A titan of online gambling in the US and a trendsetter in iGaming and online casinos, in October 2013, New Jersey became the 3rd US state of six to legalize online poker, after Nevada and Delaware beat them to the punch earlier in the year.
Ever since its legalization, New Jersey’s online poker scene has been going from strength to strength. Today, it has a vibrant community bustling with a plethora of places to play and tournaments to participate in, not to mention a buffet of juicy bonuses for new and existing players.
Now regulated by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJ DGE), poker has space to grow, so players can enjoy safe and legal statewide play and even participate in certain multi-state events thanks to cooperation between gambling bodies in Michigan, Nevada, Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
This page will take a deep dive into the world of online poker in the Garden State, with expert advice on where to play, how to participate, what bonuses are available, and some of the most exciting tournaments in the state. We’ll also look at some of the best poker apps in New Jersey for those who like to play on the go. Let’s get into it!
Where to Play Online Poker for Real Money in New Jersey 2024?
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approved in the state of New Jersey. By featuring information on online casinos
and directing users to their websites, igamingnj.com is rewarded with commissions.
1
4.8 /5
Up to $100 in Free Play
Promo Code: IGAMING
$100 Free Play for new players
Daily tournaments + WSOP Circuit Online
Great variety of banking options
Famous offline brand with great reputation
Player can't see the current cash games at a certain blinds level
Full T&Cs Apply. Must be 21+. NJ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit wsop.com for Terms and Conditions. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements.
2
4.6 /5
100% Up to $1,000 + Up to $75 In Tournament Tickets
100% up to $1,000 + up to $75 Tournament Tickets
All tournament tickets are eligible for 14 days
Daily/weekly poker tournaments, buy-ins start from $1
Full T&Cs Apply. Must be 21+. NJ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements.
3
4.6 /5
100% Up to $1,000 + $75 in Tournament Tickets
100% up to $1,000 + up to $75 Tournament Tickets
Sunday Tournament with $25,000 prize pool guaranteed
Full T&Cs Apply. Must be 21+. NJ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit poker.borgataonline.com for Terms and Conditions. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements.
4
4.4 /5
100% Up to $600 + $25 on the House
Up to $600 deposit match + $25 in tournament tickets
Full T&Cs Apply. Must be 21+. NJ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit partypoker.com for Terms and Conditions. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements.
Is Playing Online Poker Legal in New Jersey?
With offline poker having legal status in Atlantic City since 1993, it paved the way for poker legends such as New Jersey’s own Phil Ivey, who won his first WSOP before online play was legalized.
After the legalization of online poker, the floodgates were open for the likes of Thomas Marchese, Darren Elias, and Tom Dwan to sweep the virtual felt in the Garden State.
There are currently only six states in the US that offer fully legalized, regulated, and safe online poker, and the Garden State is one of them. A new bill in New York could see residents of the Empire State join in the fun, too.
So, if you’re on the hunt for legal online poker in New Jersey, you won’t have to look far. In addition to that, you’ll also be able to play with players from other states, depending on which platform you play on, thanks to Multi-State Gaming Agreements that have been put in place.
The state of New Jersey regulated online poker in October 2013 through the passing of Assembly Bill 2578, which Gov. Chris Christie subsequently signed into law. This was two years after the state forcibly shut down most illegal and unregulated poker sites.
Poker is regulated by New Jersey’s gambling regulatory body, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, which is in charge of all areas of online gambling in the state, from scratch-offs in the truck stop to jackpot slots in Atlantic City.
Poker regulations are strict in the player’s favor, ensuring deeply secure data processing using industry-standard data encryption and specialized software to detect fraud or cheating. Third-party auditing also ensures the software providers working with your poker platform of choice operate with accuracy and fairness.
The NJDGE poses implications for players, too. Players must be at least 21 years old, and any winnings are treated as income, meaning you’ll have to pay tax on them. As with all online gambling, players must be situated within state borders to play any poker, though making withdrawals and accessing your account should be available from anywhere.
Best NJ Online Poker Apps | December 2024 (A-Z Order)
Below, you will find an alphabetical list of legal online poker apps that are available in New Jersey; we haven’t picked any favorites here. Each review packs information that you will find useful in selecting your first or next online poker platform in New Jersey.
Information provided includes how good the app’s user interface and user experience are, what kind of games and tournaments are on offer, information on promotions and bonuses, and other important aspects such as banking, security, and customer support.
888 NJ Poker App
Opening its virtual doors in November 2013, 888 Poker is an entirely legal poker titan belonging to the globally recognized 888 brand.
888 Poker has a varied list of six games, including Texas Hold’em, Seven Card Stud, and BLAST. The app has a range of tournaments available to players, from BLAST Sit and Go’s starting at just $0.10 per event with super-turbo 4-hand tables and maximum prizes of up to half a million dollars to Multi-table tournaments with hundreds of players and re-buys.
888 Poker has one of the most robust of the fully legal NJ online poker mobile apps and 24/7 phone and email support; live chat is available daily from 3-11 PM.
Those new to 888 Poker can grab a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $1,500 and a free $20 no-deposit bonus. The deposit match needs to be used within 90 days, and players will have seven days to use their free $20. Funds are released in increments of $10 based on how much poker is played or by playing casino games. See the full T&Cs for more.
BetMGM NJ Poker App
BetMGM Poker made its way onto the scene in 2017, with stakeholders hoping it would become the best online poker room in New Jersey.
BetMGM NJ Poker site has five types of poker, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Seven Card Stud. These games can be enjoyed on BetMGM’s in-app poker software, which allows players to play up to four tables simultaneously on a clean, user-friendly interface.
layers can also enjoy a variety of tourneys, with a Daily C-Note event commencing at 7 PM, as well as other weekly events with guaranteed prize pools of between 12 and 25K.
Those looking for immediate action can join SPINS tournaments, where three players face off in fast-paced tournament action with buy-ins from $1 to $25 and a randomly drawn prize pool of 2-1200x the buy-in amount.
Poker enthusiasts can also expect to be able to participate in certain qualifying events for larger tournaments, such as the BetMGM Poker Championship, which was worth a guaranteed $2M in 2023.
BetMGM is king when it comes to customer service, with 24/7 live chat, phone, and email support. Players can also make secure transactions from a range of providers within the app, including all your standard online payment options, the GameOn Card, and Venmo.
New players can grab a 100% deposit match of up to $1,000, which must be wagered through within seven days, and up to $75 in tournament tickets. There’s also a fun mystery prize wheel players can spin once daily to win bonus cash, chips, gifts, and more.
Borgata NJ Poker App
Borgata became one of the first poker sites to open in the Garden State in November 2013, having been serving Atlantic City poker fans for ten years prior.
Borgata NJ Poker site uses the same beautiful, clean interface and software as the BetMGM app. With that software, players can enjoy variants of Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud, and more.
In addition to SPINS tournaments similar to those on offer at BetMGM listed above, players also have the option to enter No-limit Hold’em C-Note tournaments every day from 7 PM, with buy-ins starting at $100 ($92+8), 10/12 blinds, and re-buys until level 15.
In the Borgata app, players will be able to access all core functions of the platform, including playing up to four tables at once, fast and secure banking, and all promotions. The app also has comprehensive customer support available 24/7 via phone, live chat, and email.
Those new to Borgata Poker can grab a 100% deposit match bonus and up to $75 in tournament tickets, which must be played through within seven days.
PokerStars NJ App
PokerStars joined the providers of online poker in New Jersey in March 2016, bringing exciting bonuses, exclusive tournaments, and poker players from Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Players can play the most extensive collection of poker games in NJ on up to five tables on the PokerStars app, which is the highest-rated poker app in the US.
PokerStars is the place to be for tournaments, too, with around five daily tournaments with buy-ins starting at a buck, to qualifiers for the North American Poker Tour, where entrants can win a share of a $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pot.
Customer service is available 24/7 in the app through a mix of live chat, phone support, and email. Secure banking is also available in the app, with a range of online payment methods, as well as PayNearMe and a cage at Resorts AC.
New PokerStars players can take a 100% deposit match of between $10 and $600 and receive $150 in bonus play. The $150 will be released over five days, with a mix of $100 in tournament tickets and $50 in casino bonuses.
WSOP NJ App
With over 40 years in the industry, the legendary World Series of Poker (WSOP) brand joined the NJ poker market in 2013 as one of the first license holders in the state, pooling NJ players alongside those in Nevada and Delaware.
WSOP NJ keeps things simple by offering just three poker games and their variants: Hold’em, Omaha, and Stud. While the interface and tables are aesthetically pleasing, it’s worth noting that the app only supports a single table at a time.
When it comes to tourneys and events, WSOP has everything from daily Freeroll tournaments that don’t cost a penny to join as well as a range of Sunday events with $50,000 and $100,000 guaranteed prizes.
Buy-ins for the larger events start at $320 and go to $1,000, and players can enjoy No-limit Hold’Em and Pot-limit Omaha.
Players can expect 24/7 customer service, a range of secure banking methods, including cash at the cage of Caesars Atlantic City, and access to hundreds of casino slots.
WSOP also has a pretty creative and helpful educational section where one can learn the basic rules of each game to get a firm understanding of how poker works.
WSOP has three exciting promotions that the player can take complete advantage of. First up, there’s a $25-100 Free Play bonus depending on your deposit amount, followed by a 100% deposit match between $10 and $1,000, as well as a week’s worth of entries to tournaments exclusively for new players.
What Online Poker Bonuses Are Available for New Jersey Players?
There are tons of promotions available for new and existing online poker players in New Jersey. Here are some of the most common:
Deposit bonuses are the most popular types of welcome bonuses that poker sites use to attract new players. Players will receive a number of bonus credits based on the deposit match percentage, which is usually 100%, that comes with wagering requirements to be unlocked and withdrawn as cash. Any bonus funds received are usually delivered in segments based on how much poker is played and how much rake is collected.
The no-deposit bonus is the second most popular bonus, which usually comes in tandem with a juicy deposit match bonus. These types of bonuses vary widely in poker and can range from a set value in tournament tickets to cash on the house or bonus play. In New Jersey, numbers range anywhere from $20 to $150!
Reload bonuses are very similar to deposit bonuses in nature, but they’re designed to reward existing account holders rather than new players. Instead of receiving a larger 100% deposit match, you’ll usually get somewhere in the range of about 20%.
Refer-a-friend bonuses are less popular but still prevalent in the NJ poker scene; after all, poker is a social game! These types of bonuses have existing players recruit their buddies to the site in exchange for rewards for both players. These rewards are usually a medium-sized lump sum of easy-to-wager bonus cash, typically worth about $50 to each player. Careful, though! Your referred buddy won’t be able to take advantage of a traditional welcome bonus, which is usually more lucrative for them.
Other rewards may include loyalty bonus schemes, daily prize wheels, log-in rewards, high scores bonuses, and much more!
Overview of the Top Online Poker Tournaments in NJ
Tournaments are a significant aspect of the success of online poker in New Jersey, with a host of tournaments being played daily, from single-table Sit & Go’s to annual events worth upwards of $1,000,000.
Moreover, the addition of Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreements allows a mesh of players from the six US states where online poker is legal for even bigger player pools and prize pots.
Below, we look at four massively popular poker tourneys that run in the Garden State, each with the potential to change the game for players with huge sums of prize money.
Six Figure Sunday High Roller at Borgata
Get ready to become a name in the game with Borgata’s Six Figure Sunday No Limit Hold ‘Em, with a guaranteed prize pool of $100,000, commencing Sunday, November 19, 2023.
Buy-in is $1,000, including a $50 fee, with re-entries possible before level 18. Players start with 100,000 chips, and blind levels change every 12 minutes. The tournament is played at standard speed.
BLAST Sit & Go tournament at 888 Poker
Blast Sit & Go tournaments are fast-paced tournaments played between four players at super-turbo speed. Each game has a BLAST timer, after which players are all-in until a single player is left standing.
Players can buy in from just $0.10, with a maximum buy-in of $50. That will get you 1,500 starting chips, with 25/50 blinds, a starting ante of 5, and level increases every two minutes.
The vast majority of prize pool multipliers land on either 2x or 5x, and the rake amount decreases from 10% to 7% depending on the buy-in amount.
PokerStars Spin & Go Tournament
Spin & Go tournaments by PokerStars give players the chance to win up to 2,000x their buy-in, with a maximum randomly assigned prize pool of up to $50,000, which can be won in minutes.
These tournaments are 3-player-max hyper-turbo Spin and Go’s. Players can buy in anywhere from $1 to $25, and the prize pool is randomly drawn between 2 and 2,000 times your buy-in. The overwhelming majority of prize pools will be between 2-3x of your buy-in amount.
These tournaments are easy to participate in, run 24/7, and have fast-paced poker play. There is a 7% rake on the prize pool.
Fall Fest at PokerStars
Fall Fest is a series of poker tournaments available at Pokerstars with a guaranteed prize pool set in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
With a mixture of tournament styles, game modes, buy-in amounts, and more, Fall Fest is the place to be for poker lovers who want constant action and a chance at landing a place in other invitational events.
Fall Fest is also active across Pennsylvania and Michigan, making for even bigger pots and prizes.
How to Join an NJ Online Poker Tournament?
Every tournament has different rules on how to sign up, but generally, you just need to have enough money in your account and register for the tournament before the deadline. You will have to register for each tournament you participate in.
For Sit & Go tournaments, you just need to turn up and register. They are usually running 24/7 and are ready to start with as few as three players.
Some events run less frequently and may only run once a year. For these events, it’s probably best to register early and get a spot marked on your calendar; after all, big money can be won here!
Finally, some events and tournaments are invitation-only. These are the most prestigious and valuable events, and you usually either need a direct invite from the poker site or to have placed in a previous event to earn your invitation. If this is the case, the tournament will usually make things clear on how to earn your invitation.
Banking Options at NJ Online Poker Sites
When it comes to banking on your poker platform of choice, there is generally a great deal of flexibility. If you don’t have access to a large number of payment methods, don’t worry. Across the six legal online poker platforms, you will find a mix of these deposit options:
Visa
MasterCard
Discover
American Express
PayPal
Apple Pay
VIP Preferred ACH
PayNearMe
Play+
Bank Wire Transfer
Venmo
Skrill
Online Banking
Instant Bank Transfer
Cash at Casino Cage
Pay with Cash
Many of these options can be used to make withdrawals; however, certain options, such as PayNearMe and other select options, cannot be used for withdrawals.
Thus, it’s usually best to check if you can withdraw any winnings before depositing. There’s usually an option to withdraw by check as a last resort, but this will take 10-20 working days. You’ll also typically need to deposit at least once by a particular method to withdraw via that method; this is always the case for PayPal.
The minimum deposit amount for most methods is $10, while the maximum can vary from about $500 for the cash methods to tens of thousands of dollars for others. Withdrawals also start at about $10, with limits of around $5,000 to $10,000 and up. Deposits are usually instant, whereas withdrawals typically take between three and five working days for most methods.
All payment methods use industry-standard encryption, as payment providers all have to meet minimum requirements set out by the NJ DGE. That means your money and your details are extremely safe when playing poker online in New Jersey.
FAQ
Is online poker allowed in New Jersey?
Yes. Thanks to a bill signed into law by Governor Chris Christie back in 2013, online poker gained legal status and is currently governed by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, which ensures guidelines and regulations are in place to protect players’ personal details and finance and provide other safety and security measures.
What is the minimum age for playing online poker in New Jersey?
Players must be at least 21 years old to play online poker in New Jersey. You will need to prove your age by providing a photograph of your government-approved Photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport.
Are there any legal NJ poker mobile apps?
Yes, all six of the legal online poker platforms that operate in New Jersey have a fully legal online poker app that players can use to play all over the Garden State.
What is the average minimum deposit to start playing online poker for real money?
The current minimum deposit at all six of the online poker platforms available in New Jersey is $10. That doesn’t mean all methods carry a $10 deposit minimum, though, as some options start at $20.