Is sports betting legal in New Jersey?

The law that started it

New Jersey wrote its sports betting rules for the casinos and the tracks it already had. The law, P.L. 2018, c. 33, was approved on 11 June 2018. It took effect immediately for the casinos and racetracks, and the parts allowing online betting took effect 30 days later.

The Division of Gaming Enforcement regulates the books. Its sports wagering page lists the licensed sports wagering lounges in Atlantic City and at the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park tracks, and every online book licensed under them. I'd check any app against that list. The law says a person placing a bet must be at least 21.

What a New Jersey bettor should know

Every online book here is tied to a casino or a racetrack licensee, and each licensee can run no more than three branded sites, so the list of apps is long but not open-ended. Bets are taken in the lounge, at self-service machines at the property or through an approved online sports pool.

College betting has a New Jersey twist. The law calls it a "prohibited sports event" when a college game is played in New Jersey or when any New Jersey college team plays, wherever the game is. So Rutgers and Seton Hall are off the board, home or away. The law does carve out games played in New Jersey as part of a college tournament that takes place outside the state, and the other games of a tournament a New Jersey team is in. High school sports are banned outright.

I think the market here is about as good as legal betting gets, because a lot of books chase the same customer, and that pushes prices and promotions. Shop it. Holding one account in New Jersey is leaving money on the table.

Winnings are taxable income; the IRS says so plainly.

Where the offshore books fit

Offshore books are not licensed by New Jersey, and the law makes offering an unapproved sports pool a crime. A licensed book that holds your withdrawal has the Division to answer to. An offshore book that does the same has no one. In a state with this many legal options, I can't see the case for taking that risk. Our offshore sportsbooks page covers how those books run.

New Jersey's law requires its books to tell you to call 1-800-GAMBLER if you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and our responsible gambling guide covers the tools available.

*Checked against New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement on 28 October 2026. Laws change; this page is re-checked every quarter. This is not legal advice.*