The Michigan Gaming Control Board announced this week that it has entered the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement. The release notes that this now allows Michigan poker sites to share player pools with ones in Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey.
Currently, the only legal interstate poker site is WSOP.com. That is expected to change with Michigan joining the gaming pact.
There are three New Jersey poker sites that operate in Michigan; WSOP.com, BetMGM, and PokerStars. BetMGM shares its poker network with Partypoker and Borgata Poker.
WSOP.com also operates in Nevada. 888, its software provider, holds the Delaware online gaming contract from the state lottery. This allows it to be the only legal poker site in the United States with interstate player pools.
Currently, BetMGM and PokerStars player pools are entirely intrastate. However, by late 2022 or early 2023, it is expected that will change. Both sites hope to expand their liquidity by merging player pools. BetMGM is rumored to launch its Nevada poker site later this year.
BetMGM Poker, WSOP.com, and PokerStars all operate poker sites in Pennsylvania. However, that state has not joined the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement.
Allowing BetMGM and PokerStars to increase liquidity will help make the market stronger through competition. WSOP.com holds a monopoly in that aspect, and it has taken advantage of that opportunity, in our opinion. We hope this will force WSOP.com to fix the issues its site has experienced since its 2013 launch.
New Jersey online poker bonus offers
There are three active poker networks in New Jersey. Those are Partypoker, PokerStars, and WSOP.com.
BetMGM online poker bonus
Our top pick is the Partypoker Network. Its skins are BetMGM, Partypoker and Borgata Poker. Each site offers players a 100% up to $1,000 first deposit bonus. This clears at a rate of 52% rakeback. It releases in 10 equal increments. For example, players that deposit $1,000 will have 10 $100 bonuses. Each release after paying $191.12 in rake at cash games or tournaments.
Players have 120 days to clear the poker bonus at BetMGM, Borgata Poker, and Partypoker. Any bonus that has not met the wagering requirement by that time expires. Bonus funds that were previously released remain in the player’s account. Players may take advantage of all three bonuses on the Partypoker Network.
There is a second bonus at all three Partypoker Network sites that may be used with the first deposit bonus. That is up to $75 in free tournament tickets. Deposits from $10 to $499 receive $25 in free tournament entries. It is $50 for $500 to $999 deposits and $75 for deposits of $1,000 or more.
PokerStars bonus offer
Our next pick for legal New Jersey online poker is PokerStars. Players may choose between two bonus offers. One is a $50 in free Spin & Go tickets. These are three-handed lottery sit and gos where the prize pool is random. This is triggered by playing one real money hand.
The free Spin & Go tickets must be used within seven days of receipt. It is awarded as two $5 tickets on the first day after playing a real money hand, two $5 and a $10 ticket on day three, and two $10 Spin & Go tickets on day five.
The other PokerStars bonus option is a 100% up to $600 first deposit bonus. It clears at a rate of 100 VIP Points per $10 in bonus. This equals 55% rakeback. Use the code STARS600 when depositing for this offer. It may span a total of three deposits to cover the entire $600, or you can deposit it in one or two deposits. Players have 120 days to clear the bonus.
WSOP.com bonus offer
We rank WSOP.com a distant last place in the New Jersey online poker industry due to its terrible customer service, slow payouts, terrible software, and incompetent management. We do not recommend playing there. The fact that it is the only legal interstate poker site in the United States is not enough to offset what we feel are severe operational issues that the site has failed to address for almost a decade.
If you still want to play there, new players receive a 100% up to $1,000 first deposit bonus. It is equal to 20% rakeback, the lowest of all legal US online poker bonuses. Players have 90 days to clear the bonus. It releases in $100 increments.