The online gaming news in New Jersey normally revolves around big-time names like PokerStars, 888, and WSOP.com, but residents of the state now have a new option for their internet gambling needs (wants?): PlaySugarHouse.com.
The SugarHouse Casino is a brick-and-mortar gaming joint in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, situated on the Delaware River about an hour or so from Atlantic City. The launch of the new gaming site will likely come as a surprise to most people, not just because it is not the usual big, international online gaming firm that is starting it up, but because the site was so lightly publicized.
It appears that the SugarHouse Online Casino will be casino games only, not online poker. That means, as is the case with most online casinos, that customers will be bombarded with the flashy graphics of dozens of slots games. Slots, slots, and more slots. Fortunately, most games can be played for mere pennies, so for the disciplined, it will take lots of button mashing to go too broke too fast. SugarHouse also offers video poker, blackjack, and various table and card games like roulette, Let it Ride, and three card poker.
In a press release, Richard Schwartz, president of Rush Street Interactive, the company that developed and operates PlaySugarHouse.com, said that his site offers “….a unique player experience that delivers more because New Jersey players deserve more.”
“We keep our slot minimums low and offer extremely low-stakes table games, so you can play longer and make your entertainment budget go further. And still win big.”
As someone who used to grind casino bonuses back in the day (one dollar blackjack hands, anyone?), one very notable thing about SugarHouse Online Casino is that its deposits bonuses require just 1x playthrough. That means if you receive a $20 deposit bonus, you only need to wager $20 to earn it. I am not all that familiar with casino bonuses nowadays, but when I did play for them, playthrough requirements could be as high as 20x. It also appears that the bonuses are able to be cashed out just like any other money, unlike some that can only be used for wagering. Those are the work of the devil.
Rush Street Interactive is a subsidiary of Rush Street Gaming, the company that owns the SugarHouse Casino in Philly. Other properties in the Rush Street portfolio include Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, Illinois, Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, and Rivers Casino & Resort at Mohawk Harbor in Schenectady, New York. Looks like someone got created with the SugarHouse name.
Our readers may remember that in order to be licensed in New Jersey, online gaming operators must have their servers on the property of an Atlantic City casino. That SugarHouse is a Philadelphia casino, then, may look strange. PlaySugarHouse.com is actually operating under Golden Nugget Atlantic City’s permit and was thus able to get cleared for takeoff. The company also opened a customer service office in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
PlaySugarHouse.com runs on its own proprietary software; it did not borrow from an established online gaming operators. It also has apps for iOS and Android. As one would expect, those who wish to play for real money must be located in New Jersey and be at least 21-years old. People outside of New Jersey may still register and deposit, but can only participate in play money games.
