New Jersey Effectively Combats Illegal Online Gambling Sites

New Jersey’s warnings to online gambling sites poaching the state’s gamblers from its licensed sites seem to be working.

According to new poll numbers, only 16 percent of online gamblers in the state now say they visit illegal unlicensed gambling sites. That’s down from 24 percent in January.

Both polls were conducted by Commercial Intelligence. The follow-up poll surveyed 520 New Jersey online gamblers.

One of the reasons for the decline is the numbef of illegal sites that stopped accepting New Jersey gamblers after state regulators sent cease-and-desist letters to a number of unlicensed sites that allegedly were marketing to players in the state.

Following the letters, the Equity Poker Network, the Winning Poker Network and Bovada poker all stopped accepting New Jersey players. The Merge Gaming Network also had left the state prior to the letters being sent.

The poll also found that many players only started gambling online once New Jersey’s licensed sites began operating last year. In January, 36 percent of respondents stated they hadn’t gambled online before November—when New Jersey’s sites went live—while 44 percent said they hadn’t in the new poll.