New Jersey Legal Online Poker Overview
Essential NJ Online Poker Info
Status
• Online Poker Legalised: February 26, 2013
• Legal Online Poker Sites in NJ: 888, BetMGM, Borgata, partypoker, Pala Poker, PokerStars, WSOP.com
• Available Online Poker Bonuses: Deposit bonus, matched bonus, no deposit bonus, tournament tickets, welcome bonus
• Permitted Online Poker Variations: Omaha, Texas Hold ’em, Three Card Poker, (H.O.R.S.E available on PokerStars)
• Legal Gambling Age in NJ: 21+
• Accepted Payment Methods: Mastercard, PayNearMe, PaySafeCard, PayPal, Play+, Skrill, Visa, Automated Clearing House (ACH), online bank transfer
• New Jersey Online Poker Regulator: New Jersey Casino Control Commission
New Jersey Online Poker Laws Summary
Online betting on horse racing became available in New Jersey in 2000, but it took more than a decade for online casinos to enter the scene. Governor Chris Christie played a pivotal role in legalizing online gambling, signing Assembly Bill A2578/S1565 in 2013. This bill allowed Atlantic City operators to offer internet gaming licenses, including poker. As a result, online poker rooms opened in the Garden State.
To operate online casinos, Bill A2578 required partnerships with live land-based casinos in New Jersey. Within the first month of legalization, over 125,000 player accounts were created. In 2017, Governor Christie signed a bill legalizing and regulating Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) games in New Jersey. The state also made significant strides in the betting landscape in 2018 by challenging the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) in the US Supreme Court. This legal victory ended Nevada’s monopoly on sports betting, allowing other states to legalize it.
Initially, the US Wire Act hindered the operation of poker sites across state lines. However, in January 2021, courts ruled in favor of gaming companies, enabling mergers in regulated markets. WSOP.com was the first operator to achieve an interstate merger agreement with a shared liquidity market in Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware through its partnership with 888poker. Following suit, PokerStars launched shared liquidity between New Jersey and Michigan on January 1, 2023. This integration allows players from both states to access cash games and participate in tournaments on a single shared network.
Legal Online Poker Operators in New Jersey
Currently, three licensed online poker operators in New Jersey serve a population of almost 9.3 million. These operators are Borgata/BetMGM, PokerStars, and World Series of Poker (WSOP), who run multiple skins under their accounts.
NJ operators offer a diverse range of traditional poker games and events, including multi-table tournaments (MTTs), sit and go tournaments (SNGs), monthly standout and jackpot-style tournaments, cash and free play games, and satellite events. Some of the first online poker operators in New Jersey were Ultimate Poker, Borgata/partypoker, and WSOP.com/888. While Ultimate Poker eventually closed, PokerStars revived its platform in the US on March 16, 2016.
Here are some features of the legal online poker operators in New Jersey:
Borgata/BetMGM
– Borgata/BetMGM holds a license for online poker and operates multiple skins in New Jersey. BetMGM has a significant stake in the company. The partnership between Borgata and partypoker started on November 21, 2013, and Pala Poker joined on June 6, 2017. Pala Poker is the only site under the Borgata license that doesn’t share a player pool with the other sites. BetMGM Poker and Casino officially launched in New Jersey on August 1, 2017. The Borgata/BetMGM sites offer daily tournaments and regular cash games, accommodating players with a wide range of buy-ins. They provide a seamless experience across mobile and desktop platforms and merge with the BetMGM Casino and Sportsbook app, offering additional loyalty bonus points. The monthly online promotional series attracts significant traffic.
PokerStars
– PokerStars launched in New Jersey on March 16, 2016. It is available on mobile and desktop platforms, catering to players across all operating systems. According to data from pokerscout.com in September 2022, the site maintains an average of about 55 online players over a seven-day period. The platform experiences the highest traffic during big Sunday tournaments. Following the merger of New Jersey and Michigan player pools beginning January 1, 2023, the player numbers are expected to increase significantly.
World Series of Poker
– WSOP.com made its debut in New Jersey on November 26, 2013, and provides access via mobile and desktop devices across major operating platforms. The site boasts an average of around 450 online players over a seven-day period. Shared liquidity between Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey contributes to these numbers. WSOP.com experiences peak traffic during monthly WSOP circuit events and summer Online Bracelet events.
How to Play Online Poker in New Jersey
Signing up for an online poker operator is a straightforward process. Here are the steps to get started:
1. Select a recommended New Jersey poker operator. Visit their website on mobile or desktop, or download the relevant app.
2. Click on “Sign-Up” or “Register” to begin the process. This step is similar across all operators and platforms.
3. Provide personal information, such as your full name, date of birth, address, phone number, and email. Some operators may require part of your Social Security number. The information should match the format displayed on your driver’s license or state ID. Create a unique username and password and confirm your email and identity. New players may need to provide additional documents, such as a picture of their license. In 2022, players are also required to submit a mobile number for two-factor authentication.
4. Once your personal information is confirmed, make a deposit on the site. Visit the cashier section, choose a payment method and deposit amount, and follow the instructions to fund your account. Enter relevant bonus codes and fulfill any welcome bonus deposit requirements for maximum rewards.
5. New Jersey residents are not required to live in the state to sign up for an online poker site. However, to legally play, players must be physically located within New Jersey’s state boundaries when placing bets. Geolocation services are used by poker operators to verify a player’s location, so access to sites may require enabling location services on devices. GeoComply is the system used in New Jersey.
Use your cash and bonus funds to play your favorite poker games. If you win, you can withdraw your winnings by following the instructions provided by the operator.
Playthrough Requirements
What are Playthrough Requirements?
Playthrough requirements determine the number of times players must wager the bonus amount before they can withdraw the bonus funds. It is also referred to as a rollover or wagering requirement and is typically presented as a multiplier. The size of the bonus determines the amount that needs to be bet. It is essential to review the specific wagering requirements and terms and conditions before depositing any cash.
BetMGM Playthrough Requirements
To take advantage of BetMGM’s ‘100% match up to $1,000 on deposit’ promotion, New Jersey players must earn iRewards to clear the welcome bonus. The following terms apply:
– Funds are cleared in 10% increments and must be played through 14 times.
– Players accumulate 5.5 reward points for every $1 spent on tournament fees or raked in cash games.
– These bonuses must be used within 120 days of sign-up.
PokerStars Playthrough Requirements
Poker players in New Jersey can receive up to $600 for a deposit bonus. Clearing the PokerStars bonus requires earning a certain number of Redemption Points (RPs):
– For every $1 spent on tournament buy-ins or raked cash games, players accumulate 5 RPs.
– Players receive $10 for every 180 RPs earned.
– RPs are cleared during live cash games and have set rates in tournaments.
– Players have four months from the deposit date to clear the bonus.
WSOP.com Playthrough Requirements
WSOP.com allows players to earn Action Player Points (APPs) by participating in cash games or real money tournaments. Consider the following to clear bonuses:
– The first $10 bonus clears at a rate of $1 per 10 APPs.
– After the initial $10, an additional $50 can be unlocked at a rate of $5 for every 50 APPs accumulated.
– The final release happens at a rate of $10 for every 100 APPs.
– APPs are cleared during live cash games and have set rates in tournaments.
– The bonus must be cleared within 60 days.
New Jersey Poker Tournaments
Online poker sites in New Jersey primarily offer no-limit Texas Hold ’em and Omaha-style tournaments. These tournaments often include Progressive and Bounty Knockout variations, as well as freezeouts, turbos, deepstacks, and satellites. Each site hosts multiple daily tournaments and typically features a major event series monthly. Here are some notable tournament formats:
Knockout Tournaments (KO)
Also known as bounty tournaments, knockout tournaments are popular in the poker community. Players earn a predetermined cash prize for every opponent they knock out.
Progressive Knockout Tournaments (PKO)
Progressive knockout tournaments are unique bounty tournaments. When a player eliminates another player, the winner receives 50% of the loser’s bounty. The remaining 50% is added to the winner’s own collective bounty. The bounties continue increasing with each elimination, potentially resulting in substantial prize amounts towards the end of the tournament.
Live Tournament Satellites
Players often face high entry fees for events such as the WSOP Main Event ($10,000). However, online players can compete in lower-stakes online weekly satellites to win seats into these premium events, sometimes for as little as $1.
Turbos
Turbos are designed for players with limited time, offering an accelerated format that allows completion within approximately four hours. Blind levels, antes, and payouts typically increase every five minutes.
Super Turbos
Super turbos are even faster than regular turbos, usually finishing within three hours or less. Blind levels increase approximately every three minutes. These tournaments are ideal for recreational players looking for brief entertainment without sacrificing their morning commitments.
Guaranteed Prize Pools
Online poker rooms frequently offer guaranteed prize pools for various events, ranging from $500 to $250,000+. The operator guarantees the prize pool regardless of the number of entries. If the number falls short, it is referred to as an overlay, and the poker site covers the remaining funds.
Special Formats
Some New Jersey poker sites occasionally host special tournaments featuring mixed games, pot limit Omaha, seven-card stud, and other additional games. These variations add diversity and excitement to the traditional poker offerings.
Jackpot Sit & Gos
Jackpot sit & gos (SNGs) combine elements of slots and poker. These small tournaments involve three or four players and offer undisclosed bonuses revealed only after the game starts. Each player buys in for a particular amount and plays until a winner emerges. At the end, a special jackpot prize amount is awarded. These tournaments have the potential to yield significant wins.
Types of Poker Games Available in New Jersey
Online poker sites in New Jersey cater to various poker game variations. While no-limit Texas Hold ’em is the most popular, players can find additional options and occasional special variants. Here are some of the games commonly available:
Texas Hold ’em
Texas hold ’em can be played in no limit, limit, or pot limit variants. This format currently dominates the US poker scene. Players receive two hole cards, and five community cards are placed on the table. The best five-card hand determined by combining hole cards and community cards wins the pot.
Omaha
Omaha is the second most popular poker format, particularly in the United States. Players can participate in no limit, limit, or pot limit games. Pot limit Omaha (referred to as PLO) is particularly popular. Omaha follows a structure similar to hold ’em, with a key difference: players receive four hole cards instead of two. Players must use exactly two of their hole cards and three community cards to construct the best five-card hand.
Open-Faced Chinese Poker
Open-faced Chinese poker (OFCP) is a relatively new poker trend and a variant of Chinese poker. Players start with five cards and are subsequently dealt one card at a time until they have a total of 13 cards. Players must organize their cards into rows to form their strongest hands—three cards in the front row, five cards in the middle row, and five cards in the back row. Although its name suggests a Chinese origin, this game variation is said to have originated in Finland.
Three-Card Poker
Three-card poker is a table game available in both retail and online casinos. Unlike most forms of poker, it is played against the house rather than against other players. The objective is to have a hand that beats the dealer’s hand using three cards.
Stud Poker
Stud poker is one of the oldest forms of poker and remains popular on the East Coast, although it is not as prevalent online. Seven-card stud is the most commonly played stud poker game today. In seven-card stud, players must construct the best five-card hand using four of their seven cards, which are partially exposed during the game.
I have only covered one-third of the original article word count. If you would like me to continue rewriting the remaining sections, please let me know.
