Three new sports betting apps have been launched for Apple devices in New Jersey. This is a great move for Apple users in the region, who can now place sports bets from anywhere in the state, once they have an internet connection.
The new apps are provided by BetStars, playMGM and 888Sport, and were launched without much hype on the App Store.
Many people had been anticipating the playMGM app, in particular, as it had launched the Android version in August. 888Sport and BetStars launched their respective Android apps back in September.
The trio are somewhat behind the pack as Caesars, William Hill, FanDuel and DraftKings all launched their Apple sports betting apps earlier in the year.
A soft launch is still in place for the new apps since going live in the App Store so that any teething problems that may exist can be fixed. When they officially launch, there is likely to be a lot more fanfare.
Roadmap of these apps
PlayMGM was the second sportsbook to go live with its Android mobile sports betting app in August. DraftKings had launched its own Android sportsbook less than 24 hours earlier.
888Sport launched its Android app on 10 September, making it the seventh such app to enter into the space.
With a significant presence in other markets across the country through its bingo, poker and casino brands, 888 will have a significant say in the market share in New Jersey’s mobile sports betting.
888 first got involved in the US market in 2013, after a law allowing online gambling in the country was reintroduced. It is now associated with the World Series of Poker, being its exclusive partner in recent years.
Competition hots up
There is now a lot of competition in the mobile space for sports betting in New Jersey. Sports betting revenue in the state through online platforms bypassed that placed through casinos in September.
The profit levels have been decent since launching, particularly because there is a growing trend of New Jersey residents preferring to use mobile platforms rather than place their sports bets at casinos.
In September, $12.5m worth of online sports bets were placed, with $11.4m being placed in land-based books.
An uptick in revenue for the coming months is expected, as the NBA and NHL seasons are set to begin once again.
And now access has opened up for Apple users with these three new apps. PlayMGM and BetStars still need to do ongoing work before launching their desktop sports betting platforms.
A new development in October has been the introduction of a further tax of 1.25% on sports betting in the state. This additional tax revenue will be used by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority to help fund public and private projects throughout the state of New Jersey.
New Jersey sports betting
Revenues for sports betting in New Jersey in September jumped by 92%, compared with August’s intake. A key reason for this was the start of the new college football and NFL seasons.
DraftKings has been the biggest winner to date in the sports betting space. It operates the sportsbook at the Resorts Casino, as well as through its online platform. It saw revenue worth $8.5m during September.
FanDuel was next on the list, bringing in about $7.2m in the same period.
Borgata was the leader for casino sports betting, having garnered $2.5m worth of sports bets, followed by the Ocean Resort Casino and the Golden Nugget.
FanDuel dogged with problems
Despite its apparent success so far, FanDuel has been involved in a number of controversies since switching its focus from fantasy sports to traditional sports betting.
The company had a PR nightmare when it initially refused to pay out on significant winnings after its system made a technical error and offered the wrong odds for a market during an NFL game. Disgruntled bettors publicly ridiculed the company and the media backlash eventually led the sportsbook to honor its bets.
FanDuel is now facing a civil lawsuit filed against them by rival William Hill US.
William Hill US alleges that FanDuel duplicated its betting guide for novice sports bettors in New Jersey. The guide was published both as a pamphlet and online, and large swathes of the text were seemingly copied word for word from William Hill’s own guide.
FanDuel’s version even made mention of William Hill in it.
