New Jersey State administrators passed bills to legalize racetrack betting in 1939, charity gambling like bingo and other games in churches were legalized in 1953, and amusement games were legalized in 1959. New Jersey voted in favor of lotteries in 1970, when the New Jersey Lottery was created. New Jersey is famed for having some of the most liberal gambling laws in the United States. As of January 2011, Senate Bill No. 490 brought about the legalization of most types of online gambling for NJ residents aged 21 and over. Today, the legal online gambling market in New Jersey is bursting at the seams with incredible online gaming.

Best NJ Online Gambling Sites in 2020

Online casinos, sports betting, and poker are now all legal in the Garden State. Discover the top sites and start playing for real money on your PC or mobile device.

Read our in-depth guide to the best NJ betting websites:

• Find the best NJ online gambling casinos with hundreds of games
• Learn how to play poker online and bet on your favorite sports
• Discover top bonuses where you can win free cash every day

NJ Online Casinos in 2020

In New Jersey, it’s legal to play at licensed and regulated NJ online casinos. You must be over 21 to play and located within NJ borders when you place a wager.

We have full reviews on great NJ casinos with solid software, unrivaled customer support, and amazing games.

Whatever games you want to play, we have you covered. Unearth the NJ online gambling sites with thousands of slots, the latest live dealer games, or high-stakes roulette around the clock.

Only online casinos associated with existing land-based establishments can operate in New Jersey. That's why we only recommend properly regulated sites on these pages.

These are our top-rated NJ online casinos in 2020, in no particular order:

• Betfair Casino
• Pala Casino
• Virgin Casino
• Caesars Casino
• Tropicana Casino
• Golden Nugget
• PlayMGM Casino
• Unibet Casino
• SugarHouse Casino
• Hard Rock Casino
• Borgata Casino
• Resorts Casino
• bet365 Casino

Online Sports Betting in New Jersey

Online sports betting was legalized in New Jersey in 2018. You can now place bets on dozens of sports across the US and around the world. It's also legal to place wagers on single sporting events at all licensed casinos in Atlantic City and at New Jersey's three racetracks.

The move came after the Supreme Court ruled that the PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992) was unlawful. States like New Jersey are now free to pass their own sports betting legislation.

Place wagers on big pro sports like NHL, NFL, and MLB, or test your soccer knowledge with a wager on the European Champions League. Under new sports gambling laws, you can also place wagers on college sports like NCAA basketball.

You can also place real money bets through your mobile device. Every regulated NJ online gambling site with sports betting has a mobile app for download. As long as you are within NJ borders, you can gamble on the move anytime.

There are now over a dozen regulated NJ sports betting sites. Check out our team's expert reviews. We regularly update our sportsbook reports so that you can access the very best current deals every time.

These are the best sportsbooks in New Jersey (random order):

• BetStars
• William Hill NJ
• DraftKings Sportsbook
• 888sport
• FOX Bet
• PointsBet
• FanDuel Sportsbook
• SugarHouse Sportsbook
• Fan Duel
• Golden Nugget
• Borgata Online
• Hard Rock Online
• Resorts
• Caesars Sportsbook
• bet365 Sportsbook

Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily Fantasy Sports sites have been operating across the United States for many years. However, only a handful of US states have made DFS explicitly legal in 2020.

Daily Fantasy Sports was legalized in New Jersey in 2017. You can now place real money bets on hundreds of fantasy markets as long as you are within NJ borders. Most New Jersey online gambling sites offer sports betting alongside their DFS markets.

You can also enter fantasy sports contests on some college football and basketball teams. This is a new change to the gaming laws that came into effect in 2018, after the Supreme Court's ruling on sports betting.

In Daily Fantasy Sports, you compete against fellow gamblers for a share of the prize pool. You build a team of athletes for a single competition or for a longer-lasting league. You score points based on how your players perform in real life.

Every DFS contest has a prize pool linked to the number of participants. However, many DFS pools in New Jersey carry large guarantees.

These are the best DFS websites operating in New Jersey:

• FanDuel
• DraftKings
• Yahoo!
• Fantasy Draft

Online Poker in New Jersey

Online poker is also legal in New Jersey, making the state rare in the United States. New Jersey was a pioneer in becoming the first US state to regulate online poker rooms. Nevada and Delaware soon followed.

When online poker first appeared in New Jersey, only a handful of websites were allowed to operate. In 2020, there are over half a dozen poker rooms operating legally.

There are still just four poker networks operating in the Garden State, and all sites are licensed through existing brick 'n’ mortar casinos in Atlantic City. In 2018, New Jersey signed a compact with Nevada and Delaware to share player pools.

You must be over 21 to play online at New Jersey poker sites. You can play for small stakes, join free-to-enter freerolls, or play satellites into larger live events.

The most popular form of online poker in New Jersey is No Limit Texas Hold'em. You can play cash games from $0.01/$0.02. Pot Limit Omaha/Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, 7-card Stud, and HORSE are all available at New Jersey poker sites.

These are the best NJ poker sites in 2020 in no particular order:

• Borgata
• 888poker
• partypoker
• Pala Poker
• playMGM Poker
• WSOP
• PokerStars

Security and Licensing at NJ Online Gambling Sites

All New Jersey online gambling websites must be licensed by the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE). Under state laws, online operators must operate through an existing license from a land-based partner in Atlantic City.

To be sure that the gambling site is legit, look for the NJDGE badge on the betting site homepage. This proves that the website is licensed and regulated in New Jersey.

Under the terms of the NJDGE license, gambling sites must hold a valid gaming permit, submit games for regular testing and auditing, and ensure that customers are within the state borders when playing and are 21 or over. New Jersey online gambling sites must also pay a 15% tax on gross gaming revenues.

For more information on this, visit casinosformoney.com, a New Jersey online casino guide.

Age Verification and Geolocation

Under NJ law, gambling sites in the state must perform ID verification checks on all customers playing for real money.

During the registration process, or before a first deposit, the site will ask for a photo ID and a copy of a recent utility bill. To prove your age and identification, you can provide a scan of your driver's license, US passport, or government-issued ID.

Every regulated NJ online gambling website must also confirm your location. They do this by using geolocation tools like GeoComply. Without a geolocation plugin, you won't be able to place bets or gamble at a NJ casino or sportsbook.

Legalized Gambling Indiana

Deposits and Withdrawals for New Jersey Online Gambling

In New Jersey, it's legal to gamble on poker, casino games, or sports for real money. Making a deposit is easy, and we have a complete guide to the best NJ banking options.

Debit/Credit Cards: You can use your standard NJ debit or credit card to make deposits. VISA and MasterCard are accepted widely, but some NJ banks still won't authorize transactions for online gambling purposes.

e-Wallets: Major e-Wallets like PayPal and NETELLER can be used across NJ casinos and sportsbooks. Payments are anonymous and you can avoid pain points like declined card transactions.

Prepaid Cards: Prepaid cards are offered through most reputable NJ online gambling sites. Load up a prepaid card using your existing debit or credit cards and use this card to fund your gaming. You can withdraw cash using a participating ATM.

Bank Transfers: Bank transfers are a safe way of sending money directly from your checking account. You don't need to use a card and you can gain access to your funds immediately.

ACH/e-Check: ACH (Automatic Clearing House) is a secure alternative method of sending funds from your bank account. Transactions are quick and usually free of fees.

Pay in Person: You can deposit and withdraw gambling funds using a participating Atlantic City casino. Simply visit your local casino cage and deposit instantly into your online account.

New Jersey Online Gambling FAQ

Yes. Back in2013, the state of New Jersey passed a law that made online gambling legal. Poker and casino games were legalized first, and sports betting online was legalized in 2018.

Yes. There are still plenty of offshore sites accepting NJ customers. There is still a big problem with illegal gambling sites, however, and players are at risk of fraud. Before you play, double-check that the site you choose is licensed by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.

Anyone over 21 years of age and inside the state of New Jersey borders may gamble online for real money at NJ gambling sites.

No, and you can log in outside of NJ borders. However, to place bets you must be physically located inside of New Jersey.

No. You need to be physically within the borders of New Jersey. All operators will verify your location using special software before you will be permitted to play. However, you do not have to be a resident of New Jersey.

All of our recommended New Jersey online gambling rooms are licensed by the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement. Player deposits are kept separately from the casino’s own funds so you can always be sure you’ll receive your money when you request a withdrawal.

Only online casinos, sportsbooks or poker rooms operating under license in partnership with existing Atlantic City casinos are permitted to open online gambling sites.

In 2020, there are four Daily Fantasy Sports sites, over 20 online casinos, and over half a dozen online poker sites in New Jersey.

In 2020, you can choose from hundreds of games like slots, roulette, craps, and blackjack. You can also play against a human dealer at regulated live casino sites.

Yes. Many online casinos have linked slots jackpots that can reach millions of dollars.

All worthwhile NJ sportsbooks offer markets on dozens of sports like hockey, football, baseball, and basketball. You can even bet in-play, while a game is in progress.

Poker sites in New Jersey offer real money cash games and tournaments 24/7. Texas Hold'em is the most popular game, but you can also find Sit N Gos, satellites, Omaha, and Stud.

When Was Gambling Legalized In New Jersey Legal

If you feel you’re playing too much, you can set time limits and deposit limits at any time. For more serious cases, self-exclusion is also possible. You will need to apply directly to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement to do this.

New Jersey's mission for legal online gambling legislation has traveled down a long and winding road. The state has been the main contender in the fight with the federal government to allow states to decide on whether they want to allow legal online gambling.

With New Jersey's prominent gambling history, it's hard to imagine that this state didn't legalize online gambling until quite recently. To discuss the issue of legal online gambling in the US, one first must visit the history of the Federal Wire Act and why it exists in the first place.

Read below to find out how New Jersey was victorious in the case for legal online casinos and to see how you can get in on the action.

Casino Licensing

Licenses for NJ casinos are submitted through Atlantic City casinos. The law grants the land-based casinos in New Jersey the right to apply for a permit to start a legal online gaming site through partnerships with iGaming providers or operators.

The three types of licenses available are as follows:

When Did Online Gambling Become Legal In Nj

• Casino Service Industry Enterprise License - This license is for software providers for land-based companies, as well as companies that provide lists of gambling players.
• Vendor Registrants License - This license pertains to online gambling service providers
• Ancillary Casino Service Industry Enterprise License - This license deals with companies providing services such as payment processing, geolocation, age verification, and customer identity. It also includes junket operators and affiliates.

On the 26th of February in 2013, the New Jersey legislature passed the new bill, legalizing online gambling. Senator Ray Lesniak had pushed the bill as a way to stimulate the Atlantic City economy, which was seemingly failing. Chris Christie signed the bill into law, with expectations of welcoming financial benefits to the state. And boy was he right.

Atlantic City and Online Casinos

Atlantic City has been known as the 'Las Vegas of the East' for nearly a hundred years now. Yet unlike Las Vegas casinos - which have been antagonistic toward legalizing online gambling - Atlantic City casinos saw the opportunity that awaited them by embracing the online market.

Now, an online presence can rescue land-based casinos. The best case-in-point is the Golden Nugget. Their physical casino has consistently lost money for seven years, but Golden Nugget's online casino is the most financially successful operator in the U.S.

Since New Jersey state law requires that all online casinos have a partnership with a land-based casino, some Atlantic City casinos have formed legal partnerships with well-known European operators, such as 888 's partnership with Caesars casino.

The path to legalization had to do with the challenge of overcoming what had been a rather unimportant piece of legislature: the Interstate Wire Act of 1961.

Introducing the Wire Act

The Federal Wire Act - otherwise known as the Interstate Wire Act of 1961 - was put in place to restrict betting companies’ information from being transmitted across state lines via wire communications. This legislation was originally established to put an end to organized crime through interstate gambling. However, at the time this law was created, online gambling did not yet exist.

In modern society, our everyday life requires the use of the internet which relies on interstate wire communications. Therefore, this law has some jurisdiction over online gambling.

In 2006, The US Department of Justice (DOJ) went even further and passed the Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which restricted banks from processing transactions from online gambling operators outside of the US. This law effectively pushed out major online gambling companies through threats of money laundering and illegal gambling charges. Many of the best online poker sites for US players were pushed out of the country because of this legislation - including PokerStars, a prominent name in the industry.

At the start of 2010, a bill was introduced by Senator Ray Lesniak, which would allow casinos in Atlantic City to operate online casinos in the state. Lesniak's bill passed the Senate with widespread support. It passed with a 29 to 5 margin. However, when the bill ended up on Governor Chris Christie's desk, it was vetoed and suspected to have been turned down due to political motivation.

Later the DOJ released a re-modification of the Federal Wire Act, hence stating that interstate transmission of wire communication which had no relation to sports betting, would not pertain to this law. This new version of the Federal Wire Act, passed in 2011, excluded online poker from its limitations, therefore making it possible for states to pass their own legislation regarding the activity.

The following year, Chris Christie changed his stance on online gambling. Senator Lesniak introduced a new online gambling bill to cater to Christie's concerns. In December of 2012, the bill passed the state Assembly and it moved on to the Senate. The bill passed the Senate with a 33 to 3 margin. After a few amendments and revisions, the bill was finally signed into law on February 26, 2013.

The first online casino to gain a license in New Jersey was Caesars which started the process by April of 2013.

Legal Online Poker in NJ

When the Federal Wire Act was re-evaluated and excluded all forms of online gambling outside of sports betting, this excused online poker, allowing the activity to be legalized and regulated by state law.

Four states proceeded to pass legislation creating laws around regulated, legal online poker. Out of those four, three signed agreements to share online gambling pools. As a result, it is not strictly illegal to play poker online for money within the United States, however, it is crucially important to abide by the individual state laws surrounding the matter.

Moving forward with legal online poker meant new legislation for those states.

Delaware passed the Delaware Gaming Competitiveness Act in 2012, allowing for the legalization of online casino games - including online poker. Nevada followed the lead with the authorization of online poker licenses in 2013, as they launched the first-ever legal, regulated online poker site in the US.

New Jersey then introduced online gambling, passing legislation for the regulation of online gambling activities. Atlantic City casinos could operate NJ online casino sites along with legal online poker sites.

A few years later in 2017, Pennsylvania became the fourth state to legalize online poker in the US, beginning the process of legalization and regulatory matters for online poker sites.

As of 2019, there are over 20 casinos that now offer or have licenses for online gambling in New Jersey. The mammoth Parx casino, with its physical location in Pennsylvania, is the latest to join in on the action.

The Online Gambling Race

Now that online poker, legal online casino sites, and legal online sports betting are monitored and regulated in the Garden State, casinos and racetracks are racing to launch their own websites and mobile casinos.

As the economy grows, so does the competition. And competition among legal online casinos is great news for you. Casinos are trying to attract new customers with special bonuses and deals for first-time deposits. Have a look to see what might be a good fit for you.

Additional states are joining in on the legalization of online casinos - with West Virginia and Michigan being the latest to legalize online gambling. Of course we're proud to say that New Jersey is leading the pack in terms of numbers of legal online casinos, variety of games, and best bonuses for new and existing customers.

It now depends upon individual states to decide whether online casinos will be legal within their boundaries. Seeing the success of New Jersey, it's become increasingly difficult to step away from this table.