Resorts Atlantic City to Launch Sports Book Wednesday

Posted on: August 14, 2018, 06:59h. 

Last updated on: August 14, 2018, 06:59h.

Philip Conneller @casinoorgphilc Read More
Expertise: Gaming Business, Regulation, Tribal Gaming.

A week after Resorts Atlantic City became the first entrant to New Jersey’s online sports betting market with tech partner DraftKings, its new land-based offering is now ready to go.

Resorts Atlantic City
Resorts Casino Hotel is Atlantic City’s oldest, celebrating its 40th birthday this summer. Tomorrow it launches a sports book for the first time, the fruit of New Jersey’s seven-year legal battle to regulate sports betting. (Image: Resorts Casino Hotel)

At 11am on Wednesday The Resorts Sports Book will become the seventh land-based operation to join the emerging New Jersey market since the state won its seven-year legal battle to offer sports betting. The first was Monmouth Park on June 14.

The new sports book will feature an interactive lounge with a 12-foot video wall and 15 television screens, six betting windows, and four self-serve kiosks, according to a news release.

SBTech Quietly Building Market Share

While Resorts has partnership deals with both DraftKings and PokerStars parent The Stars Group for online and mobile betting, the land-based operation won’t be bearing either of those brand names. At the beginning of July, Resorts announced a partnership with SBTech — a global provider of both online and live sports betting solutions – to supply its on-property operations.

After conducting a comprehensive selection process to find the right sports betting supplier, we feel that SBTech offers the right combination of deep regulatory expertise in the world’s most dynamic and demanding markets and the scalability to support our ambitious multi-vertical plans,” said Resorts President and CEO Mark Giannantonio of the deal.

SBTech also has a deal in place with Churchill Downs to supply a sports betting solution for Atlantic City’s Golden Nugget. No timeline been set for the Golden Nugget roll-out, although when it happens, NBA betting will be missing from the menu. The casino is owned by Tilman Fertitta, who also owns the Houston Rockets, and so  is prohibited from offering bets involving the league.

Analysts Cautious on Atlantic City

While Atlantic City’s casino sector is expected to have benefited in July from the launch of its sports betting market — as well as two new casinos, The Hard Rock and Ocean Resort — analysts are cautious to pessimistic about the long-term robustness of the sector.

“I expect the numbers to be up,” industry consultant and former Atlantic City casino executive Steve Norton told the Press of Atlantic City on Tuesday. “But, I don’t see (many) positive(s) outside of July and August.”

“Atlantic City needs to change its method of business,” he said. “Until we get some new markets, we’re going to get curiosity seekers and little more. Atlantic City will be a weekend destination like it was before casino gaming.”