Legal New Jersey sports betting sites are definitely an interesting topic, given the fact that much is changing in the realm of online gambling in the state overall. Check out some of the most frequently asked questions about legal sports betting in New Jersey below and get the proper answers that you are seeking.

• New Jersey Sports Betting News
• Nj Sports Betting Online
• New Jersey Sports Betting Regulations Today

Sports betting laws in the United States are changing rapidly. While wagering on sports has long been an American tradition, many folks have been under the impression that the activity is largely against the law. Well, that used to be true; however, on May 14, 2018, the US Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA, 1992), lifting the ban on states being able to establish their own sports wagering industries. No longer does Nevada (primarily Las Vegas) have a monopoly on legal sports betting in the country and states are finally free to set up their own betting rules and regulations. Many already have.

Despite these positive developments, there are still federal laws on the book regarding sports wagering. The Interstate Wire Act of 1961 and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 both remain in effect. Both are limited in their application to gambling operators physically located within the United States, so bettors are still able to freely gamble despite those laws. As sports betting continues to become a more widely accepted in American culture, these laws will undoubtedly evolve, and they will likely eventually be repealed. Although no American laws prevent you from gambling, it would still benefit you to learn about them. Information is power, after all.

Sports betting in New Jersey is regulated by the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE). With that, New Jersey has regulations that may differ from other states. For instance, the state prohibits wagering on collegiate sporting events that take place in New Jersey or involve a New Jersey college or university team. New Jersey became the first state in the USA to license sports betting in 2018, when they successfully overthrew the professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which was the legislation which outlawed sports betting across the country. New Jersey was at the forefront of a fight to legalise sports betting.

PASPA – The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act

PASPA, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, was passed in 1992 and went into effect on January 1, 1993. This law, since its inception to its ultimate SCOTUS overturn, has long been the sole real hurdle for eager American sports bettors. In practice, PASPA essentially allowed Nevada to have a total monopoly on single-game sports betting (aka full-service sports betting or “Vegas-style” sports betting). Given the overwhelming popularity of sports betting in the US, PASPA was a financial catastrophe. Not only did the law basically bankrupt major casino districts like those in Atlantic City, NJ, and Biloxi, MS, PASPA actually cost the government (both state and federal) an estimated $400-500 billion a year in taxable expenditure. It is not a stretch to suggest that during the law’s existence (1992-2018), PASPA has cost the state hundreds of billions of dollars (if not trillions of dollars) in potential tax revenue. Of all the sports betting laws in the United States throughout its history, PASPA was by far the biggest, most obvious mistake.

During PASPA’s reign, Nevada – the only legal bastion for real sports wagering – was estimated to receive only 1-3% of the total sports betting handle turned by US bettors. The rest of that action was either going underground or being sent to offshore sportsbooks (which, despite PASPA and other US anti-gambling laws, were and are able to operate legally, as they are based overseas and outside of US jurisdiction). Naturally, PASPA has been something of a massive financial boondoggle for the US, and now that the law is overturned, there is hope that much of that action being sent overseas can be recovered and kept in the US economy. As for the lingering effects of PASPA? Good riddance to bad rubbish!

Read Our Article: What Is Papsa?

UIGEA – Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) was written to deter US financial institutions from processing payments related to Internet gambling. Included in the SAFE Port Act 2006, the UIGEA is a provision that requires banks and other payment processors to monitor designated payment systems such as cards, checks, and bank wires for “restricted transactions”, While the UIGEA will make it more difficult when using your Visa or MasterCard to make a deposit at an online sportsbook, there are certain sites that have higher success rates than others. Like most federal sports betting laws, the UIGEA only applies to businesses and not the individuals placing bets.

While the UIGEA sounds scary and intimidating, it doesn’t actually do much to stop “unlawful Internet gambling”. That’s probably because most of the gambling it actually addresses isn’t unlawful in the first place, given that offshore sportsbooks accessible over the Internet do not constitute illegal bookmakers. The law is further neutered by the advent of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, which allow bettors to fund their accounts and receive payouts without ever going through a banking service on either end. All in all, the UIGEA is the poster child for ineffective legislation to address nonexistent problems. Hopefully, the law will be eradicated in due time, but until then, if you ever have a card declined while trying to fund your sports betting account, simply wait a bit and try again, use a different card (like an Internet Visa prepaid/gift card), or just use Bitcoin or another supported altcoin. Indeed, there is some debate about the origin of Bitcoin itself, with many analysts claiming that the catalysts for its creation were the strict sports betting laws in the United States.

Read Our Article: What Is The UIGEA

RAWA – The Restoration of America’s Wire Act

The Restoration of America’s Wire Act, or RAWA, was designed to strengthen and broaden the Wire Act after the DOJ ruled in 2011 that the law only applied to sports betting. While this received some notable support in the legislature after its initial proposal in 2014 (co-sponsored by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Utah representative Jason Chaffetz), the bill gained no support and never advanced.

The necessity for RAWA, in effect, at least temporarily obviated when the DOJ, in 2018, reversed course, stating that the original Wire Act did indeed apply to all common forms of gambling. This, it seems, has deprioritized the issue, albeit a DOJ statement is not nearly as binding as an official law (and, as shown, can be reversed at any time). Lobbyist and casino magnate Sheldon Adelson was the main driving force behind RAWA, as online gambling threatens his land-based casino interests.

The Interstate Wire Act

The Interstate Wire Act (also called the Federal Wire Act, the Interstate Anti-Crime Act, or simply the Wire Act) was a piece of legislation signed into law in 1961 by former president John F. Kennedy at the behest of his brother Robert F., who was the US Attorney General at the time. Sold to the public as a means to stop the proliferation of mafia-related numbers rackets across state borders, the real impetus for the very first of the US sports betting laws was to stop sports gambling and underground lotteries from competing with state-sanctioned lotteries. Naturally, the states could not abide competition in this arena, as their own lotteries provided huge amounts of income to fund their programs and schemes.

The way that the Wire Act seeks to curb unlawful interstate gaming is to make it illegal to use wire communications (hence the law’s name) to accept sports wagers or other kinds of bets over things like telephones and telegraph systems. Indeed, semaphore is even outlawed! Naturally, with the advent of the Internet, this new communications form, traveling over wires, was also covered by the Wire Act, as is wireless wagering in our modern times. In 2011, the US DOJ stated that the Wire Act applied only to sports wagering. However, in 2018, the same US DOJ stated that the Wire Act does in fact apply to other forms of gambling, as well.

The only real effect of the Wire Act now, however, is that it prevents residents in one state from picking up the phone or logging onto the Internet to place a sports bet in another state. This is called geo-fencing, and even the casino and sports betting apps in Nevada are bound by GPS to only allow those physically in the state to place wagers. This problem, of course, doesn’t exist with legal offshore sportsbooks, as they operate entirely outside of the reach of US laws, and the Wire Act conveniently applies only to bookies, not individual bettors. That’s why these overseas books exist and continue to thrive.

Read Our Article: What Is The Wire Act?

Proposed Federal Gambling Laws

There is one particular sports betting law that is in the works, although it has not been officially filed as of yet. Back in September of 2019, US Senators Chuck Schumer and Mitt Romney began working on a form of legislation with the goal to create federal standards or guidelines for states who plan to regulate sports betting in the future. Currently, in the US, sports betting is handled on a state by state basis, making the rules vary drastically from one state to another. The proposed bill would make a unified sports betting set of rules that any state who regulates sports betting would then follow. Schumer initially tried to create a similar sports betting law earlier in the year but was ultimately a waste as the bill went nowhere. This newer proposed bill has more potential going forward, however.

Potential For Similar Laws In The Future

Will there ever be a PASPA style law passed in the future within the United States? The likeliest of answers is no. The US has lived both in a PASPA world and a post-PASPA world and the economy has thrived in one more than it has in the other. Sports betting will always be something that Americans participate in. To ban it would only be hurting the country and the revenue it gains from the industry. It wouldn’t hurt the consumer as there are outside outlets to gamble are sporting events that are completely legal.

The only difference if another ban were to occur would be the US not profiting from those outlets the way they do in a post-PASPA world with their own platforms, which is why it would be highly unlikely that any legislation would pass like that of PASPA in the future. That’s not to say that there won’t be proposals that will come along as some people will always be opposed to legal sports betting but to go as far as becoming a law again, a betting man would wager on the side of “No.” The legal sports wagering industry is just too lucrative in the US to ever be banned again.

GAME Act – Gaming Accountability and Modernization Enhancement Act

Introduced by Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), the GAME Act was intended to effectively repeal and replace PASPA. Introduced in 2017 as HR 4530, the GAME Act sought to return to the states their rights to legislate their own sports betting rules. There were other considerations involved, namely a passage codifying daily fantasy sports (DFS) as “gambling,” which the DFS lobby is vehemently against. Needless to say, the Supreme Court overturn of PASPA temporarily derailed the GAME Act, though it may come about if the federal government wishes to regulate gaming nationwide. Hopefully, the states – which all now have total gambling sovereignty – will resist any efforts to bring sports betting back under the umbrella of the US government.

Read Our Article: What Is The GAME Act?

Sports Betting Laws By State

Most states (all of them except Nevada, Oregon, Montana, and Delaware) used to be bound by the same sports wagering prohibitions set forth by PASPA. However, now that each state is free to make its own rules for wagering on athletic contests, you can expect a host of divergent laws to apply, depending on where you are. Analyzing the sports betting laws by state is something that you will have to do if you plan on hitting the road to do some sports wagering in the future. But that’s OK, because – while the laws might vary a bit – all the states with sports betting (or those pending sports betting legislation) will generally follow the same mold. In most cases, you can expect the legal minimum age to bet on sports at these venues to be 21, and you can expect land-based wagering to launch before Internet sports betting follows suit.

If you don’t want to do the research and just want to get to the bets, however, you should use a legal offshore sportsbook. These sites operate in all 50 states (with very limited exceptions, in the case of Bovada), and they’re as good as or better than any land-based venue you’re likely to come across. Really, the only reason to bet on sports at a brick-and-mortar book is to soak up the ritzy atmosphere of the casino and to watch the games in its sports betting lounge. If you simply want to wager and get on with your day (or night), then don’t worry about any sports betting laws in the United States and simply sign up at an overseas Internet sportsbook.

States With Legal Sports Betting (Land-Based)

• Nevada
• Delaware
• New Jersey
• Mississippi
• West Virginia
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• New Mexico
• Arkansas
• New York
• Iowa
• Oregon
• Indiana
• Illinois
• Montana
• Michigan
• Colorado (pending)
• New Hampshire (pending)
• North Carolina (pending)
• Connecticut (pending)
• Washington DC (Pending)
• Washington (Pending)

States With Legal Sports Betting (Online)

• Nevada
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Iowa
• Oregon
• Indiana
• Rhode Island
• New Hampshire
• Colorado
• Illinois (pending)
• Delaware (pending)
• Tennessee (pending)
• Michigan (pending)

States Currently Considering Sports Betting Legalization

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Kansas*
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland*
• Massachusetts*
• Missouri
• Ohio*
• South Dakota*
• Virginia*

* States that gave legal sports betting a serious consideration and are expected to be the next wave of sports betting legalization.

New Jersey was the first state in the USA to legalize online sports betting. This change in legislation brought with it a surge in sports bets like the country had never seen before – check out how New Jersey has changed due to relaxed betting laws right here.

nj sports betting

Legal Sports Betting Sites in New Jersey

Live online betting sites

• Resorts Sportsbook

The Resorts Sportsbook has been used by New Jersey gamers for a couple of years already, and they are more than just a sportsbook too. The Resorts platform also has casino gaming as well as live casino play, which puts them in a category that online gamers ideally look for. They are classified as an all-in-one platform since they offer all of these product categories.

• Bet365

Bet365 is one of the newer additions concerning online sportsbooks in the Garden State, and there is a lot of hype around the brand for many reasons. Besides their overseas success, we feel that Bet365’s transition into the New Jersey market is going to benefit many online gamers.

• Golden Nugget

In addition to a rather appealing welcome bonus for new customers, Golden Nugget has one of the most sophisticated sportsbooks out there. They cover North American favorites such as basketball, hockey, football, and other sports too.

• 888 Sportsbook

888 is actually one of the largest betting brands in the world, and the company behind them is the 888 group. They’ve enjoyed success on multiple continents already, so we are sure that the 888 sportsbook will continue to grow in popularity in New Jersey.

• Unibet Sportsbook

What may have started out as a betting site for younger gamers has now evolved into a highly successful brand. Unibet is still relatively new to the online gaming community in the USA, but they’ve already developed a platform that consists of many popular North American sports.

• Caesars Sportsbook

The writing was on the wall for Caesars once they launched the physical sportsbook in Atlantic City, New Jersey, although this was back in 2018. The launch of their online sportsbook occurred soon after this, and needless to say, the Caesars brand is already extremely established across the country.

• Sugarhouse Sportsbook

The Sugarhouse Sportsbook is closely tied in with the Golden Nugget sportsbook, since they both operate under the same license, held by the company, Kambi. Like other sites that are contained on this list, Sugarhouse is an all-in-one betting platform, meaning they support casino play, as well as sports betting.

• BetMGM Sportsbook

BetMGM now has a well-established presence in New Jersey, and they are already expanding their offerings into other states too. BetMGM has the added appeal of live streaming availability for select sports, which not many operators on this list can boast.

• Pointsbet

These guys actually started life in Australia, but the enticing Garden State proved too good to miss, and Pointsbet launched several years ago. They have a unique angle for the site, allowing players to bet using both spread and point markets.

• Fox Bet

Fox Bet is actually owned by one of the largest betting companies in the world – The Stars Group. They entered a partnership with The Stars Group in 2019, and the sportsbook has actually been up and running in New Jersey since 2018.

• FanDuel Sportsbook

The FanDuel Sportsbook received a major boost in 2018 when it was acquired by Paddy Power Betfair. This acquisition only added to the depth of sports that they already had, and it’s quite cool to see that they have maintained an interest in their original product, fantasy sports betting.

• William Hill Sportsbook

William Hill has certainly wasted no time getting stuck into the USA betting market since they now have an online sportsbook in every state where it is legal. Interestingly, some may think that this rapid expansion may spread them too thin in terms of their offerings, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

• DraftKings Sportsbook

DraftKings is the immediate rival to the other brand on this list, FanDuel. While they have a really solid sportsbook in place, there is another accolade that this site has in their locker – they were the first to get online in New Jersey.

Planned launches

• Oceans Online Casino

These guys already have one of the top online casinos in New Jersey, and while rumors of the evolution towards sports betting remain quiet, we are anticipating this could be on the cards for Oceans Online Casino. They already have a successful physical casino posted up in Atlantic City, and we are convinced that sports betting must be on the agenda for this brand.

• Virgin Sportsbook

Virgin is the amazingly successful chain of companies started by the British entrepreneur, Richard Branson. He seems to want to get into every industry possible right now, and there is already a platform that supports casino betting for Virgin. They are still relatively new to the online gaming industry in New Jersey, but usually, when Branson gets going, he does things correctly.

We feel that there is just no way he won’t make the push towards developing a fully functional sportsbook section of the site, although of course, we can’t confirm anything as of yet.

It’s even been rumoured that Tipico NJ may launch in the not-too-distant future. Check back soon for an update.

NJ State casinos with sportsbooks

While it is now no secret that online sports betting is readily available for NJ sports bettors, we can’t ignore the many sportsbooks that still remain at physical casinos too. As it currently stands, there are 5 sportsbooks around New Jersey that are open on a permanent basis, and we have detailed these here.

First up we have The Meadowlands, who are actually in partnership with FanDuel. This casino is based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and they are home to thousands of sports bets on an annual basis. Then we have Golden Nugget, who as you already know, now have their sportsbook online. They did start out as a physical sportsbook however, in the glorious place of Atlantic City.

Third in line is Harrah’s, who are also based in Atlantic City. Since they are one of the top physical casinos in NJ, they actually introduced sportsbook betting as soon as it was legalized just a few years ago. There is also Ocean Resorts Casino, who as we are sure you can imagine, are directly linked to the Oceans Online Casino previously mentioned. They do have sports betting in their casino, and their physical casino is also located in Atlantic City.

Last but not least, we have Monmouth Park. Interestingly, both Oceans Online Casino and Monmouth Park were major forces behind the William Hill entry into the New Jersey market. Regardless of this business move, the fact remains, both of these places have a physical casino that supports sports betting.

Legal Sports betting launch in New Jersey

Now we’re getting into the juicy details of how sports betting emerged in New Jersey. There are plenty of things that you need to be aware of for how this came to fruition, so sit back, relax, and enjoy.

There has been pressure for a long time in New Jersey regarding the approval of sports betting laws. Two brands that were directly behind this pressure included FanDuel and DraftKings, who played a major hand in the law change that we see today. Sports betting was actually legalized statewide in 2018, and it took just three days for the first sports bets to be placed.

Another interesting fact however concerning the transition of physical sportsbooks into online sportsbooks, is the fact that there can only be three online platforms per physical location. For example, Golden Nugget Casino can only launch three separate websites under the same umbrella, which is a little different from how things are done overseas.

Something else that sports bettors have been reaping the benefits from includes the emergence of mobile apps for these betting sites. Of course, once sports betting received the stamp of approval from the governor, the allowance of sports betting mobile apps went along with this. In , the vast majority of sportsbooks that you can sign up to have a mobile app for both Android and iOS.

The deal concerning actually placing your bets is also highly important, so please pay attention. While you can sign up for these online sportsbooks providing that you are a New Jersey resident, you also need to remain inside New Jersey borders to make real money sports bets. This means that if you were planning on going on vacation or visiting a different state in the USA, you will not be able to place any online sports bets.

New Jersey Sports Betting News

Many sites develop these mobile apps with geolocation services built-in, meaning that they can detect if you are outside New Jersey.

What are the sports betting laws for New Jersey State?

Since you already know that sports betting is legal in New Jersey, all you need to do now is understand the intricacies of these laws. We have broken them down in detail right here, and we highly advise that you take the time to read them to avoid any guesswork or concerns with your online betting endeavors.

• Location and Age restrictions

All online sportsbooks in New Jersey are governed by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. This governing body enforces the law that players need to be 21 years old or more, as well as be a resident of New Jersey to place real money sports bets.

• Prohibited bets for college / high school sport in New Jersey

While there are sportsbooks in New Jersey that offer college sports betting, there is an interesting law that everyone must adhere to. It is prohibited to bet on a college event that involves a New Jersey College, although you can bet on college sports outside of New Jersey. Like other states, no form of high school betting is permitted whatsoever.

• Geolocation Restrictions

We have touched on this previously but we do need to reiterate the fact so that you thoroughly understand how it works. It is perfectly allowed for you to sign up for a New Jersey sportsbook and then access your account outside of New Jersey, however, you will not be able to make a real money bet from outside the state

The majority of mobile apps can detect your physical location these days, and by law, the site cannot accept your bet if you try to place one.

• 13% betting profits tax

That’s right – if you are fortunate enough to enjoy some sports betting winnings you can expect that Uncle Sam will want his share. The tax rate for profits resulting from online sports betting currently stands at 13%. If you chose to walk into a physical casino and place your sports bet however, the tax rate stands at just 8.5%.

As is the case with all forms of tax in New Jersey, you will need to declare these profits when it comes to lodging your tax return. Most sportsbooks will produce some sort of official document showing your winnings, which you should be able to request from the customer support team.

• Prohibited by profession

For the majority of online sportsbooks in New Jersey, if you work for the betting company and they issue any sort of welcome offer for their sportsbook, you will not be able to access this. This is simply a law that online betting platforms have to follow, as this helps to maintain the integrity and credibility of all online sportsbooks.

How to bet on sports in New Jersey

What sports can I bet on in NJ?

Generally speaking, there are no sports that are off-limits within New Jersey sportsbooks. The only limits would be whether the betting provider actually offers the sport or not. It’s very common for sportsbooks to offer the vast majority of North American-based sports, such as basketball, football, hockey, and baseball. In addition to this, the best sportsbooks have advanced their offerings to cover global sports too such as golf and tennis.

Are any sports/games restricted from online betting?

There aren’t too many restrictions placed on what sports bets you can make in New Jersey, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any at all. As it stands, you cannot bet on a college game that is taking place in New Jersey or any game that involves a New Jersey team. On top of this, high school sports betting is completely banned across the state.

What kind of bets can I place?

Online sports betting has come a long way since the early days, and the range of different bets that you can make has also evolved quite extensively. These days, you can make a ton of different bets including parlay betting, over/under betting, spread betting, in-play betting, and moneyline betting.

While these bets should be available at any reputable provider, there is no guarantee that the odds you will receive will be appealing or valuable.

How to sign up on a site

Providing that you are at least 21 years old and based in New Jersey, you should have no problem signing up for an online sportsbook. In order to do so, you must visit the registration page of the relevant online sportsbook that you wish to sign up for. You will be required to enter details that verify your age as well as your address, and these will be verified by the sportsbook itself.

The good news is that most of these registration processes take just a few minutes, so you will be up and running in no time.

How to place a bet in a casino

If you want to make a bet in a physical casino, this is relatively simple to do. All you need to do is take some cash with you, exchange it for chips, and then proceed to play whatever casino game you decide. For sportsbooks in a physical casino, you should be able to place your bets using cash, rather than needing to go and get chips.

With online casino betting, the process is a little bit different. First of all, you need to open an account with an online betting provider, fund your account using a valid payment method, and proceed to wager whatever funds you like on a game of your choice. If an online platform does have a casino gaming category, you are likely to find table games, card games, slot games, and even live casino play at some of the best ones.

How to bet online or on mobile

Just to reiterate, to bet online in New Jersey you will need to be located within state borders and be over the age of 21. As long as you meet these conditions, the process of placing an online bet is just as simple as we’ve previously touched on.

You must navigate to the relevant gaming category first of all, whether this is a casino or sports bet, and you can then simply choose your game and place your bets. Of course, you must have adequate funds in your account to place whatever bet you are trying to make, and if you don’t, you will need to make a deposit.

Nj Sports Betting Online

NJ sports betting FAQ

What’s next for sports betting in New Jersey?

While we can already see that there are several sports betting providers in the state, we are fairly sure that the market is not saturated yet. This means that we expect many more sportsbooks to enter the market, and for the relevant features within the sportsbooks to be improved. This includes features such as the range of in-play betting markets as well as live streaming capabilities for the majority of sports.

Do all sites have live streaming capabilities?

No, not all sportsbooks support live streaming. In fact, most of them do not support live streaming as of yet, although this is one of the most desired features amongst New Jersey sports bettors. Usually, when a site does have live streaming on offer, you will need to have made a recent bet or have money in your account to access the live streaming services.

New Jersey Sports Betting Regulations Today

Who would I contact if I have safety concerns about a site?

If you do have safety concerns about any sports betting platform for whatever reason, it is important that you contact the relevant government authority as soon as possible. In New Jersey, the governing body is the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, and contact details for these guys can be found by a quick Google search.

If you’d like to verify whether the site is operating safely and legally, you should be able to see the license number somewhere on the page. This shows that the platform has the right to provide online sports betting services in New Jersey.

Can I open more than one account at these online sportsbooks?

No, regardless of the online sportsbook that you choose to sign up for you will only be able to open one account. There are many reasons for this including money laundering laws, as well as the online provider monitoring who they are providing their services to.

Do note that this isn’t anything personal that you can only have one account, as it is simply New Jersey law that all online sportsbooks must follow. Generally, the law is that you can only have one account per address for New Jersey sportsbooks, so just keep this in mind.