Step one: the license
Seven states license online casinos, and we test in the four big markets: New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Each has a regulator that publishes who may operate: the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, the Michigan Gaming Control Board, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and the West Virginia Lottery Commission.
We look the operator up on that list for each state we write about. An operator licensed in New Jersey but not Michigan is described as available in New Jersey only. You have to be 21 or older and physically inside the state to play, and we repeat that wherever an operator appears.
Step two: the craps games
Next we look at what craps is actually on offer. Some operators run a computer-dealt game with a random number generator, others add a live-dealer table streamed from a studio, such as Evolution’s Live Craps. We note which versions a site carries.
For each game we record the rules that change the cost of playing:
- the odds allowed behind the pass line and come bets, for example 3-4-5x or higher
- the table minimum and maximum
- what the field pays on 2 and 12
- whether buy and lay commissions are charged on wins or up front
Those details matter more than the lobby design. A field that pays 3 to 1 on 12 instead of 2 to 1 halves its house edge, and our open math page shows why.
Step three: payments and withdrawals
We list the deposit and withdrawal methods an operator states on its own site, and the withdrawal times it publishes. Where an operator lists identity checks before a first withdrawal, we say so, because that is usually where a first cash-out slows down.
We do not report bonus amounts as part of the assessment. Promotions change often and each one is subject to the operator’s own terms.
Step four: responsible-gambling tools
Every licensed operator in these states has to offer tools that help you stay in control. We check which are available in the account settings: deposit limits, time or session limits, cool-off periods and self-exclusion. We also note whether the operator links to its state’s self-exclusion program. The responsible gambling page lists the programs and helplines for all four big markets.
How casinos in the directory are verified
The casino directory lists land-based casinos that spread craps. A casino is added only when a primary source confirms it: the casino’s own website, or a report or license list from its state regulator. Each entry carries the date we last checked it.
We do not publish table minimums or odds limits for a casino unless that source states them. Pit rules change by shift and by day, so a number we cannot confirm is left out rather than guessed.
What a review leaves out
A review describes tables, rules and tools. It does not predict winnings, rank an operator by the size of its bonus or promise any result at the table. The one rating shown is the operator’s app rating as published in the App Store, quoted with its review count, so you can see how many people it rests on and read their reviews yourself.
How often we re-check
License lists for the four online states are checked again whenever we update an operator, and at least every few months. Casino entries are re-checked on the same rolling basis, and sooner when a reader reports a change through the contact page.
When a table closes or an operator leaves a state, the entry changes that day. If you notice an odds limit on a live game that no longer matches what we list, which number did the dealer’s screen show?