New Jersey DGE Releases Rules Regarding Poker and Casino Bonuses
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) released rules regarding online poker and casino bonuses. An Advisory Bulletin from David Rebuck, Director of the DGE, was released today. The Advisory Bulletin states that “several casino licensees and casino service enterprises which intend to offer Internet wagering to the public have inquired about any limitations regarding marketing, bonus, or complimentary programs”.
The bulletin pertains mostly to how casino bonuses operate. Operators will be permitted to offer deposit bonuses where there is a cashout restriction. These are generally bonuses where players are offered a match bonus and must meet a wager requirement before requesting a withdrawal. For example, a player might receive a 100% up to $100 deposit bonus. A player may be required to meet a wager requirement before requesting a cashout. Wager requirements are often 20 times to 100 times the initial bonus offer, depending on what games are allowed under the bonus terms.
New Jersey will allow operators to restrict withdrawals of winnings and bonuses until such a wager requirement is met. Players must always be able to withdraw an amount up to the original deposit, provided it is still available in a player’s balance at the casino and has not yet been wagered. This rule is different than most online casinos are accustomed to in other jurisdictions.
The bulletin also tells casinos that wager requirements cannot carryover after a balance reaches $0 as the promotion ends under this scenario. Some online casinos have been known to carryover wager requirements even after a player busts, although most have adopted a policy that a bonus expires as soon as a player’s balances is less than $1.
New Jersey online casinos will be required to clearly disclose all terms and conditions of bonuses and promotions. This includes wager requirements and cashout restrictions. There may never be a cap on winnings from a bonus.
New Jersey online casinos and poker rooms will not be allowed to offer wagering-based promotions for at least 30 days after online gaming is available to the general public. An operator that wants to offer such a promotion will need to “demonstrate the ability to generate accurate revenue reports”.
These restrictions do not apply to any offers related to brick and mortar promotions.
The full Advisory Bulletin may be found here.