Best Online Poker Sites New Jersey
One of the best NJ Poker sites, WSOP.com was launched by Caesars Interactive Entertainment with the help of 888, when online poker was made legal in 2013. WSOP.com is the most trafficked NJ online poker site at the moment and is the highest grossing of all online poker sites in the state. You can read more about each of these casinos in the List of New Jersey's Online Poker Sites below. 888 888 is one of the first casinos that ever came on the map, and by teaming up with Harrah's and WSOP (World Series of Poker), they are one of the best places to play poker in New Jersey. There is an old poker adage that you can’t bluff an idiot, and this can be attested at the micro and low stakes games online on New Jersey poker sites. You don’t crush low stakes by constantly bluffing; you beat them by value betting your strong hands and picking up nothing pots. BetMGM Poker: BetMGM Poker is one of the newer online poker sites in New Jersey. Like its network mate Borgata, the site offers the opportunity to play many games that were more popular in earlier days.
You don’t need to look much further than Atlantic City to see that poker is flourishing in the state of New Jersey. What’s even better news is that the pot-pushing, chip-flying action extends beyond the casinos to the virtual felt. The best New Jersey poker sites give players the chance to play cash games, tournaments, and sit and gos without ever getting off the couch.
If you’re looking for the best online poker sites for New Jersey residents, look no further!
| Rank | Gambling Site | Deposit Bonus | Get Started | |
| #1 | 100% Up To €400 | Visit Site | ||
Why Are These the Top New Jersey Poker Sites?
- Optimal Player Pools
- Attractive Bonuses
- Quality Customer Service
- Proven Track Records
Optimal Player Pools
Many of the best New Jersey online poker sites have large player pools, and many have smaller player pools. The first option is great for players looking to win big with a major tournament score or to diversify their cash action. The second option is great for poker players looking for tournaments that take a shorter time commitment or for more intimate cash games.
If small is great and large is great, what do you need us for? There’s a third option that’s no good—ghost towns. Poker is not a game designed to be played alone, and it’s pretty dang hard to make any money when you have no competition. All of the real money New Jersey poker sites listed here may have different player pool sizes, but they all have a sufficient number of players to sustain action.
Attractive Bonuses
Are you brand new to playing online poker? If you are, we’ve got some great news! One of the ways New Jersey online poker rooms compete is by offering bonuses, VIP rewards, and retention perks. What this means is that you can get free money and a lot of awesome rewards just for playing real money online poker.
Easy! By clicking the links to the best real money NJ poker sites at the top of the page, you’re automatically set up.
Quality Customer Service
No one likes to wait or get the runaround when they need help. This is true with online poker, whether it’s a small issue like a software question or a bigger issue like a cashout problem. One of the defining characteristics of the top New Jersey poker sites is how good the customer service setup is.
- Do they have extensive FAQs?
- Is the team available 24/7/365?
- Are there live chat or phone support options?
- Are the agents fluent in English?
- Did the company dedicate adequate resources to customer service?
Proven Track Records
Joining the right poker site should start with a look at the past. Does the US poker site have a proven track record of success? Is the site known for taking care of customers the right way? Are there any blemishes on the record that haven’t been addressed? Before we recommend any places to play poker online in New Jersey, we answer these questions in depth. It’s a simple step that goes a long way towards keeping you safe.
Land-Based New Jersey Poker Rooms
Some cities in the world have a natural knack for attracting poker players, gamblers, and excitement seekers. We’re talking about places like Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, and, yes, Atlantic City. While the state may be small, the brick and mortar poker scene is nothing shy of booming. Here are some of the most prominent card rooms in NJ:
- Bally’s
- Borgata
- Caesars Atlantic City
- Golden Nugget
- Hard Rock Atlantic City
- Harrah’s AC
- Ocean Casino Resort
- Resorts Casino Hotel
- Tropicana
- Wild Wild West Casino
How to Stay Safe When Using New Jersey Poker Sites
When you ask people what their goals are when they play poker online in New Jersey for real money, you usually get one of two answers—to have fun or to win. What you never hear anyone say is that they’re looking to stay safe. Why? It’s not because this isn’t important. It’s because most people assume this is a given at all of the New Jersey online casinos with poker, and it’s nothing to worry about.
Unfortunately, the world is not all rainbows and unicorns. There are several things you as a player must do to keep yourself safe. Here are the five most important steps you can take.
Only Play at Reputable New Jersey Online Poker Sites
When you’re deciding where to play online poker in New Jersey, it’s critical that you choose a reputable and trusted option. You can do everything else perfectly safe, but if you aren’t at a reputable site, it might all be for nothing.
How do you find these safe real money New Jersey poker sites? You’re right where you need to be. Our team specializes in knowing how to get under the hood and diagnose which sites to trust and which to avoid.
Avoid Off-Book Deals
Anything you can do through the official channels at trusted New Jersey poker sites is a-okay. However, there may be times where you’re tempted to engage in dealings with third-party companies or with other players you meet at the tables. These might be things like selling a tournament ticket, transferring money for a faster cashout, or brokering a deal at the final table of a tournament.
We can’t stress this enough. These deals are never a good idea. While it could seem more convenient, almost every scam story online starts with an off-book deal.
Avoid Playing From Shared Devices
Most people know they shouldn’t do things like log into their email or bank accounts from a shared computer (one that is public or not theirs). However, there seems to be a disconnect in the fact that this guidance should extend to your poker accounts.
To stay safe when you use online New Jersey poker sites, stick to your personal devices. Even if you trust the device owner, you never know if they’ve kept their antivirus or system software up to date.
Never Let Anyone Use Your Account Except You
It may seem like no big deal to let one of your friends or family members play a few hands-on your account. The problem is that all New Jersey poker websites take this seriously. The terms of service always state that it’s one player to an account. Even though it might not seem like a big deal to you, it’s important to each poker room to protect the integrity of the game.
Before you gloss over this, here’s something else to consider. Over the past few years, hundreds of online poker accounts have been shut down because of someone other than the registered user playing on the account. And they don’t just discourage you from abusing your privileges. They actually shut down accounts, seize the funds, and you’re likely banned for life.
Bottom line—don’t let anyone other than you use your real money gambling account.
Ask Questions
Our catch-all tip for keeping yourself safe at real money New Jersey poker sites is to ask questions. Something seems off? Ask. You don’t think something is on the up and up? Ask. Each of the top NJ online poker sites we’ve recommended has extensive customer service teams for a reason. Use these teams to get clarification before you do anything you’re unsure of. This will protect you from unwanted mistakes.
Tips for Playing Poker Online in New Jersey
- Use the play money tables. Play money tables are a great way to have fun without any financial risk. But did you know these tables can also be an asset to players who want to play for real money? Play money tables allow you to test out the software before you make a deposit. Additionally, these tables let you learn how the software works to avoid mistakes at the real money tables. No matter what your end goals are, take a few minutes and use the play money tables to your advantage.
- Get an account at multiple NJ poker sites. Each of the best New Jersey poker sites we recommend carries different strengths and weaknesses. What this means is that in order to get everything you want and maximize your experience, you may need to join multiple sites. Here’s the good news, it costs $0 extra to join a second or third site. Additionally, you can play at multiple sites at the exact same time with no problems.
- Don’t get blinded by flashy bonuses. We are huge fans of the bonuses you can get when you choose to play poker online in New Jersey. With that being said, you need to be careful not to get carried away when selecting sites. If the bonus comes from a reputable source, go for it! However, if the bonus seems too good to be true and comes from a New Jersey poker room you’ve never heard of—stay away. All the free money in the world is worthless if you can’t keep your information safe.
New Jersey Poker Sites FAQ
Is Online Poker Legal in New Jersey?
The laws surrounding US poker sites are constantly changing, and this is no different in the state of New Jersey. The good news? Just take a look at Atlantic City to get an idea of how the state views gambling and poker. This favorable view spills over into the state’s view of online poker as well. If you’d like to see a full breakdown of the online poker laws in the state, check out our NJ legal guide now.
Best Online Poker Sites In New Jersey
How Do You Determine the Best New Jersey Online Poker Sites?
Our rankings are crafted with the help of an expert team of industry insiders, players, and tech experts. The team looks at hundreds of different criteria to determine which NJ poker sites are the best. Some of the factors they look at include safety, security, user-friendliness, player pool quality, and bonuses.
How Long Does It Take to Get Signed up to Play Poker Online in New Jersey?
Generally, it only takes about five minutes max to get signed up for New Jersey poker sites. You just need to create an account, fill out some basic information, and make your first real-money deposit.
Is Online Poker Better Than Live Poker?
The answer to this question is that it depends. Each poker format has its own pros and cons. If you like staring your opponents in the face and focusing on one table, you’ll probably like live poker better. If you like convenience and the ability to multi-table, you’ll probably like online poker best. The best news is that you’re more than welcome to play both formats! We’ve even seen players sitting at live poker tables playing online on their phone or tablet.
Why is Real Money Online Poker Becoming so Popular in New Jersey?
As mentioned, you don’t need to look any further than the popularity of the game in Atlantic City to see how the small state of NJ looks at the game of poker. As a past home of the U.S. Poker Championship and several WSOP Circuit stops, it’s clear that poker’s popularity is on the rise.
As more people begin embracing the convenience of technology, we expect the popularity of New Jersey gambling sites with poker to continue to rise. The biggest gains should be in the online scene but will be felt across the board at brick and mortar locations.
Get Started Playing Online Poker Now!
If you’re like us, all of this poker talk has you excited to get into the action. What’s great is that with New Jersey poker sites, you can get the cards in the air for real money right now! Head on over to one of the recommended sites now and get things started.
To get the most out of playing poker online it is important to choose a good poker site. This might sound simple enough, but there are some challenges involved. You obviously want to be playing at the best and most reputable places but it is not necessarily easy to determine which the good sites are and which should be avoided. If you live in the US then you have the added problem that not all poker websites accept customers from the US, which limits your options somewhat. However, there are plenty of poker rooms that are US friendly so you do still have a decent range to choose from.
As we know how difficult it can be to decide which site to join, we have carried out a great deal of research into a large number of sites with a view to finding out which ones have the most to offer. We have then ranked the top sites in a number of categories, such as which sites are the most suitable depending on where you live.
If you live in New Jersey and are looking for somewhere to play online then you should take a look below we have recommended the best New Jersey poker sites you can join. On this page we have also explained what we believe makes for a good site and provided some details about legislation relating to playing online poker in New Jersey.
Key Attributes of Poker Sites
In order to determine which poker websites we recommend, we take a look at a number of attributes that we feel are particularly important. This helps us decide which sites perform the best and provide a top class experience for players. For example, we look at the range of deposit methods on offer as we believe players should have plenty of options for getting their funds online.
Best Online Poker Sites New Jersey
We look at the quality of software, as this has a major impact on the playing experience, along with the variety of games and stakes available. We also take into account the sign up bonus, other promotions, the number of players, and the standard of the customer service.
New Jersey Poker Legislation
Although there has never been a law that actually states it is illegal for a US resident to play poker online, many poker websites stopped accepting US players due to the lack of clarity about the exact legalities for them operating in the region. If regulation is introduced throughout the country, and the situation becomes a lot clearer, then this should change and more places will welcome Americans back to their tables. There have been many calls for this to happen and, although it seems unlikely at a federal level right now, many states have started to take their own action in this regard.
New Jersey became one of the first states in America to legalize online gambling when they introduced relevant legislation in early 2013. This was not really a huge surprise as the state has a long history of gambling and is of course home to Atlantic City; the second most popular gambling destination in the US after Las Vegas. It should lead to a formally regulated market for playing casino and poker games online, which is particularly good news for online poker players who have had something of a limited choice of where to play in recent years.
The relevant bills for this legislation were actually passed in house back in December 2012, but State Governor Christie exercised his power of a conditional veto due to wanting some amendments. A notable change was formally making the legalization of online gaming a 10 year trial period before a decision being made about it continuing. This allows for substantial time to see how things work out. Along with other amendments, including an increase in the rate of tax on gambling operators, the bill was passed in February 2013.
The laws currently only allow for operators to offer games to those within the borders of New Jersey rather than to players all over the country, but with over 8 million residents that is still a potentially sizable player pool. It is quite conceivable that New Jersey poker rooms, like Nevada poker sites, will be able to enter agreements with other states in the future, allowing for players residing elsewhere in the country to play too.
New Jersey Gambling History
New Jersey has a long association with gambling, and historically was more liberal that many other states in this regard. Lotteries in particular were very common, until they were banned in 1844. The state is also home to Freehold Raceway, the oldest horse racing track in the US which has held horseracing events since the 1830s, and Monmouth Park Racetrack which opened in 1870. Despite the popularity of gambling in the state, it was made illegal for a period. First parimutuel betting was banned in 1894, and then all forms of gambling three years later.
Enforcement of the ban was far from strict though, and gambling did continue to take place. Eventually, in 1939, gambling at the racetrack was legalized once again. 1953 saw the introduction of laws allowing non-profit organisations to run bingo games, and in 1959 amusement games were made legal. The New Jersey Lottery was then introduced in 1970, and in 1976 legislation was approved that legalized casinos. They were to be restricted to Atlantic City though, and this led to a significant resurgence in the resort. At that time, the only other state where casino gambling was legal was Nevada and, although Atlantic City has never quite matched Las Vegas it remains a very popular destination for gamblers and poker players.