliates Casinos: Vegas 7, Vegas Joker, Colosseum, Vegas Slot Casino, Vegas Country, Royal Plaza and Grand Hotel
(Microgaming Software)

The Good: The Vegas Affiliates group is so confident that you will enjoy their games and excellent customer service that they hand out free gambling money bonuses at a number of their properties. That means a chance to win with no deposit required. And they follow up every month with loyalty bonuses based on your action. Payments are always prompt and no-hassle. These are easy-to-deal-with, no-problems-ever casinos with some of the most reasonable bonus wagering requirements online.

These casinos feature great Microgaming software and innovative new video slot games with some of the coolest bonus features around. And they are constantly adding fun new slots for all types of players, from conservative play-all-day types to the wild-eyed Slot Dogg.

Limits: Up to $1000 a hand on blackjack, and equally high on other games!

The Bad: Wonderful casinos (among our favorites), but they should allow games other than slots on their sign-up bonuses.

Special Offers: $15 free, no deposit required, plus 100% up to $100 at Vegas Slot
Casino!

$10 free, no deposit required, plus 100% up to $70 at Vegas Joker
Casino!

$11 free, no deposit required, plus 100% up to $75 free at Vegas Country!

$11 free, no deposit required, plus 150%–deposit $50 and get $75 free. Get either or both at Vegas 7!

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Brightshare Casinos: All Jackpots, All Slots, First Web Casino, and Wild Jack's
(Microgaming Software)

The Good: The Brightshare casinos feature great Microgaming software and innovative new slot games (though, inexplicably, not the Slot Dogg's favorite, Loaded).

They not only offer some of the most generous sign-up bonuses available to slot players (deposit $50 and get $200 right now at  All Jackpots Casino!) but they are also constantly popping cash gifts with reasonable wagering requirements into your account, and running some clever tournament or promotion (a tempting prize right now is tickets to an upcoming Rolling Stones concert; another special is the "Bourbon of the Month"). They pay withdrawals promptly, always within a couple of days, with no hassles. Their customer support department is unusually easy to deal with and polite. Whenever I go through an irritating experience in another online casino, I find myself returning to a Brightshare casino and am glad I did.

Limits: $10 inside on roulette, $500 at baccarat, $200 at blackjack, $125 a spin at slots, $5 coin on 1- or 4-hand video poker ($1 coin on more hands).

Another good point: The Brightshare casinos have recently switched to a no-hassle bonus system, where you can play whatever games you like and withdraw whenever you want, just like in Las Vegas casinos! These casinos are a first-rate choice for online gamblers!

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Grand Prive Casinos: Bella Vegas, Jupiter Club, Casino Grand Bay, Roadhouse Reels and Lake Palace
(Microgaming Software)

The Good: We absolutely love these casinos. Their sign-up bonuses are an excellent value (a 100% match up to $100 at Bella Vegas, Lake Palace, or Jupiter Club, or play on $300 free for 1 hour, keep your winnings up to $500 at Casino Grand Bay! And Grand Prive keeps those bonuses coming to loyal customers at all their casinos, month after month!

In addition, Grand Bay and the rest of the Grand Prive casinos have introduced the very best bonus system among all the online casinos: their new EZ Bonus system, in which you can play any game you want and withdraw any time you want, adding to your cashout whatever portion of the bonus you have earned through your play. This is so rational! Why keep players laboring on a slot or blackjack wagering requirement after they are tired of playing or satisfied with their win? Some online casinos' wagering requirements are so boring and onerous—like breaking big rocks into small rocks! The people at Bella Vegas, by contrast, remember they're running a casino, not a prison work farm!

The Grand Prive casinos feature all the great Microgaming slot games and auto play/auto hold features for players who want help playing blackjack or video poker perfectly. Withdrawals are prompt and very low-hassle.

Limits: $200 at blackjack, $10 inside at roulette (too small!), $500 at baccarat, $100 at craps, $5 coin at 4-play video poker, $125 a spin at slots.

The Bad: Higher limits at roulette are a must!


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Referback Casinos: Lucky Nugget, Gaming Club, River Belle, Aces High, Showdown, Home Casino and Jackpot City
(Microgaming Software)

The Good: The Referback group is another one especially tailored to slot players. They feature great Microgaming software and innovative new slot games. They also have an innovative player rewards system called the Belle Rock Buddy, where players can use loyalty points to bid in auctions on fancy TVs and electronics, jewelry, vacations and other nifty stuff. It's fun!

Their sign-up bonuses for slot players include $25 free, no deposit required at Jackpot City, River Belle or Gaming Club. Or, you can deposit $50 and receive $200 at River Belle or Lucky Nugget.

They pay withdrawals promptly, always within a few days. Their customer support department is patient and polite. They typically offer special loyalty bonuses and special drawings several times a month.

Another feature of the River Belle casino is its connection to River Belle Poker, a new high-profile online poker room that sponsors the Monte Carlo Millions Poker Tournament. If you are interested in winning an entry into a high-stakes tournament and matching wits with the poker superstars, River Belle poker room can provide the way.

Limits: $10 inside on roulette, $500 at baccarat, $200 at blackjack, $125 a spin at slots, $5 coin on 1- or 4-hand video poker ($1 coin on more hands).

The Bad: This group had a period of software download problems when they first started up the Belle Rock Buddy system. It all seems to be working great now, but they keep pushing for further innovation. When all else fails, don't hesitate to call customer support. Believe me, they're nice people, and they can talk you through anything.

Bonuses here are heavily oriented toward slots players. In addition, they are another Microgaming group at which all wagering requirements on past bonuses must be completed before any withdrawal is allowed. This can cause misunderstandings with players, so I want you to know about it in advance. If table games are your preference, especially roulette, you will be happier elsewhere. Higher limits would be nice as well.

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Fortune Lounge Casinos: 7 Sultans, Royal Vegas, Fortune Room, Vegas Palms, Desert Dollar, Platinum Play, Vegas Towers, and Vegas Villa
(Microgaming Software)

The Good: Fortune Lounge has nine casinos and a hard-working, talented and fun-oriented marketing department. With this group's innovative variety of sign-up bonuses, you are almost sure to find at least one offer you find tempting.

For example, the sign-up offer at Royal Vegas right now is $100 worth of free slot spins, keep your winnings. In addition, you can get a 100% match bonus on your first deposit of up to $100, cashable.

Platinum Play is offering new players $200 free to play on, no deposit required! Transfer your winnings up to $200 to a regular account, wager on them, and they're yours to keep!

7 Sultans is offering new players $500 free to play on for 15 minutes—keep your winnings up to $200. The way it works is you transfer your winnings to a real account at the casino and must play through a wagering requirement on them before you get to withdraw them. But this is still a great deal for anybody who likes to gamble.

Fortune Lounge also just added an innovative new sign-up bonus for Fortune Room Casino. Deposit $50 at Fortune Room via Neteller and play any game you want. If you win, keep your winnings, no strings attached! If you lose your deposit within the first 24 hours, Fortune Room will refund the entire amount to your Neteller account.

Fortune Lounge casinos are fast at paying your withdrawals too. Right now, only 32Red and Sci Fi Casino, along with the new Instant Payment Microgaming casinos, are any faster. You make your withdrawal and it is processed in 24 hours. Then it is there in your Neteller account within another day. There are absolutely no runarounds. That's great!

Also, as Microgaming Viper casinos, Fortune Lounge casinos offer auto-play and auto-hold. You may take advantage of the software's perfect advice on blackjack or video poker, or even choose to have the software actually play games or slots for you.

A great new feature of the Fortune Lounge casinos is that on all bonuses except for the sign-up bonuses you may now play ANY game except for roulette and craps. Also, you may withdraw your deposit and winnings whenever you like, just like in a Las Vegas casino. (To withdraw your bonus, you must meet the full bonus wagering requirement.) Note: On the sign-up bonuses only, you must meet the full wagering requirement before any withdrawal.


Limits: The max bet is $1000 on European High-Limit Blackjack; $100 on craps; $150 inside on roulette at Vegas Palms. You can play up to 4 hands up Power Video Poker at $5 coin, but if you'd like to play 10- or 50- or 100-play, the max coin is only $1.

The Bad: Getting through the innovative sign-up bonuses can occasionally be confusing. Typically you have to do the free play in a special area of the casino software that is not always easy to find. Then, you may have to claim bonuses or make transfers of your winnings in another area of the casino or at the casino Web site, after which you may have a hard time finding your way back to where your money is at. If you get confused, be sure to call Customer Support. It's worth it, and they will help. Above all, be sure to file the claim for any bonus or refund on the designated online claim form at the casino web site. If you don't, you won't receive the bonus.

Higher limits would be nice as well, and why, oh why not allow roulette and craps on all bonus wagering requirements??? Other than that, these are excellent casinos with excellent bonuses and great service.


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Golden Star Network: River Nile, Miami Paradise, Golden Riviera, and Slots Royale
(Microgaming Software)

The Good: Golden Riviera and its sister casinos have built up a solid reputation for honesty and good customer service for years. Their software comes in a wide variety of languages, so you don't have to be fluent in English to play comfortably. They offer a permanent automatic bonus of 12.5% for Neteller purchasers and 5% cash back for credit card purchasers. As Microgaming casinos, they offer all the great Microgaming slot games.

Miami Paradise is our favorite casino in this group, and that is because it has just launched an EZ-type, no hassle bonus system. The new system allows players to play whatever game they like on the sign-up bonus, and withdraw whenever they want. However, see our warning below about the wagering requirement on deposits and bonuses after your first one.

Limits: Limits here are lower than at some other casnos. The max bet on blackjack is $200. The max bet on the inside at roulette is only $10!


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Casinoblasters: Golden Palace, Flamingo, 24kt Gold, Grand Online
(Playtech Software)

The Good: Golden Palace and the other Casinoblasters casinos have an exceptionally generous bonus program for loyal customers. For new sign-ups, Golden Palace is giving a 300% match up to $300 free for a $100 deposit. Lose your $100? No problem. There's $300 more there to stage a come-back. It's like the casino actually wants you to win.

And the generosity doesn't stop with that sign-up bonus, as it does with so many other casinos. When you log into the casino, click on the "Latest Promotions" link. There will be at least a half dozen special events scattered throughout the month, with generous match bonuses on one weekend, and generous cash back on another. In addition, if you go through a bad streak, you'll find special bonuses in your mail box. We have a warm place in our hearts for this group.

The Casinoblasters group offers an excellent selection of blackjack games, from Blackjack Switch to Surrender Blackjack and other 21 games, and at higher limits than most other online casinos. Their video poker selections have excellent pay tables as well. They have also recently launched a variety of new carnival-style "Arcade Games" with selections like coin toss or Rock-Scissors-Paper. Have fun!

Limits: Limits at Golden Palace are higher than at most other online casinos, with a $500 max bet at blackjack (but only $25 inside on roulette!) You can wager up to $45 a spin on their 9-line video slots. We'd like to see higher limits still.


The Bad: These casinos take slightly longer to cash you out. The first time you withdraw, expect them to ask you to send copies of documents like a driver’s license and utility bill. Once they have received those documents, cash outs usually take 4 days. Also, these casinos have a policy that they will only pay $4000 in withdrawals per week for any one player. That means that any win over $4000 will be paid to you at $4000 per week, and may take a few weeks to pay in full.

We'd also like to see some new slots at Golden Palace and other Playtech casinos, especially some 20- and 25-line machines, with some of the newer bonus features and multipliers and gamble options. We'd also like to see higher limits on slots and roulette.

Special Offers: Deposit $100 and get $300, for wagering only, at Golden Palace.

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Aus Vegas
(Aus Vegas Software)

The Good: Frequent bonuses and a sterling reputation (they are based in Australia and licensed and regulated there) have made Aus Vegas casino a trustworthy top choice for players. They also offer an excellent loyalty program, with guaranteed bonus offers every Tuesday and Wednesday. Aus Vegas has also been expanding its slot offerings—we highly recommend their new undersea adventure game, 20,000 Leagues.

Limits: Smallish.

The Bad: Benefit from government regulation, suffer from government regulation (but in this case, not too much!) The first time you cash out Aus Vegas must mail you a check for your withdrawal. You know how long mail takes to get around in your part of the world. Once you've gone through that you can withdraw via Neteller.


Special Offers: Deposit $10 and get $40(!) at Aus Vegas right now (for wagering only!) or deposit $100 and get $200 more free (for wagering only)!

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Vegas Partners Casinos: Casino U.S., Sun Vegas, Cinema, Maple, 777 Dragon, Crazy Vegas
(Microgaming Software)

The Good: Microgaming Viper software gives Vegas Partners casinos the best and latest of Microgaming's excellent new video slot games, as well as on-the-spot perfect playing advice on their wide variety of video poker games, all with excellent pay tables and most available as Power Poker, allowing you to play up to 100 hands at a time!

Vegas Partners is an honest group, and usually processes withdrawals within a couple of days. Most of the casinos in this group offer an automatic monthly bonus program, typically 12.5% up to $3000 a month in bonuses on Neteller purchases. At 777 Dragon, one of our two favorites here, the program is an automatic 10% cash back on losses. If you don't like getting tied down by automatic bonuses and their wagering requirements, Casino US (the other of our two favorites here) has a very generous points system, which we prefer.

Limits: $10 inside on roulette (too small!), $125 a spin on slots, $5 coin on video poker (up to 4-play; $1 coin on 10-play and up), $500 on baccarat, $200 a hand on blackjack!

Special Offers: Casino U.S. is now offering an EZ-type bonus system, with a sign-up bonus of 300% up to $30, 100% up to $100, or 35% up to $350—take your choice! See our warning above for deposits after your first.

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