Sports betting is legal and regulated in New Jersey.
NJ betting sites and mobile sportsbooks bring the action to bettors across the state while those who prefer to do their betting in person can visit retail sportsbooks at casinos and racetracks.
Read on for a list of the best NJ betting apps and sportsbooks plus a detailed look at each form of gaming that is legal and regulated in the Garden State.
Legal New Jersey Betting Sites
Other forms of legal online betting in New Jersey include casino and poker sites, daily fantasy sports sites, horse racing betting, and lottery games. In-person betting is similarly widespread with Atlantic City casinos, retail sportsbooks, racetracks, off-track betting parlors (OTBs) and the state lottery all open for business.
New Jersey was one of the first states to legalize and implement online gambling, and it is largely thanks to the combined efforts of the state’s voters and a number of hardworking lawmakers that sports betting is no longer prohibited at the federal level. If it wasn’t for New Jersey, the gambling landscape in the United States would look much different today.
New Jersey Sports Betting
Legal sports betting in New Jersey consists of retail sportsbooks at casinos and racetracks plus mobile betting platforms operated by major gaming brands. State law enforces a minimum age of 21 to bet on sports online or in person.
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) is charged with implementing the law, issuing licenses, overseeing licensees, and adopting additional rules as needed.
Key things to know about NJ sports betting:
- Minimum age of 21 to bet on sports in New Jersey
- Customers must be physically located in New Jersey when placing wagers but do not need to be residents
- Customers may register for online betting accounts from anywhere but may only place bets from within NJ state lines
- State law requires online gaming operators to partner with land-based casinos and racetracks that hold sports betting licenses
- Each land-based casino and racetrack may operate up to three individual mobile betting platforms, also known as “skins”
- Licensed sportsbooks may offer wagers on professional sports, college sports, and esports
- Sportsbooks may not accept wagers on college games held in New Jersey or on games involving New Jersey college teams
- Lawmakers are considering legislation to remove all restrictions on college games that take place in New Jersey or that involve local college teams
Mobile Sports Betting in New Jersey
Online and mobile sports betting is widely available in New Jersey with nearly twenty operators licensed to take wagers from customers across the state. Sports fans may register, deposit and place wagers online from anywhere in state lines.
Bettors can verify the licensing status of any NJ mobile sportsbook on the NJDGE website here.
NJ Retail Sportsbook Locations
New Jersey is home to 10 retail sportsbooks at racetracks and casinos.
Eight of Atlantic City’s nine casinos host sportsbooks, with Caesars Casino and Bally’s sharing a central sportsbook. Two of New Jersey’s three racetracks also host sportsbooks.
That leaves Freehold Raceway as the last qualifying venue yet to open a sportsbook. Freehold Raceway plans to open a retail sportsbook but launch plans have been delayed more than once since 2018.
How New Jersey Legalized Online Sports Betting
New Jersey’s effort to legalize sports betting began in 2011 and kicked off a long-running legal battle that eventually culminated in the Supreme Court of the United States ending the federal sports betting prohibition.
In November 2011, New Jersey residents approved a measure to amend the state constitution and give the legislature authority to legalize sports betting.
Shortly after voters approved the measure, Governor Chris Christie signed the Sports Wagering Act 2012 into law to authorize sports betting at casinos, racetracks, and online in New Jersey.
In response, the four major professional sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL) and the NCAA sued to enjoin New Jersey from implementing the Sports Wagering Act 2012 on grounds that it violated a federal law called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA).
Horse Racing Betting in New Jersey
Horse racing betting is regulated in New Jersey and legal for customers 18 or older.
Fans can watch and bet on live races at any of the state’s three racetracks, place wagers on races held elsewhere at licensed OTBs, or bet online through 4NJBets.com.
New Jersey’s horse racing industry is one of the healthier in the nation with major races held regularly and no shortage of wagering options. The New Jersey Racing Commission oversees parimutuel wagering and live racing in the Garden State.
Read more:
NJ Daily Fantasy Sports
Fantasy sports sites have been operational in New Jersey for years, but it wasn’t until 2017 that they achieved formal legal status. A law enacted in 2017 finally gave New Jersey fantasy sites firm legal footing.
The 2017 law officially legalized daily fantasy sports and set up a licensing process for prospective operators. The law also implemented a number of consumer protection measures such as setting a minimum age of 18, requiring DFS sites to keep player funds separate from operational funds, prohibiting employees of DFS sites from participating and putting place responsible gaming rules.
The law did not change much on the ground as the major daily fantasy sites in New Jersey were already active in other states with similar legislation. The most important thing the law did was to give DFS sites firm legal status in New Jersey.
Online Gambling in New Jersey
New Jersey legalized online gambling in 2013 with the passage of Assembly Bill 2578.
The bill amended the Casino Control Act to authorize land-based casinos to apply for licenses to offer online casino games and poker to players 21 or older within New Jersey borders.
Article 6C of the Casino Control Act pertains to online gambling and outlines the basic rules under which land-based casinos may take their games online. The New Jersey Administrative Code provides additional regulations at N.J.A.C. § 13:69O.
Key points from the law include:
- New Jersey casinos may apply for licenses from the Division of Gaming Enforcement to offer online gambling via websites and mobile devices
- Each land-based casino may partner with third-party service providers to launch multiple, individually branded online gambling platforms (also known as “skins”)
- Internet gaming revenues are subject to a 15% tax
- Customers must be 21 or older and located within state lines in order to place wagers but do not need to be state residents
- NJ online casinos must verify the age, identity and location of each customer
Licensed NJ Online Casinos
Seven Atlantic City Casinos hold licenses to operate more than two dozen online casinos and poker sites. Each of the following gambling sites is licensed by the NJDGE.
- DraftKings Casino
- Borgata Casino
- BetMGM Casino
- SugarHouse Casino
- Golden Nugget Casino
- Unibet Casino
- Caesars Casino
- Bet365 Casino
- 888 Casino
- Parx Casino
- Hard Rock Casino
- Betfair Casino
- BetAmerica Casino
- PokerStars Casino
- Resorts Casino
- Party Casino
- Pala Bingo
- Pala Casino
- Scores Casino
- Harrah’s Casino
- Ocean Online Casino
- Mohegan Sun Casino
- Tropicana Casino
- Virgin Casino
Online Poker in New Jersey
NJ poker sites also operate in a regulated environment overseen by the NJDGE. Under state law, NJ online poker operators are required to verify the identity of each user, take reasonable measures to protect the integrity of their games, and to monitor for signs of collusion.
New Jersey is now home to seven poker sites that operate across four poker networks. Poker sites that operate on the same network (such as WSOP and 888) share tables with one another in order to increase liquidity (number of active players) and make it easier to find active tables.
New Jersey Lottery
New Jersey voters approved a state lottery via referendum in 1969 by an overwhelming 81% majority. The first lottery tickets were sold the following year and first millionaire drawing was held in 1971. Since then, the NJ Lottery has raised billions for education and other good causes.
Today, the NJ Lottery offers the following games.
How to Buy NJ Lottery Tickets Online
New Jersey passed a law in 2016 allowing third party courier services to register with the lottery for authorization to sell lottery tickets online and through mobile apps.
These tickets are not sold directly by the lottery but are instead sold by independent companies that accept orders online and buy real tickets from an official retailer on behalf of customers.
Jackpocket was the first such courier service approved to sell NJ Lottery tickets online and is now open to customers 18+ across the Garden State. Through Jackpocket, customers may purchase tickets for:
- Powerball
- Mega Millions
- CASH4LIFE
- Pick-6
Customers can purchase tickets by downloading the app, signing up for an account and making their picks or choosing “quick pick.” After an order is placed, Jackpocket buys actual lottery tickets from an authorized retailer and then scans a copy of the ticket so customers can verify the ticket has been purchased.
Winnings under $600 are instantly credited to customers’ accounts while winnings of $600 to $5,000 result in the ticket being mailed to the customer for redemption. If a customer win more than $5,000, they will need to visit a Jackpocket location in-person to verify their identity and claim the ticket through the normal NJ Lottery process.