Another New Jersey online gambling platform will soon make its exit.
888 Holdings plc. will shut down 888poker in the Garden State on June 3, the company revealed this week.
Simultaneously, the 888casino NJ app will also disappear from online stores.
However, some good news does stem from this departure.
WSOP will continue to remain operational in New Jersey
The exit of 888poker will not impact the planned tri-state cooperative that will operate live online poker rooms for the World Series of Poker for players in New Jersey, Michigan and Nevada. Plans are still going forward with WSOP NJ, which will synch players in the Garden State with those in Michigan and Nevada on the same software platform in the future.
This decision has been expected.
In February, 888 Holdings announced it was selling off its United States gaming assets to Hard Rock Digital, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. That move is part of 888’s strategy to consolidate its gaming holdings in other parts of the world while scaling back poker and casino offerings in North America.
In March, 888poker only recorded two-thirds of 1% of the New Jersey online poker market.
Hard Rock not expected to add poker to NJ platform
The last time New Jersey lost an online poker provider came nearly a decade ago. Of course, online poker has been mostly a dormant industry over the past 10 years. And 888 has not performed well in 2024.
Since regulators began reporting skin-specific revenue in January, 888 has generated just $47,954 in poker revenue, equivalent to a mere 0.006% of the entire vertical. PartyPoker has reported the next-lowest poker revenue at $532,872.
That said, New Jersey online poker players will need to find alternative providers. Especially considering that Hard Rock Bet, which is purchasing gaming assets from 888, will not be adding online poker to its app.
Customers of 888poker and 888casino will need to withdraw funds from their account by June 3. Otherwise, any outstanding funds will be sent via check from the company in the coming months.
New Jersey is one of only six states with legal online poker markets, but only three coordinate on the WSOP. There is also live dealer poker in Ontario.
