We’re less than two months away from the start of legalized and regulated real money internet gambling in New Jersey. Unlike Nevada, where only online poker is permitted, New Jersey will allow full-scale online casino games. On Friday, New Jersey regulators confirmed a start date of November 26.

A “soft play” period is necessary prior to the launch date, according to an article that appeared on NorthJersey.com: “Prior to the commencement of full internet gaming, each permit holder will be required to engage in a limited internet gaming ‘soft play’ period. Soft play is intended to resemble full internet gaming, but will be restricted to invited patrons only and will continue for a minimum of five calendar days. The purpose of ‘soft play’ is to test the internet gaming permit holders’ systems in a ‘live’ environment.”

The same New Jersey news outlet explained that once the “soft play” period concludes, pending regulatory approval, sites will be able to advance to offering full blown online casino gambling to anyone within the state’s borders.

NorthJersey.com added, “A permit holder may offer full internet gaming on the first available date of November 26 only if the permit holder commences its soft play period five days prior and completes the soft play period in a manner satisfactory to the Division.”

New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak (pictured), who has been instrumental in bringing online gambling to the Garden State, was quoted in a PokerNews article as saying, “I think we’re going to have a vibrant internet gaming market in New Jersey generating revenues for casinos and the state, and keeping people employed. This is the start of something I believe is going to evolve into New Jersey dominating the national and international market of internet gaming.”

What we can expect from a poker standpoint is still up in the air. Nevada has a population of 2.7 million, while New Jersey is triple that at 8.8 million. According to PokerScout, which tracks online poker room traffic, Ultimate Poker, one of Nevada’s two regulated online poker rooms, has a seven-day running average of 140 cash game players, good for 36th worldwide. WSOP.com, the other regulated site, has cash game traffic of about half that total. Both are on the cusp of offering major online poker tournament series in the next month.

When could states like Florida, California, and Illinois hop on the internet gambling bandwagon? Lesniak relayed, “I think they’re going to wake up and see the benefits that are coming to New Jersey, but they will also realize that it’s not easy to set up a regulatory scheme, attract investors, and have the liquidity to make it work. Even the bigger states will find it in their interests to come to New Jersey.”

Check out our New Jersey poker community to see what else is making headlines.

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