thadeus 18. November 2019 | UPDATED ON: 19. December 2022 Are you looking for the best legal NJ online poker sites? With the unicorn nature of the US gambling laws, New Jersey is standing as one of the few online gambling islands in the country. The state’s relatively permissive gambling laws don’t come as a surprise, though. It is the home to Atlantic City, a celebrated gambling coastal city that includes the renowned Borgata and the Taj Mahal. The hotel and gambling industries here are like seismic twins, you can’t talk of one without mentioning another. Indeed, each of its luxury ocean view hotel also contains a native casino. Before legalizing online poker, Atlantic City’s position as the premier gambling destination on the East Coast was under immense pressure. With Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut, New York, and Delaware legalizing land-based casinos, the City’s market stake was steadily declining, and so were the government revenues. In response, the State figured by allowing online poker, it would unlock another market frontier. New Jersey legalized online poker in Nov. 21, 2013, and the results were almost instant. In 2016, it recorded its first casino revenue growth in a decade. The state has never held back, open doors even to sports betting. Top 5 New Jersey Online Poker Sites of 2024 If you don’t have time to read our guide in full, here’s a list of our top-rated online poker sites available to players from New Jersey: 888Poker – The Best Rated Poker Site Across the board Borgata Poker – The Garden State’s Most Trusted Poker Brand PartyPoker – The Best Mobile Poker App WSOP.com – The Best Variety of Real Money Poker Games & Tournaments PokerStars – New Jersey’s Best in cash-game option Note: With online gambling legal in New Jersey, the market is crowded with both legit and illegitimate sites. This can make choosing the best site a little confusing. So, we save you the trouble using various parameters to list the best. Is Online Poker Legal in New Jersey? Yes! The US federal law leaves it up to the states to decide on their commercial rules, including gambling. So, New Jersey decided that online poker is legal. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) ensures that online poker service providers adhere to the regulations governing online gambling in the state. A legal online casino or poker site in New Jersey must, among other things: Be issued with a valid Internet Gaming Permit by the NJDGE. Operate in partnership with one of New Jersey’s land-based casinos, like the Golden Nugget, Caesars, and the Borgata. Allow NJDGE to audit all its games and systems. Comply with the federal wire act by ensuring that only players located within New Jersey at the time of play can access real-money games. Ensure its players are not younger than 21 to access real-money games. Pay taxes, license fees, and abide by the responsible gambling code of conduct. Allow comprehensive financial auditing of all cash in and outflows. There are quite several online poker sites that adhere to these standards by the NJDGE. We have ranked them to make it easier for you to choose where to pick your spot at the table. But maybe you are wondering how did we rate them? How We Ranked the Best NJ Poker Sites We rank online poker rooms based on a wide variety of factors. Here are some top tips we use to figure out exactly which site is right for you: Welcome bonus, the less strict bonus, the better. What are the numbers of running tables, and how is player traffic? Ease of navigation. Software quality, and availability of Instant Play. Payout speed and the available options. The efficiency of its customer support. Quality of tournaments. Top Five NJ Online Poker Sites for 2024 1. 888Poker – The Best Rated Poker Site Across the board ($25 no deposit) 888 is a Gibraltar-registered online poker room that operates in New Jersey as a subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment Corporation. Since it went live online in 2002, 888poker consistently delivered thrill and fun with quality cash and tournament poker games such a Hold’em, Omaha, and Stud. It is this stellar performance that earned it a place as a sponsor of the famous World Series of Poker. As such, its customers access numerous WSOP satellites and have a chance to participate in the live event. 888 Poker offers both Instant Play and downloadable client, which gives you a choice on how to enjoy your poker. And just as is expected of a site with a multijurisdictional customer base, 888poker has a wide range of banking options. But it is particularly customized nature of these options that make it even attractive. It all depends on your area of residence. If you need a no deposit bonus, then 888 poker is your answer. With $20 real money no deposit, you can have fun without risking your money. Besides, you get 100% on your first deposit up to $1,500 as a welcome bonus! If that isn’t a fun way to start, what is? Pros $20, no deposit bonus. Access to WSOP satellites. Sunday Mega MTT series. 2nd best Poker traffic. Both downloadable and Instant Play. Available as an app for both iOS and Android Cons: A 20% rakeback offer is relatively low. Low player pool Visit 888Poker Now 2. Borgata Poker – The Garden State’s Most Trusted Poker Brand (100% match up deposit) Borgata Poker room is not a new player in New Jersey. Since 2003, with its 2,000 room stylish casino and hotel in Atlantic City at Renaissance Pointe, it has served as a destination that may only be second to Las Vegas. And in 2013, it took its services online. With playing pooling gaining prominence in the US, Borgata shares network liquidity with BetMGM and PartyPoker to form the second most popular player pool in the country. You’ll enjoy great cards and high hands excitement as you bet your skill against hundreds of other players. So, what’s your favorite, Hold’Em, Stud, or Omaha? And if those three don’t excite you enough, there are several other variations. Online Borgata poker delivers the East Coast’s premier poker rooms experience right where you are. Borgata poker is available both as a downloadable and browser-based client, so the choice is yours. It also plays seamlessly on a smartphone, and its app is available on App Store and Play Store. Pros It’s the largest overall tournament lobby. Exclusive freerolls and high rakeback opportunities. 100% deposit match up to $600 plus free $20 no deposit bonus. VIP get from 1% to 15% cashback. Multiple cashier options. Quick withdrawals, Cash at the cage takes 20 minutes max. Cons: Somewhat difficult to navigate Only New Jersey players accepted Visit Borgata Poker 3. PartyPoker – The Best Mobile Poker App ($25 no deposit) Party Poker is one of the oldest and the biggest names in US online poker. It is making a comeback after years of absence. It has not clicked its best level yet, but it is offering a much-improved poker client platform supported by Bwin. Also, NJ, the Garden State players get a chance to play real money tables anonymously and enjoy lucrative promotions. As a requirement, the site partners with Borgata Atlantic City land-based casino. The partnership also extends online where they share a player pool, though the two sites offer their services and promotions independently. Together they run some of the most rewarding tournaments, such as the big Sunday $50,000 and the Garden State Super Series. When you sign up, you get a free no deposit bonus of $25 and afterwards receive double your deposit up to $1,000. Pros The best mobile poker apps Anonymous soft cash tables 100% match up bonus with up to 40% Rakeback. Premier cashback rewards program 24/7 support through live chat and phone Mission-based extra rewards MTT schedule for all buy-in levels Cons: Struggles with poker site traffic. The app is excellent but no instant-play option. Visit PartyPoker 4. WSOP.com – The Best Variety of Real Money Poker Games & Tournaments (Get $10 free) WSOP NJ launched its operations on November 21, 2013, and has quickly created a niche for itself as the Garden State’s premier online poker site. If you are looking for the best SNGs, ring games, and MTT series, then you never get it wrong here. And thanks to the heavy traffic, there’s someone to play against at all times. Besides, you get an opportunity to compete in the official World Series of Poker game to win your own WSOP Bracelet! There are also the Series of Online Championships with hundreds of thousands of dollars guaranteed in prize money, and, of course, a chance to win the highly-regarded WSOP.com Champions Ring. Pros Wide variety of games and MTTs. Numerous promotions and in-game rewards. Player pool, with players from both Nevada and NJ. Get a chance to join WSOP Int’l circuit. Localised banking options. Well-designed app for Android and iOS Cons: Players have relatively few cashier options. Customer support available only between 3 pm – 11 pm EST. Visit WSOP.com Now 5. PokerStars – New Jersey’s Best in cash-game option (Free $30 PokerStars partners with Resorts Casino Hotel of Atlantic City by DGMB Casinos. It offers some of the best tournaments and games with customer support all around the clock. You’ll also enjoy secure deposits and quick payouts on a top-notch platform. Interestingly, you can play for free and learn your way around the site before you wade into the real money games. These games include Texas Hold’em, Badugi, Omaha, Stud and other poker games. Get a free $30 to get you started. You can only redeem this money after you have deposited at least $20. Pros Many poker variants. Numerous highly rewarding tournaments. Transparent volume-based rewards system. A variety of cashier options. Cons: Support exclusively via e-mail at support@pokerstarsnj.com. Traffic is relatively low in MTTs. Visit PokerStars Now How New Jersey Geo Location Work As already mentioned, it is a requirement in law that players must be located in New Jersey to have a spot at real money poker tables. As a way to enforce this law, poker sites will require that you verify your location. They use multiple different geo-location software before you are eligible to play. Final Word Online gambling is legal in New Jersey, but there are lots of illegal gambling poker providers on the internet. These sites are unregulated, so you are potentially vulnerable to fraud. To avoid falling victim, go for those approved by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement. There is quite a number, though, so choosing the best online may seem a little confusing. Even so, don’t wait any longer. You can try all the sites listed above, play some free online poker, and determine which one you find more appealing. Where Else is Online Gambling Legal in the US? AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY DC FAQs Has online gambling always been legal in New Jersey? Well, it was legal, but as of 2006, it became technically illegal as the law barred American banks from processing wagers or wins, making it difficult for American players to place bets online. But that is in the past now because, in 2013, New Jersey passed a law that legalized online gambling its state borders. Is online poker safe and fair in New Jersey? Yes, there are several reputable, legal, and licensed sites. There multiple regulatory agencies that ensure the safety and fairness of the games such a provider offers. You can always file a complaint with the Division of Gaming Enforcement if you feel cheated. Why is online gambling legal in New Jersey but illegal elsewhere in the state? The federal law doesn’t explicitly illegalize online gambling but prevents the interstate transfer of gambling money. The federal government leaves it up to the individual states to legislate on gambling inside their respective borders. Some states, such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Nevada, have, while others have not. Can I win money playing online poker with a bonus? Yes, just as you can win money playing with your money is the same way you can with the bonus. Poker is more of a skill game than chance, so if you are skilled enough, nothing can stop you. However, when playing with the bonus funds, makes sure you understand the wagering requirements. What is Rakeback in online poker, and is it an important consideration? A rake is a commission deducted by the operator of an online poker game. It is rarely more than 10%, and the provider usually draws it from the pot up to a specified limit. Some online poker rooms will pay you back part of this commission. Now, this refund is what we call the rakeback. Who doesn’t want a refund? So, hell yes, it is crucial! The best online casinos display the rake you’ve paid so far, so you know how much you expect as a refund. About thadeus Thadeus G has eyes glued on the casino industry, making sure gamblers and those interested in gambling are fully informed. He covers everything that’s going on in the dynamic and wild world of iGaming. So, what’s new? What games or casinos does he recommend? Find out. View all posts by thadeus →
