
Author:
Ashley
Last Updated:
11/02/2025
Topic:
US States
Experiences:
CA born, casino expert
Topic:
US States
Experiences:
CA born, casino expert
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In North Dakota, you have a range of options for placing a wager. However, there is still a degree of uncertainty about online gambling ND in general, which is precisely why we have put together this guide to online casinos in North Dakota.
Current legislation means that playing slots, blackjack, roulette, or poker is currently not possible in North Dakota, although it is unclear if the regulatory situation will change in the future. Should that change happen, at Las-Vegas-How-To.com, we want to make sure you have all the information you need at your fingertips.
If you are a resident of North Dakota, you’ll know just how complicated all of the various pieces of gambling legislation are, In fact, you’re probably feeling the same if you’re looking for online casinos in Maine, which is one of the many US states where playing slots or casino table games is still prohibited. So, if you are thinking you might need some information to help with making the right choices should legislation one day make online casinos legal, then you are in the right place.
This online casinos ND guide is also for you if you have played games at either charitable gaming sites or tribal casinos, and you want to be well prepared should you ever be allowed to do the same online. The same goes if you’ve been involved in pari-mutuel betting on horse racing, or previously lived in a state where online casinos were commonplace, and you need to refresh your memory.
Before we can look at the prospect of online casinos North Dakota becoming legal, we first need to look at the events that got us to where we are today. Originally, like many US states, gambling in North Dakota was once both widespread and unregulated. But then, like most other states, online gambling ND quickly became illegal.
The situation stayed that way for many years in North Dakota until 1977, when the changes that brought about the number of different gambling options we see today, began. That year brought the first of the charitable gaming establishments that were licensed to raise funds for educational, patriotic or religious purposes. Over time, these have become part of restaurants or bars that run the casinos alongside their normal business.
These establishments are typically small and offer a range of table games as well as bingo and raffles but are not allowed to offer slots. Stakes are also limited, typically in the $1-$25 range. Due to the size of the state and the widespread population, there are thought to be well over 700 of these in operation, meaning that some kind of legal gambling option should be in easy reach of most North Dakota residents.
As mentioned above, these sites could not offer the casino ‘mainstay’ of slots. But that base was covered in the wake of the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act when compacts were agreed to allow the opening of the first tribal casinos in the early 90s with further developments increasing the total to 7 over the next 25 years. During this period, two race courses also allowed pari-mutuel betting, where winnings are shared from the pooled bets rather than at odds placed.
With all of these other options, it is not hard to see why legalizing online casinos has not had the same focus as it has in other states that have recently updated their regulations, like Wyoming. Those states had little or no options for placing a wager without a trip of several hours to one of the tribal casinos, so limited online gambling was a logical move.
Despite all of those other options in North Dakota, this does not mean the prospect of playing online slots in ND, table games and even poker online are not greatly anticipated, and the shift to online casinos ND becoming legal might actually be a much smaller one than it would be for other states. Using Delaware as an example, changes are underway in that state and the potential for DE online slots real money is perhaps just a few months away from becoming reality. On the other hand, online gambling in Montana is something that is unlikely to happen legally in the foreseeable future.
Even though online casinos in North Dakota are a thing for the future, it does not mean you should ignore what are the best options in other states. The reason for this is that, should a number of licenses become available, that the best online ND casinos are likely to be services provided by operators who are already well established elsewhere.
Ideally, they will have a proven record offering services to states with evolving regulations, be highly rated and have an excellent bonus available to new customers. For this reason, the editors choice for the best online casino operator should it become legal in North Dakota, is BetMGM.
BetMGM currently operates in 11 states and offers a range of services in each one. This matches the regulations for the state in question and consists of just a sportsbook in some areas. However, in other states where such activity is allowed, they offer a full range of services like casino, live casino and even poker.
Another thing of particular interest to readers of this guide to online casinos in ND, is that the ND online casino bonus is a very attractive 100% match on first deposits up to $1000. Most importantly for our editors recommendation, though, BetMGM passed our in-depth review process with flying colors, racking up an impressive score of 98 points out of a possible 100, according to our strict ratings criteria.
While obviously we can’t guarantee that either the bonus or the rating will still be the same at whatever point in the future online casinos become legal in North Dakota, you can be sure that this guide will be updated if the situation changes.
It’s very important that you don’t skip this section. While online casinos in ND might not be legal for a while yet, knowing these tips should regulations change, could stop you from making a costly mistake.
Finding a secure and fair online casino operator is a more crucial step than just signing up to the one with the biggest bonus, because it doesn’t matter how much money is being given away if you don’t get to keep any of it, or if your personal details or financial information gets stolen in the process.
This simple checklist will help you stop that from happening.
If you were looking at our best online casino ND recommendation earlier, and were interested to discover how we grade operators in our reviews, then this next section will be of particular interest to you. While those five points above might help you steer clear of scammers, when we carry out a review, we look at much more.
Some of what we examine is mentioned above and will form the core of any review and rating process. However, to get a high ranking out of 100 an operator needs to score highly in each of these other areas as well.
Making sure an operator is legit was covered very basically above, but when we carry out a review, we look a lot deeper and find out more about the company you are trusting your data and money with. We check if they are listed on the stock exchange, their reputation, and what resources they have backing them up, either in the form of a parent company or being part of a multinational operation. We also check if they have won any awards, and if so, what for.
We also look at what measures they take to exclude minors or anyone else who should not be using the site, including verification and KYC (know your customer). We also look at what they do for those who are having trouble – in the forms of limits, self-exclusion, and access to outside help.
We also look at the payment methods provided, as well as the security measures mentioned earlier. We report back on what methods are accepted, including whether or not certain ewallets are included, as well as any charges or delays you might encounter when funding your account. We also look at withdrawals and any unexpected hoops you might be asked to jump through to get your money.
We looked at bonuses in the section above, but here we go deeper, as it’s usually the immediate focus when you first open an account. If it is a particularly good bonus, we’ll often create an additional review for it, so you know exactly what’s on offer.
We also look at the site from the point of view of somebody using it for the first time and make sure everything is easy to find, especially your account details. We’ll also check that slots and table games load quickly and none of the games glitch or hang while you’re playing them.
Finally, we look at what’s in it for you if you stick around. We check out any other bonuses that are available, if you can enter any sort of VIP programs, or what sort of loyalty benefits you enjoy if you play regularly. We’ll report back on what’s available so you can judge whether this operator will be somewhere you should go back to, or just use as a stepping stone on your way to claiming the next bonus.
Even with all of this information at your fingertips, the choice might not be an easy one. Even if you’ve spent time at one of the 700 or so charitable gaming establishments in the state or even ventured into one of the tribal casinos, picking the right online casino when the time comes will be an entirely different business.
After all, there are only a few tribal casinos, and your local charitable gaming site is unlikely to offer a welcome bonus. Once you compare that to the prospect of a huge number of choices when it comes to online operators and an even greater number of bonuses to choose from, you can quickly see how it could become confusing and overwhelming.
We can help with this too. Rather than going around each of the operators individually, you could use our various online guides, like this one covering online casinos in North Dakota, to fill in any gaps you might still have in your knowledge, and the reviews and ratings for all of the reputable operators to do your homework for you, to thin the herd to a more manageable number that you can measure up against your wish list.
For instance, you might be looking for the same sort of experience you had in the tribal casinos, so you might be interested in an online casino that offers a live casino service. Alternatively, you might be looking to play the slots you weren’t able to play offline, so are looking for one with the largest choice.
By now you will have realized that should online casinos in ND become a reality, the process of getting the best deals in a safe and fair manner is not just as simple as picking the biggest bonus and going for it. However, after reading this guide, you will also know that this complicated business can be made a whole lot easier by using all of the resources available to you online, like this comprehensive guide.
What you will have learned here, including those 5 expert tips and the list of criteria to check for when looking at an operator, will set you in good stead if you choose to look for the best online casino in ND yourself. But, by coming back here regularly for updates on any legislation changes and news of the best welcome bonus offers available you can ensure you don’t miss out.