New Jersey online casinos offer excellent no deposit casino bonuses for first time players. This bonus is just for signing up at the casino site and requires no deposit.
In addition to these free-play bonuses, each NJ online casino offers a bonus attached to your first deposit. You are often required to use bonus codes or promo codes when you sign up to qualify for free play and deposit bonuses.
All online casinos listed below are legal and licensed by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Best NJ online casino free money offers
We have the best bonuses! Many of our bonuses are exclusive and higher than the standard offer. We have the best NJ online casino promo codes anywhere online.
It’s important to note that these are bonuses, and not “free” money – the use of the bonus, and your ability to cash out is generally tied to certain terms and conditions. NJ’s legal gambling sites are required to clearly list the terms of all bonuses and promotions, and we’re happy to point you in the right direction if you have questions – contact us.
Bet with your head, not over it. Call 1-800-GAMBLER if you have a gambling problem. View our advertising disclosure here.
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How NJ online casino no deposit bonuses work
Free-play bonuses are a staple at the legal internet gambling sites, with nearly all NJ online casinos offering free bonus money in some way, shape, or form.
The premise is simple: Casino sites are betting that if you try their casino games for real money, you’re far more likely to make a deposit and play. So they’re willing to give you some free chips to play with to make that happen.
After all, even if you win, there’s a good chance you’ll try your luck with those winnings and become an even more engaged customer of the casino.
You can also play slots for free using these exclusive bonuses. Find out how here.
Bonus terms and conditions for NJ online casino free money offers:
Like any promotion, terms and conditions do apply. These terms aren’t precisely the same at every NJ online casino, but a few central terms tend to repeat across most no deposit offers in New Jersey:
- New players only: Free-play offers are generally only available to new customers.
- Playthrough: You may be required to wager your bonus and winnings a certain amount before you are able to cash out.
- Validation: Your account must be verified and approved by the operator.
- Opt-in: Operators may require you to claim the bonus (usually a simple click of a button or link).
- Time: You may need to claim to no deposit bonus within a certain amount of time from signing up.
- Expiration date: The bonus itself may expire if not used within a certain amount of time.
- Eligible games: Casinos sometimes limit the games you can try with your free chip bonus.
Let’s take an actual NJ online casino no deposit bonus to illustrate.
Tropicana Casino Bonus example:
Tropicana Casino offers $25 free. To claim the bonus, you must:
- Be a new customer.
- Head to Tropicana online casino using our links.
- Sign up for a new account using Tropicana NJ promo code PLAY25.
- Your free $25 in bonus dollars will be credited to your account.
Using the bonus:
- You must wager at least $25 on any casino games before you can cash it out.
- Any winnings are yours to keep and cash out.
- You have 30 days to use the bonus before it expires
- The bonus is good for slots, video poker, or table games, but games like Jacks or Better and blackjack contribute at lower rates.
As you can see from the table above, free bonus money promotions are quite common at NJ’s licensed and legal casinos. Tropicana offers some of the more favorable terms out of the various offers available, but most offers are relatively similar in terms of the ultimate value they offer to players.
The great thing about free-play bonus, however, is that you’re not stuck to one casino.
In fact, there’s little reason not to try the free-play bonuses at all of NJ’s online casinos. They obligate you in no way whatsoever, you might end up getting lucky and – if nothing else – you’ll have a better sense of which online casino you prefer without having to deposit a penny of your own funds.
How NJ online casino deposit bonuses and match bonuses work
By far the most common promotional vehicle offered by NJ casino sites is what’s known as the match bonus.
The core concept behind this event type is simple: put up a certain amount of money and the online casino will match a portion (or all) of that amount, up to a certain monetary cap.
For instance, if an offer reads 50% match up to $200, that means a casino will tack on $0.50 for every $1 deposited, but never more than $200. To take full advantage of an offer that reads like this, players would deposit $400.
Here’s where it gets tricky. A 50% match up to $200 on one site might be a far better deal than the same exact offer on another.
That’s because there are terms and conditions attached to every match bonus. And it’s the fine print, not the top-line offer, that ultimately determines a match bonus’s overall worth.
What is a Match Bonus – why not just give out cash?
Let’s get this out of the way: Match bonuses are never given out as cash, for the simple reason that if they were, there’s nothing stopping players from taking the money and running.
It would be a pretty surefire way for the NJ online casino to go broke.
Instead, the match portion is distributed as a bonus, and is placed in a bonus wallet that’s separate from a player’s cash balance.
In order to “unlock” the bonus, so that it becomes part of a player’s withdrawable balance, players will have to:
- Give the NJ online casino a certain amount of action
- Provide that action on allowable games, and under certain rules
- Do so in a specified time frame
Let’s look at all three of these conditions, in an effort to help you seek out the most favorable terms.
What is a wagering requirement?
Every match bonus comes affixed with a turnover or wagering requirement, and this requirement is always a multiple of the bonus amount.
So if a player receives a $100 bonus, and the wagering requirement is 10x, then the player must place a total of $1,000 ($100 x 10) in bets in order to unlock the bonus amount and any winnings secured via bonus wagers.
That’s a simple example. Some NJ online casinos like to throw an additional curve ball at their patrons.
For instance, Caesars Casino requires that players wager the bonus plus deposit amount x number of times.
Therefore, if Caesars offers a 100% match up to $100 with a 5x wagering requirement on the bonus plus deposit, it’s really the same as an equivalent bonus with a 10x requirement on just the bonus amount, like one might find at Golden Nugget Casino.
However — and this is important — if the offer is a 50% match up on $100, Golden Nugget’s terms would be the better deal, since players would have to wager the Caesars bonus 15x to clear it, but still only 10x on Golden Nugget.
Why 15x? Because players now have to deposit $200 to receive $100, for a total of $300. $300 times five is $1,500, or 15 times the bonus amount.
What are the best games for clearing wagering requirements?
Always be on the lookout for what casino games online are eligible to wager on with bonus funds. Some casinos, like Borgata Casino typically only allow bonus funds to be wagered on slots.
That being said, the vast majority do allow for wagers on all games. However, wagers on some games contribute more toward the wagering requirement than others.
To wit, players will commonly see bonus terms that read like this: “The wagering requirement is 10x, slots contribute 100%, roulette 50%, and all other games (video poker, blackjack, and other table games) contribute 20%.”
This means that for every dollar wagered on blackjack, only $0.20 would count toward the wagering requirement. Therefore, players who receive a $100 bonus with a 10x wagering requirement will actually have to wager $5,000 (50x) on blackjack or video poker to unlock the bonus.
The reason these games generally contribute less than slots is that they’re lower house edge games.
Compounding matters further, sometimes wagers only count if a game is played a certain way.
For example, on most NJ online casinos low-risk roulette wagers do not contribute to the clearance requirements. An example of a low-risk bet might be if players bet an equal amount on red and black, or even and odd.
This type of wager is considered exploitative and not in the spirit of the promotion.
What’s an advantageous wagering requirement?
Generally, players should be on the lookout for match bonuses where the wagering requirement is 20x or less on slots. That’s because the average NJ online casino slot returns about 95%, so a 20x requirement (5% cash-back) would be about a break-even play.
A 10x requirement equates to 10% cash back, and can be considered advantageous by 5% on average. Players will wager $1,000 to unlock $100 and only lose $50, for a profit of $50.
Do note, that volatility plays a major role in the short run, so it’s more than possible for a player to still lose money despite favorable terms.
For video poker games a 25x requirement (4% cash back) is favorable, as most VP games return 96% or better even after removing the royal flush payback. The same goes for other table games and single-zero roulette.
As for blackjack, even a 50x requirement (2x requirement) is fine, since even the poorer NJ online casino blackjack games return over 99% with optimal play.
That, and blackjack really isn’t all that volatile of a game. Just be sure to play a small enough denomination to minimize whatever volatility there is, perhaps about a $10 wager on a $5,000 turnover requirement.
Bonus expiration terms
Lastly, all bonuses come affixed with an expiration date. Luckily, they’re usually pretty lenient, although there are a few NJ online casinos that require bonuses to be cleared in a week or less. Most give players 14 – 30 days.
If a bonus expires, what generally happens is the bonus funds and any associated winnings from bonus bets are removed from a player’s account.
There’s a common misconception about how the removal sometimes works. For instance, players who receive a 100% match up to $500 and who lose $500 before the bonus expires might think they’ll still have their original $500 cash to play with.
This couldn’t be further from the truth, as wagered are almost always extracted from a player’s cash balance first. So if a player loses $500 and then the bonus expiry date hits, that player will be left with $0 in their cash wallet.
Biggest deposit bonuses at NJ online casinos
New Jersey online casinos want players so badly, they’re willing to give them free bonus cash to play with on the site with no strings attached.
But if there’s one thing these NJ online casinos love more than a new player, it’s a player willing to make a deposit on the site. In fact, New Jersey online casinos enjoy depositing players so much, they’re willing to give away massive deposit bonuses.
On certain online casino sites in New Jersey, players can claim a deposit bonus of up to four figures, which can be a big boost to just about any bankroll.
There is a catch. The truth is, all these deposit bonus offers will include some wagering requirements. However, most of these requirements are easy enough to clear. Plus, many pay off in increments. That means you should be able to clear part, if not all, of the deposit bonus with ease.
It’s not exactly something for nothing, because you have to make a deposit to get your hands on a deposit bonus. But it is the next best thing.
Golden Nugget deposit bonus example
The Golden Nugget online casino offers players in New Jersey access to one of the largest game libraries in the industry. There are more than 400 different games. There is definitely no shortage of deposit bonus dollars a player can use to play them either.
New players who sign up at Golden Nugget with online promo code PLAYBONUS have access to a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $1,500. Only Betfair’s deposit bonus is bigger than this one.
Claim your 100% Deposit Match Bonus on Golden Nugget
The wagering requirement is five times the deposit, plus the bonus on slots. Roulette, video poker, blackjack, and other table games count only 20% toward meeting the requirement.
Easiest online bonus to clear
New Jersey online casinos offer no-deposit bonuses of various shapes and sizes. That’s free money to play casino games you can get hold of without ever making a deposit on the sites.
There is a catch, in that all this free money comes with a play-through or wagering requirement. That means you must make a certain number of bets with the bonus before you can withdraw the cash you win from the site.
The truth is, some of the wagering requirements are more onerous than others. In fact, they range from just one time, with plenty of time to get it done, to a wagering requirement of 30x and just a week to complete it.
For example, new players on Golden Nugget can take advantage of a no-deposit bonus of $10 on sign-up. Use the online promo code PLAYBONUS to take advantage of the offer.
There is a wagering requirement of one time on slots. Other games count only 20% toward meeting the wagering requirements.
Match Bonus (for the win)
From what we’ve witnessed over the course of the NJ online casino industry’s long history, match bonus offers still provide the most player value — and even enable them to sometimes play with a temporary advantage over the house.
However, it’s the terms and not the percentage match, that matters when distinguishing a solid match bonus from a poor one.
Remember that, and you’ll be well on your way to finding better success at the virtual terminals and tables.
Using NJ online casino bonus codes
One of the tools NJ’s online casinos use to track marketing campaigns are bonus codes (sometimes referred to as promo codes). These are codes you enter when you sign up for the casino (or sometimes when you make a deposit) in order to receive a certain promotion.
Sometimes using an NJ online casino promo code can allow you to qualify for an exclusive promotion. For example, the Tropicana promo code PLAY25 gives players $10 in extra free bets over the publicly-available offer.
NJ online casino promo codes vary from operator to operator. Codes are usually attached to a certain marketing campaign or a certain promotion, and may only work for a certain period of time.
Researching bonus codes and promo codes for online casinos is a smart way to make sure you get the best possible NJ online casino signup bonuses. Online casinos in New Jersey reserve their best promotions for their strongest marketing partners and most valuable customers, so not every bonus code and promo code at an NJ online casino is created equal.
The difference between NJ online casino promo codes and NJ online casino bonus codes
It’s two terms that mean the same thing. It really just comes down to what an operator decides to call it. Some online casinos refer to the code as a promo code or a promotional code, while others refer to it as a bonus code.
No matter what it’s called, the purpose is the same – you use NJ online casino promo codes and bonus codes to qualify for offers that casinos might not otherwise give you. That’s why it’s critical to research and find the best promo and bonus codes for NJ’s online casinos, just like you would if you were shopping for anything online.
NJ online casino market snapshot
Two new online casinos launched in 2015, and another two in 2016. Then, over the past two years, the New Jersey online casino market became even more crowded with no less than five new online casino sites launching, including:
- PartyCasino NJ
- Ocean Casino Resort Online
- Hard Rock Online Casino
- BetAmerica
- Unibet NJ Online Casino
Below you’ll find a summary of each license holder’s current online casino brands, the software provider they utilize, and their current place in the New Jersey online casino hierarchy.
Golden Nugget
Golden Nugget Atlantic City now has four online casino brands operating under its interactive license:
- GoldenNuggetCasino.com – Launch date December 13, 2013
- BetfairCasino.com – Launch date November 21, 2013 (moved to GN on November 21, 2014)
- PlaySugarHouse.com – Launch date September 13, 2016
- BetAmerica.com – Launch date Feb. 2, 2019
Golden Nugget got a late start due to some early technical issues, but once GN found its sea legs, the casino has been one of the biggest surprises in the legal NJ online gambling market.
GoldenNuggetCasino.com was powered by Bally Technologies/Scientific Games, but ended its deal with Scientific Games and switched to NYX Gaming. NYX also powers the Resorts and Mohegan Sun online casino platforms. NYX is now a part of Scientific Games.
BetfairCasino.com migrated to Golden Nugget following the closure of Trump Plaza, the brick-and-mortar casino Betfair originally partnered with in New Jersey.
Because Betfair was an already-established brand in New Jersey, Betfair’s online casino operates on a completely separate platform from GoldenNuggetCasino.com, making both online casinos standalone products — the only thing they share is a license.
The addition of Betfair in November of 2014 took Golden Nugget from a significant, but middling, player in the market and propelled it to the top of the state’s online casino revenue generators. The addition of SugarHouse in late 2016 helped Golden Nugget climb to the very top of the NJ online gambling revenue charts.
In Feb. 2019 Churchill Downs launched its BetAmerica brand online casino and sportsbook under the Golden Nugget license, further solidifying Golden Nugget’s place at the top of the NJ online gambling market. In fact, its monthly revenues now more than double anyone else in the market.
Tropicana
Tropicana Casino & Resort Atlantic City also has two online casino brands operating under its license:
- TropicanaCasino.com – Launch date Nov. 21, 2013
- VirginCasino.com – Launch date Jan. 24, 2014
Unlike Golden Nugget and Betfair, Tropicana and Virgin both use the same online gaming platform, powered by Gamesys.
From the outset, Tropicana’s online casino sites were among the top revenue generators in the state.
One of the reasons for its success could be its early adoption of last-four Social Security number verification. The state’s other casinos were asking players to divulge their complete Social Security number while Tropicana was running player verification checks based on just the last four digits of customer’s SSN.
Tropicana was able to piece together the player’s full SSN through this method, but it has the advantage of appearing far less intrusive to the customer.
Ultimately, Tropicana sites have dipped to fourth place in the market, well behind Golden Nugget and trailing both Borgata’s and Caesars’ sites.
Borgata
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa currently has a number of separate online casino brands using its license:
- BorgataCasino.com – Launch date Nov. 21, 2013
- NJ.partypoker.com – Launch date Nov. 21, 2013
- PalaCasino.com – Launch date Nov. 17, 2014
- BetMGM – Launch date Aug. 1, 2017
- PartyCasino NJ – Launch date March 2018
Borgata and its partner GVC Holdings (PartyPoker) led the New Jersey online gambling market at the outset. But the emergence of other online casinos has seen Borgata, Golden Nugget, and Tropicana take turns at the number one spot when it comes to New Jersey online casino revenue. Golden Nugget is now the clear market leader.
Still, the Borgata and MGM brands are well known and will keep it in the upper tier of online operators.
In March 2018, partypoker spun off the casino game side of things into its own NJ online casino site. It runs under the PartyCasino brand, which happens to be one of the European online gambling market’s oldest and most popular online casino brands.
Caesars AC (Caesars)
Caesars has a trio of online casinos under its interactive license:
- US.888Casino.com – Launch date Nov. 21, 2013
- HarrahsCasino.com – Launch date Nov. 21, 2013
- CaesarsCasino.com – Launch date Nov. 21, 2013
The first two are powered by 888. Caesars was powered by Amaya but switched over to NYX Gaming in 2016.
Caesars was one of the top revenue generators from the outset. Even as its online poker revenue numbers have continued to lag behind those of the casino sites, Caesars has maintained its position among the top three groups of sites in the market. Although, like Borgata, it still trails Golden Nugget by a significant margin.
Resorts
Despite a very late start (ResortsCasino.com launched a full year after the other properties listed above), Resorts Casino now has three online casino brands operating under its iGaming license:
- ResortsCasino.com – Launch date Feb. 26, 2015
- MoheganSunCasino.com – Launch date July 20, 2015
- PokerStarsCasinoNJ.com – Launch date March 16, 2016
- DraftKings Online Casino – Launch date Dec. 2018
ResortsCasino.com was a great success story to start out, but revenue has fallen off. The addition of Mohegan Sun (a strong brand) and PokerStars (a stronger brand) has not helped much, particularly since the NJ online poker market has proven so small.
For its online casinos, Resorts is partnered with NYX Gaming.
DraftKings Sportsbook launched under Resorts’ license in 2018. It now runs a small selection of casino games as well. The success of the online sports betting platform has made Resorts appear as if it’s second in the market in Internet gaming revenue. However, the revenue is clearly coming from sports betting, a different sector no matter how the state lists it on a balance sheet.
Ocean Casino Resort
The new Ocean Casino Resort officially opened its doors on June 28, 2018, replacing the failed Revel Atlantic City. Ocean Resort launched its own NJ online casino on July 10, 2018, with software provided by industry leaders GAN.
Ocean Resort Online is struggling to compete as such a late-entry in the NJ online casino market
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City
The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City officially opened its doors on June 28, 2018, replacing the defunct Trump Taj Mahal. It followed up with the launch of its own Hard Rock online casino the very next day featuring software provided by online gambling technology partner Gaming Innovation Group (GIG).
Hard Rock online casino lags behind the leaders in the NJ online gambling market, which is no surprise as such a late entry. However, it records more than triple the monthly internet gaming revenue of competitor Ocean Resort Online.
- HardRockCasino.com – Launched June 2018
- NJ.Unibet.com – Launched June 2019
We will do our best to keep this page constantly updated with the latest casino bonus codes & promotions for New Jersey casino players. They consistently change so come back soon.