Earlier this year, the State of New Jersey passed a landslide bill allowing for sports betting at online and land-based casinos with the focus shifting specifically to online gambling.
The recently opened Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City launched its internet gambling operation merely five days after the Thursday opening of its land-based casino.
Director of the state Division of Gaming Enforcement, David Rebuck, has stated publicly that Atlantic City casino casino’s software and electronic systems have met the requirements of all of the necessary tests and are ‘operation-ready’.
“Our online gaming team has done an amazing job launching one of the most dynamic online gaming experiences in the industry,” stated Hard Rock’s Atlantic City president Matt Harkness.
“We’re excited to extend the Hard Rock brand beyond the Boardwalk and let casino players gamble across the Garden State.”
Online gambling and the competition
Hard Rock’s AC website became the 26th legal internet gambling site in the Garden State and with competition not be far behind.
The Ocean Resort Casino, for instance, which also opened its doors last week, is taking the necessary steps to launch their own online gambling site with operations still in the regulatory and testing phase.
Currently, the Hard Rock Casino falls into one of six casinos legally licensed to operate internet gambling in New Jersey, the others being the Borgata, Golden Nugget, Resorts, Tropicana, and Caesars Interactive New Jersey, which features Caesars and Harrah’s.
Since internet gambling became legalized in New Jersey in late 2013, its growth in terms of users and potential operators has been growing steadily at fast pace.
In 2017, online gambling revenues brought in $245 million into Atlantic City’s casinos, a figure which accounts for roughly 10 percent of total revenue.
In conjunction with newly legalized sports betting operations, having started just a month prior, the casinos have managed to lock down two new sources of revenue, ultimately countering the effects of a devastating two-year stretch that saw five of Atlantic City’s 12 casinos forced to close their doors.
The two most prominent of these were Revel casino and the Trump Taj Mahal, which are the newly formed the Hard Rock and Ocean Resort casinos.
A grand opening
After facing financial turmoil, the Trump Taj Mahal was forced to close its doors in October 2016 leading to Hard Rock International’s acquisition of the property early in 2017.
The company’s plans revealed a full $375 million renovation of the property for April, featuring a new complex with an increase to 2,400 casino slots and 130 table games. The interior highlighted a full redesign using the Hard Rock brand’s unique theme and rock and roll design.
June 28, 2018, saw the grand opening of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, complete with shows by performers Carrie Underwood and Pitbull to adoring fans as well as fireworks and a ceremonial guitar smashing in true rock and roll fashion.
Since opening, the Hard Rock has already seen a bump in the anticipated number of visitors from out-of-towners and local gamblers.
The key to the Hard Rock’s success in tackling online gambling is its partnership with Gaming Innovation Group (GIG) earlier this year. The company helped create the necessary online casino platform that is now the driving force behind the addition of online gambling.
According to statistics, worldwide online gaming revenues are expected to surpass $100 billion by late 2018, with New Jersey and the U.S. looking to tackle the market.
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