There are several NJ online poker sites, giving players in the state a number of options. Here’s an overview of New Jersey online poker with information about how to get started playing at the sites and what you can expect to find once you do.
Best online poker NJ in 2024
At present there are five NJ online poker sites up and running — WSOP.com, BetMGM Poker, PokerStars, PartyPoker, and Borgata Poker. All feature a variety of cash games, tournaments, sit-n-go’s, and more, giving New Jersey poker players many ways to enjoy no-limit hold’em and other games at a variety of stakes.
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- $75 in Tournament Tickets On Deposit
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- Play 1 Hand, Get $150 in Bonus Play
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NJ online poker sites snapshot and reviews
Here at PlayNJ we have tested and reviewed all of the NJ poker sites. We looked at welcome offers and ongoing bonuses and promotions, game selection, and site traffic as well as the functionality of the different software platforms.
Here’s a snapshot look at the sites plus links to our full reviews of each:
| Site (Click link for full review) | Games | Formats | Highlight | Shared Player Pool with Other States? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSOP.com NJ | NLHE, PLO, PLO Hi-Lo | cash, tourney, SNG, Blast | World Series of Poker online bracelet events and series | Yes, with Nevada and Michigan |
| BetMGM Poker NJ | NLHE, LHE, PLO, Omaha Hi-Lo | cash, tourney, SNG, Spins, FastForward | Weekly Sunday $35,000 Guaranteed | No, but shares player pool in NJ with PartyPoker and Borgata |
| PokerStars NJ | NLHE, PLO, NLO, Omaha Hi-Lo, Stud, Razz, 5-Card Draw, Mixed Games | cash, tourney, SNG, Spin & Go, Zoom | NJCOOP, NJSCOOP tournament series | Yes, with Michigan |
| PartyPoker NJ | NLHE, LHE, PLO, Omaha Hi-Lo | cash, tourney, SNG, Spins, FastForward | Weekly Sunday $35,000 Guaranteed | No, but shares player pool in NJ with BetMGM and Borgata |
| Borgata Poker NJ | NLHE, LHE, PLO, Omaha Hi-Lo | cash, tourney, SNG, Spins, FastForward | Weekly Sunday $35,000 Guaranteed | No, but shares player pool in NJ with BetMGM and PartyPoker |
Is online poker legal in NJ?
Yes, online poker has been legal in New Jersey since 2013. All of the sites discussed on this page are licensed and regulated to operate in the state. If you look, you’ll see the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) seal displayed on each site, the regulatory body that provides oversight to ensure the games that are offered are conducted in accordance to NJ gambling law.
In 2017, the NJDGE allowed sites to apply for regulatory approval to begin sharing player pools with other states. Starting in 2018, the WSOP.com NJ began doing so, and today shares its player pool with players on its Nevada and Michigan sites. Starting in 2023, PokerStars combined its New Jersey and Michigan player pools.
How to play New Jersey online poker on mobile devices
Each of the New Jersey online poker sites can be played either via a computer or on a mobile device. When playing on your laptop or desktop computer, you will need to download the standalone client where you’ll be able to play the games. That is to say, you don’t actually play on a web browser, but on a separate program you download and install on the computer.
When using a phone or tablet, you similarly need to download the online poker site app and install it. All of the sites have apps for both Apple (iOS) and Android devices.
Factors to consider when using NJ online poker apps
While being able to play online poker on the go is a big positive for mobile device users, there are some drawbacks as well. Some factors worth keeping in mind when using NJ online poker apps include:
- Smaller screen size — Although the sites are optimized for mobile, the smaller screen size can affect the user’s experience (e.g., multi-tabling is easy on a computer, not so much on mobile).
- Simplified lobbies — On your computer, the sites often have detailed lobbies and filtering capabilities to help you find desired games and tournaments. On the app you usually have most of the same options, but the lobbies are often simplified meaning it might take some time to get used to the different layout.
- Fewer game options — In some cases, you’ll find certain game types are available on the desktop/laptop version of the site that aren’t available on the app.
- Geolocation, connectivity issues — Some users occasionally experience more difficulty establishing their location when using the app than when using a computer. Also, be sure you have a strong connection (preferably over wi-fi) when using an online poker app.
- Poker apps and other products — For sites like BetMGM Poker and PokerStars, you can use the same account for online poker and when playing games in the online casino (and betting in sportsbook, in the case of BetMGM).
Types of online poker games
There are many different ways to play poker online in New Jersey. Indeed, in most cases you’ll find a much larger variety of games and stakes online than you can when visiting a poker room and playing in person. Here are some of the types of poker games available at NJ online casinos:
- No-limit hold’em (NLHE) — NLHE is by far the most popular game at NJ online poker sites, just like it is in the poker rooms at Atlantic City casinos. Most cash games, tournaments, and sit-n-go’s are no-limit hold’em. Depending on the site, NLHE stakes can run from $0.01/$0.02 up to $25/$50 for cash games.
- Pot-limit Omaha (PLO) — Most sites also offer PLO games at varying stakes, with some having PLO hi-lo also available. You’ll find both PLO cash games and tournaments, although neither attract as many players as no-limit hold’em does. PLO stakes also range from $0.01/$0.02 up to $25/$50, although you’re less likely to see the higher-stakes games in action for PLO than for NLHE.
- Fixed-limit hold’em, fixed-limit Omaha hi-lo — Some sites have fixed-limit version of hold’em or Omaha (hi-lo), although even if those games are available they rarely attract many players.
- Seven-card stud, mixed games — New Jersey players who enjoy seven-card stud (high-only and hi-lo), razz, five-card draw, and other mixed games are advised to visit PokerStars NJ as it is the only site that has much to offer when it comes to games other than NLHE and PLO.
- Multi-table tournaments (MTTs) — All of the sites feature multi-table tournaments around the clock, with most being no-limit hold’em. Buy-ins for MTTs can range from just $0.25 or $1 up to $500 and even higher. Look for satellites as well where you can win entries into larger tournaments.
- Sit-n-go’s — Sit-n-go’s are unscheduled poker tournaments that begin when the required number of players have registered. Many are one-table SNGs with six or nine players, but there are also heads-up SNGs as well as multi-table SNGs. On the NJ poker sites most SNGs are no-limit hold’em, and the buy-ins also range from “micro stakes” to hundreds of dollars.
- Jackpot sit-n-go’s — Jackpot sit-n-go’s are like regular SNGs except the prize pool is determined by a spin of the wheel, sometimes resulting in a smaller prize pool or a much, much larger one (e.g., as much as 2,000x your buy-in). At PokerStars, these are called Spin & Go’s. WSOP.com calls them Blast tourneys, while BetMGM, Borgata Poker NJ, and PartyPoker NJ refer to them as Spins.
- Fast-fold poker — An online-only version of poker that lets you fold a hand early and move to a different table and start a new hand. You’ll find fast-fold poker games offered at PokerStars (Zoom) and BetMGM, Borgata, and PartyPoker (FastForward), although these games aren’t always running as they require a decent number of players to join in order for them to be viable.
Depositing and withdrawing at NJ online poker sites
Much like at online casinos and online sportsbooks, when you play real money games at NJ online poker sites you typically have lots of options when it comes to both depositing money into your account and withdrawing money later. The available banking methods are largely the same across the different sites, often including some or all of the following:
- Debit and credit cards
- Play+ prepaid cards
- ACH / e-checks (VIP Preferred)
- Gift cards
- PayPal
- Skrill
- PayNearMe
- Online banking
- Wire transfers
- Cash at casino cage (with partnering retail casinos)
Usually you will have a few more options for depositing available than for withdrawing. There may be limits as well (minimums and maximums). Deposits are often processed right away, while the amount of time for withdrawals can depend on the method chosen. Be sure to look over banking information on the site to know what is available and what to expect when depositing and withdrawing from NJ online poker sites.
How to clear online poker bonuses
Online poker sites typically offer bonuses to new sign-ups as part of their welcome offers. They also often offer bonuses to ongoing players and/or have loyalty programs that let players accumulate points that can be exchanged for bonuses and other benefits.
Online poker bonuses can include bonus money (site credit), tournament tickets (free entries), or even cash. A common type of bonus is a “deposit bonus,” sometimes called a “deposit match bonus.” Put some money in your account, and depending on how much you deposit you’ll receive a bonus worth a certain amount.
Example: Clearing the WSOP.com deposit match bonus (welcome offer)
WSOP.com NJ has a 100% deposit match bonus worth up to $1,000 for new players. However, you must clear the bonus by playing a certain amount on the site first.
At WSOP.com, players receive Action Player Points (APP) whenever they play in cash games or enter tournaments and sit-n-go’s. You earn 2 APPs for every $1 in rake taken from hands you play on the site. Rake is money taken out of each pot in a cash game. Similarly, for every $1 in fees you pay to enter a tourney, you get 2 APPs. (At WSOP.com, when you earn APPs you also earn equivalent WSOP Points used to as part of the site’s loyalty program).
When you receive a bonus at WSOP.com, you must earn 50 APPs in order to clear $5 worth of the bonus. That means when your tourney fees and rake paid in cash game hands totals $25, you will have earned 50 APPs which in turn “releases” $5 of the bonus due to you. For the welcome offer, you have 90 days to clear the bonus. If you don’t quite make it, you still receive some of the bonus as it is released in $5 increments. But as you can see, in order to receive a big bonus — say $1,000 — you will have to play a lot during those 90 days.
All of which is to say, be sure to read the terms and conditions for any bonus. That way you’ll know exactly what is required to clear the bonus and actually receive the funds.
Free-to-play poker vs. real money poker
There are many ways to play online poker for free using “play money” or chips without any cash value. Even some of the NJ real money sites discussed above have “free” versions of their games you can try out. For example, PokerStars has a version of its site that uses play money only instead of actual cash.
Such play money sites are great for learning the rules of poker and getting used to how sites run. Be aware, though, that the overall level of play on free-to-play sites is often much lower than at the real money tables. Even good players don’t necessarily take the game as seriously, which means you’ll see a lot more loose play and bluffing as well as other odd moves not commonly found in real money games.
We do recommend giving play money poker a try, though, before moving on to playing for real money on any of the New Jersey sites. We also recommend learning poker strategy and improving your skills as much as you can as you play. Becoming more knowledgeable about poker not only improves your chances of winning, it makes the game a lot more fun.
Is it safe to play online poker in NJ?
As long as you stick to online poker sites that are legal, licensed, and regulated by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, you can rest assured that the sites are safe. Regulators ensure your money is protected and your personal information also secure. They also make certain the games are fair and the sites operate with integrity.
If ever you have any issues when playing on legal, regulated NJ online poker sites, the sites are obligated to respond to your queries and/or complaints or risk losing their licenses to operate. That isn’t true if you play on unregulated, “offshore” sites operating outside of NJ that aren’t regulated and don’t abide by NJ gambling laws. On those sites, you’ll have no legal recourse should you suspect fraud or any other unfair activity.
