# NJ opens online gaming to public **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 26, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-opens-online-gaming-to-public/674814 "2013-11-26T12:52:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-opens-online-gaming-to-public/674814/1 "2013-11-26T12:52:23Z")
Online gaming opened to the public at midnight. It seems like it’s only for NJ residents. I’m not sure how they enforce that but I think you need a driver’s license and other verification of residence. > [@](#): > > State gaming regulators today gave six Atlantic City casinos permission to open up their internet gambling websites to the public at midnight. > > Thirteen websites will be allowed to lift testing restrictions at that time, said David Rebuck, the director of the state Division of Gaming Enforcement. During the test, which started last Thursday, the digital casinos have been limited to 500 players at a time. > > “For the general public to understand, after midnight tonight, the casinos will offer their games to anybody in the state who wants to register or wants to attempt to register,” Rebuck said during a conference call with reporters this afternoon. > > Rebuck said there were no “no significant, widespread regulatory problems or identified any technical barriers for going live to the rest of the state.” > > The announcement means New Jersey has hit its target date, launching an entirely new industry nine months after Gov. Chris Christie signed a law permitting it. Regulators achieved something many in the casino business did not think was possible. > > Still, a number of challenges remain. Many banks — as well as American Express and PayPal — will not process gambling transactions, making it difficult for some players to deposit money on the websites. Executives and regulators hope more banks will become comfortable as time goes on. This is probably great for the state and the casinos but I don’t know how it will be for people with gambling problems. For hard core gamblers it’s a non-issue. You can easily get an offshore account and connect through a VPN. Payments are charged to a credit card with no problem. But for less sophisticated gamblers, the ones who are also more likely to lose their shirts, I have to wonder how this will work out. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-opens-online-gaming-to-public/674814/2 "2013-11-26T14:48:49Z")
Its kind of strange how little fanfare there has been. Or really any kind of hype. Hell, I’m even “friends” with the Borgata on Facebook and there was barely any mention. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-opens-online-gaming-to-public/674814/3 "2013-11-26T15:15:33Z")
To quote South Park, ‘[it’s a Jersey thing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_a_Jersey_Thing).’ 😃 Seriously though, since in theory at least, this is only supposed to apply to NJ residents, there probably isn’t any reason for there to be any announcement on any national or international forums. But you’re right. It’s a little odd that there wouldn’t be any mention of it at all. Plus it will be interesting to see just how easy or difficult it is to get around those resident-only restrictions. If I’m right about needing a NJ driver’s license or other id, just using a proxy server or something like that isn’t going to cut it unless you happen to know someone here and use their’s. And I assume that there will be some sort of penalty for people who let their ids be used fraudulently. I’ll try to keep an eye out for related stories. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-opens-online-gaming-to-public/674814/4 "2013-11-26T18:50:48Z")
From the Borgota’s website: > [@](#): > > Q. Do I have to be a resident of New Jersey to play? > A. No, you only have to be within the State of New Jersey to play. A verification process will take place to ensure customers are located within the state. I just signed up and they gave me $20 without needing to deposit anything, but when I tried to play some blackjack, I got a pop-up telling me they’re having technical issues validating my location and to try again later. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-opens-online-gaming-to-public/674814/5 "2013-11-26T19:01:18Z")
I first learned about this via a [Slashdot story](http://slashdot.org/story/13/11/17/2013230/nj-gamblers-may-be-locked-out-by-flaws-in-virtual-fence) about problems with the “virtual fence” they are setting up. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-opens-online-gaming-to-public/674814/6 "2013-11-26T19:02:23Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > From the Borgota’s website: > > I just signed up and they gave me $20 without needing to deposit anything, but when I tried to play some blackjack, I got a pop-up telling me they’re having technical issues validating my location and to try again later. Cool. Thanks for the report. I just heard that they are having problems in some fringe areas like Cherry Hill, Hoboken and other areas close to the border. Maybe later I’ll log off of my VPN and try to log on to one of the sites. I’m far enough away from NY and PA that it shouldn’t be an issue for me. The problem is that I really rely on my VPN for a lot of stuff and have it set up so that I can’t do much without it so it’s more trouble than it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-opens-online-gaming-to-public/674814/7 "2013-11-27T13:23:49Z")
I was surprised at the lack of publicity leading up to the start of online gaming. [Apparently the media blitz is coming.](http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/11/online_gambling_new_jersey_internet_betting_poker_blackjack_roulette_slot_machines.html#incart_river) ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-opens-online-gaming-to-public/674814/8 "2013-11-27T13:56:35Z")
Thanks. I was watching the financial news coverage of this yesterday and it looks like the projected revenues for the state will be between $400B and $500B for 2014. I don’t know what the tax rate is on casino profits but I have to imagine that this will be a huge payday for them. They also mentioned that what makes NJ an especially attractive state for this is the fact that it has a population about 5 times that of Nevada I think. The importance of that is for online poker. Since you need other people in order organize games, a large pool of potential players means more action and more revenue. And even if you only have single digit participation from the population at large, that’s still a lot of people. Another interesting point was the fact that the one thing you still CAN’T do is sports betting. I forget what the hangup there is but that’s been blocked in the courts for some reason. Christie is trying to get around that and they seem to be optimistic about a workaround but as yet you still can’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-opens-online-gaming-to-public/674814/9 "2013-11-27T14:09:03Z")
> [@deltasigma](#): > > Another interesting point was the fact that the one thing you still CAN’T do is sports betting. I forget what the hangup there is but that’s been blocked in the courts for some reason. Christie is trying to get around that and they seem to be optimistic about a workaround but as yet you still can’t do it. Its against federal law. NJ voted to legalize sports betting but the [Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_and_Amateur_Sports_Protection_Act_of_1992) prohibits it at the federal level. There are exceptions for only a couple of states including Neveda and Delaware. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-opens-online-gaming-to-public/674814/10 "2013-11-27T14:22:20Z")
Thanks again. I did a search a found a [news story](http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/11/christie_other_state_leaders_will_continue_fight_to_legalize_sports_betting_in_nj.html) that explains some of the background. Christie seems to be hoping to get that statute ruled unconstitutional. > [@](#): > > New Jersey is asking a federal appeals court for another chance to make the case that the state should be able to legalize sports betting at its casinos and horse racing tracks. > > Gov. Chris Christie — joined by leaders in the state Legislature and the owners of Monmouth Park Racetrack — is asking for a rehearing before the full 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia. In September, a three-judge panel from the 3rd Circuit ruled that a federal statute barring states from legalizing or regulating sports betting is constitutional. > > But in a petition filed late Friday, lawyers for the state call the 2-1 decision bizarre, saying the judges’ interpretation of the federal law — the U.S. Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act — is “strained.” > > “New Jersey’s effort to shift sports wagering out of black markets and into closely regulated casinos and racetracks was approved by overwhelming majorities of the electorate and the Legislature,” the attorneys wrote It really is pretty absurd. I can easily bet on sports if I want to using any variety of offshore gambling sites so this really is stupid. It’s no different than online poker which is a multibillion dollar a year business. It seems like nothing more than a couple of states trying to protect their existing monopolies, which in fact they’ve already lost.