New Jersey casinos have until the end of this month to apply for an online gambling licence with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, regulators have announced. Foreign software firms and companies based out of state that intend to partner with the casinos need to file their applications by 29 July.

This is so that regulators have sufficient time to consider all applications in detail and to investigate all companies that are not registered in New Jersey.

Companies that are granted an online gambling licence will be allowed to officially launch online casinos on 26 November this year. The tight deadline is putting casinos under pressure as the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has a number of strict requirements that some might fail to comply with in time. According to regulators, licences will be awarded only to companies that meet the highest standards. This raises the question of how many of the 12 Atlantic City casinos will be prepared to apply over the short period left before the deadline and how many will prefer to wait and submit their applications at a later date.

We expect the largest American casinos will apply for licences and some of them have already formed partnerships with online gambling providers from out of the country such as 888 and bwin.party.