New Jersey Online Gambling Reviews & Our Review Process

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At PlayNJ we strive to inform and educate our readers about safe online gambling products in New Jersey. The reviews you read on this site aim to explain the features and quality of legal gambling sites available in the state, including the pros and cons of every site and app.

PlayNJ is synonymous with gambling in New Jersey. No other site has our level of reputation or expertise. Our experts started reviewing New Jersey gambling companies in 2014 and have closely followed their progress ever since. We believe no one covers the New Jersey gambling market better.

As a licensed affiliate in the state of New Jersey, we at PlayNJ are committed to producing honest and independent reviews that you can trust to make your own decisions about where to play.

All NJ online casino reviews

At present there are 27 online casinos available to New Jersey players, all legal and licensed to offer real money games in the state thanks to partnerships with Atlantic City casinos. Our team has thoroughly reviewed all of them, spending many hours researching and testing each site to help our readers decide between their many online casino options.

Since shortly after the first NJ online casinos went live in late 2013, we have continued to track the coming and going of different sites while making note of updates and changes the existing sites frequently introduce. As a result, our NJ online casino reviews share up-to-date information about available games, site features, banking options, customer service and other relevant criteria.

Since NJ online casinos are always adding new games and upgrading their sites, we encourage our readers to check back regularly in order to keep up with the latest developments. New online casinos launch frequently in NJ as well, and when they do you’ll find reporting on the new sites as well as reviews you can trust here at PlayNJ.

All NJ online sports betting reviews

New Jersey sports betting is also big with no less than 13 online sportsbooks currently up and running. Here at PlayNJ we likewise offer comprehensive reviews of all NJ online sports betting sites for a variety of criteria including sports and leagues covered, depth of betting markets, competitiveness of odds, bonuses and promotions, and other aspects affecting bettors’ experience.

We test online sportsbooks first-hand, evaluating the usability of the apps and sites, placing wagers and making note of whatever features or incentives the sportsbooks are offering. We also pay attention to other users’ feedback and reviews to help us make our recommendations for the best sites for NJ bettors.

Over the years it has also been the case that many different online sportsbook operators have come and gone from New Jersey. Meanwhile, the sites that remain keep changing and innovating in order to keep up in such a competitive market. As a result, we are constantly updating and adding to our NJ online sports betting reviews here as well.

All NJ online poker reviews

New Jersey is likewise currently home to five online poker sites where NJ players can compete against each other in cash games, tournaments, and sit-n-go’s. The PlayNJ staff includes several writers with extensive experience covering online poker, and we draw on that background in our NJ online poker site reviews.

In our online poker reviews we focus closely on the sites’ software and functionality as the quality of the platforms greatly affect player experience. We also consider available stakes and games, types of tournaments offered, and player liquidity among other criteria.

Online poker is constantly evolving, not just in NJ, but in other states as well. The introduction of multi-state agreements allowing New Jersey players to compete against those in other states has significantly improved real money NJ online poker over recent years. Check our reviews frequently for new developments regarding the current sites and potential new online poker sites to come.

All NJ online lottery reviews

Our coverage of all forms of legal online gambling in NJ includes reviewing options for online lottery sales in NJ. The New Jersey lottery allows registered lottery courier services to sell lottery tickets online, and today there are four lottery sites available in NJ that offer such services.

We also review what lottery games players can play with these services as well as criteria such as user experience with the platform, ease of use, funding and payout options among other factors.

The Lotter

Lotto.com

Online lottery services are a relatively recent phenomenon and new services are being frequently introduced. Our reviews help readers sort through the differences among these operators in order to find the best one to use for online lottery purchases.

Why you can trust PlayNJ expert reviewers

Our staff of writers, editors, and content managers collectively brings decades of experience covering the US legal gambling industry.

All of our online gambling reviews also go through rigorous edits by our staff, including PlayNJ managing editor Grant Lucas. Grant has been covering the legal gambling industry since 2018, with an emphasis on New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania markets. Grant is also a seasoned writer and sports reporter with a background in covering amateur and professional sports in Oregon.

Learn more about the PlayNJ team.

Our rigorous review process

The reviews you read on our site are completely independent of the companies with which we are affiliated. Although we may receive a commission when you sign up to gambling companies through our affiliate links, that’s where the business relationship ends. We’ll tell you what we think, not what they want you to hear. In addition to the positive features of gambling sites, we will also let you know what we don’t like or where the apps can improve.

Our expert reviewers actually use the gambling apps they review and regularly frequent the various sites in New Jersey. As a result, you get authentic reviews from experts who have personal experience with the betting products. Because your money is involved, we believe you deserve that level of honesty, transparency, and trust to make the best decision possible for you.

Here’s more explanation of how we select sites to review, our methodology when it comes to researching and testing the sites, the process each review goes through before appearing on PlayNJ, and the protocols we follow when updating reviews.

Selection of sites

PlayNJ only reviews and recommends online gambling companies that are fully legal and licensed to operate in New Jersey. The legal operators in New Jersey must adhere to the rules and regulations established by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) and are therefore considered the only safe options.

We do not under any circumstances review illegal and offshore gambling sites. There are no consumer protections in place at these unregulated gambling sites, so we will never recommend them to you.

Research and testing

PlayNJ experts personally research and use every online casino, sportsbook and poker app in New Jersey on a regular basis. They have years of experience navigating through the apps and they know what gamblers like and don’t like. Our reviews take into consideration various criteria based on actual bettors’ preferences, which we use to rate and compare the apps.

We also don’t rely on just one person to review the sites. Our managing editor and content managers participate in reviewing apps so we can provide more depth for readers.

Writing, editing, and publishing

Once the legal gambling companies have been thoroughly tested and scored, the reviews are written, stringently edited, and edited again before being released to the public. This part of the process follows strict journalistic guidelines and publishing practices.

Every review we publish at PlayNJ undergoes the process of multiple edits by more than one NJ gambling expert to ensure high quality and accuracy. Learn more about our editorial process here.

Updating reviews

Our review process does not end once a review is published. The writers, editors, and content managers at PlayNJ continue to use the apps to ensure the reviews are as up-to-date as possible. Gambling companies regularly update their products and we do our best to keep up with the latest.

Whether an operator adds new security measures, new games and features, or changes their app design, we’re on top of it. We constantly update our reviews to reflect new trends and changes to provide our readers with the latest details.

PlayNJ review criteria

Our expert reviews are based on criteria that are both experiential and useful. That last part is key. It doesn’t matter how much experience a reviewer has if the review doesn’t benefit the user. All of the gambling site reviews you’ll find at PlayNJ take into account the following factors.

Legal and licensed

As noted above, the only gambling companies you see reviews for are those that are legal and licensed to operate in the state of New Jersey. Illegal and offshore companies will not be reviewed or mentioned on this site, unless it’s to say you should avoid using them.

Safety and security

Like you, our data and information is on the line when we use these gambling companies. Needless to say, we want it protected and secure so we’re protected and secure. Here are some protective strategies we look at when reviewing a site’s safety and security:

  • Two-factor or strong authentication
  • Facial recognition
  • Email or text alerts when you sign into your account
  • Data encryption and software

Customer support

Speaking of customer support, do the gambling companies actually deliver customer service or is it just lip service? It’s difficult to have human interaction when everything is online. But the companies that do customer support, do it naturally and you can tell.

Our reviewers personally test the various forms of customer service that each betting app offers, just as a real player would. When reviewing the customer support, we consider the following:

  • Options
  • Effectiveness
  • Responsiveness
  • Attitude

Upon signing up for a new app, we jump into the live chat and ask questions about terms and conditions regarding welcome offers the brand is promoting, accepted payment methods, and specific markets that may or may not be available in New Jersey. This helps us continually confirm with the source that our review is accurate and get experience with their customer support team. We repeat this process upon every periodic review update.

In addition, our team members who have been playing online in New Jersey since the state launched are continually collaborating and sharing their first-hand experiences of customer service encounters across different apps to ensure our reviews are always an honest reflection of the current state of a product from the perspective of an active player.

This real-life practice allows us to wait in line for you and inform you about your chances of finding a fair and timely resolution with a specific betting app should a problem arise before you sign up and commit your money.

Banking options

The more options you have to deposit and withdraw money into your account, the more likely a gambling company will appeal to a wider user base. But getting money in is rarely the problem, it’s taking money out where an app usually disappoints us.

Just as our experts who consistently use these apps continually report their customer service experiences to our reviews team, they also share the ups and downs of their experiences with financial transactions.

Here are some of the key factors affecting how we review banking with gambling companies in New Jersey:

  • Deposit/withdrawal options
  • Payout speed
  • Convenience
  • Reliability
  • One wallet shared across sports, casino and poker

Game selection

People love options. The same is true for the games gambling companies offer in New Jersey. The deeper the catalog of games, the better that company is rated. Here are some of the key factors we consider when reviewing the games gambling operators offer:

  • Frequency of new games
  • Innovative game offerings
  • Exclusive games
  • Live dealer game selection

User experience

The easier it is to use an app or website, the more enjoyment you get from using it, and the more likely you are to return. There’s nothing more frustrating than unnecessary hurdles to get what you want. Here are some of the key elements we use when reviewing user experience:

  • Intuitive and easy-to-use layout/navigation
  • Custom features like searchable, customizable or other personal touches
  • Seamless ability to switch between casino/sports/poker

Bonuses and promotions

Online gambling sites offer frequent bonuses and promotions in order to remain competitive.
Our experts have read and evaluated the terms and conditions of these offers in order to determine their value. Here are some of the key items we consider when reviewing bonuses and promotions:

  • Playthrough requirements
  • Value
  • Ease of use
  • Offers for new and existing users
  • Frequency of regular promotions

Overall app quality

Most of the sites we review are available to use either over a computer on a web browser or via an app you can download to a mobile device. The design and functionality of such apps can be crucial factors affecting user experience. Here are some of the items we look at when rating the quality of a gambling app:

  • Speed/load time
  • Buggy or glitchy
  • Integration with casino, poker and sports betting and across state lines
  • Mobile gameplay functionality
  • Additional user comments from sources like Reddit, App Store, and Google Play reviews

Reputation and innovation

A company’s reputation can either serve as an anchor or a sail. Innovation is one way for companies to push the boundaries and reach new heights. For gambling companies this comes in the form of games, security, banking and customer support. The gambling companies in New Jersey that push innovation usually have a strong reputation. We look at the following when reviewing a company’s reputation and innovation:

  • Dependability
  • Reliability
  • Responsible gambling tools
  • Innovative features

Our promise to you

PlayNJ takes pride in bringing our readers the most up-to-date information and authentic reviews of gambling products in the state of New Jersey. Honesty, integrity, and transparency are ingrained in our online gambling site reviews and have been from the beginning.

Martin Harris Avatar
Written by
Martin Harris

Martin Harris is a writer and teacher who has reported on poker, online gambling, and sports betting since the mid-2000s. Once a full-time academic (Ph.D., English), he currently teaches part-time in the American Studies program at UNC Charlotte. In 2019, his book Poker & Pop Culture was published by D&B Books.

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