New Jersey Online Gambling History 2021 – BestAppBet

With Atlantic City being an iconic brick and mortar casino hub, New Jersey has been synonymous with gambling for many decades. Probably the only state that had more clout when it comes to casinos and gambling was Nevada. However this has all changed with online casinos and poker sites and apps launched in the Garden State in 2013, and in 2018 New Jersey sports betting sites and apps have also been given the green light.

New Jersey’s Online Gambling Era

Since online casinos, sportsbooks and poker websites and apps were regulated in the Garden State, New Jersey took the lead in regulated, legal online gambling in the US.

If you are over 21 years old and present anywhere within New Jersey state limits, you can easily download a betting app, sign up and join the sports betting and casino excitement within minutes. If you are into poker, New Jersey also offers some great poker apps that let you join poker tournaments and cash games straight from your mobile device.

New Jersey Online Gambling History

But the road to online gambling dominance hasn’t been an easy one, and the state started its journey to regulate online gambling over a decade ago. 

The 8-year anniversary of legal online gambling in the Garden State has come and gone, since thirteen online casinos that are regulated by the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) in 2013. To say that the Garden State’s online gambling scene changed dramatically would be an understatement.

From an initial group of 13 very basic sites that launched in 2013, in 2021 New Jersians can choose from a huge list of 22 online casinos, 18 online sportsbooks and 7 online poker apps. Not only did the quantity change with a wide variety of betting apps and sites to choose from. As many of the world’s largest gambling companies entered the New Jersey online-gambling market, today’s apps and websites offer state-of-the-art technology, thousands of games and bets, live casino, live sports streaming, interstate poker and more.

Remember that all this exciting stuff is available at your fingertips 24/7 from anywhere in New Jersey. You don’t have to be a New Jersey resident, as long as you are visiting the state, over 21 and have a mobile phone, tablet or a personal computer, you can open an account and join the fun and action in minutes. And it’s safe, secure and 100% legal!

Early Years (Pre-2013)

For a long while online gambling all over the United States (including New Jersey of course) was banned under the Federal Wire Act from September 13, 1961 and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) from October 13, 2006. Based on these laws, it was illegal for any business to receive and process funds that were charged from online betting.

2010: The Raymond Lesniak Bill (S3167)

In January 10, 2010, Senator Raymond Lesniak introduced the first bill that aims to regulate online gambling in New Jersey (S3167). In November 2010 Lesniak’s bill passes in the New Jersey Senate by an impressive 29-5 majority. However the Assembly vote is held off until 2011.

A revised version of the bill passes again with a majority in the New Jersey Assembly, but New Jersey’s then-governor Chris Christie vetoes it due to concerns over ‘legal hurdles’.

2012: Governor Christie Has a Change of Heart

In 2012 Lesniak begin to work on new legislation of online gambling, introducing Senate Bill S1565 and Assembly Bill A2578. These two bills are meant to address Governor Christie’s concerns by providing penalties to Internet Cafes that offer online gambling and also requiring servers to be located physically in Atlantic City casinos.

Governor Christie states at a press conference that had a change of heart regarding online gambling, saying: ‘I think New Jersey should be in that business’. And on December 20, 2012 the Senate passes Bill A2578 with a landslide 33-3 margin.

2013: Online Casinos Launch

Governor Christie vetoes again bill A2578, voicing concerns regarding gambling addiction and the amount of taxes collected. This leads to a few chances made in the bill, which resulted in the State Assembly and Senate passing the new version of the bill by a 68-5 and 31-1 margin respectively. Governor Christie then signs the bill into law just a few hours after it passed on February 26, 2016, making New Jersey the third state to pass an Internet gambling legislation after Nevada and Delaware.

On November 21, 2013 a soft launch takes place in New Jersey with thirteen gambling sites (seven casinos and six online poker rooms). The evaluation period is deemed successful and on November 26, 2013 an official launch takes place.

With  888casino, 888poker, Betfair Casino, Betfair Poker, Borgata Casino, Borgata Poker, Caesars Casino, Harrah’s Casino, PartyPoker, Tropicana Casino, Ultimate Casino, Ultimate Poker, and WSOP all granted permission to offer gambling to the general New Jersey public 24 hours a day.

Sports Betting

In January 2012, Governor Christie also signed into law a bill that allows sports betting in the Garden State, after it was approved by a margin of 2-1 in a voter referendum in 2011. The bill permitted New Jersey’s 12 land-based casinos and 4 racetracks to offer betting on professional and college sports. However the US major sports leagues (NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB) filled a federal lawsuit against the bill that allows sports betting in the state. The objection wsa based on the Professional and Armature Sports Protection Act or 1992 (PAPSA) which back then banned sports betting in all except for 4 states in the country.

In 2014 the State of New Jersey challenged PAPSA which effectively gave Nevada a federal monopoly on legal sports betting in the United States. After 3 unsuccessful appeals by New Jersey, the Supreme Court overturned the Appeals Court decision in May 14, 2018 and ruled that PAPSA was unconstitutional.   

This gave a green light to the Garden State to move forward with its plans to legalize and offer sports betting. On June 11, 2018 the newly-voted New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, signed Assembly Bill A4111 into law, legalizing sports betting in the state.

New Jersey Sports Partnerships

New Jersey has brought sports betting to the limelight, and it is now mainstream. The powerful sports leagues that objected the legalization of sports betting under PAPSA a few years back are now partners of leading sportsbook operations:

• NFL: Caesars
• NBA: BetMGM, FanDuel, Fox Bet, William Hill
• MLB: BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, Fox Bet
• NHL: BetMGM, FanDuel, William Hill

In addition, many teams that realised the potential of advertising and branding have struck deals with sports betting sponsors:

• New York Jets: BetMGM, 888
• New York Giants: DraftKings
• New York Knicks: DraftKings
• New York Rangers: DraftKings
• New Jersey Devils: Caesars, FanDuel, William Hill
• Philadelphia 76ers: Caesars, Fox Bet
• Philadelphia Eagles: DraftKings, Fox Bet, Unibet
• Philadelphia Flyers: BetRivers

Final Words on New Jersey Online Gambling

The path to legalizing online gambling and sports betting as a whole in New Jersey wasn’t an easy one. But by persisting and challenging the naysayers again and again, the Garden State has set the path for many other states in America to finally realise that progress, technology and legalization are the way forward to responsible, safe gambling.

And of course, the legalization of gambling brings huge amounts of tax revenues which the states desperately need.

Betting Online Legally In New Jersey

So if you are over 21 years of age and physically present in New Jersey state borders, you can download a casino, poker or sports betting app, register and place your bets within minutes. You do not have to be a resident of New Jersey in order to enjoy legal sports betting in the state.

Our team of experts at BestAppBet.com work on to find you the right gambling apps and websites, so you don’t have to. Just read our New Jersey guide and detailed reviews, find the best app for you, sign up and claim the generous bonus available to BestAppBet.com users!