Quick Answer
Unlike Australia, where online casino regulation is fragmented and largely prohibited under the Interactive Gambling Act 1997 (IGA 1997), New Jersey (USA) operates a fully licensed and regulated online casino market. There is no single launch date for all New Jersey online casinos because each operator went live at different times after the state legalised internet gambling in 2013. Key launch milestones include:
- November 2013: First wave of casinos (e.g., Borgata, Caesars, Tropicana) launched.
- 2014–2015: Additional operators like Golden Nugget, Resorts, and 888casino joined.
- 2018–2023: New brands entered (e.g., DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM) via partnerships with existing land-based casinos.
- 2024: Continued expansion with new skins and mobile-first platforms.
Note: This information is for educational purposes only. Australian players should be aware that accessing offshore online casinos may violate the IGA 1997.
Detailed Timeline of New Jersey Online Casino Launches
New Jersey’s online casino market began after Governor Chris Christie signed the New Jersey Internet Gaming Act in February 2013. The first legal online bets were placed on November 26, 2013. Below is a chronological list of major launches, grouped by operator and brand. Dates are sourced from regulatory filings and historical news reports.
2013: The First Wave
- Borgata Casino (part of MGM Resorts): November 26, 2013 – The first licensed online casino in New Jersey, launching with Borgata Casino and Borgata Poker (powered by bwin.party).
- Caesars Interactive Entertainment: November 26, 2013 – Launched with three brands: CaesarsCasino, HarrahsCasino, and WSOP.com (poker).
- Tropicana Casino (owned by Caesars at the time): November 26, 2013 – Offered slots and table games via the same platform as Caesars.
- 888 Holdings (through a partnership with Caesars): November 26, 2013 – 888casino launched as a separate skin, leveraging the Caesars license.
2014–2015: Expansion
- Golden Nugget Atlantic City: December 2013 (soft launch) – Full launch in early 2014. Golden Nugget became a major player with its own platform (Betfair technology).
- Resorts Casino Hotel: February 2014 – Launched with two skins: ResortsCasino (powered by Amaya Gaming) and later PokerStars (after regulatory approval in 2016).
- Trump Plaza (closed 2014): March 2014 – Briefly operated an online casino before the land-based closure.
- Bally’s Atlantic City (now part of Caesars): 2014 – Added as a skin under the Caesars license.
2016–2018: New Entrants and Mergers
- PokerStars (part of Resorts): March 21, 2016 – Returned to the US market after a long hiatus, offering poker and casino games.
- Betfair (now part of FanDuel): 2017 – Betfair Casino launched under the Golden Nugget license, later rebranded to FanDuel Casino in 2018.
- DraftKings Casino: August 2018 – DraftKings, originally a daily fantasy sports site, launched its first online casino in New Jersey via a partnership with Resorts.
- FanDuel Casino: September 2018 – FanDuel (owned by Flutter Entertainment) launched as a standalone casino brand, using the Golden Nugget license.
2019–2021: Major Brand Launches
- BetMGM Casino: September 2019 – Launched as a joint venture between MGM Resorts and Entain (formerly GVC Holdings).
- Unibet Casino: 2019 – Unibet (owned by Kindred Group) launched via the Hard Rock Atlantic City license.
- Hard Rock Casino: June 2018 (land-based), with online casino launching in 2019 – Hard Rock’s online platform went live in partnership with GAN.
- Ocean Casino Resort: 2020 – Ocean launched its online casino after the land-based property reopened.
- Betway Casino: 2020 – Betway entered the New Jersey market via a partnership with Resorts.
2022–2024: Current Landscape
- bet365 Casino: 2022 – UK-based bet365 launched in New Jersey through a deal with Hard Rock.
- PointsBet Casino: 2022 – PointsBet (Australian-owned) launched in New Jersey via a partnership with Meadowlands Racetrack.
- Fanatics Casino: 2023 – Fanatics (sports merchandise giant) acquired PointsBet’s US operations and launched its own casino platform.
- Bally Bet: 2023 – Bally’s Corporation launched a new online casino brand under its own license.
How New Jersey Differs from Australian Regulation
Australian players must understand the stark contrast between New Jersey’s regulated market and Australia’s prohibitive stance under the Interactive Gambling Act 1997 (IGA 1997). Key differences include:
- Licensing: New Jersey issues state-specific licenses to online casinos (e.g., DGE license). Australia does not license offshore operators; the IGA 1997 prohibits Australian-based companies from offering online casino games (slots, roulette, blackjack) to residents.
- Player Access: New Jersey casinos are legal for residents and visitors within state borders. Australian players cannot legally access these sites because they are not licensed in Australia and may violate the IGA 1997 if they use credit cards or unlicensed platforms.
- Taxation and Consumer Protections: New Jersey casinos pay 15% tax on gross revenue and offer responsible gambling tools. Australian players using offshore sites have no local regulatory recourse.
- Payment Methods: New Jersey casinos use US-based banking (e.g., PayPal, ACH). Australian players would need to convert currency and may face blocked transactions under Australian banking laws (e.g., the 2019 ban on credit cards for online gambling).
Key Takeaways for Australian Players
While New Jersey’s online casino launch timeline demonstrates a mature, regulated market, Australian players should heed the following:
- Legal Risk: Accessing any offshore online casino, including those in New Jersey, may breach the Interactive Gambling Act 1997. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) actively blocks unlicensed sites and can penalise operators, but individual players are rarely prosecuted—however, you forfeit all consumer protections.
- No Australian Licenses for Online Casinos: Unlike New Jersey, Australia does not issue licenses for online casino games (only for sports betting and lottery products). The only legal online gambling options in Australia are licensed sportsbooks (e.g., Sportsbet, Ladbrokes) and government-run lotteries.
- Payment and Banking Issues: Australian banks and payment providers (e.g., Visa, Mastercard, PayPal) are prohibited from processing transactions to unlicensed offshore gambling sites. You may face declined deposits, frozen funds, or chargeback disputes.
- Responsible Gambling: New Jersey casinos offer tools like deposit limits and self-exclusion, but these are not enforceable in Australia. If you use a VPN to access a New Jersey site, you lose all protection and may violate the site’s terms of service.
- Final Advice: The safest approach for Australian players is to only use licensed Australian sports betting sites (for sports only) or government-regulated lotteries. For casino-style games, the IGA 1997 effectively bans them for residents. Always consult the ACMA’s list of blocked sites and avoid any offshore platform that markets to Australians.