New Jersey Online Poker Players Leave Illegal Sites Choosing Regulated Ones

Online poker players in New Jersey prefer legal gambling sites to unregulated establishments.

Poker players in New Jersey prefer to go playing at online poker sites regulated under the new American gambling laws instead of spending time and money at semi-legal establishments. These were the findings of a recent poll, carried out by a gaming research company – Commercial Intelligence.

The research results revealed 35 percent of current online games in the state of New Jersey have only started to visit online gambling sites in the USA after the licensed online facilities were introduced. Out of the remaining 65 percent of gamers, 35 percent have moved their gambling from unlicensed sites to fully regulated establishments.

Comments by the researchers

A gambling poll on legal poker has been conducted in New Jersey

• Results reveal a switch to poker sites regulated under American gambling laws
• More and more poker players choose to gamble at legal sites in New Jersey
• Regulated poker sites bring in increased gambling tax revenues for state coffers.

The head of Commercial Intelligence research, Geoffrey Dixon, has shared the following with American gambling news: “Of the online players that we researched just two weeks ago, 35 percent had only begun gaming online following New Jersey’s decision in November 2013. This level of take-up, coupled with the movement to approved sites, represents a compelling fiscal case study for states seeking to cut their budget deficits.”

The results of the special gambling research poll were presented to the industry and the public at the ICE Totally Gaming Exhibition, which took place last week in London.

Notes on the gambling poll results

The researchers were quick to add some notes to the poll. The poker cash game traffic numbers have been increasing steadily for online poker rooms not regulated in New Jersey, but still targeting American market. Those figures could seriously affect the findings of the poll.

The median poker cash game traffic has increased by approximately 400 players, which is roughly a 13 percent rise. This figure represents only 2014 period. The whole online poker market in New Jersey is now averaging around 560 players, which represents a 10 percent increase.

More conclusions drawn from the gambling poll

The Commercial Intelligence findings of 35 percent of gamers commencing their online gambling careers can mean other things as well. Since the new players were joining the newly opened totally regulated facilities in New Jersey, it can be concluded that they are attracted by all the media coverage, which followed the introduction of legal gambling facilities in the state.

Another important suggestion about the poll is that perhaps, online poker players in the state are simply opening up accounts at legal New Jersey online poker sites, but really continue to play at their favorite poker rooms.

Regulated poker sites trend

Mr. Dixon has also spoken about what new trends can regulated American poker rooms in New Jersey start. It is clear to him that much higher gambling tax revenues should be reaching state coffers in the very near future.

Commercial Intelligence head researcher had the following comments about the future of online poker in the United States: “All eyes are on New Jersey as a possible barometer of success for other states and our findings identify a huge fiscal reward in terms of tax yields derived from regulated gaming. The impact of the New Jersey test bed is significant for the future of online gaming across the USA.”

He went on to add: “Furthermore, of the online players that we researched just two weeks ago, 35 percent had only begun gaming online following New Jersey's decision in November 2013. This level of take-up, coupled with the movement to approved sites, represents a compelling fiscal case study for states seeking to cut their budget deficits.”

Regulated online gambling in the USA

Currently only three US states allow fully regulated and legal online gambling: New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware. Nevada was the pioneer in this respect offering sportsbooks and poker to online gambling enthusiasts, while Delaware followed in November 2013.

New Jersey was the last of three to jump on the legal online gambling bandwagon. NJ, however, is offering a full range of online gambling facilities, as compared to limited choices in the other two states. Online gambling is only legal to state residents, however.

It’s quite surprising that no more states are following suit, considering that positive results of legalization in these three are already in. People are switching from illegal sites to fully regulated ones, resulting in increased gambling taxes and subsequently state revenues.

There’s lots of talk about similar legalization in the other states, although none have come up with a concrete date or fully accepted law change proposals. As for the legal gambling on federal level – American gamers may still have to wait a long time until that becomes a reality.