NJ online gambling sites: Background
New Jersey’s online gambling history is a short and well-chronicled one. For decades, Atlantic City was the premier gambling destination on the East Coast. It essentially served as the Las Vegas of the east.
But as the rest of the country loosened their attitude toward regulated land-based gambling, the fortunes of Atlantic City began to suffer. There was the weight of increased competition from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut, New York and Delaware.
The result was a long decline in local gambling revenue for New Jersey. This situation was exacerbated by the continued addition of casinos in Atlantic City. And it certainly wasn’t helped by the massive economic downturn of the mid-2000s.
Those conditions provided the recipe for online gambling to enter the conversation in New Jersey. With the hope that regulating online poker and online casino games might provide a competitive advantage for New Jersey’s casinos — while also providing a financial boost to the state — then-Gov. Chris Christie and other NJ lawmakers worked together to pass a bill that legalized NJ online gambling sites offered by licensed AC casinos in 2013.
That hope was born out in the years that followed. In fact, in 2016 NJ’s online casinos powered the state to the first year of casino revenue gains in a decade. Without revenue from online gambling sites, Atlantic City’s casinos would have continued a yearlong slide. Hence, bringing casinos online in New Jersey has proven a wise decision. And as a result, both casinos and tax collectors have benefited to the tune of tens of millions of dollars.
Bottom line: Online gambling in Atlantic City has helped New Jersey’s casino industry recover from the most challenging period in New Jersey gambling history.
NJ online gambling law
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) oversees NJ online casinos. To offer legal online casino play in New Jersey, a casino must, among other things:
- Hold a valid Internet Gaming Permit (issued by the NJDGE).
- Submit all games and systems for audit by the NJDGE.
- Ensure that only players located within the state of New Jersey at the time of play can access real-money games.
- Ensure that only players 21 or older can access real-money games.
- Pay a 15% tax on gross gaming revenues to the state of New Jersey.
- Pay a variety of additional taxes and fees (e.g., responsible gambling, license fee).
- Allow for complete financial auditing of all funds flowing in and out of the site.
You can view the full text of the regulations governing online gambling in New Jersey here. All NJ online gambling sites are subject to these regulations and additional oversight by the NJDGE.
NJ online casino list: Identifying licensed NJ online casinos
Why do you need a list of NJ online casinos? Simple. It’s because there are still plenty of online casinos out there pretending to be safe and legal. And if you’re not careful, it’s difficult to know the difference between the legal NJ online casinos and those that are based offshore.
With offshore online casinos, you don’t know what you’re getting — the games may not be fair, and your money may not be safe.
But with licensed NJ online casinos, you can enjoy the comfort of knowing that the sites are regulated by the same body — the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement. This means you know who is accountable if there’s a problem with your account.
Here is the list of legal NJ online gambling sites (casino and poker). These sites have been verified with the NJDGE as of July 2021.
NJ legal online casino list
| Online Casinos | Free Bonus | Bonus Code | Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Nugget | $10 | PLAYBONUS | PLAY NOW |
| Tropicana | $25 | PLAY25 | PLAY NOW |
| Virgin | $30 | 30BUCKS | PLAY NOW |
| Caesars | N/A | PLAY2021 | PLAY NOW |
| Unibet Casino | $10 | FREEBONUS | PLAY NOW |
| BetMGM Casino | $25 | PLAYNJFREE | PLAY NOW |
| Borgata Online | $20 | PLAYNJ | PLAY NOW |
| SugarHouse | NA | PLAYNJ | PLAY NOW |
| DraftKings Casino | $85 | None - Use Links | PLAY NOW |
As for the best online NJ casino, you can browse our reviews and details of opening bonuses here. But all licensed NJ casino online gambling sites are the same when it comes to safety, security, game fairness and account integrity.
NJ legal online sportsbooks list
And here is the list of legal NJ online sportsbook apps. These sites have been verified with the NJDGE as of July 2021.
| NJ Sportsbook | Mobile App | Free Bet | Bonus Code | Play | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | DraftKings Sportsbook | Yes | $50 | None - Use Links | PLAY NOW |
| 2. | William Hill | Yes | $500 | LEGALRF | PLAY NOW |
| 3. | FanDuel Sportsbook | Yes | $1,000 | None - Use Links | PLAY NOW |
| 4. | FOX Bet | Yes | $500 | None - Use Links | PLAY NOW |
| 5. | BetMGM Sportsbook | Yes | $600 | PLAYBONUS | PLAY NOW |
| 6. | PointsBet Sportsbook | Yes | $2,000 | BETBONUS | PLAY NOW |
| 7. | SugarHouse Sportsbook | Yes | $250 | PLAY250 | PLAY NOW |
| 8. | Unibet | Yes | $600 | BETBONUS | PLAY NOW |
| 9. | Bet365 | Yes | $500 | None - Use Links | PLAY NOW |
More online sportsbooks are in the works, but the bottom line is that this is yet another avenue for online gambling revenue in NJ. You can read more about the NJ sports betting industry here.
Top NJ online poker sites
| NJ Online Poker Sites | Cash Game Traffic | Sit & Go Tourneys? | Free Play Offer | Play | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | WSOP Poker | High | A few | $10 | PLAY NOW |
| 2. | 888 Poker | High | Yes | $20 | PLAY NOW |
| 3. | PartyPoker | Low | Yes | $25 | PLAY NOW |
| 4. | PokerStars | Medium | Yes | $50 | PLAY NOW |
| 5. | Borgata Poker | Low | Yes | $20 | PLAY NOW |
| 6. | BetMGM Poker | Low | Yes | $25 | PLAY NOW |
What are the latest updates from NJ gambling sites?
NJ online casinos are still offering very generous sign-up and deposit bonuses. And on top of that, players now have even more games to explore and online sportsbooks to bet on.
It’s a whole new world in NJ online gambling.
NJ sports betting took off and now boasts 17 active sportsbook apps, eight Atlantic City sports betting locations, and two North Jersey racetrack sportsbooks.
That’s 27 total sports betting options in the state.
And after five years, gambling sites show no signs of slowing down either. The entire online casino market now stands at 24.
The result of the continued expansion is high revenues. The COVID-19 pandemic that shut down Atlantic City casinos in March did give online casinos a boost as more gamblers flocked to the apps.
The industry boasted a record $85.9 million in total online revenue in April. Golden Nugget and its partners earned $29 million in May alone.
And Golden Nugget still leads the charge with 700+ online casino games. Live dealer games are now at more sites than ever including DraftKings, Hard Rock, 888 Casino, and PlaySugarHouse.
Related:
The focus of our coverage at NJ Gambling Sites
Our coverage touches on a variety of topics having to do with online and land-based gambling in NJ. There are a few key issues that form the basis of the majority of our coverage, listed below in no particular order.
Financial performance of NJ online casinos
Our coverage includes a detailed analysis of the regularly-released information regarding the financial performance of the online casinos and online poker sites operating legally in New Jersey.
We go beyond the NJ online gambling numbers to provide depth and context. We report not only the numbers for NJ online gambling site revenue but what those numbers mean for individual casinos and the broader regulated market for NJ casino online gambling.
The interaction of online and land-based casinos
Companies licensed to operate land-based casinos are the only entities that can hold licenses to operate online gambling sites in NJ.
While some Atlantic City casinos partner with other brands to offer NJ online gambling sites, there is always an Atlantic City casino holding the ultimate license to operate online betting in NJ.
As a result, what happens in one industry usually has a direct effect on the trajectory of the other. This means that keeping tabs on developments in Atlantic City is a critical part of staying up-to-date and informed about the online gambling industry in New Jersey.
Related:
The broader political climate for gambling in NJ
The decision to regulate online gambling is far from the last political decision regarding gambling in the Garden State. The gambling industry in NJ is interconnected, as mentioned above. Any news that’s relevant to the land-based side matters to the online side as well, at least to some degree.
For example, the state of NJ was at one point locked in a pitched debate regarding the concept of expanding casino gambling outside of Atlantic City. That development, if it had come to pass, would’ve held significant implications for regulated online gambling. And, depending who won the new licenses to operate in other parts of NJ and how said licenses were handled, there could have been an expansion of the number of online gambling sites.
If the new competition from additional casinos harms an Atlantic City operator, support would have shifted. However, voters turned down any idea of a casino expansion in 2017, effectively making the subject moot.
That’s just a quick example to make the central point. The gambling industry in NJ is effectively one industry, even though it’s easy to imagine a delineation between land-based and online gambling.
Product and promotional developments at NJ online gambling sites
The online gambling product in NJ is constantly evolving. New online poker sites open and online casinos add new game variants. Additionally, operators continue to roll out a steady stream of promotions and bonuses in an attempt to entice players to sign up or switch brands.
These are all touchstones for understanding the general health and trajectory of regulated online gambling in the Garden State. As a result, we devote a significant amount of our NJ regulated online gambling site coverage to stories focused on how the product — on both the online poker and online casino front — is evolving to meet the changing demands, tastes, and interest levels of NJ gamblers.
Safety and security concerns surrounding online gambling in NJ
Finally, we devote a significant amount of our NJ online gambling coverage to the critical topics of safety and security.
One of the core advantages of a regulated online gambling environment is that players can take comfort in knowing that a regulator is watching NJ’s online poker and casino games to ensure that everything is on the up-and-up. Regulators are also available to help mediate consumer issues or other complaints. Additionally, systems are in place to prevent unauthorized access by underage or out of state players. These and other topics are an important piece of the larger puzzle of NJ’s online gambling industry.
Last updated: July 2021
NJ Gambling FAQ
On Feb. 26, 2013, a bill permitting internet gambling in the state was approved by the New Jersey Legislature. It was signed into law by then-Gov. Chris Christie later that day. It took almost nine months before legal and regulated online gambling actually launched in New Jersey.
Anyone 21 and older and physically located inside the state of New Jersey can play on the state’s legal and regulated online gambling sites. The sites verify identification and use geolocation software to ensure both these stipulations are met.
There are 23 different online casinos and seven different online poker sites licensed to operate in the state. That makes a total of 30 NJ online gambling sites. Two of the online poker sites operate on the same network, sharing player pools. Another online poker network shares player pools between three of the sites.
New Jersey law dictates Atlantic City casinos are the only entities that can be licensed to run online gambling sites. However, the casinos can partner with outside entities to host online casino operations for them. Several do. However, the same laws dictate the computer servers operating the online gambling websites must be located at licensed casinos in Atlantic City. That means that in effect, all of New Jersey’s online gambling websites are being run out of Atlantic City casinos. The law also dictates that a portion of revenues from the online gambling sites be reserved for capital improvements at the host Atlantic City casino.
Just about every game you can play inside a brick-and-mortar casino in Atlantic City is also offered online in New Jersey. That means a huge variety of slots and video poker games are online. Plus, electronic versions of all the classic table games and a wide variety of other casino games are there as well, including:
BlackjackRoulette
Craps
Baccarat
Pai Gow
Let It Ride
Texas Hold’em
Three Card Poker
The state’s first online gambling websites officially launched Nov. 26, 2013.
New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement oversees and regulates NJ online gaming sites and NJ online sports betting sites. It handles things such as licensing for the sites, tax revenue collection, and game testing and approval.
Golden Nugget emerged as the New Jersey online gambling market revenue leader in 2017. In fact, Golden Nugget has continued to dominate the market into 2019, becoming the first site to post more than $14 million in revenue in a single month in August 2019.
Making a deposit at all of New Jersey’s online gambling sites is an easy, safe, and secure process. Most online gambling sites accept various methods of deposit, including:
Major credit cards including Visa and MasterCardElectronic checks
Cash deposits at partner Atlantic City casinos
Cash deposits via 7-11 PayNearMe
Online payment processors such as Skrill, Neteller, or PayPal
Prepaid debit card
All of New Jersey’s legal and regulated gambling sites have a Division of Gaming Enforcement licensed and regulated insignia on the home page linking out to the division’s website at http://www.nj.gov/oag/ge/index.html. All of the state’s legal and regulated online gambling websites are listed on the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement website. They are also listed here in this FAQ. If it’s not on the lists and you can’t find the Division of Gaming Enforcement licensed and regulated insignia on the site, it isn’t legal in New Jersey.
Sports betting is officially legal in New Jersey. On May 14, 2018, the Supreme Court struck down PASPA, clearing the way for NJ (and other states) to begin offering legal sports wagering. The state first tried to legalize sports betting inside its borders in 2011. In December 2017, the US Supreme Court heard the state’s case against the law that bans sports betting operations almost everywhere outside of Nevada. A decision was rendered on May 14, 2018 that declared PASPA unconstitutional. This means that New Jersey is free to offer sports betting to residents and visitors.
As of July 2021, there are 19 online sportsbooks.
There are currently seven Atlantic City casino operations that have been licensed by the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement to operate online gambling sites. They are:
Borgata Hotel CasinoCaesars Interactive Entertainment- Affiliate of Boardwalk Regency Corporation
Golden Nugget Atlantic City
Resorts Casino Hotel
Tropicana Casino and Resort
Hard Rock Atlantic City
Ocean Casino Resort
These seven Atlantic City casino operations actually host 28 different online poker and casino sites.
Borgata hosts:Borgata Casino
Borgata Poker
NJ partypoker
NJ partycasino
Pala Casino
Pala Poker
Pala Bingo
BetMGM Casino
BetMGM Poker
Scores Casino
Caesars Interactive hosts:
Caesars Casino
Harrahs Casino
WSOP.com
888 Casino
888 Poker
Golden Nugget hosts:
Golden Nugget Casino
Stardust Casino (was Betfair)
PlaySugarHouse
BetAmerica
Resorts casino hosts:
Resorts Casino
Mohegan Sun Casino
PokerStars NJ
DraftKings Casino
Tropicana hosts:
Tropicana Casino
Virgin Casino
Hard Rock hosts:
Hard Rock Casino
Unibet Casino
Bet365 Casino
Ocean Casino hosts:
Ocean Online Casino
Parx Online Casino