New Jersey Online Poker

Since November 2013, when New Jersey regulators legalized online poker, the Garden State has become one of the best places to be for online gaming. New Jersey poker players have more online poker options than in any other state in the country. All legal sites are safe and are partnered with local casinos in Atlantic City. 

Legal Online Poker Sites In New Jersey

BetMGM NJ

Poker players looking for a full-service legal online poker site should find what they’re looking for at BetMGM Poker. BetMGM Poker is live in New JerseyMichigan, and Pennsylvania.

Cash games, Fast Forward games, tournaments, and sit & gos await players at BetMGM Poker. The BetMGM Poker cash game economy offers No-Limit Hold’em games from stakes that start at $0.01/$0.02 and go up to $25/$50.

PokerStars NJ

  • Bonus Offer: Play 1 Hand, Get $50 Free Play
  • Not part of an interstate playing pool
  • PokerStars is also available in Pennsylvania and Michigan.
  • Local casino partner: Resorts Atlantic City

Since its return to the US, PokerStars has probably been the biggest name in the world of online poker. The site is unique in that it requires new players to choose one of the two sign-up bonuses ($30 free or $600 match).

The $600 match is the most commonly chosen. What makes this especially unique is that it pays out at a staggering 50% Rakeback rate. In other words, it’s much quicker than most similar promotions. 

While PokerStars no longer has the highest traffic of New Jersey poker sites (since WSOP/888 started interstate player pooling), it is still often considered the best. The site has the most and highest-paying tournament options. It also hosts the biggest variety of game variants. 

In addition to the more common Sit & Go’s, PokerStars also offers Spin & Go’s. Spin & Go’s are a hyper-speed tournament in the form of a Sit & Go, but with only one table. PokerStars is also widely recognized as the best NJ site for cash games. Players will regularly find populated tables at $1/$2+. 

888 Poker NJ

  • Bonus Offer: $20 on sign up/ 100% deposit match up to $1,500
  • Part of an interstate playing pool
  • 888 poker is also available in Nevada & Delaware.
  • Local casino partner: Caesars Atlantic City

WSOP NJ

  • Bonus Offer: $10 on sign up/ 100% deposit match up to $1,000
  • Part of an interstate playing pool
  • WSOP is also available in Nevada & Delaware. 
  • Local casino partner: Caesars Atlantic City

888 and World Series of Poker form a network, placing first in New Jersey in terms of player traffic. The sites share liquidity (player pool) for lower stake cash games, Sit & Go’s, and multi-table tournaments (MTTs). They are also the only sites that have an active interstate poker network, sharing liquidity with players in Nevada and Delaware. 

While 888 and WSOP are partner sites, there are some notable differences between the two. 888 Poker has better bonus offers than WSOP. New players at 888 get $20 on sign-up, compared to $10 at WSOP. Players also get a first deposit match of $1,500, rather than WSOP’s $1,000 match. 

WSOP, however, is more populated than 888, especially when it comes to higher stakes games. The majority of traffic for both sites, though, comes from their shared-liquidity lower stakes cash games. 888 is also more limited in gameplay options than WSOP, with higher stakes hold’em and PLO games being a rarity. 

At both sites Sit & Go’s are far from plentiful, especially at higher stakes. As far as MTTs go, 888 is the better option for players on a budget. The site offers daily freerolls as well as low buy-in guaranteed tournaments. WSOP, however, offers satellite tournaments, which give players the chance to qualify for in-person tournaments. 

Borgata Poker NJ

  • Bonus Offer: $20 on sign up/ 100% deposit match up to $600
  • Not part of an interstate playing pool
  • Only available in NJ
  • Local casino partner: Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa

Partypoker NJ

  • Bonus Offer: $25 on sign up/ 100% deposit match up to $1,000
  • Not part of an interstate playing pool
  • Only available in NJ
  • Local casino partner: Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa

BetMGM, Borgata, and Partypoker form the Partypoker US network. The three sites pool their players to ensure a high player volume. Though they are all on the same network and pool players for many games, each site has its own promotions and minor differences. 

One important difference between the sites is in their game variants. Partypoker, for instance, only runs no limit hold’em and PLO games. Borgata Poker and BetMGM offer additional cash game variants, such as Omaha hi-lo and 7 card stud. 

All three of the sites offer a medley of tournament options, including Sit and Go’s and MTTs. Most of these tournaments share player-liquidity with their partner sites. Borgata poker is notable for running satellites that can qualify players for in-person tournaments at the Borgata Casino. 

The most exciting thing about the Partypoker US network is that it recently started hosting World Poker Tour online tournaments. Since June 2020 these tournaments have run every few months and have drawn huge crowds and even bigger prize pools. One online tournament in December 2020 brought in a prize pool of $1.2 million (for a $3,500 buy-in). 

Pala Poker NJ

  • Bonus Offer: $25 on sign up/ 100% deposit match up to $500 (for its online casino)
  • Not part of an interstate playing pool
  • Only available in NJ
  • Local casino partner: Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa

While Pala Poker’s local partner is the Borgata Casino, it is not a part of the Partypoker US network or any other liquidity-sharing agreement. Pala is the newest entrant into the New Jersey online poker space, and, as a standalone site, has quite the hill to climb. 

Pala has the lowest average number of players of any site in NJ. It does, however, offer some enticing features. Besides cash games, Sit & Go’s, and MTT’s, Pala offers a feature called Fastpala. Fastpala is a fast-fold game, which is a nice option for players with limited time. However, with so few players and an underwhelming promotion package, it’s hard not to view Pala’s competitors as superior options.  

What Online Poker Bonuses Are Available

No (Or Low) Deposit Bonus: 

All sites offer some form of no-deposit bonus. These are pretty self-explanatory. Sign up, and get free money!

Usually, the bonus will be split into different forms. At Partypoker, for instance, their $25 sign-up bonus is split between $10 toward cash games, $5 toward tournaments, and $10 toward other casino products. PokerStars gives $30 in free play after a $20+ first deposit (rather than after sign up).  

Match Bonus

Match bonuses can be a bit misleading. While sites will match your first deposit 100%, they pay it to you incrementally based on how much rake the site has made off of you. Different sites payback at different rates. For instance, WSOP pays their match bonus at a 20% Rakeback rate, whereas PokerStars pays at a 50% Rakeback rate. 

Interstate Player Pooling

In 2017, former NJ Governor Chris Christie signed the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, which allowed poker sites to pool players from different states. 

WSOP/888 is currently the only network that pools players from multiple states. The move, which allows players from New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware to face-off virtually, has bumped the WSOP/888 network to NJ’s top spot. 

New Jersey Online Poker FAQs

How old do you have to be to play at online poker sites in New Jersey? 

21. Like for all forms of gambling, online or in person, you must be 21 years of age or older to play. 

Does DraftKings run an online poker site in New Jersey? 

No. DraftKings does not currently have an online poker site. The DraftKings Casino offers video poker games. However, New Jersey has more online poker site options than any other state in the US.

Can I play WSOP in New Jersey? 

Yes! In fact, the network of WSOP and 888 are, on average, the most populated place to play online poker in NJ. PokerStars may be a close second as a standalone site, but it really cannot compete with WSOP’s ability to pool players from multiple states.

Can I trust online poker apps in New Jersey? 

Yes. Every online poker site in New Jersey is licensed and regulated by the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement.

Are there poker apps in the Apple iOS store in New Jersey?

Yes. Most online poker sites in New Jersey have mobile apps available in the Apple App Store. Playing online poker via mobile app is very common.

When is the best time to play poker online in New Jersey? 

The best time to play online poker in New Jersey is between 8:00 PM and 12:00 AM on weekdays and in the afternoon on Sundays. This is when poker sites are most populated and you will have the greatest chance of finding the game you are looking for. 

About the Author

Chris Blundo

Chris Blundo is a freelance writer based out of Vero Beach, Florida. He holds a BA in economics and writes about Game Theory, poker, and all things gambling and sports betting.