Hard Rock International is investing $500 million to renovate the old Trump Taj Mahal — now Hard Rock Atlantic City.
Hard Rock Atlantic City and Ocean Resort Casino both want to launch online gambling sites in New Jersey. If the two land-based casinso opened gaming portals, it would bring the number of New Jersey online casinos and poker sites to 7 apiece.
New Jersey currently has 23 approved online gambling sites in all. All 5 operators have their own online casino and card room, but some have sub-license holders associated with them, such as the SugarHouse Casino or WSOP.com poker site.
Kerry Langan, a spokeswoman for New Jersey’s main gambling regulator, the Division of Gaming Enforcement, said on Monday that both Hard Rock and Ocean Resort have applied for online gambling licenses. If approved, both would have the right to provide online casino games and poker events to people inside New Jersey’s boundaries.
Ocean Resort and GAN Partnership
The British online gambling company, GAN, announced it has signed a partnership with AC Ocean Walk LLC, the ownership company behind Ocean Resort Casino. If Ocean Resort launches a gaming portal, GAN would provide the technical support and games for the sites.
It is thought Ocean Resort Online Casino would launch sometime in the second half of 2018. It is unknown how long it might take Ocean Resort Casino to receive a gaming license. The previous owner of the former Revel Casino building, Polo North’s Glenn Straub, had trouble acquiring a gaming license. Straub had a contentious relationship with the DGE, so Bruce Deifik’s experience might be different.
Ocean Resort Sportsbook and Racebook
If sports betting is legalized, Ocean Resort Casino plans to open a brick-and-mortar sportsbook. New Jersey currently is challenging federal sports betting laws before the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Christie v. NCAA. The two sides argued the case before the Supreme Court on December 4 and expect a decision sometime in the first half of 2018.
Currently, sports betting is legal only in Nevada, Delaware, Oregon, and Montana. Nevada is the only state which can operate full sportsbooks. Ocean Resort Casino said it would like to gain a gaming license in Pennsylvania, since it is set to become the 4th US state to offer online gambling later this year.
Hard Rock Atlantic City Online
Hard Rock Atlantic City declined to comment on its prospective online casino and poker room. Hard Rock is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which has multiple casinos in the State of Florida and a smattering of resorts elsewhere in the world. The Hard Rock Atlantic City land-based casino is the renamed Trump Taj Mahal, which Hard Rock International bought from Carl Icahn last year.
New Jersey newspapers have yet to get information on the online software developer Hard Rock Online might partner with. Many of the top companies — such as PokerStars, 888, and Bwin.Party — already have agreements with other Atlantic City casinos.
The Hard Rock is expected to open in May 2018. The Seminole Tribe has spent $500 million on renovations for the property. Given the success of online gambling in New Jersey, one would expect any successful Atlantic City casino to launch a gaming portal. Hard Rock International would have the resources to produce a first-rate online gambling product.
2017 New Jersey Online Gambling Revenues
Last year, New Jersey’s online gambling industry generated $245 million in gross revenues. Golden Nugget Casino generated the most revenues with a $68.5 million year, largely behind the strength of the SugarHouse Casino brand — which offers online slots from IGT, WMS Gaming, Bally Technologies, and Konami.
Borgata Online, Caesars Interactive, Resorts/PokerStars, and Tropicana each had comparable numbers. The four operators vied for second place, with revenues in the $42.5 million to $48.5 million range.
