New Jersey (NJ) took a bold step by legalizing online gambling in 2013, becoming one of the first U.S. states to offer regulated iGaming. What began as a strategic move to reinvigorate Atlantic City’s struggling casino market has since evolved into a billion-dollar digital economy. Ten years later, New Jersey is known as the gold standard for states looking to legalize and expand their online gambling sectors. From robust regulations to impressive economic impact, New Jersey’s iGaming journey has reshaped how Americans play online casino games for real money. This detailed guide breaks down everything you need to know about how NJ became a top national model in the gambling industry.
When then-Governor Chris Christie signed the New Jersey Internet Gaming Bill into law in February 2013, the move was met with cautious optimism. It wasn’t the first state to introduce online poker, as Nevada had just gone live with real-money online poker games. New Jersey was the first to go all-in with a full suite of thrilling online casino offerings.
By November 2013, many leading online platforms affiliated with brick-and-mortar casinos were live, offering a wide variety of enjoyable games such as:
Slot Machines
Blackjack
Poker
Roulette
Craps
Baccarat
Specialty Games
Live Dealer Games.
The main goal behind New Jersey’s iGaming launch was to bring Atlantic City’s casino economy online, which was ultimately successful.
New Jersey’s meticulous regulatory approach is a significant reason for its success. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) crafted a robust licensing and compliance process that prioritizes security, fairness, and consumer protection.
Online casino and sports betting operators must undergo extensive vetting, meet strict anti-money laundering and Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines, and continuously report data to the DGE. Notably, all platforms must be partnered with licensed Atlantic City casinos, tying digital success to the local economy.
The DGE’s transparency and regular reporting also helped boost public trust. Monthly revenue data, audits, and game fairness certifications became standard, setting the model many other states later followed.
The financial returns have been staggering. Since 2013, New Jersey has collected over $1.5 billion in tax revenue from online gambling. In 2023 alone, iGaming revenue topped $1.9 billion, representing more than a third of total gaming revenue in the state.
This digital surge supported thousands of jobs, from software developers and customer support agents to compliance officers and marketing professionals. The industry's success also benefited from the following factors:
Local Tourism
Hospitality
Education
Health Care Services.
Beyond taxes, online gambling injected life into Atlantic City at a time when many feared its decline. This revitalization is often credited with helping stabilize the region’s economy during national casino expansion and growing competition from neighboring states.
New Jersey offers the ideal conditions for operators to grow. The competitive landscape features big names like the following, all of whom have tailored their platforms to local preferences.
BetMGM Casino
FanDuel Casino
Caesars
DraftKings.
One major driver of operator success is the sheer variety available to users. Players in NJ can play casino games online across hundreds of slots, live dealer tables, and interactive game shows. There are outstanding features such as personalized promotions, mobile-first design, and loyalty programs tailored to New Jerseyans that further strengthen retention.
Operators also benefit from the state’s willingness to innovate, whether through approving live dealer games, expanding the esports betting sector, or exploring shared poker liquidity with other states.
Rather than viewing iGaming as competition, Atlantic City’s casinos have largely embraced it as a complementary channel. Each online license in New Jersey must be tethered to a physical casino, ensuring that digital revenue also flows through traditional institutions.
The physical presence also enhances legitimacy. Players trust platforms associated with well-known resorts, and the ability to resolve issues in person, such as payout disputes or account verification, adds an extra layer of confidence.
New Jersey’s blueprint has inspired more than a dozen states to explore or adopt online gambling laws. Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Connecticut all took cues from NJ’s regulatory playbook, and some even borrowed language verbatim from its legislation.
Beyond frameworks, the success of cross-platform play, mobile integration, and live dealer adoption in NJ paved the way for similar rollouts elsewhere. The DGE’s collaboration with tech providers helped streamline compliance tools for newer markets.
What stands out most is New Jersey's credibility to the entire U.S. iGaming industry. Once viewed as risky or fringe, regulated online gambling is now a respected vertical in the American entertainment economy, largely thanks to NJ’s leadership.
The future is bright, as New Jersey shows no signs of slowing down. The state is actively exploring many different innovations, including the following:
Crypto-friendly payment options (pending regulation)
On-demand sports simulations and virtual casino games
AI-driven responsible gaming tools
Enhanced affiliate marketing oversight.
For players, the future means more ways to play online casino games with better personalization, faster withdrawals, and more immersive content. As technologies advance, features like virtual reality (VR) and blockchain mature, making NJ poised to remain at the forefront of innovation.
Ten years ago, New Jersey took a gamble on digital gambling, and it paid off. What started as a way to revive Atlantic City has evolved into a nationwide blueprint for legal, regulated, and consumer-friendly iGaming. Through smart legislation, a commitment to fairness, and constant innovation, New Jersey has built a digital gambling ecosystem that delivers value for players, operators, and the state. As more states look to enter the online casino space, NJ will continue to serve as the model, showing how to do it safely and profitably, with the player always at the center.
