Borgata, Golden Nugget Launch Entries in New Jersey Online Sports Betting Market

Posted on: August 23, 2018, 01:00h. 

Last updated on: August 23, 2018, 12:53h.

Casino.org Staff Writer Read More

Expertise: Commercial Gaming.

Two more online sports betting options are now available to bettors in New Jersey, as both the Borgata and the Golden Nugget have launched mobile apps in the state.

The sudden expansion of the mobile betting industry started on Wednesday, when the Borgata announced that it was launching its PlayMGM NJ Sports app.

Apple Users Can’t Use Borgata App at Launch

That made the Borgata only the second operator to move into New Jersey’s online betting sector, following the DraftKings mobile betting app that was released in partnership with Resorts International on August 6.

The new app from Borgata has one notable limitation: at the moment, it is only available for Android devices, meaning those using iPhones, iPads, or other mobile options are out of luck for the time being.

According to a spokesperson for Borgata, the first bet on the app was taken just after noon on Wednesday, when a bettor put down $50 on the Philadelphia Eagles to win their season opener at home against the Atlanta Falcons.

Many officials and observers have been awaiting the beginning of online betting in New Jersey. While sports betting isn’t the biggest driver of revenue for casinos, it has already contributed to the bottom lines of the resorts and racetracks that are offering such wagering, and mobile betting is expected to be even bigger than the in-person sportsbooks.

“The launch of PlayMGM NJ Sports is expected to bolster land-based sports wagering at Borgata and further establish our company’s leadership in the New Jersey market and beyond,” Borgata president and COO Marcus Glover said following the launch of the app.

Golden Nugget Follows Close Behind

It didn’t take long for another Atlantic City casino to follow in Borgata’s footsteps. On Thursday morning, PlaySugarHouse.com launched its own online sports betting app in partnership with the Golden Nugget. Philadelphia’s SugarHouse casino is affiliated with the Golden Nugget for the purposes of online gambling operations.

The mobile sportsbook is operated by Rush Street Interactive. Company president Richard Schwarz said that Rush Street’s experience running an online sports betting operation in Colombia gave it a leg up in when it came time to enter American markets.

At the moment, there are six casinos in Atlantic City that offer live sports betting: the Borgata, Ocean Resort Casino, Harrah’s, Bally’s, Resorts, and the Golden Nugget. In addition, both the Monmouth Park and Meadowlands racetracks have also opened sportsbooks.

Other casinos are hoping to have their approval from state regulators in time for NFL season, while a developer is fighting a legal battle over whether the former Garden State Park racetrack in Cherry Hill can be used for betting as well.

So far, the introduction of sports betting in New Jersey has been successful. In July, the first full month of legalized betting, sportsbooks took more than $40.6 million in wagers, collecting more than $3.8 million in total revenue as a result.