If the USA's northeast seaboard is on your travel bucket list, chances are you might be planning to visit Atlantic City to play at the casino; after all, this city has been popular for decades for people seeking sun, beaches and anyone who enjoys playing for real money.
There are lots of popular attractions in New Jersey, but this state is especially renowned for Atlantic City due to the beautiful beaches and bustling nightlife.
What you might not be aware of is that there are now loads more opportunities as when gambling in this state, you are not restricted to only visiting a land-based casino.
These days, the state is also home to some of the best real money online casinos and boasts huge named casino brands like Golden Nugget Casino, Draftkings Casino, and Caesars Palace.
Different Laws in Different States
The USA has relaxed attitudes to gambling in the past decade or so. Certain states like New Jersey allow all forms of gambling, whilst others still have a total prohibition, but American citizens and visitors can participate in sports betting and casino games in a growing number of states. In fact, gambling sites in one form or another are now found almost everywhere, apart from in Utah and Hawaii.
However, here, there is something for everyone who wants to play real money online casino games. There are mobile casino games for those who like playing on the go, as well as live dealer options, slots, progressive jackpots, bonus options, and classic table games.
How to Choose Where to Go
Sometimes having too much choice can make it difficult to decide, rather like a child in a sweet shop, a visitor to the Garden State can find themselves overwhelmed with choice. So anyone looking for a real money casino would be well advised to seek some expert advice before they dive in and deposit real money.
You need to feel confident that you are in the best casino for your style of play before you start playing. If you fancy a full-on casino experience with all the bells and whistles, you might choose to go to one of its top-notch casino resorts.
Top-rated Casinos in New Jersey
What are the best casino resorts in the Garden State and more specially Atlantic City?
Let’s get into it!
1. Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
The young and edgy Hard Rock Casino resort is a relative newcomer to the Atlantic City strip, but one that has added a much-needed dash of spice and energy to the location.
This resort opened in the former Trump Taj Mahal space last summer, immediately stamping its visual mark with a giant guitar situated out front and music memorabilia lining every interior wall.
Outside of the casino, you’ll find outstanding entertainment options abound, with big names like Maroon 5 and Rascal Flatts regularly appearing and playing live music.
Then there’s the location’s popular ‘Sound Waves’ space, which plays host to smaller live acts while doubling up as the Howie Mandel Comedy Club.
As for the wagering, you’ll be able to access more than 2,300 slot machines at the Hard Rock Casino, some of which regularly deliver big, six-figure payouts.
There are also more than 130 tables in play here, hosting popular iterations of blackjack, roulette and baccarat. You can also play craps and free bet blackjack, the latter of which offers free gameplay and a genuinely fun experience.
Poker fans won’t miss out either at the Hard Rock Casino, with the Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em iteration and Three Card Progressive jackpot providing some thrilling payouts!
2. Tropicana Casino Resort
If you visit NJ and have a day to spare, you could do far worse than visit the immense Tropicana Casino resort.
It’s certainly possible to spend the day in this vast corner of Atlantic City, which always boasts a bright, loud and carnival-like atmosphere and some of the best entertainment options in the whole of New Jersey.
For example, in which other single resort can you visit a downtown shopping mall, eat at a high-quality restaurant, drink your body weight in alcohol and wager your hard-earned money?
The truth is that the Tropicana stands apart from most of its rival NJ locations, and this is before we even get to the casino floor.
Make no mistake; the gaming floor spans 50,000-square feet (or 4,600 metres squared), with this home to more than 2,400 different casino games and around 1,500 slot machines.
The resort even has a ‘High Limit Slots Area’, which is located just off Palm Walk and elevates the typical slot gaming experience to an entirely new and exciting level.
Once again, popular iterations of blackjack and roulette are well represented on the live tables, while you can also play poker, baccarat and craps within a broad and accessible betting range!
3. The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa
In the burgeoning NJ iGaming market, there’s a much wider range of casino platforms in play, while Time2play compares New Jersey casinos in comprehensive detail so that you can make an informed decision.
The offline market is a little harder to navigate, of course, but one name remains iconic and continues to stand out from the crowd in New Jersey.
Of course, we’re talking about the Borgata, which recently celebrated its 15th year of operation in the NJ marketplace and continues to offer the best offline gambling experience in the state.
From the moment you set foot in the Borgata’s marble-lined lobby (which is adorned with Chihuly glass sculptures), you know you’re walking through a serious establishment, which is highly decadent and home to fine dining eateries such as Wolfgang Puck American Grille and the Old Homestead Steak House.
The hotel’s Premier night club regularly hosts the best DJs in the world, while the bustling Event Centre has featured some truly stunning acts since its inception (including the brilliant Britney Spears!).
But what about the casino resort? Well, there’s a staggering 161,000-square-foot casino floor in play at the Borgata, with this home to approximately 4,000 live slot machines at any given time.
Elsewhere on the floor, you’ll find a total of 180 table games, once again providing fun and thrilling iterations of roulette, poker, baccarat and even craps.
There are 50 poker tables alone, hosting high stakes tournaments and some of the most popular iterations known to man (including the classic Texas Hold ‘em Poker).
There’s even a dedicated poker room at the Borgata Casino, where you can play for some really high stakes if you’d like to and do battle with some of the most talented and well-known players in the US!
Other Places to Consider
More popular gambling destinations include:
- Ocean Casino Resort - An upscale hotel with nightclubs.
- Bally's Atlantic City Hotel And Casino - Famous for its dining and shows.
All these casinos are great for travelers playing casino games who want to win real money, and a night or two in one of them will make your trip even more memorable. However, if you fancy having a flutter on the go or while visiting other sites in NJ, you might find playing online more suitable.
Best Real Money Casinos
Real money gambling can be enjoyed from the comfort of your hotel room, Airbnb rental, or even campsite or camper van. The best online casinos are optimized for the browser on smaller phone and tablet screens, and many of them have native apps, so you can keep playing even if the internet service drops or you are trying to conserve your data.
However, while you might have a favorite online casino when you are playing at home, it is good to get some advice to find which ones to jump on and which to avoid while visiting NJ.
Find an online casino review site you can trust
Independent experts
An independent online casino review site has done the hard work for you. Their independent, experienced reviewers check out the offerings from regular promotions for existing players to the best payment method, wagering requirements, security, and game selection.
Follow the advice for the best real money casinos
By following their expert advice, you will be able to play on the slots or whatever game you choose, safe in the knowledge that your real money deposits are secure. If lady luck is smiling, you will be able to access speedy payouts in your account. After all, you do not want your vacation money tied up for days on end in an online casino's bank account.
The Top Five Real Money Online Casino Sites in New Jersey
1. Caesars Palace Online Casino
Plenty of free play
Independent experts rate Caesars Palace online casino as the best online casino you can play at for loyalty rewards. Therefore, if you plan to play with real money more than once on your trip, this online casino is a good choice. However, it is about much more than just the bonus offering; it is one of the best online gambling experiences you can find.
Gameplay with a great bonus twist
Whatever casino games you want to play, whether slots, live dealers, or any other game, you will find attractive jackpots at this real money casino. It also has the largest welcome bonus and features one of the highest win rates at 97.63% of any of the real money online casinos reviewed.
2. BetRivers Online Casino
Real money slots
The casino games that get the highest rating at this online casino are the slots. This mobile casino features over 1,400 real money slots, and instant withdrawals are available when playing via Play+. The win rate is slightly lower than at Caesars at 96.96%, but that is still well above the average of most online casinos. When you play here, you will find an impressive selection of slots.
Bonus wins
There are an amazing 100+ jackpot slots, so hopefully, you will be adding your winnings to your holiday money before too long. This online casino is a solid choice for newbies and pros alike. Newbies can try out casino games in demo mode; even the progressive jackpots have demo versions.
Free play bonus
These let you find out for free what you enjoy before depositing any real money into your casino account.
3. BetMGM Online Casino
BetMGM's online casino is praised for having the most generous no-deposit bonus and amongst the lowest wagering requirements of any of the other top casinos. If you are traveling with a friend who also likes to play at real money online casinos, BetMGM real money casino has a $50 refer-a-friend bonus.
Fair chances
Head to this casino for fair chances, an impressive bonus scheme, plenty of free play, generous jackpots, and a top choice of slots and games to play. When it comes to real money casinos, this one has excellent ratings on the App Store and Google Play store, so fellow gamblers are also enjoying the play here.
4. Golden Nugget Casino
This online casino gets the highest praise for its game selection. There is so much choice for slots and other casino games. Impressive stats for this real money online casino include games from over 25 casino games software developers and 15 bespoke games that are only available at this casino.
The independent reviewers say that most US real money online casinos have around 800 game choices, but this casino has a game library of over 1400 games from big names like IGT and NetEnt. There are over 50 jackpot games, too, which is a bonus in its own right.
Bonus
It also has a $500 referral bonus, so you can play with your travel buddies and share the bonus plays around between you. When it comes to money, it is always great to get some of that for free, and a bonus or two will be great when it comes to spinning the slots.
Mobile casino
According to reviews from iOS and Android users, the games are great in the app, too. The casino offers excellent value for money, plenty of free play via the bonus features, and an impressive game selection.
5. Draftkings Casino
Draftkings Casino will give you a never-to-be-forgotten experience as it has real money games that you will not find anywhere else; these exclusive games really make it stand out from the crowd. You might find a game that will become your holiday or travel memory. There are over 40 game titles that are not available at any of the other online casinos.
Best banking options
Banking options might not be the first thing you think of when making your choice of online casino. However, how you pay is sometimes as important as what you play. This is particularly the case when you are traveling; you need to be able to deposit money at the casino for free without incurring bank charges. It is the same when you come to withdraw your winnings or deposit balance. This online casino has 15 banking options.
High Win Rate
While everyone knows that the online casino always wins in the long run, as a player, you want to feel that you have a decent chance to cash out the jackpot, too. While the gameplay needs to be compelling to keep players coming to casinos, people will only keep coming back if they believe there is a good chance of beating the games. This online casino really delivers on this score with a win rate that is 60% higher than most of the real money online casinos on the internet.
Places to Avoid
As well as telling you about the online casino games that are great, you also want to know where not to play. The advice is that to enjoy your gambling, you need to play responsibly. In order to play responsibly, you need the online casino to play their part, too.
If every time you try to cash out or walk away, they keep trying to lure you back, the chances are that you might end up losing everything you have lost.
Try before you buy - you should be able to play for demos for free
Top-rated real money online casinos offer games that you can play for free. Free-play and demo games give you a great chance to find the slots or other games that will maximize your entertainment.
Online casinos that do not allow you to try for free, probably will not let you withdraw for free either. Dodgy sites often have unrealistic bonuses to lure you in and lock you into a game, but they do not pay out when players hit the jackpots. Sadly, some online casinos are nothing more than elaborate scams.
Expert opinion suggests players do not start a game at any of the following real money casinos:
Betmaster is criticized for unprofessional customer support, site operators being linked to questionable practices, and reports of players' funds not being paid out. No matter how good their game selection might appear to be, the experts do not think this site is one to risk your hard-earned cash on.
Expert reviewers gave this site a measly 1.5 out of 10
Casinoin should maybe called 'Casinoout', and is undoubtedly one iGamers should stay out of the way of. It is not acting responsibly or in the way in which a professional outfit should. The site appears to have the correct licensees, but on closer inspection, the provenance of its licenses is questionable:
- The casino's customer services team were unresponsive
- Customer funds were not paid out when they won a game
- The experts rated it even lower with 1.2 out of 10
Balzac Casino is another real money online casino that seems to want to game unsuspecting players. This can be a real problem for people traveling through a state who do not have time to report dodgy gameplay to the regulator:
- Players complained of withdrawals taking over 18 months
- There were numerous reports of being locked out of accounts
- Customer services were very slow to respond
- The experts scored this site 1.5 out of 10
Enjoy a Gambling Break in New Jersey
There are so many reasons to visit New Jersey, this state is famous for many things including its beautiful beaches, diverse culture, places to eat and outdoor attractions. New Jersey is also consistently named among the safest, healthiest and best places to live in the whole of the USA!
When you visit New Jersey, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that it has everything a traveller could desire. This northeastern U.S. state is easy to get to and has over 130 miles of beautiful Atlantic coast.
Casinos in New Jersey can be enormous fun, whether they are online or at a swanky resort. Gambling can be great entertainment if you set your parameters before you head off to play. Make sure you have set a budget and never borrow money to win back losses. Sometimes, you just have to accept that things did not go your way on this occasion, take it on the chin, and find something else to do.
Wherever you travel in the US, you will find an enormous selection of entertainment and leisure choices. The US East Coast and the Garden State has so much on offer that you will be spoiled for choice. Take a picnic in the park, get to Liberty Island and Ellis Island Museum, take a trip to Hoboken - the one-time home of both Frank Sinatra and Bruce Willis or venture to the Hindenberg crash site. You might stroll along the Hudson River or expand your knowledge at the Liberty Science Centre.
One thing is for sure: you will have an unforgettable vacation and memories and stories to share with family and friends for years to come.
Do you have any favourite gambling destinations in New Jersey? Let us know.
