Golden Nugget Casino Review: Is It the #1 Online Casino in NJ?

Having hit the online casino space in 2013, Golden Nugget Casino was considered a late entrant. This, however, didn’t stop it from going on to profess itself as the #1 online casino in the wider New Jersey. And after a quick glance at the online casino that is currently registered and regulated by New Jersey Division Gambling Enforcement (DGE), and their website, we realize that a few aspects of this casino make it stand out.

Golden Nugget Casino

On their flashy but neatly organized casino lobby, you are first greeted by their generous offers and promotions as well as the large base of different casino games. In this review, we look at the scope of these bonuses, promotions, and games as well as any factor that Golden Nugget Casino lays claim to when proclaiming itself the leading online casino in NJ. We start by looking at the casino’s ownership.

Note: Golden Nugget online casino offers more games than any other online casino in New Jersey. Most of these are however only accessible via their desktop gaming platform. You also must be physically located in New Jersey if you hope to access this online casino.

Who owns the Golden Nugget Casino?

The Golden Nugget online casino is closely associated with its land-based Golden Nuggets Atlantic City casino in New Jersey. It opened its online doors in 2013 as the online substitute of the land-based casino and continues to present online gamers with the virtual version of practically all casino games and sports bets offered on Atlantic City’s casino floors. 

Games available on the platform

Golden Nugget Casino’s claim of being the leading online casino in New Jersey is primarily pegged on the fact that it maintains the largest collection of online casino games. Here, you will have access to 600+ games by different providers that touch on virtually every aspect of online gambling. The types of games featured on the casino’s lobby include:

Golden Nugget Casino NJ

  • Slots
  • Blackjack
  • Table games
  • Jackpots
  • Live dealer
  • New games
  • Video poker

These are provided by some of the leading online casino game developers like NetEnt, IGT, and Williams interactive. The average minimum wager amounts for most games here is currently set at $1, with Roullete master and European Roullete maintaining the lowest bet minimums of $0.1. On the other hand, the maximum wager for any game on the platform is currently capped at $1,000. We observe that Golden Nugget online casino also maintains relatively low and competitive house edges for different games, ranging from 0.40% for the standard blackjack to 5.26% for the American Roullete.

Bonuses and promotions:

Golden Nugget currently has 10 active bonus and promotional offers where 7 are geared towards online casinos and 3 towards sports betting. Some of the most popular casino offers include:

☑️Sign up bonus: The 100% deposit match bonus of up to $1,000 is available to new members that make their first deposit. You will, nonetheless, need to deposit a minimum of $30 to qualify for the 100% bonus. You should also note that it carries a wagering requirement of 10x deposit + bonus amounts.

☑️Cashback on deposits: This promotion is only available to Golden Nugget members with a Play+ account and card. The account is free and you will have $10 automatically deposited to your Play+ account upon activating this payment method. Thereafter, you will receive a $1 cashback for every $100 you deposit to your Golden Nugget Casino or Sports betting account before 31st Dec 2019.

☑️Refer a friend bonus: Golden Nugget will also award you with up to $500 for referring friends to the online casino USA. To participate in the refer-a-friend program, however, you will need to have deposited and wagered a minimum of $50. The referred friend must also deposit and wager a minimum of $50 within 30 days of referral to earn you the $50 bonus. You can invite a maximum of 10 friends who earn you $500. You are then required to wager this bonus 1x before cashout.

☑️The 1 million dollar race: The 1 Million Dollar race is available to both Golden Nugget sports betting and casino players. It involves collecting as many golden points as possible that are acquired for every bet and wager you enter into. It runs throughout the year and will result in $1 million worth of prizes and bonuses. The winner takes home $36,000 in bonuses or a one-year Rolls Royce lease while the first and second runners up get Vegas dream vacation alongside 10 friends or $18,000 in bonuses and a year of fine dining or $12,000 in bonuses respectively.

☑️Double casino points: Golden Nugget casino members earn golden points every time they play a casino game. This November, you get double points when you play the Adorned peacock game.

☑️Weekly challenges: Every week, Golden Nugget introduces a mission that encourages participation from sports betting and casino players. You get to opt-in daily for free and stand to win up to $13,000 in weekly bonuses.

Deposit and withdrawal at Golden Nugget Casino:

Golden Nugget claims to have collaborated with some of the fastest and most effective payment processing service providers around. We are especially interested in the casino’s dedication towards fast deposit and withdrawal processing and transfers. This is evidenced by the fact that the Golden Nugget casino only works with payment methods that guarantee instant or near-instant payment processing save for the wire transfers that take up to 5 days. Some of the fast deposit and withdrawal methods accepted here include PayPal, Play+, VIP Preferred online checking method and visa/master cards.

What we like and dont like about Golden Nuggets casino:

What we like:

  • Mobile compatibility:

Golden Nugget Casino doesn’t just maintain a versatile web accessible via web and mobile devices, it also recently launched a standalone casino app. The upside to the app is that it has all the features of the web gaming platform like giving you access to bonuses and promotions, loyalty point tracking, and the demo and real play version of different casino games. We, however, are a little disappointed that the app does not support all the 600+ games available on the desktop gaming platform.

  • Ease of use:

The golden nugget casino website is as flashy as it is easy to use. On the casino lobby is a list of all the different types of games hosted on the platform. It also maintains a powerful search tool that makes it possible to search for your favorite casino or sports betting game based on the name of the game, game type, or its developer. You also need to note that all the games availed on the desktop version of the casino are available on the instaplay version.

  • Data security and fair games

According to Golden Nugget Casino, the client data that they collect on their platform is stored in a highly encrypted manner that guarantees maximal security. More importantly, the casino claims to only host provably fair games with random winning chances. To this end, the casino doesn’t just acquire games from reputable developers but also subjects the hosted games on their site to regular audits by independent companies that confirm the fairness and randomness of the games on this platform.

  • Customer support:

We also liked the responsiveness of the online casino’s customer support team. Most importantly, we appreciated the fact that most of these individuals are highly knowledgeable and able to provide solutions almost immediately noting that none of our queries had to be escalated to a higher authority. This customer support team is available via email, telephone, and live chat on the casino website.

  • Reputation:

In confirming the reputation of this online casino we didn’t just consider the fact that there have been no major reported incidence against Golden Nugget in the six years it has been in operation. We also look at the effectiveness of the regulatory body charged with the mandate of overseeing the activities of online gambling casinos in New Jersey. To this, we can confidently report that the New Jersey Department of Gaming Enforcement is adequately manned and equipped. This effectively eliminates the possibility of Golden Nugget manipulating regulatory loopholes to appear legit.

  • Support for gambling addicts:

We were especially moved to realize that Golden Nugget is one of the few online casinos in New Jersey and the country at large to commit to responsible gambling. In this regard, the casino does not just impose maximum bet limits to avoid over-indulgence but it also has a responsible gambling help desk. If you need help controlling your gambling habits or managing the addiction, the casino will match you with a professional help free of charge.

What needs improvement:

  • Most promotions are short term:

While the New Jersey-based online casino presents gamers with a wide selection of bonuses and promotions, they aren’t as appealing as they appear. You will, for instance, note that most of the bonuses are short term, lasting no more than a few days. Plus while you may be drawn in by the term 1 million dollar bonus, you will soon realize that the $1 million refers to the total amounts available for the promotion and the much you can win here is $36,000 in bonuses.

  • Few games compatible with mobile platforms:

Golden Nugget recently launched a casino app available in both the Android and iOS versions. The app will, however, only feature a limited number of online casino games. This implies that even with the app, you will still need to hop onto their website to access and play some of your favorite games.

  • Exploitative wagering requirements:

The self-proclaimed #1 online casino also falters when it comes to setting up wagering requirements for the different bonuses advanced here. For instance, why would the casino demand that you wager your deposits 10X before cashing out? Additionally, why would you be required to wage any bonuses won in a fair contest or promotion like the refer-a-friend program where you are required to wager the bonus earned once before cashing out. We consider these moves exploitative and detrimental to the growth of this casino as they only serve to repel interested online gamers.

Who can play at Golden Nugget Casino?

Interestingly, and even though the Golden nugget casino is online-based, it will only accept registrations from New Jersey residents. Additionally, you must be 21+ years – the legal majority age for gamblers in the state – to create an online casino account.

How to create an account on Golden Nugget casino

Creating a user account at Golden Nugget online account is rather straightforward. You only need to ensure that you meet the criteria to the casino’s home page. In a relatively intrusive process, the registration requires that you fill in a valid email address and phone number as well as other contact and personal details like the last four digits of your social security number.

Golden Nugget Casino New Jersey

The casino will then have to first verify your identity before giving you the green light to make your first deposit. Note that you can create the casino account either on the desktop or on the mobile app. Both registration points give you access to same deposit bonuses and promotions. The only difference between playing on a desktop and mobile device is the number of games available on either platform.

Verdict

Golden Nugget is a legit online casino. It is also a leader for the New Jersey online casino market given that it supports more casino games than any other online gaming platform in the state. It also maintains knowledgeable and highly responsive customer support. More importantly, it embraces the latest technologies in coming up with a versatile gambling platform, developing a casino app, and in securing customer data. But before you decide to register with the casino, we advise that you take into account such concerns as their punitive wagering requirements and the low number of games available on the casino app.  

FAQs:

Who can gamble on the Golden Nugget online casino?

The New Jersey Department of Gambling Enforcements that regulates Golden Nugget online casino operations dictates that you must be above 21 years and physically located in New Jersey if you wish to create or participate in the Golden Nugget casino gambles.

Does Golden Nugget online casino support instant payment processing methods?

Yes, the New Jersey-based online casino partners with several instant and near-instant casino payment processing methods including PayPal.

How many games does the golden nugget online casino offer?

If you are playing on the Desktop version of the casino, you will have access to 600+ games that include live dealer but you will have access to fewer games if you are using Golden Nugget casino mobile app.

What bonuses are available at Golden Nugget Online Casino?

Golden Nugget casino hosts both deposit and seasonal bonuses and promotions. These include the 1 Million dollar promotion running throughout the year, the $13,000 weekly bonus, and the regular promotions that run a few days every week.

Are the online casino games by Golden Nugget casino fair and reliable?

Yes, the casino states that all the games hosted on the platform are vetted by Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) for fairness and randomness before approval by the Department of Gambling Enforcement (DGE) in New Jersey.

About Adam Green

Adam Green is an iGaming industry written that has been covering industry regulation and events for the past 11 years. He has written for a number of other publications including iGaming Insider, IGB Magazine and Gambling 911.