New Jersey Casinos - A Complete Guide to NJ Land Based Gambling Venues

Before the current casinos, lotteries were a popular form of gambling in New Jersey. However, in 1844, all forms of lotteries were banned in the state. Before this, however, lotteries had played a crucial role in helping fund the Revolutionary War, as well as the French and Indian War. Even some of New Jersey’s most prominent colleges, such as Rutgers University and Princeton University, were funded with the help of lottery winnings.

The Freehold Raceway, located in Freehold, New Jersey, was formally opened in 1854, although bets were reported to have taken place as early as the 1830s. This track quickly became a popular destination for horse racing enthusiasts and is still in operation today. It wasn’t until 1854 that harness racing was all the rage thanks to events held by the Monmouth County Agricultural Society, which was formed on December 17, 1853.

While racing and sports betting on horses was quite popular, it sadly wouldn’t last long. By 1897, many states had begun to ban gambling entirely, including New Jersey. This led to voters approving a referendum in the New Jersey state constitution that banned gambling in its entirety. While commercial gambling was the main target, other forms of gambling followed suit.

While lawmakers had hoped the ban of 1897 would put a stop to gambling, New Jersey was still a hotspot for lotteries, and even slot machines located inside churches. Still, there weren’t many people enforcing anti-gambling laws. This lack of enforcement and love for gambling led to voters passing a law in 1953 to finally allow non-profit organizations to have bingo and raffles, granted they were approved by municipal governing bodies and subject to state regulations. This marked the beginning of a new era for gambling in New Jersey.

Sadly, 1974 saw even more restrictions on gambling. Fortunately, the Garden State had a change of heart. In an effort to keep money within the state, voters approved a referendum that would allow casinos to open in Atlantic City. This is why today, Atlantic City is known as the East Coast’s answer to Las Vegas, and why all casinos in New Jersey call the boardwalk home.

At long last, decades of underground gambling and makeshift casino operations finally came to an end. In 1978, Resorts Atlantic City opened its doors as the first legal casino in the Eastern United States. This marked a major turning point for New Jersey’s gambling industry, as more casinos began to open on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. Today, Resorts is one casino Atlantic City residents and tourists know and love!

2011 was a big year for gambling in New Jersey. The state passed a bill that legalized online gambling, allowing residents to play their favorite casino games and enjoy a myriad of casino bonuses online. Additionally, sports betting was also made legal, giving New Jersey the ability to compete with other states that already offered this popular form of gambling.

Now, players can easily place bets on their favorite teams and sporting events while also enjoying all the other forms of legal online gambling that New Jersey has to offer. The only catch is that only commercial and professional teams are eligible for sports betting, meaning college teams from New Jersey are still off-limits.