Borgata

The Borgata is one of Atlantic City’s most popular brick ‘n’ mortar casinos. It’s only right, then, that they operate a professional online casino site too. In fact, in 2019, alongside an online casino, Borgata also runs a successful poker room and sports betting operation.

Borgata Casino is operated in partnership with bwin.party and was actually the first casino to get an online license from the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement in 2013. While it lags behind Golden Nugget in terms of overall revenue, Borgata still has one of the most successful internet casinos in NJ.

Borgata Casino welcome bonus

New players at Borgata Casino can take advantage of a one-time welcome bonus. You will have to be 21 or over and playing within New Jersey to take advantage.

The maximum deposit is $600, which puts Borgata in the upper tier of online casino welcome promotions.

Welcome bonus limits: $20-$600
Deposit match: 100%
Play through requirement: 10x

New Borgata players can also earn $20 in Bonus Dollars when they sign up. The wagering requirement on the Bonus Dollars is 1x the amount of Bonus Dollars. You will have to clear your Bonus Dollars first before being able to play through the standard deposit bonus.

Game eligibility: Slots and table games count towards the welcome bonus amount. Most games are 100% eligible but there are around a dozen NetEnt slots that only contribute around 20%.

Who can play at Borgata Casino?

You can sign up and play at Borgata if you are 21 or over. You don’t have to be in New Jersey to open an account, but you will have to be in order to make deposits and play.

There is a standard verification process in play at Borgata online casino. You will need to do this to comply with NJ gaming law and the check takes place just after you register an account. You will have to provide documents like a current US driver’s license or passport plus a recent utility bill.

Borgata uses geolocation to make sure you are located within NJ state lines when you log in and play for real money. Your location is determined using a combination of your IP address and Wi-Fi signal.

Borgata casino browser-based software

If you have played at partyCasino NJ or PalaCasino, you may recognize the software and layout at Borgata casino. All sites operate off the same GVC software platform which is easy to use and accessible via a standard web browser. You never need to download any cumbersome client when playing at Borgata.

You can find games in the lobby listed under familiar tabs like ‘new games’, ‘jackpot slots’, and ‘exclusive games’. However, the lobby is a little too minimal in terms of information. It would be helpful to read information on individual games like RTPs, min/max stakes and top jackpots.

Borgata online smartphone application

Borgata’s online casino has an app that can be downloaded for iOS or Android devices. If you’re on an iPhone or iPad, you’ll need to download the client from the App Store. Alternatively, get the Android casino app direct from the Borgata site.

New games are being added regularly to the mobile versions of Borgata Casino. In fact, the mobile lobby is surprisingly full and you can access slots, roulette, blackjack, live dealer games, and video poker.

There are still only six progressive slots for mobile, but at least half of those are available on the desktop client. You can access big-money games on your smartphone too like MONOPOLY 259k and Mercy of the Gods.

Banking is super simple on the Borgata Casino App. You can make deposits by bank account or card at the tap of a finger.

Games at Borgata Casino

There are around 500 slots and games available at Borgata. The majority of games are video slots, so if you’re expecting a massive range of table action you might want to explore other options. You can’t preview games before logging on, which is frustrating, and there is a general lack of information on individual titles in the lobby.

Online slots

There are nearly 400 regular video slots at Borgata. Most titles are 5-reel slots but and there is a distinct lack of classic 3-reel games on offer. bwin.party also provides around 20 exclusive slots to Borgata Casino’s website.

Borgata enjoys tie-ups with some of the biggest developers around. NetEnt provide several dozen games through its NJ gaming license (e.g. Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest, Divine Fortune) but US giants like WMS (Zeus III) and IGT (Cleopatra, MONOPOLY) are a welcome addition.

The jackpot slots offerings are good for an NJ casino. Many are exclusive to GVC-powered sites like Borgata Casino. There are currently 14 titles including Melon Madness and Luck o’ the Jackpot which have linked jackpots across all participating casino sites. The linked bwin.party jackpot is regularly in six figures.

Featured titles:

Divine Fortune (NetEnt)
Melon Madness (bwin.party)
Starburst (NetEnt)
Cleopatra (IGT)
Gonzo’s Quest (NetEnt)
Guns ‘N Roses (NetEnt)
Zeus III (WMS)

Online Video Poker

Borgata has around a dozen video poker games that are confusingly listed under the table games tab in the lobby.

The highlights are IGT’s range of classic video poker games. You will need to install a Flash Player to play all of IGT’s video poker variants.

Triple Play Draw Poker Multi-Hand features 9 games in one, including Bonus Poker, Deuces Wild, and Deuces Wild Bonus. But you can also find regular Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild variants from Spin Games.

Featured titles:

Triple Play Draw Poker Multi-Hand
Bonus Poker
Double Bonus Poker
Jester Poker
Deuces Wild

Online Blackjack

You can choose from five blackjack variants on the Borgata client. The selection of games doesn’t exactly set the world alight, but stakes are friendly to players of all wallets.

In Multi-Hand Blackjack Pro you can gamble on up to five hands in a single game. But if you like the social element of casino table games, check out Vegas Downtown Blackjack Multi Player. When you load a table, you get to sit down alongside fellow Borgata customers to play hands.

Featured titles:

Multi-Hand Blackjack Pro
Classic Blackjack
Live Blackjack
Unlimited Blackjack
Vegas Downtown Blackjack Multi-Player

Online Roulette

Borgata isn’t great on table games but roulette players have a choice of three or four variants. You can play American Roulette Pro or European Roulette Pro from as little as $0.50 a spin. Alternatively, take on a human dealer with live roulette.

Featured titles:

European Roulette Pro
American Roulette Pro
Live Roulette

Other games

Borgata Casino has a modest selection of alternative games in the lobby. There is a big focus on Slingo, a cool blend of video slots and online bingo. There are nearly a dozen Slingo variants including Slingo Extreme and the branded Slingo Deal or No Deal game.

They don’t go strong on scratchers, however. There are just two or three scratchers based on popular video slots like Medusa and Irish Eyes 2. If you love scratchers you might want to hunt elsewhere.

Featured titles:

Slingo Deal or No Deal
Ghostbusters Spectral Search
Wheel of Fortune Winning Words
Mega Ball Action
Colour Cubes
Medusa Scratch

VIP program and promotions at Borgata Casino

As soon as you sign up to Borgata Casino, you will become an iRewards member. You can earn iRewards Points (iRPs) by playing any real money games.

There are six levels in the loyalty program, and you will need to maintain 15,000 points per quarter to earn the best point redemptions. If you earn 15,000 points a quarter you can earn a redemption rate of 66 iRPs in return for $5 in Express Comps. The exchange rate for $25 in cash is 937 iRPs compared to 5,000 if you are on the bottom tier.

Only the top Black Elite players get a comp room at Borgata Hotel. However, all tiers receive exclusive offers and Borgata discounts when they accumulate points.

Express Comps are a good option if you are a regular visitor to Borgata or any MGM property. Points can be redeemed for rooms, food, or amenities at any MGM casino.

If you can navigate the minefield of Borgata Sports promotions, there is still something to enjoy for Borgata casino players. Regular offers vary from week to week, but include weekly cashback and deposit match deals.

Deposit options at Borgata Casino

You can make real money deposits at Borgata via bank transfer, recognized credit and debit cards, or by cash in person at the Borgata cage in Atlantic City.

The preferred method is the Borgata Online Prepaid Play+ card. You can sign up online and load up your card with a bank transfer, debit card or credit card. Fees may apply, though.

It’s worth noting that acceptance rates for VISA and MasterCard are good when loading cash to a Prepaid Play+ card. The same can’t be said for general VISA or MasterCard deposits, however. We found that around 20-30 percent of card deposits in NJ were rejected. That said, Borgata Casino won’t charge fees when you use a credit card, but you may incur a cash advance fee.

One bonus Borgata Casino has over other large rivals is the range of accepted e-wallets. You can use Skrill or NETELLER online to deposit US funds anonymously.

Current deposit options:

VIP Preferred (ACH)/e-Check
Online Banking Transfer
Borgata Online Prepaid Play+
VISA
MasterCard
NETELLER
Skrill
PayNearMe
Borgata Cage

Withdrawal options at Borgata Casino

As at other NJ online casinos, you won’t be able to withdraw funds to a US-registered credit card like VISA or MasterCard. However, that doesn’t stop you getting your hands on your winnings.

Borgata customers can cash out to an e-Wallet like NETELLER, but you must have used the account previously to make a successful deposit.

We found withdrawal times at Borgata Casino to be quite long compared to other NJ casinos. Internal review processes for cashout requests take up to 5 working days, not including additional processing time.

Current withdrawal options:

NETELLER
Skrill
Borgata Cage
VIP Preferred/e-Check
Borgata Online Prepaid Play+

Customer support at Borgata Casino

Customer service is good on Borgata’s online gambling site. You can use a local phone line or get quick email support. While there is no live chat service, the email support is manned 24/7. We found the customer service staff to be knowledgeable and friendly.

Email: support@borgatacasino.com
Phone: 877-448-5833
Live chat: n/a

Borgata Casino history

Borgata was the first Atlantic City casino to successfully receive an online gaming license from the NJ DGE. Borgata Atlantic City is owned by MGM, who also operate the playMGM online casino and Pala Casino. All online casinos in the group operate off the GVC software platform.

When New Jersey legalized online gambling in 2013, major casino operators raced to acquire a gaming license. And in bwin.party, Borgata managed to attract one of the world’s biggest gaming partners.

In fact, it was partyGaming’s first foray into the US market since it left following the implantation of UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act). Borgata Casino might have been overtaken in terms of revenue by rivals like Golden Nugget but it has one of the biggest all-round online gambling operations.

As well as an online casino, Borgata has a sportsbook through its PlayMGM partner. Mobile sports betting was launched in May 2019.

Borgata Poker Review

Borgata Poker is owned by the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa and is licensed by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE). It’s only available to residents and visitors of the Garden State.

This online poker site operates on the same network as partypoker NJ and playMGM. The three sites united in hopes that sharing their player pools would boost liquidity.

However, these hopes have not come to fruition, as evidenced by the fact that this network has the lowest traffic in the New Jersey market.

Nevertheless, Borgata Poker is worth considering due to their bonuses and VIP program.

How to get started at Borgata Poker

This internet poker room is available for play on Android and iOS mobile devices as well as PC/Mac computers. Of course, you will need to download an app for mobile play and get the desktop client for a computer.

Borgata Poker app

You can download the Android app directly from the Borgata Poker mobile website, but you’ll need to visit the App Store to obtain the iOS client.

Borgata requires players register for an account before gaining access to browse the mobile lobby. The registration process should only take you a couple of minutes to complete.

Desktop download

The Borgata desktop software downloads quicker than what we’ves seen at any other NJ poker site. The software was downloaded and running within a few minutes, versus around 10-15 minutes at other poker rooms.

Borgata is also unique in that they do not require players to register for an account before viewing the desktop lobby. This is an appealing feature for those who wish to browse the software before going through the registration process.

Other requirements for playing

You must be at least 21 years old and located within state lines to play for real money at Borgata Poker. This site — as well as every other in New Jersey — uses geo-location to pinpoint your location.

Geo-location uses your mobile device’s or computer’s Wi-Fi to locate you. The device does not need to be connected to Wi-Fi, but it does need to be within reach of other available networks.

Borgata Poker signup bonus

Borgata offers a welcome package that delivers both a no-deposit and a deposit bonus. Below, you can see the details on each segment of the offer.

Borgata Poker no-deposit bonus

You qualify for a $20 no-deposit bonus immediately after your account is approved. This offer contains two parts:

$10 “cash”
$10 “poker bonus”

The $10 in cash is immediately credited to your account for use in real-money games. The $10 poker bonus must be unlocked by earning 40 iRewards Points (iRPs) before it can be used to play.

The “Rewards” tab in your account will assist you in tracking your progress toward unlocking the poker bonus.

Deposit bonus

The first deposit at Borgata is eligible for a 100% match bonus worth up to $600. The bonus is released in 10% increments as players earn iRPs.

Here’s an example:

You deposit $100, which makes you eligible for a $100 bonus.
100 x 0.1 = 10
Your bonus will be released in $10 increments.

The deposit bonus is released at a rate of $1 per 4 iRPs. Players are given 45 days to collect as much of the bonus as possible before the offer expires.

Other poker promotions available at Borgata

This site is one of New Jersey’s best at offering extra promotions beyond the signup deal. They feature sit-and-go (SNG) leaderboards, special bonuses for SNG players, and land-based poker prize packages.

Our one complaint is that the promos are heavy on SNGs. However, the offers still cover other players, to some degree.

Loyalty program

Borgata features a unique loyalty plan called iRewards, which includes cashback and even comped rooms at the Borgata Hotel. This program offers five tiers and allows you to do a variety of things with your points.

Benefits & levels of iRewards plan

Here are the tiers, requirements, and main rewards available through this program:

Red: automatic enrollment / 2% cashback rate / exclusive offers & discounts
Red Plus: 150 points per month / 4% cashback rate / exclusive offers & discounts
Silver: 650 points per month / 6.4% cashback rate / exclusive offers & discounts
Black: 2,500 points per month / 8% cashback rate / exclusive offers & discounts
Black Elite: 15,000 points per month / 10.7% cashback rate / exclusive offers, discounts & comped room at Borgata

The cashback rate is based on how many iRPs are required to obtain $25 cash at each tier. You’ll find these rates to be much lower than what is offered with other VIP programs in the state.

The biggest attraction, however, is that Borgata Poker has a more-comprehensive rewards program that gains additional value if you visit their land-based casino.

What can you do with iRPs?

You can use your iRPs to get cashback, just as you would with any other online poker loyalty plan. However, Borgata allows you to do more things with your points than other sites.

You can visit Borgata’s iRewards store and purchase special bonuses, electronics, clothing, and more with iRPs. These points can also be used for comps at the Borgata or any other MGM Resorts property.

Games & traffic at Borgata Poker

Although Borgata shares its player pool with partypoker and playMGM, this partnership does not appear to have benefitted them.

The network draws less traffic than competitors PokerStars NJ and the 888/WSOP network. Furthermore, its cash games are mostly confined to the lower stakes.

Nevertheless, Borgata Poker is making an effort to offer a solid variety of games and tournaments.

Cash games

This poker room features the following variations and betting structures for ring games:

No-limit hold’em
Fixed-limit hold’em
Pot-limit Omaha
Fixed-limit Stud

NL hold’em is the only game that draws any real action, leading us to conclude that the other variants are just for show because they don’t attract many players at all.

Hold’em

NL hold’em stakes range from $0.01/$0.02 to $25/$50. We didn’t see any players beyond the $5/$10 blinds during our review.

The micro-stakes action is decent here. However, you’ll likely have to wait on any tables between $1/$2 and $5/$10 to fill out.

Omaha and Stud

We commend this network for at least trying Omaha and Stud games. Unfortunately, these variants draw little-to-no players.

Tournament action

The tournaments at this site aren’t bad in comparison to the underwhelming cash-game scene. Borgata features both $5k and $35k guarantees on Sunday, which are significant prize pools in the Garden State.

This poker room also offers plenty of variety amongst its tourneys. You’ll find deepstack, rebuy, satellite, six-max, turbo, and hyper-turbo events on the weekly schedule.

The satellites are particularly attractiveif you can’t afford the $215 buy-in to the Sunday $35k guarantee.

Other types of poker at Borgata

Borgata’s other offerings revolve around SNGs and a fast-fold poker variant called FastForward. Here’s more on what to expect from these sections.

Sit & Go’s

SNG buy-ins range from $1 to $500, but we only found active tables at the $20 and below buy-in level.

Both NL hold’em and PL Omaha SNGs run at this site, but the PL Omaha tables were completely empty during our session.

FastForward

FastForward poker involves entering a pool of players, rather than just a single table. You’re transported to a different table when your action is finished in a hand.

This fast-fold concept is alluring when considering that it cuts down on waiting time after folding. However, the FastForward tables were barren when we visited.

Borgata Poker deposit methods

Borgata features several options for funding your account. Here’s each method, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each:

ACH (e-checks) – An e-check lets you send money from your bank account to Borgata Poker relatively cheaply. However, it also takes longer than the other methods on this list.
Bank transfer – A bank transfer is a faster way to send funds from your bank to Borgata. The drawback, though, is that this method typically costs more than e-checks.
Cash at the Cage – You can visit the Borgata cage and make a deposit in person. Of course, this option is only convenient if you’re in the Atlantic City area.
Credit cards – Visa and Mastercard are the fastest ways to make deposits. Be aware, though, that they still reject deposits sometimes in the legal NJ poker market.
E-wallets – Skrill is a reliable option for funding your poker account. However, your payment must be approved before it goes through to Borgata.
PayNearMe – Visit a nearby 7-Eleven to deposit in person. This option is often more convenient than driving to the Borgata.

Cashout options

This site’s withdrawal methods aren’t quite as robust as the deposit options. You only have the following choices from which to pick:

ACH – This method is nice for sending funds directly to your bank with no third party involved. However, e-checks can take up to a week to clear.
Cash at the Cage – You can also withdraw money via the Borgata cage. Again, the travel issue can be a problem here.
E-wallets – Skrill also allows for cashouts. However, their fees can be high, especially on larger withdrawals.

Customer support

Borgata Poker offers 24/7 customer service through both phone and email. The addition of phone support gives them an edge over other New Jersey poker sites, which only offer email support.

The website features a FAQs section that covers most issues and questions. Topics include accounts, registration, payments, responsible gaming, security, and technical problems.

Final Verdict

With just 8.9 million people, the New Jersey market hasn’t been able to support a thriving online poker economy. Borgata and its network partners have felt the brunt of this issue more than any operation.

This poker room is almost entirely made up of low-stakes hold’em players. The Omaha, Stud, and FastForward tables are basically dead.

However, Borgata Poker does have some saving graces. Its promotions, support, and tournaments rival any site in the state.

Overall, Borgata is certainly worth considering if you’re a low-limit hold’em player. You should pass, though, if you’re looking for mid-stakes cash games and more variants.