History of Gambling in New Jersey
The state of New Jersey has had quite a long history with gambling and, in many ways, it was always more accepting than other parts of the country. There is documented history of numerous lotteries being run within New Jersey until they were eventually banned in 1844. These lotteries had even been used to fund wars and the construction of public buildings.
New Jersey is also home to the oldest racetrack in the United States, Freehold Raceway, where horse racing was first held in 1830. In the 1890s, voters began to change the law and outlawed gambling within the state. Gambling remained illegal until 1939, although enforcement was lacking. After 1939, gambling at racetracks was legalized once again, followed by other forms of gambling.
It wasn’t until the mid-1970s that casino gambling was considered once again. The state initially voted against it in 1974, before the law was passed to allow it once again in 1976, but only in Atlantic City. Two years later, the first casino opened – it was called Resorts Atlantic City.
Casinos in New Jersey
As mentioned, the only legal casinos in New Jersey are found in Atlantic City. A number of casinos had to close after 2006 after the state cut funding to its New Jersey Casino Control Commission, which limited the number of officials who could monitor casinos. While several had to close, there are still around seven operating today.
Players will be able to enjoy all of their favorite casino games in Atlantic City’s casino, including slot machines, Poker, Roulette, Blackjack, and Baccarat. Besides casinos, there are also seven types of lotteries to play, horse racing to bet on, and other forms of gambling.
Top Casinos in New Jersey
| Casino | Games | Other Features | Contact |
|
Borgata Casino
|
3000+ Slots 180+ Table Games Poker |
Nightclub Restaurants Spa Bars |
1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, NL 08401 609-317-1000 |
|
Caesars Atlantic City
|
2000 slots Table Games Poker |
Salon Spa Nightclub Restaurants Live Entertainment |
2100 Pacific Avenue Atlantic City, NJ 08401 609-348-4411 |
|
Tropicana Casino
|
2600+ Slots 170+ Table Games |
Restaurants iMax Salon Spa Hotel |
2831 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401 800-843-8767 |
|
Bally’s Atlantic City Casino
|
Slots Table Games |
Hotel Live Shows Spa Night Club |
Park Place and Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401 800-225-5977 |
|
Golden Nugget Casino
|
1500 Slots Table Games Poker Rooms |
Live Shows Hotel Restaurant Bar |
Huron & Brigantine Blvd, Atlantic City, NJ 08401 800-777-8477 |
Online Gambling in New Jersey
New Jersey is one of only a few American states that officially allow online gambling. In order to be officially allowed, an online casino will need to get approval from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. The good news is that there are quite a few approved casinos, offering a wide variety of online casino games to play. Approved casinos will bear the official sticker from the division, so keep an eye out for it.
The Future of Gambling in New Jersey
With previous casino closures, we can’t say for sure if this trend will continue or not. However, with online gambling becoming legal, it is likely that this sector will experience huge growth going forward, with more and more online casino getting approval to operate in New Jersey.