Are Welcome Bonuses Legal in New Jersey?
Yes, welcome bonuses are entirely legal in New Jersey. Online casinos are allowed to make special offers for first-time customers, provided that they are legally eligible for playing.
Casinos must have legal information about the bonuses on the page, although some sites display this more prominently than others.
Casinos offer welcome bonuses as a means of attracting new customers. By providing a solid welcome bonus for new customers, an online casino may hope to lure you away from another casino.
What Exactly Is A Welcome Bonus?
A welcome bonus is reserved for new customers to an online casino. It is an offer that becomes effective immediately after you sign up.
Welcome bonuses come in many shapes and sizes, which you can read below.
Why Take A Welcome Bonus?
There are two strong reasons to take a welcome bonus.
- They start you ahead of the house with free bonus money
- They are risk-free and you can opt-out
Welcome bonuses give you something for free or add bonus money to your deposit. (Read our guide to casino bonuses to learn more about the different kinds of rewards.)
The great thing about welcome bonuses is that they’re not binding. You can:
- not opt-in for them when you sign up
- opt-out later
- let the time expire on the bonus, which cancels it
Benefits of welcome bonuses:
- Start out ahead of the house!
- Can take welcome bonuses from multiple casinos
- Opt-out or let time run out if you decide you don’t need it
Types of Welcome Bonuses
There are a few kinds of welcome bonuses you’ll find offered by legal online casinos in New Jersey. Below you’ll find a description of each.
New Player Welcome Bonuses
New Player Welcome Bonuses are available to anyone registering for the first time at a casino. So you don’t need to be new to casino games, just new to that online casino.
No Deposit Welcome Bonus
A no deposit welcome bonus is probably the most attractive for brand-new online casino players.
If you’re a bit hesitant to get started – and we all remember how it feels! – this gives you some free bonus money to play with. And you don’t have to put down a penny…or even provide any financial information.
But no deposit welcomes make great sense for intelligent, experienced players. Playing with a free $20-30 is nothing to sneeze at, especially if the low wagering requirement.
No welcome deposit bonuses are no commitment. Satisfy the wagering requirement if you win and want to keep your money while playing for more.
If not, opt out or let the time run out on the offer.
Deposit Match Welcome Bonuses
You will also see offers of deposit matches. You’ll see your first deposit matched with bonus dollars with this welcome bonus.
Bonus dollars can generally be played with like real money on most slots. They are usually valid for play with table games, but you may have a higher wagering requirement for these.
Deposit matches are not always met at 100%, but we think you should, in general, look for those 100% matches.
Focus: Big Deposit matches!
BetMGM and Golden Nugget offer $1,000 deposit matches on your initial deposit.
But as you see, these welcome offers are quite different.
| BetMGM | Golden Nugget | |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus Amount | $1,000 max | $1,000 max |
| Wagering requirement | 15x | 20 x (or 10x deposit + bonus amount) |
| Time limit | Three days | 30 days |
| Minimum deposit | $10 | $30 |
| Game weight | Slots: 100%, Jackpot slots: 50%; Video Poker: 25%; Blackjack, Craps and Roulette: 20% | Slots, 100% Roulette: 25%, Blackjack: 25%, and Video Poker: 25%. |
In short: BetMGM gives you a better deal. But you’d need to satisfy the wagering requirement in just three days as opposed to Golden Nugget’s 30.
If you’re playing anything other than slots, neither of these offers will do much for you due to the game contribution/weighting.
While we don’t like Golden Nugget’s advertising 10x wagering requirement when they base that on the deposit and bonus amount, still, a wagering requirement of 20x is reasonable.
What to look for – and look out for – with deposit matches:
Wagering requirement: how many times do you need to wager your deposit amount? Does the casino require you to wager the deposit plus the bonus amount? If so, that essentially doubles the wagering requirement.
Validity: how long do you have to satisfy the wagering requirement?
Game weighting: not all games contribute 100% toward satisfying the wagering requirement. Slots generally do, but some table games may not.
Is the bonus a 100% match? You’ll see them granted for more or less.
Welcome bonus codes
Sometimes you will need to use a welcome bonus code. Even if you click on one of our links that takes you directly to the registration page, you’d still need to enter the code.
Generally, you enter the code on the last page of the registration process.
If you enter a welcome bonus code, you won’t usually need to opt-in for the bonus. It is assumed that you are opting in if you enter the bonus code.
Solutions for Common Issues
These are some common points of confusion or concern that many players have regarding welcome bonuses.
I don’t want a welcome bonus anymore
No problem. Just opt-out from the bonus in your account. If you don’t see that option, contact customer support.
You can also just let the bonus expire.
I can’t see wagering progress of my welcome bonus
There is some variation between casinos regarding your progress in satisfying your wagering requirement. But generally, this can be tracked in your account’s “My Bonus” tab.
My offer page is not showing a bonus
If you follow one of our links, that will take you directly to the registration page, where you can opt-in for bonuses.
If you’ve already registered for an online casino, you may see bonuses and promotions on offer under their dedicated tabs in your account.
How to Withdraw Your Winnings
Withdrawing your money after using a casino bonus happens in two stages:
- Satisfy the wagering requirement
- Pick your withdrawal method
As mentioned above, you must first satisfy your wagering requirement. After you’ve done that, click to withdraw and choose your withdrawal method.
Maximum Win Limit
While some illegal offshore casinos have win limits, you’ll not find those among New Jersey’s legal online casinos. Some casinos give free spins on jackpot slots as a welcome bonus!
Check out Golden Nugget’s free spin bonus offer on their Megaways slots!
Cash Out Limits
A cashout limit determines how much you can withdraw at once.
Generally, you are free to withdraw as much of your own money as you want at once from New Jersey’s casinos.
Time Limits
Welcome bonuses are only valid for some time after they are redeemed. This limit can vary between a few days and a few months, so be sure to check the limit.
Focus: Hard Rock’s Welcome Free Spins
Hard Rock’s bonus offer is an excellent example of a time limit. They restrict you to specific slots for each of the initial days of your new membership.
Get 10 Free Spins each day for 5 Days:
Day 1 – 10 Free Spins on Starburst
Day 2 – 10 Free Spins on the Guns N’ Roses slot
Day 3 – 10 Free Spins on Divine Fortune
Day 4 – 10 Free Spins on the Jimi Hendrix slot
Day 5 – 10 Free Spins on Finn and the Swirly Spin
Conclusion – Tips When Using A Welcome Bonus
In summary, these are some essential tips to bear in mind when you’re looking for your welcome bonus:
- Read the Terms and Conditions
- Check wagering requirements
- Make sure your preferred payment method is accepted
- Check your Welcome Bonus’ validity period
Playing high RTP games using perfect strategy is the best way to stay ahead after the lead you have from a welcome bonus.
Remember that gambling should be fun, but don’t get caught up in harmful practices. Play with your head, manage your bankroll, and have fun!