I spend a lot of my free time enjoying freemium gaming at sweepstakes casinos. However, whenever I’m in New Jersey, I always check if the New Jersey sweepstakes casino that I signed up to complies with local laws. 215l6n
Sweepstakes casinos operating in New Jersey must comply with local legislation to be legal in the state. I’ll unravel the law, show you how to stay on its good side, and describe some of the games you could play at sweepstakes sites that are legal in New Jersey. You’ll get all the deets if you keep reading.
Playing at sweepstakes casinos that are legal in New Jersey can be fun and rewarding, but there are also downsides. Here’s a quick look at the pros and cons of playing at these sites
Sweepstakes casinos are only legal in New Jersey if they comply with local legislation on sweepstakes. Here are some takeaways I’d like you to keep in mind:
New Jersey is one of the first US states to legalize online real-money gambling, so it’s only natural for it to be one of those states where you can explore free-to-play casino gaming. That said, the State of New Jersey has strict legislation that must be met before a sweepstakes site can legally operate within its jurisdiction. I’ll peel back some layers of these rules later in this review, but in the meantime, that…
“For a sweepstakes brand to be legal in New Jersey, it has to abide by certain New Jersey sweepstakes rules”.
So what should you expect at sweepstakes sites that legally operate in New Jersey? For starters, you won’t be using real money at these sites. Like all other sweepstakes casinos across the US, you’ll use virtual currencies known as Gold Coins or Sweepstakes Coins (some brands might get creative with the names, but the principle remains the same). Let’s see how these virtual currencies work:
These are used just for fun and have zero monetary or redeemable value. Most sweepstakes sites offer you a significant amount of them, but you can’t exchange or swap them. You can get GC from gameplay, bonuses, promotions, and non-mandatory GC package purchases.
Unlike GC, you can redeem your SC for alternative prizes once you meet the site’s prize redemption requirements. Like GC, you can claim SC from bonuses, promotions, gameplay, and mail-in requests. However, you can’t purchase SC, but you can often get some as a free extra with your non-mandatory GC package purchases.
Each US state where sweepstakes casino gaming is legal has specific requirements governing the operation of these sites within that jurisdiction. Regardless of the state, these requirements have one central principle: free entry into the sweepstakes promotions.
Here’s where it gets interesting. New Jersey is looking to take things further with the ing of Bill A5196. Essentially, this new bill requires online sweepstakes casinos to become licensed by the New Jersey Gaming Commission.
Bill A5196 stipulates that online sweepstakes casinos are also required to do an audit using an independent third party and submit the results of this audit to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. The idea is for sweepstakes sites to the integrity of their operations and their financial standing before receiving a license. In addition, there would be a biannual audit requirement once a license is awarded.
Although the bill is yet to be ed, here are some of the rules New Jersey sweepstakes sites must adhere to:
Given that there might soon be changes in New Jersey's sweepstakes laws, you might want to keep an eye on this page for the latest updates about the state’s local legislation regarding sweepstakes casinos.
I had access to multiple sweepstakes casinos that were legal in the Garden State. There are several reasons why you should explore sweepstakes gaming at legal casinos in New Jersey, but I’ll quickly sum them up here:
Sweepstakes casino offer | Available for New Jersey gamers |
Welcome bonuses and promos for existing s | Yes |
Immersive games | Yes |
Reliable payment methods | Yes |
Prize redemption | Yes |
Mobile gaming | Yes |
The best part of it all is that playing at the sites is really easy, thanks to the seamless sign up processes. On average, it took me five minutes to get signed up at my preferred sweepstakes brands. Here are the steps to take:
Don’t skip reading the site’s T&Cs and Sweepstakes Rules because that's where you’ll find valuable information that can affect your gaming experience at the site. For instance, important details like sweepstakes casinos' redemption time limits are often couched in the fine print on the T&C page. Without such information, you might make costly mistakes when trying to redeem your SC for alternative prizes.
One thing that I like about sweepstakes casinos that legally operate in the Garden State is that they all boast an impressive variety of games that you can play for free. Here are some of the games that I’ve enjoyed playing whenever I’m on these sites.
Table game enthusiasts will always find a variety of table games to explore at the site. Whether it's Roulette, Baccarat, Poker, or Blackjack, there’s always an abundance of options to explore. Leading providers power the games, so you can count on playing games with great visual and audio effects. I’d recommend the following titles:
If you’re looking to have a live Vegas-style gaming experience wherever you are, New Jersey sweepstakes sites have got you covered. I’ve always been impressed by how the gaming studios recreate a gaming experience that feels like you’re sitting across from a live dealer in Vegas. Better still, all the live dealers that I’ve met were extremely professional and courteous. Some of the live dealer games you might want to explore include:
I’m one slots enthusiast who’s seen it all, so it takes a lot to impress me. But boy, was I impressed by the variety of slot titles across the New Jersey sweepstakes brands I’ve been on. These slots come in varying themes, features, and options, including progressive jackpots, hold and win slots, bonus buy slots, and megaways, to mention a few. Besides the impressive variety of slots available, I also found some of the highest RTP casino slot machines at these sites. Based on my experience, you should check out these slots:
Here’s a quick tip. Start your gameplay with your GC (they are more numerous and have no redeemable value after all), then when you’ve gotten the hang of the games, you can switch to using your SC.
Sweepstakes gaming is legal in 40+ states in the US, but I’ve only played in two states besides New Jersey. The first US state where I tried my hands at sweepstakes gaming was New York. Here’s how sweepstakes brands operate in New York:
You can check our full guide to sweepstakes laws in NY and sweepstakes casinos in New York for more info.
Pennsylvania is the second state where I’ve played at an online sweepstakes brand. Although contests and sweepstakes promotions in the state are subject to general promotion law, there are still lots of great options to explore there. You can find in-depth info about how sweepstakes gaming works in Pennsylvania in our full guide to sweepstakes laws in PA and sweepstakes casinos in Pennsylvania.
New Jersey’s sweepstakes laws are binding on all sweepstakes casinos within the jurisdiction. As such, sweepstakes sites must meet provisions such as age limit, zero purchases, and the no ment rule to be legal in the state.
I played at several sites that legally operate in New Jersey. Besides the generous welcome offers, I had access to exciting games, intuitive interfaces, and great customer . If you haven’t played at a sweepstakes site that is legal in the Garden State, now is the time. However, you’d need to confirm that any of the sites you play at complies with local legislation before you sign up to the site.
To play at sweepstakes gaming sites in New Jersey, you must be of legal age in that jurisdiction. The aim of the KYC checks you undergo at gaming sites is to that you are of legal age.
It depends on the casino's specific requirements. Some sites may require a means of identification like a photo ID to confirm that you're a resident of New Jersey who meets the legal age limit.
Only sweepstakes casinos that adhere to the New Jersey sweepstakes rules can legally operate in the state. Before playing at any sweepstakes gaming site, ensure that you its legal status within the state.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.