The hottest ticket going right now in online gaming is one that may permit entry into the New Jersey market. On Tuesday, the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) confirmed that 37 applications for internet gambling licenses have been received and an initial review has been completed.
In a statement originally published by Bloomberg, DGE Director David Rebuck said, “We see this as the first round of filings and we expect that more applications will be filed as the start of Internet gaming moves closer.”
The twelve Atlantic City casinos are the only ones allowed to actually operate online gambling sites under New Jersey’s recently passed regulations, but other companies such as software providers may partner with the casinos in order to get in on the action. Those companies need to be licensed just as the casinos do.
Unlike Nevada, which only permits intrastate online poker, New Jersey allows any game offered in casinos to also be available online. That means games like blackjack, slots, and roulette will all be online once sites get up and running. Conspicuously absent will be sports betting, which is illegal in New Jersey.
The New Jersey DGE has not revealed the names of the companies that filed applications and will not do so until it officially publishes them on its website. We do know a few of the names that applied, though, as the state required casinos to inform it by June 29th of any partnerships that were made with online gaming companies. All twelve casinos did ink deals, though only ten made them known to the public. Here are the partnerships we know:
• Trump Taj Mahal – Ultimate Poker
• Trump Plaza – Betfair
• Tropicana – Gamesys
• Borgata (Boyd Gaming) – bwin.party
• Golden Nugget – Bally Technologies
• Caesars (Caesars Entertainment) – 888 Holdings
• Bally’s (Caesars Entertainment) – 888 Holdings
• Harrah’s (Caesars Entertainment) – 888 Holdings
• Showboat (Caesars Entertainment) 888 Holdings
• Resorts Casino Club – PokerStars
Two casinos that have been struggling financially, Revel Casino Hotel and the Atlantic Club Casino, have not announced with whom they plan being in the online gaming business. According to The Press of Atlantic City, London-based 2UP Gaming has also applied for a license and is in talks to buy one of the Atlantic City casinos. Which casino is not known at this time, but the Atlantic Club Casino recently had a deal with PokerStars fall through, so that may be a good guess. 2UP has said that if it fails to buy a casino, it will build one on the Boardwalk.
The DGE has targeted late November for approved and ready poker sites to launch.