Esports Betting in New Jersey

New Jersey Esports Betting Guide 

New Jersey has always been on the cutting edge of developments in the online gambling industry and when it comes to eSports betting, the Garden State is right there at the forefront yet again. 

In January of 2022 the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement granted a license to operate to VIE.gg. They are the first US-based betting site with a primary focus of eSports wagering. 

Wagering on eSports is the fastest growing element of the sports betting industry. Estimates are that the handle on eSports betting will reach $205 billion by 2027. Over $1 billion was wagered on eSports in 2021.

New Jersey Esports Rules

The New Jersey ​​Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) is in charge of licencing and regulating all forms of gambling operating in the state and that includes any forms of eSports betting. 

In New Jersey, the tax rate on gambling revenue is 8.5 percent of land-based revenue and 13 percent of online betting revenue.

Players must be at least 21 years of age to legally bet online on eSports at a sports betting site. 

Available Games To Bet

Popular eSports games upon which wagering is offered include League of Legends, CSGO, Dota 2, Overwatch, Call of Duty, VALORANT, Hearthstone, PUGB, Rocket League, Rainbow 6, Fortnite and FIFA. 

All of the same types of bets that are offered on traditional sports are available, including moneylines on outrights, tournament winners, match winners and MVPs of events. There are also prop wagers relating to matches and to specific players, as well as a variety of live betting options. 

Vie.gg, New Jersey’s First Esports Sportsbook, Shuts Down

When Vie.gg launched as not only the first all-esports online and mobile sports betting site in New Jersey, but all of the United States, critics wondered loudly whether there was any chance that it would work.

As things have turned out, in this case the critics were spot on. Esports Entertainment Group, operators of Vie.gg, shut the site down as of Nov. 1, 2022.

“We have made the difficult decision to close Vie.gg,” the company announced in an email to users of the site. 

Vie.gg remained open until Nov. 1, giving players the opportunity to close out their accounts. After Nov. 1, Esports Entertainment Group indicated that any accounts still remaining open beyond that date would be automatically closed. Any remaining balances of $1+ were to be returned via check and sent to the address registered with each account.

Vie.gg was launched in New Jersey in April of 2022 accompanied by much fanfare. “As the first licensed Esports-focused betting site in North America, we’re thrilled to fully launch the VIE.gg platform in New Jersey, one of the largest and most promising jurisdictions for sports wagering in the country, “ Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group, said in a statement at the time of the launch. “We are pleased with the completion of the soft play period.”

However, while Esports betting is exploding in other parts of the world, it just never caught on with New Jersey bettors. Esports Entertainment Group has seen the company’s stock fall 70% over the last six months and 90% during the past year.

Typical New Jersey Online Esports Betting Offers

The two most popular forms of signup bonus offers provided by New Jersey online esports sites are risk-free first bets and matching first deposit bonuses. The latter is generally a percentage of a player’s initial deposit to their account that is capped at a specific amount. For instance, DraftKings offers a 20 percent first deposit match up to a max of $1,000. 

Risk-free bets are also capped at a certain amount and return the wagered amount to the player in the form of site credit if their first bet is a loser. At Bet MGM, they provide New Jersey newcomers a risk-free first bet worth up to $1,000. 

Some sites also offer New Jersey-specific promotions. Bet a same-game parlay on the NHL of at least $10 at Unibet and be entered for a chance to win New Jersey Devils tickets. 

NJ Esports FAQ