New Jersey is the home of Atlantic City. The glitz, the 24/7 fun, second only to Las Vegas when it comes to US casinos. But New Jersey isn’t just about the physical casinos. For the past seven years, the state has built quite the reputation when it comes to what’s available online.
But it didn’t come easy.
As we’re all aware, the United States isn’t exactly a free-for-all when it comes to gambling. There are strict regulations in place, ensuring players are protected and casinos operate within the confines of the law. These are the top facts you need to know about the legislation which covers online casinos in New Jersey.
It Was Only Legalized Recently
And we mean very recently. After several years of it being in the pipeline, Governor Chris Christie put his signature on Assembly Bill 2578 on February 26, 2013, effectively legalizing online gambling in New Jersey.
Of course, this didn’t mean taking out the champagne and celebrating just yet. The law states that an operator is obliged to wait for a minimum of 3 full months, and a maximum of 9. Since then, a range of games has been released through vetted online casinos available in NJ.
It’s All Overseen by the DGE
As we’ve already mentioned, the United States is pretty on the ball when it comes to online casinos. The Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) was specially created to ensure casinos operate within legal requirements. Their duties include:
- Making sure casino owners are vetted.
- Each and every game goes through a quality control process, ensuring they are fair and do what they advertise.
- IT systems need to have assurances in place against hackers; casinos are prime targets for data theft.
Yes, There’s an Age Requirement
You didn’t think you’d be able to get away with ticking a box saying you’re 21, did you? The state of New Jersey requires each user to go through a relatively thorough age verification process.
The process varies depending on the casino, but expect to provide the following information:
- Your actual birth date (fake info won’t work!).
- Your social security number. If the birth dates don’t match, your account won’t be approved.
- Depending on the investigation, you may be required to send copies of your ID. Think driver’s license, passport, bills (to prove your address).
If you’re not able to provide satisfactory proof that you are over 21, your account privileges will likely be suspended. Dishonesty, in other words, if you try to trick the casino, will result in potential legal action and perhaps even criminal charges. Any winnings you’ve made, you can say goodbye to.
You Need to be in New Jersey
If you’re looking to gamble on New Jersey online slots, for example, you better plan on being in the state. Because once you leave those borders, your account will no longer be playable. You are required to physically be in the state of New Jersey, otherwise, you can’t play.
It doesn’t matter if you’re resident in the state and out on vacation somewhere, either. This works the other way as well; if you’re not from New Jersey but fancy an online wager, all you need to do is cross state lines and you’re in the game!
It’s Not Easy to Trick the Casino
Casinos have more than your average checks in place to ensure you’re an eligible player. They fought hard to be given the green light by the state; they’re not going to let people circumvent the rules very easily.
This means that the aforementioned age verification checks are almost impossible to get through with fakes. And if you’re planning on using a fancy VPN to trick their servers to think you’re in New Jersey, think again. Casinos are very well drilled in ensuring VPN IP ranges are properly blocked.
It’s All About the Money
The online casino industry is an absolutely huge part of the overall picture. Analysts believe it is the most significant change to the New Jersey gambling landscape since Atlantic City opened almost four decades ago.
And what’s it all about? The cash, of course. The governor at the time, Chris Christie, signed the bill in the hope of generating over a billion dollars in tax revenue. The legislation ensures that online casinos pay 15% taxes, rather than the 8% for physical varieties. Casinos themselves had been pushing for it for a while, with the internet providing a new and exciting way to reach customers.
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