New Jersey was the first state in the US to allow online gambling within its borders. For New Jersey residents well-acquainted with the glitz and excitement of Atlantic City, that was great news.

For the larger number of NJ residents who enjoy gambling occasionally but can’t stand to set foot in the tourist-heavy “gambling capital of the east coast,” it was fantastic news.

But before you rush out to sign up and start cashing in your dollars for chips, there are several things you should know. The first of which being, how the heck do you cash in your dollars for chips?

Making a deposit at a legal online casino in NJ

Before you can start trying your luck against the house, you’ll need some scratch to play with. Just like land-based casinos, NJ online gambling sites will have you deposit funds into their systems and exchange it for digital chips. These chips can be cashed out whenever you’re ready to walk away.

But as a new player, first you’ll want to use an online casino promo code. This allows you to try the various online casinos for free before committing to making a deposit.

When you are ready to make a deposit, you’ll find that many casinos offer deposit bonuses. This is particularly true for first timers. Most have their own loyalty programs that offer unique benefits and rewards for players who spend enough coin.

Here are the most common deposit methods for online casinos in New Jersey.

Cash at the casino cage

Yes, although it’s not the most convenient option, most online casinos accept cash. The catch is that you’ll have to visit the brick-and-mortar casino of your choice and hand your bills over at the cash cage.

Paper checks

Some online casinos accept old-fashioned paper checks as forms of deposit. However, this option is quickly becoming out of date in favor of digital methods such as electronic checks, direct deposit transfers, and prepaid cards.

Check with your online gambling platform of choice to see if they accept checks. And if they do, make sure you get the mailing address of the office that collects them.

Electronic checks

Electronic checks are a common method for depositing money in online casinos. Each eCheck is linked to your bank account of choice and functions exactly as paper checks do—only without the need to send a physical copy through snail mail. Most online casinos in New Jersey accept eCheck deposits and are many players’ preferred option for its simplicity.

Credit and debit cards

The good news first: Most online gambling websites in New Jersey accept credit and debit cards as a form of payment. The bad news is that they’re often rejected when players try to deposit funds. Blame it on the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

While online gambling is legal in three US states, the regulations included in this act pressure banks to disallow online gambling transactions. As such, many legitimate Visa and MasterCard deposits into your online wallet will get rejected out of hand.

In fact, the problem is so widespread that the Tropicana online casino recommends that players don’t even try to deposit funds through Visa or MasterCard. Feel free to give it a try, but be ready with alternatives if your transfer gets declined.

Online bank transfers/ACH

Much like eChecks, online bank transfers (commonly referred to as Automated Clearing House transactions) are another easy and straightforward option for deposits. Most online casinos accept online bank transfers as payments, making this one of the best ways to get started playing as quickly as possible.

Wire transfers

Wire transfers are similar to basic ACH transfers, but tend to be slower and more secure. The primary difference between the two is that each wire transfer is made by a bank employee between two verified accounts.

There is usually a fee for this service, but it offers a better guarantee of security as opposed to the batch processing method of ACH transactions. Some online gambling websites accept wire transfers, but users will be responsible for any transaction fees taken by their banks for the privilege.

eWallets

Many people use eWallet services such as PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller for storing and transferring funds. Depending on your online casino of choice, you may be able to move funds from these eWallet services into your online gambling account.

Research your preferred online casino and see if this option is available. If so, it can be a simple and secure way to fund your account.

Prepaid cards

Many online casinos, such as Golden Nugget, offer prepaid cards loaded with specific amounts of money for use on their sites. These cards function similarly to credit cards, but have the benefit of avoiding the nasty legal complications set forth by UIGEA. All you have to do is pay to play.

As an added bonus, some online casinos offer extra rewards for players who use prepaid cards, such as cashback bonuses or loyalty program points. Depending on the site, these cards may be rechargeable and can be refilled through credit, debit, or ACH transactions.

7-Eleven PayNearMe

7-Eleven and financial services provider PayNearMe teamed up to create a mobile app for financial service management. And as it turns out, some online casinos, such as TropicanaCasino.com, BetfairCasino.com, and VirginCasino.com all accept deposits made through PayNearMe.

Final tips

It’s easy to deposit money in online casinos once you’re acquainted with the methods. But be sure you know who you’re dealing with before you break open your bank. Make sure that every online casino you’re considering is legal, regulated, and licensed to offer real money online casino games.