We have been getting bombarded ever since New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed an online gambling bill into law for residents and visitors to the Garden State. Everyone wants to know what this all means and when can they start betting online. The belief in New Jersey is that an online wager takes places where the wager is accepted, so most of the answers revolve around the Jersey Shore gambling mecca. Below we answer some of the frequently asked questions regarding the New Jersey online betting law.

Q: The top question has been “When?”, as in “When can I start betting legally online in New Jersey?”

A: Not for some time. Some analysts have said that it will take 18 months to 2 years  to get online gambling up to its full potential. However, there are revenue figures in the budget that starts in July and some operators, like Poker Stars should be able to get ready very quickly. However, there need to be rules and regulations in place, vendors found and tests run. Look for online gambling in some form this year, but limited and not until after the summer tourist season ends.

Q: “Do I need to live in New Jersey or can I just just play in New Jersey?”

A: Players need to be physically located within the borders of New Jersey to play online. In addition,as it stands right now, players will have to physically go to Atlantic City to  open accounts.

Q: “What games are there going to be?”

A: The law is written so that anything offered at brick and mortar casinos in AC is allowed to be offered online. This includes casino games, as well as poker.

Its companion question is usually, “Can I bet on sports online in NJ?”

The answer is No. You can’t bet on sports, yet, in casinos or racetracks in the state, so you cannot bet sports online either.

Q: “So now I am allowed to play online with a place in Costa Rica or England, right?”

A: Again, No. NJ residents are only allowed to play at casinos based in Atlantic City.

Keep in mind that many of the smaller operational questions have yet to be figured out by lawmakers and the industry. There is speculation that accounts will be able to be funded with ACH payments, debit cards and credit cards, but these have not been clearly outlined yet. Nor have any limits, initial games or registration information been given. From what we have been able to tell, they don’t even know how much a license is going to cost yet! So clearly, this is a HUGE victory in a state with 9 million residents, but online gambling will take some time to unfold in New Jersey.