Is Online Poker Legal In NJ?
Yes, online poker in New Jersey is legal. We’ll discuss below how that all came about.
NJ Online Poker Sites
There are currently seven sites of online poker in New Jersey:
- 888 Poker NJ
- BetMGM Poker
- Borgata Poker
- Pala Poker
- PartyPoker
- PokerStars NJ
- WSOP Poker NJ
Online Poker NJ For Real Money
There are those in New Jersey and throughout the US that don’t realize you can play online poker for real money in New Jersey. And since the legislation and player pool laws are complicated, some don’t fully understand all you need to know about online poker gambling.
There is always way to play for free, but playing for real money is what most players want. If you don’t happen to be in a state that has legal online poker, you can join the including the increasingly popular Global Poker. And though this social casino does give you a chance to win real money, it does have some limitations online poker in NJ simply doesn’t.
So if you are interested in a chance to win real cash, there are currently seven NJ online poker apps to choose from.
Legal History Of Online Poker In New Jersey
New Jersey legalized online poker and casino games when a bill was passed by New Jersey Legislature in February 2013. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had conditionally vetoed the first version of the bill with some demands. He demanded the tax be raised from 10% to 15% and more capital to be allocated for gambling problem programs. Once the demands were agreed to, the New Jersey Legislature signed and passed the bill within a couple of weeks.
This wasn’t the first attempt to legalize online poker and casino in New Jersey, A similar bill was proposed in January 2011 which was vetoed by Governor Christie who at that point had concerns with the constitutional authority of the bill. Governor Christie thought that offering online gambling outside the jurisdiction of Atlantic City even when the servers are based in Atlantic City was, in fact, a breach of the Constitution, but that opinion was changed by the time he allowed the bill to be passed.
After the bill was passed by the Legislature of New Jersey, it took only 9 months to lay the foundations for the regulations and licensing for New Jersey online poker. A soft-launch of online poker was conducted in Nov. 2013, which was a five-day beta testing period. The fully regulated online casino Golden Nugget officially launched in December 2013.
Types of Legal Poker Sites in New Jersey
With A2578 on the books, it opened the gates for completely legal and regulated online poker sites. The first website for online poker in New Jersey came into existence only in November 2013 and in their first month of operations, they were able to gather 100,000 player account. This came as positive news for those who crave playing poker at all hours of the day.
However, there was one law surrounding legal online poker which limited the growth limits of the online poker industry in New Jersey. The Law that created a restriction on market expansion was that to get a License for online poker in New Jersey one must be aligned with a land-based casino partner in the Atlantic City. After Governor Christie signing A2578, many of the world’s online poker giants, especially those who withdrew from the US market after UIGEA was forced into action started to come back into the US market. They started creating alliances with land-based casinos in the Atlantic City and paved their way into the online poker industry in New Jersey.
The Future Of Legal Poker In New Jersey
Interstate online poker player pooling between Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware is officially here, dramatically increasing the player pool.
“It’s a monumental day for online poker in the United States,” said Bill Rini, who is Head of Online Poker at WSOP.com. “This is truly a game-changer for players and we hope is the model blueprint for additional states to join the fray.”
Keep in mind, according to the New Jersey Legislature, you need to be located in New Jersey to legally play online poker in the state. Poker sites use advanced geolocation technology to track the location of a player. The server is accurate up to a mile.
World Series Of Poker Promotional Code
The World Series of Poker is one of the most prestigious and exciting poker events of the year. Every summer you can expect plenty of World Series of Poker promotions from these NJ online poker sites. Many of these promotions will include satellites and special offers that may get you a seat into a World Series of Poker event, perhaps even the WSOP Main Event! There are also official WSOP events online which means you can win a bracelet.
Keep on the lookout for WSOP promos that can help you build your bankroll.
NJ Online Poker Real Money Games
There are a number of game types that involve NJ online poker real money. Here is a list of potential poker games available at an NJ online poker site:
NJ Online Poker Games
- Texas Hold’em
- Omaha
- Omaha Hi/Lo
- 5 Card Omaha
- 5 Card Omaha Hi/Lo
- Courchevel
- Courchevel Hi/Lo
- Stud
- Stud Hi/Lo
- Razz
- Five Card Draw
- 2-7 Triple Draw
- 2-7 Single Draw
- HORSE
- 8-Game Mix
- Hold’em/Omaha
- Badugi
NJ Online Poker Cash Games
NJ online poker cash games come in many variations.
- Full-ring game: Depending on the poker game (Omaha, Seven-Card Stud offer less seating that Hold’em), a player can join a cash game table that may fit up to 10 people.
- Short-handed ring game: This usually refers to a six-person max table. Many players prefer this variation of cash game due to the increased action, as players’ hand ranges tend to be wider in this format.
- Heads-up cash game: This format means you will be playing against another opponent, one-on-one. Past poker professionals such as Doug Polk, Jonas Mols (OtB_RedBaron) and Daniel Cates were very profitable playing heads up in their careers.
NJ Online Poker Tournaments
NJ online poker tournaments also come in many variations and can give players big value in comparison to the money they invest. Here are some tournaments that may be available on an NJ online poker app:
- Rebuy Tournaments: This is a tournament that allows players to re-enter after being eliminated from the event.
- Heads-up Tournaments: A bracket-style tournament, players are paired off, facing each other in one-on-one competition, tournament style. Eliminate your player to move on in the event until you are the last person standing.
- Shootout Tournaments: In this event, you must be the last person remaining at your specific table. Once all the players are eliminated, you will then move onto another table until the field eventually shrinks to one.
- Sit And Go Tournaments: A mini-tournament of sorts, you play a limited number of players, usually anywhere from six to 45.
- Satellite Tournaments: Satellite events are quite popular. These events allow you to buy-in at a relatively low cost and if you win, you are rewarded with an entry into a bigger, more expensive event. Satellites are popular among players who are trying to enter the $10,000 World Series of Poker Main Event.
- Turbo Tournaments: Turbo tournaments are very fast-paced due to the manipulation of the blind structure. This usually involves short blind times, shorter stacks an even skipping common blind levels.
- Bounty Tournaments: A cash prize is placed on a specific player. Eliminate that player from the tournament and win that prize.
- Knockout Tournaments: A knockout tournament means each player has a price on their head. Eliminate them from the tournament and win the amount that is determined during the buy-in period. Every player you eliminate for the tourney is worth the same amount.
NJ Online Poker List
Online poker sites in New Jersey are licensed through Atlantic City casinos which makes it as safe as playing poker at a land-based casino in Atlantic City.
New Jersey online poker sites are continuously working to create an innovative and safe platform for the players who play on their platform. In one such initiative, a new trend was observed in recent years that saw online websites started Live Dealer games on their platform. The poker sites in New Jersey have one of the safest frameworks which are designed specifically to avoid any kind of internet threat.
Here are the best online poker sites in New Jersey:
PokerStars NJ
PokerStars is the largest online poker worldwide, it is operated by Amaya Inc. PokerStars is the industry head for online poker. They make available most of the games, the largest limits in online cash games as well as the most profitable online poker tourneys globally.
For over a decade, most of the main developments in the online poker world have either been commenced or perfected by PokerStars. They’ve controlled the live tournament circuit through their joint venture with the European Poker Tour and the now-defunct North American Poker Tour.
Borgata Online Poker
Just as the online poker became lawful in New Jersey, the Borgata Hotel Casino And Spa was one of the first brick and mortar casinos to apply for an online operator’s license. The Borgata officials have admitted that they were skeptical about online poker initially, but iPoker has been much more profitable than they expected, in fact, they have made positive revenues in each of the financial quarter they have operated in.
Borgata Online Poker partnered with Bwin.Party to provide online poker in New Jersey. Additionally, they chose to unite player pools with PartyPoker NJ. This move at first placed them as the leading online poker operator when online casinos made their way in NJ.
BetMGM Poker
BetMGM Poker joined the NJ online poker market in 2017. It is associated with Borgata and Party Poker, creating an extensive player pool for New Jersey players.
Party Poker NJ
PartyPoker is one of the most trusted online poker sites out there and has been for close to 20 years now. And thanks to legal online gambling in New Jersey, PartyPoker NJ made its way back to the US with the help of a license through the Borgata Hotel And Casino.
WSOP NJ Online Poker
WSOP.com is the #1 regulated online poker site in the U.S. Currently, it is operated in New Jersey and Nevada. Here players gain from competing for assimilation with the World Series of Poker brand. Caesars Entertainment is the owner of WSOP Poker NJ. It will go on getting bigger since the company has a footprint in most of the states where casino gambling is officially permitted.
On February 23, 2013, New Jersey made online gambling lawful at the time when SB 1565 was signed into law. The official launch of WSOP NJ took place on November 26, 2013. WSOP NJ operates on software provided by 888 Holdings, the same provider for 888 Poker NJ. In the early hours, the site ran on a separate website but in the month of May 2015, the site shared player pools with 888 Poker NJ and at once became the leading regulated online poker site in the city of New Jersey.
888 Poker NJ
The parent company for 888 Poker NJ, 888 Holdings offers the back-end software for WSOP.com. Don’t forget to check out our detailed review of 888 Poker, their software and what they have to provide online poker players.
Frequently Asked Questions About NJ Online Poker Websites
Is Poker Legal In The US?
Yes, online poker is legal in the United States. The following states Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania allow you to play online poker at regulated online poker sites.
What Are The Best Online Poker Sites In NJ?
The best online poker sites can be found in our ranking table above. We break down poker sites into different categories based on no deposit bonus amounts, first deposit bonus, and poker games selection.
Are Online Poker Games In NJ Rigged?
Online poker games at legitimate sites in New Jersey are not rigged. The financial incentives for the poker sites to maintain the integrity of their games are just too important. Further, all onshore sites are regulated by the state’s gaming authorities.