New Jersey Governor Chris Christie approved Caesars Online Casino to start operating on 21 November 2013. The current legislation permits this gaming giant to offer online casino games to all legal age players – 21 and over – located within the state of New Jersey. Legislation was passed by the Department of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) for all real money casino games. Among others, players can enjoy roulette, video poker, video slots, progressive slots, and blackjack. Caesars Interactive Entertainment in New Jersey is an affiliate of Boardwalk Regency Corporation. CaesarsCasino.com uses the Amaya platform, based in Canada.
Atlantic City Casinos Branch Out
During 2014, Atlantic City shuttered several casinos. This has been done in an effort to protect the industry from oversupply, preserve existing employment and tourism and maintain New Jersey's status as the capital of East Coast gambling. Along the way, several heavyweight casinos had to close their doors as increasing competition from out-of-state casinos began pilfering players from Atlantic City. 
These include the Trump Plaza which closed on 16 September 2014, the Revel which closed on 2 September 2014, The Showboat Casino which closed on 31 August 2014 and The Atlantic Club which closed on the 13 January 2014.
While these closures have certainly impacted on tourism and employment, they may well prove to be the turning point in the re-establishment of Atlantic City. State officials are not standing idly by while New Jersey shutters casinos; the state legislature decided to pass legislation authorising legal online casinos well in advance. Multiple licenses were issued to operators that partnered up with online gaming providers to roll out online casinos. One such operator that emerged as a powerful player in the market is CaesarsCasino.com. As part of Caesars Interactive Entertainment, this online casino has been particularly impressive and popular with players.
CaesarsCasino.com across New Jersey
Getting started at Caesars Online Casino is fairly straightforward. Players simply need to register an account to play for real money. Players will be required to provide specific information, including their name, address, mobile phone number, e-mail and social security number. This data is required to validate your age, identity and your location. All players must be at least 21 years of age to play real money games at Caesars Online Casino. There are two options available with the gaming platform: real money play and practice play. In both instances, there is no download required. The software runs directly off your browser and is fully compatible with Mac, PC, Android and IOS devices.
The gaming selection is vast, and players can enjoy the best online casino slots in the business. These include the following titles: Hotshot, Quick Hit Platinum, Double Da Vinci Diamonds, Wolf Run, Cleopatra, Big Vegas, Kitty Glitter, The Vanishing Act, Vegas Hits and monopoly among others. The slots typically feature five reels, and players can enjoy a wide betting range starting at $0.01 per spin. To cap it off, new players can register and qualify for a $10 free bonus, plus up to $300 in welcome bonus cash on their first deposit. Beyond slots, there are many other games available to patrons, including blackjack variants, roulette variants, a wide range of table games, jackpot games and an impressive range of video poker attractions.
Millions of Dollars in Tax Revenues from Online Casinos
Gaming aficionados have been hedging their bets that online casinos hold the key to promoting established brands while generating valuable tax dollars for state coffers. It comes as no surprise that top companies like CIE have been generating impressive returns in 2014. The year-to-date Internet gaming gross revenue generated by Caesars Interactive Entertainment stands at $23,990,067 (August 2014). The year-to-date 15% tax on gross gaming revenue for online casino games is $3,598,510. The websites reporting monthly Internet gross revenue for CIE include 888.com, WSOP.com, HarrahsCasino.com and CaesarsCasino.com.
During August, New Jersey recorded fantastic online gaming figures. According to the DGE, the online gaming market generated $10.5 million in revenues for the month. This is $400,000 better than the figures recorded for July 2014. Revenue from online poker rooms in the state amounted to $2.3 million – up 5% from July, while online casino games accounted for a total of $8.3 million. Of that figure, Caesars Interactive New Jersey generated $2.7 million. Owing to the revenues being generated by online casinos, West Virginia is now weighing the option of legalising online gaming. Recently, the West Virginia Gambling Commission came under fire for its anti-smoking legislation at gambling establishments. As a consequence, many players turned to online games instead.
Will West Virginia take a cue from New Jersey?
iGaming is big business in the US, and West Virginia is looking to capitalise on this growing trend. The goal in all cases is to partner land-based casinos with online casinos to offer their games on a state-wide basis. Typically, the way this works is by ensuring that geolocation tracking, age and identity checks, and responsible gaming are undertaken at all times. West Virginia has also seen declining revenues from online lottery games, as casinos in Ohio and Maryland continue to attract players to their establishments. It hasn't helped that smoking has been banned in all gaming venues, leading many to suggest that the ban has resulted in a 20% decline in gaming revenues.
