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The DraftKings Sportsbook is now live in New Jersey. Visit the DraftKings Sportsbook mobile app here for full details.
At 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City began to take sports bets. The casino has a brand new sports betting location in its North Tower casino. Sports betting kiosks have also been placed throughout the property.
It’s official! William Hill Sports Book at Tropicana Atlantic City – Now accepting bets!
Place your bets in the North Tower Casino and watch the games at Chickie’s and Pete’s, A Dam Good Sports Bar, Hooters, and Rí Rá Irish Pub. For more info: https://t.co/0ZSXIyvm82 pic.twitter.com/pTmyMTKz4T
— Tropicana AC (@TropicanaAC) October 25, 2018
This is the third New Jersey location for William Hill, who also powers sports betting at the new Ocean Resort Casino and Monmouth Park racetrack. The first sports bet placed in New Jersey was made by Governor Phil Murphy at Monmouth Park on June 14.
The Tropicana is now an Eldorado Resorts company
As of the beginning of October, Eldorado Resorts is the owner of the Tropicana. It bought the property for approximately $1.85 billion, bringing its operating assets up to seven casinos in six states. Its other casinos are:
- Nevada–the Tropicana Laughlin Hotel and Casino and the MontBleu Casino Resort & Spa in South Lake Tahoe
- Indiana—Tropicana Evansville
- Louisiana—Belle of Baton Rouge Casino & Hotel
- Mississippi—Trop Casino Greenville
- Missouri—Lumière Place
Mississippi and Nevada both have laws authorizing legal sports betting.
William Hill and Eldorado are expanding together
It is no surprise that William Hill is providing the Tropicana’s sports betting platform. The two companies signed a deal on September 5 to create “a nationwide partnership for digital and land-based sports betting and online gaming in the United States.”
The acquisition of the Tropicana substantially increases Eldorado’s US footprint, according to the press release:
“Eldorado’s pending acquisition of Tropicana Entertainment Inc. will further extend its reach to 26 properties in 13 states on completion which is expected in the fourth quarter of 2018.”
William Hill will be Eldorado’s partner in all locations where state-regulated sports betting is legal.
The launch of sports betting at the Tropicana is part of phase one of their joint plan. Ultimately the plan aims to give the partnership a major stake in US sports betting:
“Within weeks the partners will open William Hill sportsbooks in five properties across three states – The Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey; The Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort in West Virginia, and three casinos in Mississippi – The Lady Luck Casino in Vicksburg, Isle of Capri in Lula and Tropicana Casino in Greenville. Sportsbooks in additional casinos/states as well as digital betting and gaming services will be launched in the months ahead subject to the legislation in each state.”
Will the Tropicana add online sports betting?
As soon as Eldorado took over the Tropicana in New Jersey, it cut all of the company’s online casino staff.
In New Jersey, TropicanaCasino.com is based on a platform from GameSys. The license also covers the third party online casino VirginCasino.com.
Tropicana casino is one of the most successful online casino sites in New Jersey. At this stage, it seems risky to switch out of what looks like a winning formula. Nevertheless, the online casino has never offered online poker and has yet to enter the online sports betting market.
It may be that as part of a broader strategy, Eldorado will replace the existing New Jersey platform with a William Hill product. If so, a Tropicana-branded online sports betting app could soon launch.
State of play for New Jersey casino sports betting
The Tropicana is late to the sports betting party, but not the last. The Hard Rock Casino, which recently opened, has not yet launched its sports betting offering. Caesars has sports betting at only two of its New Jersey properties: Bally’s and Harrah’s.
The Hard Rock will launch its own sports betting operation towards the end of this year:
“Gaming Innovation Group Inc. (GiG) has signed a Letter of Intent with Hard Rock International (Hard Rock) for the provision of an omnichannel sportsbook platform in the newly opened New Jersey, US market at its Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.
European operator Bet365 has also struck a deal with the Hard Rock to launch online sports betting under its own brand.
By the end of the year, New Jersey visitors and residents will have 11 live casino options for sports betting, and probably 10 online New Jersey sports betting apps to choose from. Eight are currently available, with perhaps the Tropicana and Bet365 soon to join them.
