Caesars Entertainment is preparing to launch two sports betting operations in Atlantic City. Bally’s Casino and Harrah’s, both properties owned by the company, will begin offering sports wagers in the very near future.
Temporary sports betting facilities have been set up at Bally’s in Atlantic City, and both casinos will be building a full sportsbook in the future over a nine-month time frame.
Caesars has decided to partner with Scientific Games for their sports betting offering, and is set to use technology via the OpenBet sports book. Along with land-based sports betting, Caesars Entertainment will be offering mobile wagering in the future. No timetable has been set for the launch of the mobile offering.
Sports betting expansion
The ability to offer sports betting in the US became available back in mid-May when the United States Supreme Court decided to rule that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was no longer valid. This paved the way for states to decide if they want to offer sports betting, with New Jersey among the first to pass legislation on the matter.
Caesars Entertainment CEO and president Mark Frissora said: “The recent Supreme Court ruling allows us to expand our sports betting digital and mobile offerings into new markets. We recognize that our customers expect exciting new appearances, which is why we will continue to offer new products through our mobile and digital platforms and inside our properties.”
Once Bally’s and Harrah’s launch sports betting services this week, there will be four casinos in Atlantic City offering such wagering opportunities. The Borgata and Ocean Resort launched services back in June. The casinos aren’t the only gaming facilities providing sports wagering. The Meadowlands and Monmouth Park horse racing tracks both offer sports betting as well.
By next month, Caesars should be launching sports wagering services in the state of Mississippi. The Horseshoe Tunica and the Harrah’s Gulf Coast will be taking on-site betting, possibly by mid-August.
PointsBet to offer services in NJ
Australian bookmaker PointsBet recently cut a deal with Meadowlands Racetrack to begin offering online and mobile sports betting in New Jersey. The company has plans to launch their signature products by the fourth quarter of 2018 in the state. PointsBet has also partnered with Tioga Downs Casino of New York. The deal with the two race tracks comes just 16 months after the company began offering services in Australia.
PointsBet will be operating a skin in both states under the Meadowlands and Tioga Downs licensing. While the company will be able to start soon in New Jersey, the offering in New York will take a little longer as sports betting legislation did not pass within the recent legislative session. It is expected that the state will move forward with a bill in 2019.
With the launch of PointsBet in America, bettors will have access to a new kind of wagering known as spread betting.
This type of wagering allows bets to be placed on how closely a contest outcome will be in relation to the total, moneyline or spread. PointsBet will also provide a flexible prop betting system, with wagers created by the company and also by users, each offering allowing the company to stand out above the rest.
Chairman of Meadowlands and Tioga Downs, Jeff Gural said: “We were impressed by the PointsBet team from our first meeting. They have a creative approach, with their highly differentiated Points Betting product and aggressive go to market plan. I believe they are the ideal complement to our other partners and am confident they will quickly become a meaningful player in the US market.”
With the addition of Caesars Entertainment properties offering sports betting, plus PointsBet to enter the market soon, New Jersey will soon be booming with sports wagering opportunities for players across the state.