New Jersey Casinos, Online Gambling and Sports Betting

New Jersey's Licensed Online Casinos

New Jersey is the US leader in regulated online casino gaming, having launched the market in November 2013 — the first substantial iGaming market in the country. In 2025, New Jersey online casinos generated $2.91 billion in revenue, surpassing Atlantic City's nine land-based casinos ($2.894 billion) for the first time in history. Growth was 22% year-over-year.

All licensed online casinos must partner with a licensed Atlantic City casino ("skin" model). New Jersey law allows each casino licence holder to operate up to three branded online sites. The market has more than 30 distinct licensed brands, with the "Big Three" of FanDuel (partnered with Golden Nugget), DraftKings (partnered with Resorts), and BetMGM (Borgata) accounting for approximately 65% of iGaming revenue.

Online Poker — MSIGA Multi-State Network

New Jersey is a founding member of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), which pools poker players across New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. This creates larger player pools, bigger tournaments, and more active cash game tables than any single state could sustain. WSOP.com and BetMGM Poker are the leading platforms in New Jersey. The minimum age is 21.

Tax on Online Casino Winnings in New Jersey

New Jersey iGaming operators pay a 19.75% tax on adjusted gross revenue (raised from 15% on July 1, 2025). Individual gambling winnings are subject to federal income tax. New Jersey state income tax also applies to gambling winnings and losses — however, New Jersey does not allow gambling losses to be deducted against winnings for state tax purposes.

Social Casinos — Free-to-Play Alternative

Free-to-play social casinos with no currency exchange remain legal under New Jersey law's sweepstakes exception (which permits no-cost promotions with prizes under $20). For entertainment-only play:

• 7 Seas Casino — Free-to-play Vegas-style slots. No prizes, no purchase.
• Vegas World — Free slots, poker, and table games.
• Casino World — A broad range of free social casino games.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are sweepstakes casinos legal in New Jersey?

No. Governor Murphy signed A5447 on August 15, 2025, formally banning the dual-currency sweepstakes model. New Jersey lawmakers determined that sweepstakes casinos were effectively unlicensed gambling operations bypassing age verification, responsible gambling protections, and tax obligations required of licensed operators. Penalties are up to $100,000 for first violations and $250,000 for subsequent ones. New Jersey's 30+ licensed online casino brands are the legal alternative — players must use these platforms.

Is online casino gaming legal in New Jersey?

Yes — New Jersey was a pioneer. Governor Chris Christie signed the enabling legislation on February 26, 2013, and the first licensed online casino apps launched on November 26, 2013. The market now has 30+ licensed brands tethered to Atlantic City casino licences. Online casino revenue exceeded Atlantic City retail casino revenue for the first time in 2025 ($2.91B vs $2.894B), marking a historic shift in the New Jersey gambling landscape.

Is online sports betting legal in New Jersey?

Yes. Sports betting became legal on June 11, 2018, when Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation three days after the Supreme Court struck down PASPA. New Jersey was the driving force behind the federal case (Murphy v. NCAA) that dismantled the federal sports betting ban. The state generated $1.177 billion in sports betting revenue in 2025, with over 97% coming from online/mobile wagering. The tax rate was raised to 19.75% on July 1, 2025. The minimum age is 21.

How many online casinos are licensed in New Jersey?

More than 30 distinct licensed online casino brands operate in New Jersey. All must partner with one of the nine licensed Atlantic City casinos. Major brands include BetMGM Casino, DraftKings Casino, FanDuel Casino, Golden Nugget Online Casino, Caesars Palace Online Casino, Resorts Casino Online, Borgata Online Casino, Hard Rock Online Casino, and others — all regulated by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE).

How many casinos are in Atlantic City?

Atlantic City currently has nine licensed casino resort hotels. Under the New Jersey State Constitution, casino gambling is restricted to Atlantic City — no other location in the state may operate a casino without a constitutional amendment. A 2026 proposal (SCR31) would allow racino-style slots at horse racing tracks, primarily targeting Northern New Jersey (Meadowlands area), in response to the threat of New York City's newly approved casino licences.

What happened to the Trump casinos?

Both of Donald Trump's Atlantic City casinos have closed and been repurposed. Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino closed in September 2014 and was demolished in 2021. Trump Taj Mahal closed in October 2016 and reopened as Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City in June 2018 — now one of the most successful properties on the Boardwalk. Trump Castle (now Harrah's Resort Atlantic City) was sold to Harrah's decades ago and bears no Trump branding.

What responsible gambling resources are available in New Jersey?

The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey provides a 24/7 helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537), available by phone, text, and live chat at 800gambler.org. All licensed New Jersey online casinos and sportsbooks are required to offer self-exclusion tools, deposit limits, and responsible gambling disclosures. A self-exclusion from licensed online gambling platforms can be completed through the NJDGE at nj.gov/oag/ge.

New Jersey Gambling Laws — The NJDGE and CCC

New Jersey gambling is overseen by two bodies: the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE), which investigates and enforces gambling laws; and the New Jersey Casino Control Commission (CCC), which licences operators and adjudicates disputes. Both operate under the Casino Control Act (N.J.S.A. 5:12-1).

The New Jersey State Constitution restricts casino gambling to Atlantic City — any expansion beyond the city requires a constitutional amendment approved by voters. This restriction was the subject of two failed ballot measures (2011 and 2016) that would have expanded casinos to Northern New Jersey. The 2026 SCR31 proposal takes a narrower approach, targeting racinos only.

Online casino and sports betting are legal statewide under geofencing — servers must be physically located in Atlantic City, and players must be physically within New Jersey to wager. The iGaming tax rate is 19.75% on adjusted gross revenue; the prior rate of 15% applied from 2013 to June 30, 2025. Governor Murphy had proposed 25%, but the legislature settled on 19.75%.

The sweepstakes ban (A5447, August 2025) was driven by the NJDGE's position that sweepstakes platforms were effectively unlicensed iGaming operations — competing with licensed operators while avoiding age verification, responsible gambling requirements, and the 19.75% tax. Proponents of a regulated alternative introduced SB 1500 in early 2026, which would allow sweepstakes platforms to continue operating if they obtain an iGaming licence from the NJDGE and comply with all casino regulations. This regulatory approach — as opposed to an outright ban — remains under debate.

New Jersey Gambling History

New Jersey's gambling history stretches to the colonial era. Lottery proceeds funded Queen's College (now Rutgers University) and the College of New Jersey (now Princeton) in the 1700s. The Freehold Raceway, one of the oldest thoroughbred tracks in the US, opened in the 1830s. Pari-mutuel wagering was banned in 1894, and a referendum in 1897 amended the state constitution to prohibit gambling broadly.

Gambling persisted underground through the prohibition decades. Horse racing was officially relegalised in 1939. Charity bingo was permitted in 1953. The New Jersey Lottery launched in 1970, backed by 81.5% of voters in a referendum. The major turning point came in 1976, when New Jersey voters approved casino gambling specifically for Atlantic City — the first legal casino gaming on the US East Coast. Resorts Casino Hotel opened in 1978, the first legal casino east of Nevada.

Atlantic City grew rapidly through the 1980s and into the 1990s, peaking with 12 casinos before overcrowding, competition from tribal gaming across the Northeast, and the expansion of casinos in neighbouring states caused a sharp decline. By 2014, four Atlantic City casinos closed in a single year. The market has since stabilised at nine properties.

New Jersey was also the state that ended the federal sports betting prohibition. After years of legal battles, the Supreme Court ruled in Murphy v. NCAA (May 2018) that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was unconstitutional, freeing all states to legalise sports betting. New Jersey signed sports betting into law within days and launched within the week.

Online casino gaming launched in November 2013, making New Jersey the first major US state with a regulated iGaming market. It remains the model for other states — Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Delaware, and Maine have all since followed.

Atlantic City's Nine Casinos

All New Jersey casino gambling is constitutionally restricted to Atlantic City, where nine resort casino hotels operate:

• Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa (Marina District) — 161,000 square feet of gaming; 4,100+ slot machines; 200+ table games; owned by MGM Resorts International; the highest-earning Atlantic City casino by revenue and one of the most prestigious resort properties on the East Coast.
• Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City (Boardwalk) — Opened June 2018 in the former Trump Taj Mahal; guitar-shaped architecture with extensive music memorabilia; 120,000+ square feet of gaming; a major entertainment venue.
• Ocean Casino Resort (Boardwalk) — One of Atlantic City's newest properties; 138,000 square feet of gaming; extensive amenities including a rooftop pool and concert venue.
• Caesars Atlantic City — One of the original Boardwalk flagships; 147,000 square feet of gaming; hotel, multiple restaurants, and entertainment under the Caesars Entertainment umbrella.
• Harrah's Resort Atlantic City (Marina District) — Large casino and hotel complex; convention facilities; part of the Caesars network; formerly Trump Castle before Harrah's acquired it.
• Bally's Atlantic City (Boardwalk) — Operated by Bally's Corporation; one of the Boardwalk's larger properties with multiple gaming areas.
• Golden Nugget Atlantic City (Marina District) — The top-performing online casino partner in the state (Golden Nugget / FanDuel); strong boutique resort on the marina.
• Resorts Casino Hotel (Boardwalk) — The historic first Atlantic City casino, opened 1978; continuing to operate as the market's original property.
• Tropicana Atlantic City (Boardwalk) — Part of the Bally's Corporation portfolio after acquisition; Boardwalk location with extensive gaming and hotel facilities.

Responsible Gambling in New Jersey

• Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey — 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537), 24/7 by phone, text, and live chat at 800gambler.org.
• NJDGE Self-Exclusion — A single self-exclusion registration covers all licensed Atlantic City casinos and all licensed online casino and sports betting platforms; register at nj.gov/oag/ge.
• Gambling Addiction Education — Governor Murphy signed legislation in 2025 requiring all New Jersey public colleges to educate students about gambling addiction and support resources.

References

1. New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
2. New Jersey Lottery
3. Online gambling — are players at risk of prosecution?
4. American Gaming Association