New Jersey

New Jersey is one of the few states in the U.S. where you can play in both online and physical (or “brick and mortar”) casinos. While there used to be no option between piling into a car and going to Atlantic City or playing a game locally with friends, New Jersey’s labor toward legalizing online gambling has made a new option. 

The online casino business is thriving, and it has provided a very welcome financial lift to some aching casinos. Rather than the feared competition between online and physical casinos, the success of online casinos has only supported the brick and mortar casinos. 

You can earn rewards points online and apply them to your account with the casino, or vice versa, giving you the opportunity to earn and use points at all times.

If you’re 21 or over and physically located in New Jersey, you can play online or in physical casinos.

Online Casinos in New Jersey

New Jersey offers the most online casinos of any state. In fact, they currently have 22 online casinos, which is far more than either Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Delaware combined. 

Online casino lovers owe a big “Thank You!” to New Jersey. The state played a central role in having legislation passed for the legalization of online casinos in the U.S. Sometimes called the “Las Vegas of the East,” Atlantic City, New Jersey has long been a hub for gamblers from around the world. 

Registration is a snap. You can sign up from anywhere in the U.S. by answering a few basic questions. You can only bet within the state of New Jersey, though, and you must be at least 21.

Whether you prefer brick and mortar casinos, online casinos, or if you enjoy both, New Jersey offers enormous variety to gamblers of all stripes. This page has all the information you need about finding a casino, bonuses and promotions, the different games available, and the legality of gambling in New Jersey.

Top 10 Reasons to Play in an Online Casino

1. See your RTP clearly
2. Better RTP on slots
3. Avoid casino traffic
4. Always get the game you want
5. Earn rewards points while away from the casino
6. Practicing your strategies in a private environment
7. Try out new games or strategies with lower minimum bets
8. Stay fresh on important aspects of the game you can forget if not playing regularly
9. Save money on tips and expensive drinks 
10. Easy access to your game history

Why playing online is better for you

There are some very strong reasons to play in an online casino. We are aficionados of both online and physical casinos, but if you’ve been exclusively a brick and mortar player, there are some good financial reasons to try legal online casinos as well. 

Here are the main areas:

• Money: Save more by not paying casino rates = less money out. Better payouts and lower house edge = more money in.
• Strategy: use your strategy charts and take your time with your game. And no stupid moves because you’re trying to impress the table.
• Convenience: play when you like. You don’t have to block out a whole evening to play your favorite casino game.

Why play in a legal New Jersey casino?

New Jersey has over twenty 100% legal online casinos. These online casinos all have a partner with a physical casino in Atlantic City. This means you can handle all your financial transactions through the casino cage if you prefer. Since you can play online casino games anywhere in New Jersey, for example, at the Newark Liberty International Airport or at home, this means you can also earn rewards points wherever you are.

List of all Online Casinos in New Jersey

Below you’ll find the current list of legal New Jersey online casino operators.

1. BetMGM
2. Hard Rock Casino Online
3. 888 Online Casino NJ
4. Borgata Casino Online
5. SugarHouse Casino Online
6. Golden Nugget Online Casino
7. Party Casino Online
8. Tropicana Casino Online
9. Unibet NJ Casino
10. Virgin Casino Online
11. Caesars Casino Online
12. DraftKings
13. Ocean Resort Casino Online
14. Harrah’s Atlantic City
15. Betfair Casino
16. BetAmerica
17. Mohegan Sun Online Casino
18. Pala Casino Online
19. Parx Casino Online
20. PokerStars NJ Casino Online
21. Resorts Casino Online
22. Scores Casino

Additionally, there is WSOP (World Series of Poker).

Online Casino Games in New Jersey

Online casinos offer three general kinds of casino games: 

• Slots: classic, modern, and jackpots. 
• Table games: blackjack, baccarat, craps, and roulette
• Poker: all variations and formats (including video poker, live poker, and multi-player online tournaments)

We’ll treat each of these below.

Online Slots in New Jersey

Online slots are the most popular game in New Jersey’s online casinos. Players love the simplicity and variety of these exciting online slots games. Slots do not require too much skill or preparation, therefore they are easy and entertaining, occasionally bringing in massive winnings for players. Slots have been a casino attraction since before the internet even existed and comprise around 80% of the games in most online casino libraries. 

Best New Jersey Online Casinos for Slots

Golden Nugget has the most slots games of any legal online casino in the U.S. They currently have 618 slots games! These include games like Blood Suckers, with an incredibly high RTP of 98%. 

Play Blood Suckers at Golden Nugget in New Jersey!

But in fact, all of the online casinos in New Jersey have an amazing selection of slots. These are our recommendations for the 5 Best Online Slots providers in New Jersey:

1. Golden Nugget: 610 slots games, 8 Jackpots
2. 888: 555 slots, 52 Jackpots (23 Exclusives: Millionaire Genie, Aztec Realm, Noche de los Muertos, Mermaid Millions, Jack’s Pot, Rise of the Pharaohs, Oktoberfest Spins,  Irish Riches, the Unholy, Valentine’s Victory, Snack Time, Treasure Fair, Saved by the Bells, Legion of Luxury, Ultimate Universe, Diamonds Delight, Under Construction, Pizza Palooza, Ultimate Grill Thrills, Jackpot Jockey, Transylvania Mania, Happy Faces, Jungle Goals)
3. Borgata, BetMGM, and PartyCasino: 393 slots games, 15 Jackpots (Exclusive jackpots: Luck of the Jackpot, Melon Madness, Biker Pigs, Loot’enkhamun, Candy Store, Pirate’s Booty, Going Nuts, and Fire Drake)
4. Sugarhouse: 364 slots; Progressive slots: Divine Fortune
5. Unibet: 19 Slots, 4 exclusive slots: Blender Blast, Dice Fortune, Poker Dice, and Mini Slot Arcade

The partnership between Borgata, BetMGM, and PartyCasino leads to some enormous jackpots. While Golden Nugget reigns supreme for slot variety, most other casinos have excellent variety as well. 888 has nearly as many slots as Golden Nugget, but 888 is the king of the exclusive jackpot games. 

Rather than being tempted by the number of different slots games on offer, our recommendation is that you always go for the best promotion being offered by a casino. 

Bonus dollars have the best playthrough value on slots (as opposed to some table games), so that’s to your advantage if you’re a slots player. 

Online Casino Table Games in New Jersey

The table games in New Jersey’s online casino include most of the table games you’ll find at any casino, including:

• Blackjack
• Roulette
• Craps
• Baccarat

You’ll also find more alternative table games in online casinos, like Hi-Lo Solitaire. 

Online Casino Game Variety in New Jersey

There are a number of games that you’ll only find online. 

For example, Three Wheel Roulette, where you have triple the action and enhanced betting opportunities, is only available online. While online live games are identical to the kinds of games you see in casinos, digital games have some exciting options that can give you a new approach to a familiar game. 

But it should also be pointed out that you’re more likely to introduce your own variety to your playing when you’re at an online casino. This is simply because it’s easier to switch between different games in an online casino. 

Online Blackjack

Blackjack is the most popular table game at a casino. At New Jersey’s online casinos, you’ll find blackjack versions including:

• Atlantic City blackjack
• Multi-hand blackjack
• American Blackjack
• High stakes Blackjack
• 777 blackjack

Many online casinos in New Jersey also offer live dealer blackjack. Read the live dealer section below to find out more about that. 

Online Roulette

Online casinos also offer several variations of roulette, many of which you won’t find in a casino. Roulette variations include:

• Three-wheel Roulette
• Double bonus spin roulette
• Roulette advanced
• Super stakes Roulette
• Roulette master
• American Roulette
• Low stakes and High limit European Roulette
• French Roulette

Many online casinos in New Jersey also offer live dealer roulette. 

Online Craps 

Online craps is the second most popular table game in many online casinos. Craps has one of the best bets you’ll find in any table game (see our craps strategy article for all you need there!). 

Online Poker in New Jersey

New Jersey online casinos offer up to three kinds of online poker:

Video poker: a software-based game where cards are animated and you play against the computer.

Live dealer poker: here you play with other players at a table with a live dealer.

Online poker tournaments: play with other players but without a live dealer. WSOP allows you to play with other players in states where gambling is legal. So New Jersey pokers can play against others from Nevada, Pennsylvania, or Delaware, for example. 

NJ Poker apps

Online poker apps are legal in New Jersey, as long as you use one of the online casinos we’ve named. NJ online poker apps generally mimic the desktop versions of these games. Mobile poker requires quite a bit of information to be displayed on the screen, however, mobile poker apps have done well figuring out the best way to display this. 

For those players who prefer to play at a faster pace, there are “fast-fold poker” options now on many different mobile casino apps. 

Poker Variations in New Jersey

Online poker is one of the biggest trends in the U.S. right now. If you’re a poker player, New Jersey’s online casinos offer you over 20 poker variations. Here are some of the more popular poker variations you’ll find in New Jersey online casinos:

• Jacks or better
• Let it ride
• Fortune Pai Gow poker
• 3 card Poker
• Caribbean poker
• Texas Holdem
• Ultimate Texas Holdem
• Deuces wild
• Aces and faces
• Bonus poker
• American Stars
• Joker’s wild
• Destiny poker
• DJ Wild Stud poker
• Double Double Regal poker
• Triple- and Five-play Draw poker (Multi-hand)

Mobile Casino Apps in New Jersey

Online gambling on mobile apps has become a huge part of the NJ online casino industry. The days of playing cards and physical casinos being the only way a person could gamble is a thing of the past now. We have seen big steps toward evolving the casino industry, and one example is betting on mobile devices. Online casino games were at one point an exciting new innovation, however, now people want to be able to access everything via mobile devices. 

Mobile apps offer amazing convenience and simplicity. One could simply play slots and earn real money while waiting in line at the supermarket or in a layover at the airport, for example. 

Slots are the most popular of the online casino games, therefore, players can find hundreds of different titles to choose from, depending on the mobile casino app. 

Although certain table games may require a significant amount of information to be displayed on the screen in order to play the game online, mobile apps have figured out creative ways of making this possible so that these games are available to players on mobile casinos. 

Are mobile casino apps the same as the browser-based versions?

All of the online casinos have apps for smartphones and tablets as well. While you still have an enormous collection of games available on the apps, the web pages generally have more games than you’ll find on the apps. Unfortunately, you cannot play legal online casino games by accessing a casino’s webpage through your phone’s browser (say, by using Safari on your iPhone or Chrome through an Android).

You can, however, play live casino games through the apps. That means you have a live dealer in your back pocket, ready to play wherever you are in New Jersey.

Top 3 Mobile Casino Apps in NJ

These are our top 3 mobile casino apps based on our reviews. 

1. Golden Nugget: best slots selection; bug-free operation; great bonuses and rewards program
2. Sugarhouse: great game selection; excellent software; good initial bonuses
3. 888: great initial bonus; enormous game selection; good live casino selection

Live Dealer Games In New Jersey

Since the online casino market opened up, there has been a shift toward NJ live dealer games. Live dealer games take place at a physical casino or studio that streams games in real-time. Live casino games involve real dealers and real players, however, players view the game from their own personal devices.

Live dealer games have achieved so much popularity through combining the excitement of playing casino games in a live situation with the comfort of playing at home on a personal computer in your own home. Payouts are managed through the player’s online gambling account. 

When did live dealer casino games begin?

Live dealer games have been around since 2016 but were made popular a few years later once more NJ online casinos began offering live dealer options. The first to launch a live dealer casino game was Golden Nugget when they launched Casino Hold’em. Betfair Casino followed suit, sharing a live studio space with Golden Nugget. Now, Golden Nugget offers eight live dealer games including:

• Blackjack
• Roulette
• Baccarat
• Casino poker
• Live casino floor roulette

What are the major live casino developers?

Several online casinos partnered with Evolution Gaming and live dealer games were launched at 888 Casino, SugarHouse online casino, and Hard Rock casino online. 

Are live dealer casino games legal in New Jersey?

These games can be played from anywhere in New Jersey. Players must be at least 21 years of age to play while being physically located within the state. It is also important to have a secure internet connection. As long as you are of legal age to gamble and within a legal jurisdiction, you can take part in any live dealer casino games. Simply sign up with a live dealer casino who is licensed in New Jersey and deposit money into your player account. 

Order of Launching of Online Casinos in New Jersey

Land-Based Casinos in New Jersey

All land-based casinos in New Jersey are located in Atlantic City, a seaside town located in the southeast corner of the state. Once a major tourist destination that was world-famous for its steel pier and boardwalk attractions, Atlantic City gradually fell into decline and casino gambling was seen as its salvation when voters approved it there in 1976.

All of the casinos in Atlantic City are located along the boardwalk, except for three: Borgata, Harrah’s and Golden Nugget. Those three Atlantic City casinos are located in the marina district.

Atlantic City

Atlantic City, is a seaside town located in the southeast corner of New Jersey. The city was once a major tourist destination that was famous for its steel pier and boardwalk attractions, as well as being the birthplace of saltwater taffy. The city gradually fell into decline and casino gambling was seen as its salvation when voters approved it in 1976. There are now loads of Atlantic City casinos where you can go to legally play your favorite casino games!

Types Of Casinos In New Jersey

The casinos in Atlantic City are large buildings with hotels and spas. While each of them is themed uniquely (see individual descriptions below), they all offer the full round of all major casino games. There are no tribal casinos in New Jersey. 

There are also three race tracks in New Jersey. You can bet on racing and sports at most casinos, and they all have viewing areas for sports. 

List of Atlantic City Casinos

Bally’s Atlantic City

Powered by Caesars brand, there are 2 casinos with slot machines and table games and much more entertainment.

• Address: 1900 Pacific Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
• Phone: 609-340-2000
• Website: https://ballysac.com/

Borgata Hotel Casino And Spa

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa offers slot gaming for everyone. With many slot games on our floor, Borgata has many options for every type of player, also table games like blackjack, roulette and poker.

• Address: 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
• Phone: 609-317-1000
• Website: https://borgata.mgmresorts.com/en/casino.html

Caesars Atlantic City

In addition to a 2,000-slot casino and a concert venue, there are multiple bars and restaurants, including a Gordon Ramsay eatery and a sushi bar.

• Address: 2100 Pacific Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, United States
• Phone: 609-348-4411
• Website: https://www.caesars.com/caesars-ac

Golden Nugget Atlantic City

There’s a sprawling casino, a spa, and an outdoor pool with cabanas and a lounge. Other amenities include a bar overlooking the water, a 24-hour wine bar and 3 restaurants, plus 2 live music venues

• Address: 600 Huron Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
• Phone: 609-441-2000
• Website: https://www.goldennugget.com/atlantic-city/

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City

Amenities include a casino, nightclub, theater, multiple restaurants and shops, and a sports and concert arena.

• Address: 1000 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
• Phone: 609-449-1000
• Website: https://www.hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com/

Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City

Gamblers can choose from the hottest slot machines and video reel games. You’ll find all your favorites, plus progressives and Video Poker in a wide range of denominations.

• Address: 777 Harrah’s Blvd, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
• Phone: 609-441-5000
• Website: https://www.caesars.com/harrahs-ac

Ocean Casino Resort

There’s a casino, as well as 2 nightclubs (1 beachfront) and a concert venue. Other amenities consist of indoor and outdoor pools, a spa and conference space, along with 10 restaurants, 2 cafes and 2 bars.

• Address: 500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
• Phone: 609-783-8000
• Website: https://www.theoceanac.com/

Resorts Atlantic City

Boardwalk casino resort offering unfussy rooms, an indoor/outdoor pool, dining & a beach bar

• Address: 1133 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
• Phone: 609-340-6300
• Website: https://resortsac.com/

Tropicana Casino & Resort

In addition to a buzzing casino, there are 24 restaurants and bars, including a lively pub and a chic steakhouse, plus a Broadway-style theater, an IMAX cinema and a comedy club.

• Address: 2831 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
• Phone: 609-340-4000
• Website: https://www.tropicana.net/

Games Available in New Jersey Land-based Casinos

All Atlantic City, New Jersey casinos are open 24 hours and, unless otherwise noted, the games offered at every casino are: 

• Slots
• Baccarat
• Mini-baccarat
• Blackjack
• Spanish 21
• Roulette
• Craps
• Poker
• Video Poker
• Texas Hold ’em Bonus
• Mississippi Stud
• Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em 
• Big Six Wheel
• Caribbean Stud Poker
• Three Card Poker
• Four Card Poker
• Let It Ride
• Pai Gow Tiles
• Pai Gow Pokersic Bo
• Keno
• Casino War
• Off-track Betting

The payback percentages for slot machines at all casinos in New Jersey are released as a matter of public record. Just click here to see a list of slot machine payback statistics for all New Jersey casinos.

Hard Rock online casino: 50 free spins & 100% Deposit Match!

Get 30 Megaways Free Spins & Deposit Match at Golden Nugget!

Live Dealer and tons of slots online at Borgata!

Horse Racing

Horse racing is not as popular in the Atlantic City hotels. In fact, as of now Borgata’s Race & Sports Book is the only spot in Atlantic City where you can bet on horseracing.

Hours:

• Monday – Friday – open at 11am
• Saturday and Sunday – open at 9am

There are 100 seats with individual flat screen monitors and also 10 betting windows.

There are three venues for live horse racing in New Jersey:

• Meadowland Racetrack (thoroughbred and standardbred)
• Freehold Raceway (standardbred only) 
• Monmouth Park (thoroughbred only)

New Jersey Land-Based Casinos Map

You can easily see all casino locations in any U.S. state by using our casino maps. To zoom in, just click the + (plus) sign in the lower right corner of the map, or to zoom out, just click the – (minus) sign in the same area.

To move the map, just click and hold down either of your mouse buttons. Then use the hand icon to drag the map in whichever direction you desire.

Each of the red icons you will see on the map is a casino location. Just click on any red icon to see the name of the casino at that location. If you want more information on that casino, simply click again on the casino’s name and it will direct you to another page with detailed information on that particular casino, including address, phone number, toll-free phone number, room rates, casino size, dining information, games offered, availability of discounts for seniors, any special features, and a direct link to that casino’s website.

History of Legal Gambling in New Jersey

In 1976, New Jersey ended Nevada’s long reign on legal casinos in the U.S. They legalized gambling in Atlantic City alone after residents had voted against state-wide gambling in 1974. Resorts was the first casino hotel to open in Atlantic City in 1978.

The minimum gambling age in New Jersey is 21. 

New Jersey currently offers casino gambling (in Atlantic City only), sports betting, horse racing (and off-track betting), the New Jersey Lottery, amusement games, and charity games. 

New Jersey was central in the progress of legalizing online casinos in the U.S. They won the case in 2013. In 2018 their appeal with the United States Supreme Court to offer sports betting. Previously sports betting was only legal at Nevada casinos.

Online Gambling Legalized in New Jersey 

When the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) passed through US legislation in 2006, it made clear the fact that online gambling law would be defined through the state. This means that intrastate gambling is allowed only under state legislation. It also required that states who choose to move forward with legal online gambling legislation must establish age restrictions as well as services that would verify the location of the gambling activity. 

The Federal Wire Act, a law that was passed in 1961, was then reevaluated in 2011. The Federal Wire Act of 1961 was established originally to help put a stop to organized crime which involved interstate gambling. The law restricted betting companies from transmitting gambling information via wire communications across state lines. Of course, at this time when the internet did not yet exist, the law referred to the earlier forms of wire communications. Once the internet became a way of life, this law had to be reevaluated. The reevaluation decided that the Federal Wire Act would only apply to sports betting. 

New Jersey legalized online gambling in February of 2013. Online casinos must obtain a license through a land-based casino in Atlantic City.

Regulation is enforced by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE). 

New Jersey Gambling Laws and Regulatory Organizations

These casinos are regulated by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission in order to maintain fairness and safety throughout all casino games within the state. 

The games are monitored by the Casino Gaming and Internet Gaming Operations division. Slot machines are also tested regularly. This is done by the Technical Services Bureau division. 

The law states that players must be at least 21 years of age to take part in gambling at casinos. This is enforced by the Division of Gaming Enforcement for the state of New Jersey. 

The payback percentages for slot machines at all casinos in Atlantic City are released as a matter of public record.

Regulatory Organizations

• New Jersey Casino Control Commission and Casino Gaming and Internet Gaming Operations: online and land-based casinos and games
• New Jersey Racing Commission: race betting
• Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission: Bingo, raffles, and amusement games are under the Division of Consumer Affairs.

Gambling in New Jersey Today

Gambling is obviously a major industry in New Jersey. From the first casino in 1978 to the most recent legalization of online sportsbooks in 2018, New Jersey has been central to all forms of gambling in the U.S. 

The Garden State’s labor to legalize online casinos has been a lifesaver for the sometimes struggling physical casinos. While Golden Nugget’s physical casino has not always made bank, the online casino is making much more than any other online casino in the state. In July 2020 Golden Nugget’s online casino made $31.5m, whereas the land-based casino made $8,818,000.

Other sites, like 888, are have updated their online platforms to run faster and provide a better user experience. Live dealer games have made an increase across most online platforms. Meanwhile, Hard Rock and Sugarhouse online casino has introduced live dealer game shows, and Hard Rock even offers live slots with real slots machines. 

For more infor­mation on Atlantic City casinos call (800) VISIT-NJ or go here.

For more information on visiting casinos in New Jersey, you can contact the state’s Travel & Tourism Department at (800) 537-7397 or go here.

Some interesting articles on casinos in New Jersey:

• “Atlantic City: ‘Trump turned this place into a ghost town'” 
• Great recommendations for your time in Atlantic City! “36 Hours in Atlantic City” 
• “The Man Who Broke Atlantic City” Don Johnson won nearly $6 million playing blackjack in one night, single-handedly decimating the monthly revenue of Atlantic City’s Tropicana casino. Not long before that, he’d taken the Borgata for $5 million and Caesars for $4 million. Here’s how he did it.  

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