Even churches would openly hold bingo games in defiance of Federal law.Ītlantic City itself started as a center for health resorts, with the famous Boardwalk area designed to prevent sand from getting into hotel lobbies. It’s well-known that social gambling flourished. Until lotteries were banned in 1844, New Jersey regularly held them to enable funding for the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.Įven after gambling was outlawed, enforcement was incredibly spotty. The authorities within this state have always believed in freedom. New Jersey is a state known for its affliction with gambling.