NJ Online Operators: Leaders, Followers and Pokerstars

Thanks to the online gambling bill signed by now troubled Governor Christie in 2013, only the 11 existing brick-and-mortar casinos were allowed to run online poker sites. It implies that the likes of @Borgata, Ceasars and Trump Plaza are fighting hard for what is still a newborn and limited market, but the current NJ experiment is way more than a local tycoons brawl.

Ceasar’s backed 888poker has been making the news recently with goofy PR stunts (offering some NFL Player $88,800 to change his name), plus offers (80% rakebacks until March) that would make you think again about moving in The Garden State. Will #888poker reignite the rakeback war that hurt so many operators in the golden years of online poker?

For now it is more of a desperate move by one of the weakest operators to attract players and raise awareness, but it certainly doesn't go unnoticed. Results are yet to be seen, with the growing field of players - over 150'000 by early January and growing -  acclaiming @PartyPoker.com and WSOP.com, with both sites dominating the local industry revenue as of January.  

Though Borgata/Partypoker’s lead has encountered technical difficulties that may have frustrated many players, it is a strong advantage for one of the oldest online poker brands before the real competition begins. PokerStars will have to iron some legal glitches involving owner Isai Scheinberg and some "unresolved Federal indictment" before entering the place, a recurring situation for the world’s biggest online operator and a major setback in this tight race.

But with a yearly forecast guessed to be anywhere between 40m and 80m in 2014 for online poker alone, PokerStars would be a strong boost to the New Jersey Tax Authority great hopes and would seriously rock the already heavy boat of current online poker operators.