New Jersey is one of the top states in the USA for gambling. NJ is second only to Nevada in the USA terms of popularity and casino density. New Jersey has unique gambling laws. These laws require that all NJ casinos be located within the city limits of Atlantic City, NJ. That includes every NJ online casino too.
In doing this, New Jersey has created its own little slice of Vegas right on the Atlantic coast. Atlantic City doesn’t have a “strip” like Vegas, but you might think it’s ever better. New Jersey casinos line the Atlantic City boardwalk. You can take a beautiful walk along the beach while playing at some of the top casinos in America.
Also known as the Garden State, New Jersey has nine casinos located within Atlantic City. These casinos offer gaming options for any gambler. Since 2013, the state has also been one of the nation’s hotspots for online gambling.
You don’t need to live in New Jersey in order to gamble at an NJ online casino. That said, you do need to be within the state’s borders. If you’re in New Jersey, you have access to a massive variety of online casinos and gambling options. These include online slots, online poker, online sportsbooks, and much more.
To get the full picture of online gambling in New Jersey, check out our comprehensive NJ Online Gambling Guide below.
Top NJ Online Gambling Sites
If it’s your first time playing at an NJ online casino, it can seem like there are tons of options. New Jersey has a huge number of online gambling sites you can access from within the state’s borders.
We’ve put together a complete list of the top NJ online gambling sites below. This NJ online casino list includes our top picks based on reputation and casino bonuses.
Some of the bonus offers listed below are exclusive to us. Make sure you don’t miss out on a great deal!
Are Online Casinos & Sportsbooks Legal in NJ?
The short answer is yes! Online gambling was legalized in New Jersey after the NJ State Legislature voted on and passed bill A2578 on February 26, 2013. It passed with a large majority voting in favor of the bill. It was signed into law by then-governor Chris Christie on the same day.
The bill includes some very specific language regarding the setup and use of NJ online gambling sites. The bill requires that every NJ online casino and sportsbook has a physical presence in Atlantic City. The servers for all NJ online gambling sites must also be located within Atlantic City.
Politicians who pushed for the passage of this bill claimed that it would stimulate the economy of Atlantic City and the entire state of New Jersey. Years later, we can look back at the numbers and say that they were right. In fact, online gambling in New Jersey generated $782.1 million in revenue during 2019 alone. This revenue grew year after year since NJ legalized online gambling. Some estimates put the total revenue from NJ online gambling over $1 billion to date.
How Do NJ Online Casinos Operate?
We mentioned this briefly above, but it’s worth repeating. New Jersey legalized online gambling back in 2013, and the bill included some strict rules about how every NJ online casino can operate.
The biggest restriction for NJ online gambling sites is that they all must be partnered with physical gaming companies located within the limits of Atlantic City, NJ. All gaming servers (the places where online gambling sites live online) must also be located within Atlantic City.
To be eligible to play at an NJ online casino, you don’t need to be a resident. You only need to be within the borders of the State of New Jersey. That means that tourists, commuters, and travelers can all gamble online in NJ as long as they are inside the state’s borders.
What Are the Best Online Casinos in NJ?
We’ve selected our top three favorite New Jersey online casinos based on reputation, bonuses, game variety, and customer support. Check out brief reviews of each of the best online NJ casinos below.
Golden Nugget Casino
The Golden Nugget is the number one NJ online casino by revenue, meaning it’s extremely popular with players. In fact, the Golden Nugget online casino is so successful that it actually beats the revenue of several Atlantic City physical casinos. The Golden Nugget also has a physical casino location within Atlantic City.
The best way to play at the Golden Nugget online casino is to download the Golden Nugget app on your mobile device. Unfortunately, Google has banned all gambling apps from the Google Play Store, so Android users will need to download the app directly without using the store. Apple iPhone users can download the app right from the Apple App Store.
Tropicana Casino
The Tropicana is one of the oldest physical casinos in New Jersey. It opened in November of 1981, just six years after gambling was legalized in Atlantic City. Not content to fade away into history, this casino has reinvented itself several times over the years. The Tropicana is now one of the top five NJ online casinos in terms of revenue thanks to Tropicana Online.
The best way to access Tropicana Online is to download the casino’s mobile app. Once again, for Android users this is a bit more of a hassle thanks to Google’s gambling app ban. What Android users can do is download the app directly from Tropicana, but that requires adjusting the device settings to allow for such downloads. Apple iPhone users can easily download this app right from the Apple App Store.
Virgin Casino
The Virgin Casino is the only one of the three we’ve listed here that actually doesn’t have a physical casino location in Atlantic City, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less exciting for the player. In fact, because this casino was born online, we feel it does a few things much better than its land-based competitors. You’re always likely to find excellent bonuses online at the Virgin NJ Casino.
Bearing the Virgin name means that this casino is part of Richard Branson’s business empire. Branson is a household name and has numerous successful businesses across a multitude of industries. You can be confident that this casino offers strong customer support and an excellent customer experience.
Virgin Casino also has its own online gambling app. Android users can download it directly from Virgin’s website. Apple users can download the app right from the Apple App Store.
NJ Online Casino List
There are currently 22 active online gambling sites in NJ in 2021. Below you’ll find a detailed NJ online casino list which should help you pick the best online gambling site for you.
Many NJ online casinos offer enticing bonuses to new players. Be sure to check those out if it’s your first time playing at an NJ online casino. Typical first-time player bonuses include no deposit bonuses which give you money to wager without any deposit of your own money. Deposit match bonuses are also common and will match any money you deposit up to a certain amount.
Keep in mind that these bonuses come with very specific terms and conditions that explain exactly how they work. Be sure to read these carefully before accepting any NJ online casino bonuses.
How Do I Start Gambling Online in NJ?
Every NJ online casino loves new players. They try to make it extremely easy for newcomers to register. On most NJ online gambling sites, signing up takes less than five minutes.
The first choice you need to make as a player is which NJ online casino you want to play at. We’ve already covered some of the best online NJ casinos and outlined some of the new player bonuses on offer, but it’s up to you to pick one.
Once you pick a casino to play at, you need to decide whether you want to play via a web browser or dedicated mobile app. Generally, both a web-based casino and an app-based casino will give players the same experience. That said, apps are usually more streamlined because they’re designed for online gambling.
Android users might have trouble with mobile gambling apps because of Google’s gambling app ban on the Google Play Store. There are still ways for Android users to download gambling apps, but sometimes using the phone’s web browser is easier. For Apple users, downloading NJ online casino apps is easy because they’re all in the Apple App Store.
Creating an NJ Online Casino Account
Once you navigate to your chosen casino’s website or download its mobile app, then you need to create an account. This option should be extremely obvious from within the mobile app. On mobile web pages, it’s usually located at the very top.
Every NJ online casino will ask for basic personal information. You and your money are safe from theft or fraud using this information. Most casinos will ask for a player’s:
- Full Name
- Date of Birth
- Email Address
- Phone Number
- Home Address
- Social Security Number
The final step of registering at an NJ online casino is creating a username and secure password. These should be easy for you to remember, but try to make your password as secure as possible. Remember, this is your real hard-earned money on the line.
Once you have an account under your name you can make a deposit and start playing. At this point, you’ll be asked to provide financial information in order to deposit money into your account. Don’t worry about giving out this info – every NJ online casino listed here is extremely reputable and safe to use.
New Jersey Online Sports Betting
We’ve talked a lot about NJ online casinos and NJ online slots, but there are other ways to gamble online in NJ too. One of the most popular ways to gamble online in NJ is sports betting.
Online sports betting was legalized in New Jersey after a lengthy legal process that began in January 2012 when then-governor Chris Christie signed a law that legalized sports betting across the state at casinos and racetracks. Compared to the online casino law of the state the bill was quite broad and allowed betting on any professional or college sports. The only restrictions were that there could be no bets on college games played within NJ, or college games played outside the state by NJ teams.
This ignited a legal battle that lasted over five years. Major professional and collegiate sports organizations in the USA like the NCAA, NFL, and MLB sued the state of NJ. The suit cited the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 which restricted sports betting across the USA to just Oregon, Delaware, Montana and Nevada.
At first, New Jersey lost the suit, but former Governor Christie appealed to the US Supreme Court. The court finally heard the case in May 2018 after Christie had already left office. Incoming Governor Phil Murphy took over the case. The court overturned the original ruling and declared the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 unconstitutional.
NJ Online Sportsbook List
This landmark legal case is the reason that online sports betting is now so widespread not just in New Jersey, but across the entire United States. There are now 17 active and legal online sportsbooks recognized by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. None of these sportsbooks are required to pay any percentage of revenue or royalty fees to any professional sports leagues.
Below you’ll find a list of our top NJ online sportsbooks.
Brick-and-Mortar NJ Sportsbooks
There are also plenty of physical places where you can legally bet on sports in New Jersey. They include many of the state’s Atlantic City casinos as well as horse and dog tracks located around the state.
Which Sports Can I Bet On in NJ?
In general, gamblers in NJ can place bets on any professional sport. This right was secured during the legal battle we mentioned earlier. However, some college sports betting is not allowed.
We also mentioned previously that part of New Jersey’s sports betting law included a few restrictions. These restrictions are straightforward and restrict some college sports betting.
First, NJ gamblers cannot bet on any college sports games played within the state of New Jersey.
Second, NJ gamblers are also restricted from placing bets on NJ college teams when they play games outside the state.
Third, New Jersey restricts parties involved in particular sports from betting on them as this constitutes a conflict of interest. For example, anyone involved with professional football in NJ is not allowed to bet on any professional football games, regardless of the team or game location.
NJ Online Poker
Online poker is one of the most popular ways to gamble online in New Jersey. It’s available from almost every NJ online casino in a variety of formats including video poker and live dealer poker. Check out our list of the best NJ online poker sites below.
NJ Online Live Lottery
The New Jersey Lottery is one of the biggest in the nation thanks to NJ’s extremely high population density. Thousands of players participate in the NJ Lottery every year, and there are often huge winners.
Unfortunately, the New Jersey Lottery does not allow for online live lottery play of any kind. The New Jersey Lottery does offer a mobile app, but it cannot be used to actually play the lottery.
Using the NJ Lottery app, players can review their tickets to see if they have any winners, but there are no payments through the app. Users can also buy tickets via the app, but all the app can include is a barcode. This barcode must be taken to a physical lottery retailer in order to be redeemed.
NJ Online Horse Betting
Horse betting is legal in the State of New Jersey. That said, there are some restrictions when it comes to online horse betting in the state. State residents are able to place bets on horses via the internet, but betting options are very limited. You cannot place horse bets at any NJ online casino.
There is one major horse betting website that allows NJ residents to place bets, but even this site has restrictions. The website is called TVG, however it’s actually not accessible to NJ residents. In order to access TVG and place real bets, NJ residents must access the website via another site called 4NJBets.
Several other websites have offered online NJ horse betting before. As of today, these sites have restricted their offerings to NJ residents and no longer offer NJ online horse betting. The above website is the only way that NJ residents can place online horse bets.
That said, New Jersey does offer residents numerous opportunities to place horse bets at physical locations across the state. These locations include a few horse tracks and several off-track betting locations. Check out our list of NJ horse betting locations below.
NJ Horse Tracks with Betting
- Meadowlands Racetrack
- Monmouth Park
- Freehold Raceway
NJ Off-Track Betting Locations
- Winners Bayonne
Favorites in:
- Toms River
- Woodbridge
- Egg Harbor
- Hillsborough
- Glouchester
NJ Online Fantasy Sports
New Jersey has a strong online daily fantasy sports scene, also known as DFS. Players once again have former Governor Chris Christie to thank for legalizing fantasy sports betting. New Jersey online fantasy sports betting was legalized in 2017 via the passage of bill A3532.
This bill included robust provisions for the setup and regulation of daily fantasy sports betting in New Jersey. It created a regulatory body, the Fantasy Sports Unit, which strictly controls NJ daily fantasy sports betting. This body requires that all fantasy sports operators maintain annual Fantasy Sports Operator permits. These permits are only given to reputable businesses that pass a strict approval process.
The result of all this regulation is a very safe NJ daily fantasy sports system that protects consumers and prevents unfair business practices. Today, all the biggest names in daily fantasy sports like DraftKings and FanDuel are active in New Jersey.
How Do I Gamble in Jersey?
As we’ve said before, New Jersey is one of the top states in America for gambling. The state has multiple physical casinos in Atlantic City. There are also multiple legal NJ online casino websites. Only Nevada has a tighter density of casinos all in one place in the USA. New Jersey has its own restrictive gambling laws to thank for that.
Gambling in physical casinos in New Jersey is restricted only to Atlantic City, NJ. Atlantic City is the only place in the entire state where you’ll find physical brick-and-mortar casinos.
Gambling was legalized in New Jersey after a ballot vote in 1976 passed with 56% of voters in favor. One of the conditions of this ballot item was that casinos would be restricted to Atlantic City, NJ.
Since that vote, there have been several attempts to legalize casino gambling outside of Atlantic City. The closest attempt came during the 2016 election. An amendment to the state constitution was proposed that would allow, but tightly regulate, casino gambling outside of Atlantic City. It was defeated by a large majority in all NJ counties with more than 3/4 of voters in opposition.
NJ Casinos
If you want to get your gambling fix in a real NJ casino, then head to Atlantic City! Below you’ll find a list of all nine physical casinos currently operating in Atlantic City, NJ.
NJ Cardrooms
Per New Jersey’s restrictive gambling laws, there are no standalone card rooms anywhere in the state. Card players looking to gamble will find card rooms inside six of Atlantic City’s top casinos. The following NJ casinos have dedicated card rooms:
- Tropicana Casino
- Golden Nugget Atlantic City
- Ocean Resort Casino
- Bally’s
- Harrah’s Atlantic City
- Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
NJ Sportsbooks
There are several physical sports book betting locations in the State of New Jersey. Not all of them are located in Atlantic City. That said, over the last decade many of the state’s largest casinos have jumped on the bandwagon too. Most now offer retail sports betting at their Atlantic City locations. That said, there is no sportsbook betting at any NJ online casino.
There are twelve places across New Jersey that you could go to right now to place a sports bet. Most are in Atlantic City, but there are several other sports betting locations across the state including race tracks and off-track betting sites.
You’ll find sportsbook betting at these locations in New Jersey:
- William Hill Sportsbook at Ocean Resort
- William Hill Sportsbook at Tropicana
- Monmouth Park Sportsbook by William Hill
- The Sportsbook (Golden Nugget)
- DraftKings Sportsbook at Resorts
- FanDuel Sportsbook (Meadowlands)
- The Book (Bally’s)
- The Book (Harrah’s)
- Moneyline Bar & Book (Borgata)
- Hard Rock Sportsbook
NJ Lottery
The New Jersey Lottery currently offers eight lottery draw games that are only available across the state through physical retail locations. These include numbers style games, keno style games, and lottery style draw games.
In New Jersey two multi-state games are available, Mega Millions and Powerball. Lottery scratch-off tickets are also available in New Jersey. Much like other states, tickets can be bought at most convenience stores, grocery stores, gas stations, and bars.
The NJ Lottery is controlled and regulated by the New Jersey Lottery Commission. The Commission does have a NJ Mobile Lottery app, but the app’s functionality is very minimal. Players can check their current tickets for winners, but they can’t be paid through the app. Players can also buy tickets through the app, but they will only receive a barcode and must still go to a physical lottery retailer to receive a ticket.
NJ Bingo & Raffles
Bingo halls and official raffles still exist in New Jersey and many of them are very popular! These gambling halls are actually run by a group of charitable organizations throughout the state.
NJ bingo and raffle halls are regulated by the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission. This commission is a part of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. These regulatory bodies keep a close eye on NJ bingo halls.
NJ bingo halls and raffles are allowed to operate anywhere in the state, but they are only allowed to give out prizes under $1,000 in total cash value.
NJ Responsible Gambling
Gambling is a fun activity that most players enjoy only occasionally. Unfortunately, for some players it’s a true addiction that can take over lives and bankrupt families.
For many people, this is difficult to understand – why not just stop gambling? The reason is that for addicted gamblers, it’s no longer just a game. Just like a hard drug, these players can’t stop themselves from “chasing the dragon” in the form of that next big win. The idea that a win is coming if they just keeping playing is what keeps some gamblers addicted and broke.
The good news for NJ gamblers is that the state has many ways for addicted gamblers to get help. The Council on Compulsive Gambling of NJ is one of the best resources for troubled gamblers. It offers many resources just for NJ gamblers.
The biggest national gambling hotline is 800-GAMBLER. This non-profit organization offers a 24/7 hotline for anyone with a gambling problem. They also offer a massive amount of support materials as well as support groups and even treatment centers.
The National Council on Problem Gambling is another large national organization in the US that offers resources for gamblers who struggle to control their habit. This organization also offers lots of resources specific to New Jersey.
New Jersey is also one of the few states to have its own self-exclusion program in place. The New Jersey Department of Gaming Enforcement runs this service. This program essentially allows gamblers who admit they have problems to ban themselves from all gambling establishments in New Jersey. These self-imposed bans can vary in length and are often an important step towards recovery for troubled gamblers.
The NJ Gambling Industry Today
Gambling in the State of New Jersey comes in many forms. The most well-known ways to gamble in New Jersey are the physical casinos. Land-based casinos have been legal in the state since 1976, and all are based in Atlantic City. New Jersey politicians have tried to modify New Jersey gambling laws since then, but all attempts have failed.
Real casinos in New Jersey are permitted only within Atlantic City to this day. New Jersey is unique in all of the United States in this way. Outside of Nevada, it’s one of the only states to allow casinos which are owned by corporations. NJ casinos are also not required to be located on tribal lands.
NJ legalized online gambling
Since 2013, online gambling has also been legal in NJ with some restrictions. Players must be within NJ state lines in order to play. Every NJ online casino must partner with an Atlantic City gambling organization and have their gaming servers located within the city limits. Some estimates say that NJ online gambling has generated over a billion dollars for the state since it was legalized.
Horse race betting in New Jersey is also legal, and is subject to fewer limitations than casino gambling. Gamblers seeking horse bets can place bets at a number of racetracks and off-track betting locations across the state. There is also one website where NJ residents can place online horse bets in NJ.
Sports betting is legal in NJ too. It started with former Governor Chris Christie passing a law back in 2012. This sparked a massive legal battle that involved national professional and collegiate sports organizations. The legal battle wrapped up in 2018 when the Supreme Court set a clear precedent. The court’s landmark decision effectively allowed sports betting in any US state so long as state laws would allow it.
Today, NJ residents can bet on any professional sport and most college sports with a few restrictions. College bets cannot be placed on any college games taking place within the state. College bets also cannot be placed on any NJ teams whether games are played inside or outside the state.
NJ Casino History
Gambling has been around in New Jersey in many forms since the 1800s. For much of this time the practice was technically illegal. Casino gambling only became legal in the state after a ballot vote passed in 1976 that allowed casinos, but only within the confines of Atlantic City, NJ. This was huge for NJ because at the time Nevada was the only other US state with legal casino gambling.
The first Atlantic City casino, the Resorts Atlantic City, opened in 1978. Many other casinos followed soon after. Caesars and Bally’s opened in 1979, Harrah’s in 1980, and Topicana in 1981. All these casinos are still in operation in Atlantic City today. There were plenty of other Atlantic City casinos over the years too, but these few originals are the only ones which have stood the test of time.
In the last twenty years, Atlantic City has dealt with its share of struggles and triumphs. There were several major hurricanes during the early 2000s including Sandy and Irene, both of which impacted the city. Hurricane Sandy was especially severe in South Jersey, but Atlantic City avoided the worst of the storm.
Unfortunately, a combination of factors including severe storms, an economic crisis, and growing casino businesses in surrounding states caused several Atlantic City casinos to close in the last 10 years. That said, the city remains a prominent player in the gambling world and is still home to nine major casinos.
NJ Casinos Today
Atlantic City is currently home to these casinos:
- Resorts
- Caesars
- Bally’s
- Harrah’s
- Tropicana
- Golden Nugget
- Borgata
- Hard Rock
- Ocean
Of these currently active Atlantic City casinos, six have been in the city since before 1985. Only three, Borgata, Hard Rock and Ocean, are relatively new to the Atlantic City gambling scene and were established in the early 2000s.
Borgata is worth mentioning in detail for a few reasons. It’s the highest-grossing NJ casino and is also home to the state’s largest hotel by number of rooms. It features a massive 161,000 square foot casino floor with more than 4,000 slots, over 180 table games, and 50 poker tables.
Poker is one of the most popular games at the Borgata. The casino is regularly home to high-stakes poker tournaments. It has hosted several World Poker Tour events over the last few years. Poker players should definitely check out Borgata.
NJ Gambling FAQ
Is Online Gambling Legal in NJ?
The short answer is yes! That said, you need to be physically located within New Jersey in order to use an NJ online casino. That’s really the only condition you need to meet (other than being 21 or older). If you meet these criteria, then you can access more than 20 NJ online casinos as well as numerous sportsbooks.
Is NJ Online Gambling Safe?
Yes, NJ online gambling is 100% safe. The New Jersey Department of Gaming Enforcement regulated all NJ gambling sites, and maintains a close eye on all gambling operations in the state and punishes any rule breakers. Plus, every NJ online casino is owned by a well-established major casino company which maintains physical casino locations around the world.
Can I Use PayPal at an NJ Online Casino?
There are several NJ online casinos that accept PayPal as a payment method. There are also a few sportsbooks and online poker websites in NJ that accept PayPal. The following NJ online gambling sites are confirmed to accept PayPal:
- Harrah’s
- Pala
- Mohegan Sun
- Resorts
- 888 Casino
- Golden Nugget
- Betfair
- Caesars
- Hard Rock
- SugarHouse
Do I Need to Be a New Jersey Resident to Gamble Online?
You don’t need to actually be a resident of the state. You do need to be physically located within the state’s borders to gamble at an NJ online casino. The beauty of this is that travelers and vacationers can gamble online while they are in NJ.
Do NJ Online Gambling Sites Track My Location?
The New Jersey Department of Gaming Enforcement has strict rules in place to make sure that only eligible players are allowed at each NJ online casino. This regulatory body requires that NJ online gambling sites verify player locations whenever someone logs on.
Online gambling sites in NJ use special geolocation software to accomplish this. This software determines a player’s location based on several factors. It isn’t necessarily tracking your every move, but it will know if you leave the state.
That said, most geolocation services like to play it safe when it comes to location. That means that if you’re near the state border you may be denied access even from within NJ. This is proof that these location services don’t actually have your exact location coordinates dialed in. They really only get a general idea of where you’re located.
Do I Need to Pay Tax on NJ Online Gambling Winnings?
You will not have to pay taxes directly to the state of New Jersey, but you will be required to report any gambling winnings in your yearly taxes per IRS rules. This includes any online gambling winnings from any state.
Can I Play NJ Online Slots & Blackjack For Free?
Every NJ online casino gives players the option to play select games for free without depositing or playing with any real money. You still need to create an account, but you won’t need to deposit any of your own money to play.
Keep in mind that most NJ online casinos offer casino bonuses, and many offer no deposit bonuses. These bonuses allow you to play real casino games without risking any of your own money. The catch is that you can’t withdraw any winnings.
Do NJ Live Dealer Casinos Shuffle After Every Blackjack Hand?
This is very uncommon. NJ online casinos typically keep their online blackjack as similar to land-based blackjack as they can. This means the dealer will usually use a shoe to deal multiple decks of cards without shuffling in between hands.
Can I Win Real Money in NJ Online Casinos?
Yes you can! You can win huge jackpots at online casinos in New Jersey. The risks involved are exactly the same as what you get at the land-based casinos. Any NJ online casino will allow you to withdraw winnings from their site if you win.
Is Every NJ Online Casino Legal?
Yes! The strict gambling laws and robust regulatory structure within the State of New Jersey make it one of the safest places for players to gamble, whether in person or online.
Which NJ Online Casinos Have Both Poker and Sports Betting?
This combination is actually not as common in NJ as you might think. In fact, there really aren’t that many online poker options within New Jersey. That said, there are a few NJ online gambling sites which do offer both poker and sports betting:
- BetMGM
- PokerStars
- 888
- Pala
- Borgata