New Jersey Online Casino Licence
The New Jersey Casino Control Commission (NJCCC) is an independent licensing authority and regulatory body that controls the gambling business in New Jersey. They issue licences to casino operators and their key employees. The NJCCC and its departments are governed by State Laws, Federal Regulations, and the Casino Gaming in New Jersey Act, last amended on February 26, 2013.
Contact Details
Online Gambling Licenses: Types and Fees
The Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) was created under the New Jersey Casino Control Commission (NJCCC). Their responsibilities include:
- control over the activities of licensees
- determination of fees
- making decisions on penalties and revocation of permits
An online gambling licence is issued for a period of 1 year and requires annual confirmation.
In New Jersey you must obtain permission to work in the gambling industry if you are:
- an organiser of gambling entertainment
- an employee associated with the gambling process or a Company Manager
- a service company
Personal licences of casino employees (Casino Key Employee License) are required for employees who are directly involved in the gambling process or if you are a member of Company Management.
Licences are issued:
- Temporary - valid for 60 days
- For a year - requires annual confirmation
- For 5 years - issued to applicants who have met the qualification requirements of the Commission for at least 5 consecutive years
First time employees are required to complete a Casino Employee Registration Form and complete the fingerprint procedure.
Suppliers, manufacturers, service companies and laboratories that issue certificates of conformity for software and equipment of gambling establishments are subject to licensing in accordance with Articles 5: 12-92 and 93 of the Law.
LICENSE | ISSUANCE FEE (in USD) | ANNUAL RENEWAL (in USD) |
Vendor Registration | 2,000 to 5,000 | 2,000 |
Casino Key Employee License | 750 to 4,000 | 750 |
In New Jersey, the gambling licence fee is at least $200,000. The exact amount is determined by the Gambling Control Department and the Chief Commissioner based on the cost of verifying the information submitted by the applicant.
For online casinos the costs are:
RESOLUTION | COLLECTION AMOUNT (in USD) |
Initial Licence - Deposit | 100,000 |
Initial Licence - Insurance | 300,000 |
Renewal Licence - Deposit | 100,000 |
Renewal Licence - Insurance | 150,000 |
Responsible Internet Gaming Fee | 250,000 |
A non-refundable deposit of at least US $100,000 is required with each licence application. Upon approval of the application, the fee is counted as payment for the issuance of the licence.
Authority and Jurisdiction
The NJCCC regulates the work of licensees in New Jersey and Atlantic City. The regulator's activities are regulated by the New Jersey Administrative Code Title 19K.
The NJCCC is included in the National Center for Responsible Gaming and works closely with local and federal law enforcement agencies and competent regulatory agencies in the United States and abroad.
Companies and individuals registered outside the state are eligible to apply to open a business in New Jersey.
Arbitration
Pursuant to the Law (Article 13: 69-1.2r), a dispute is a player's unsatisfied complaint after the licensee has failed to resolve the issue.
Applications must be sent to the Commission using the online games dispute form. They must be accompanied by a copy of the original complaint that was filed with the licensed operator and their response.
The licence holder must record and store all complaints and responses on their servers.
For questions and complaints from players about playing online games, please call (609) 984-0909 or email: igaming@njdge.org.
Return to Player (RTP)
For games on the Internet, the licensee's software must be configured in such a way that the return to players is at least 83% of the amount of bets placed.
How to Get a New Jersey Licence
The operation of online gambling establishments is regulated by Article 6C of the Law. Operator's equipment and any software related to internet entertainment must be located in Atlantic City or the State of New Jersey. However, if no out of state bets are going to be accepted then the servers can be located outside of New Jersey and Atlantic City.
The following can apply to open an online casino:
- Businesses with a hotel contract.
- Landlords or tenants of hotels that meet the requirements for setting up a land-based gambling establishment.
- Companies or individuals who have an agreement with a licensee to obtain the right to operate a casino.
- Individuals or organisations that own a hotel with an open gambling establishment or the land on which it is located.
- Affiliate enterprises of a licensed Internet gambling operator.
Companies applying for a licence are assessed by the Commission in categories:
- the total number of licensed gambling establishments in the state
- total area of ownership
- the number of guest rooms
- the number of slot machines located
- the number of board games
- net income
- number of wins in board games
- the number of wins in slot machines
- the number of personnel
Applicants for online businesses must submit a completed Business Entity Disclosure Form. Companies must comply with the New Jersey Law and Administrative Code and partner with licensed land-based establishments.
Officials and Directors (the list of persons is determined by the Gambling Control Department) must submit a multi jurisdictional personal history disclosure form in writing and in electronic form on the Department's website.
Forms and information about how to complete them are posted on the regulator's website. Two hard copies of the application and a computer disc marked “Casino Licensing Filing” are submitted to the Division by mail.
Taxes
Licensees with permission to conduct online gambling are required to pay an annual gambling tax of 15% of gross income, for online tote betting it is 13%.
Alternative investment tax for online gambling licence holders is 5%. The Atlantic City Casino Reinvestment Authority is paid 2.5%.
Land Based Casino Licensees pay a daily parking fee of $3 for each parking space used by visitors to the gambling establishment. This amount is determined by the NJCCC and is donated to the New Jersey Casino Income Fund and the Atlantic City Casino Reinvestment Authority.
A licensed operator in New Jersey is required to contact the user using the contact details provided during registration. If it is not possible to contact the player, 50% of the remaining amount goes to the licensee and 50% will be transferred to the Casino Revenue Fund account (Casino Revenue Fund or CRF).
On the 5th January 2011, the Law was amended to provide for a pilot program. They allow the Commission to issue two additional types of licences: for small casinos and staged licences.
A gambling establishment with no more than 24,000 square feet is considered small. The establishment must have no more than 34,000 square feet of floor space to obtain a phased permit.
Applicants must have at least 200, but no more than 499 hotel rooms and have a minimum deposit of at least USD 1,000,000 in the company's accounts.
Under the pilot program the law permits obtaining no more than two licences at the same time, one of which must be phased. The Commission evaluates applications in accordance with the developed criteria, including the possibility of maintaining or creating jobs, the pace of development of the project and the benefits from its implementation.
$0.50 is donated to the New Jersey Casino Income Fund, and the remaining $2.50 is given to the Atlantic City Casino Reinvestment Authority. The commission determines and confirms the amounts to be paid by each establishment.
This is a special account opened for the implementation of social programs for the elderly and people with disabilities in New Jersey. Licensees of land-based establishments are required to contribute amounts equivalent to 8% of the gross income to the fund annually.