DraftKings Still Building On NJ Online Casino Success

Written By Bill Gelman on January 8, 2021Last Updated on November 26, 2021
DraftKings Casino Succes

DraftKings Casino is what one would consider a late arrival to the NJ online casino scene.

Think about it. The Boston-based company slowly rolled out a limited library of casino games in late 2018, some five years after the industry launch. And by limited, we mean blackjack.

Fast-forward to January 2021, and the brand is one of the top NJ online casino revenue performers. It’s one of 40+ gambling sites hosted by two dozen brands.

Play NJ caught up with Jason March, vice president of gaming at DraftKings, to discuss a number of topics, including how far the casino brand has come in a short period of time.

DraftKings + NJ online casino revenue

When the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement releases the monthly online casino revenue report, there is not a breakdown by individual operators.

So this means the monthly NJ financial results from DraftKings Casino are not public information. The NJ sports betting industry follows the same model.

But in the case of DraftKings, the focus is on land-based partner Resorts Digital, the iGaming arm of Resorts AC.

The license holder reported $21.6 million and $20.9 million, in October and November, respectively.

More importantly, the old saying better late than never applies in this case. The NJ online casino industry enjoyed its best month ever in October 2020 with $93.4 million in revenue. Besides it being an all-time high, this marked the first time ever the monthly tally exceeded $90 million.

November was another strong month, with $91.4 million. December results will be released next week

March said it’s not surprising to see New Jersey’s growth in the industry.

“Online gambling has been legal for many years in jurisdictions globally, so there’s indicative data that showed the opportunity here, which is evidenced by the number of operators that chose to enter the market,” said March.

NJ Internet gaming still growing

The NJ online casino industry has come a long way in its seven-plus years both in terms of number of brands and revenue.

Wynn and William Hill, both rolled out casino platforms last year, and more expected to debut sometime this year.

Clearly, the combination of revenue and number operators. continues to make New Jersey an extremely attractive online casino market.

March said it is exciting to see the industry continue to grow, in both revenue and new operators to the marketplace.

“Choice is always good for players and hopefully the industry has been able to provide a bit of responsible fun and distraction from a pretty tough [2020],” said March.

“Online gambling has shown a healthy evolution over the last five-plus years and I believe you’ll continue to see expansion with new game types and innovative games that are new overall to the industry.”

DraftKings Casin0 + 400-plus offerings

DraftKings continues to do its part by constantly rolling out new offerings, including casino war. The current count is approximately 350 slot titles combined with a “superior collection” of table games. So the total count exceeds 400 options.

Some of them are seasonal, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas blackjack. Dozens of the games can only be found on DraftKings.

And by having the only private live dealer studio in New Jersey, they were able to share the festive spirit with customers. It included festive layouts, dealer dress-up days, and holiday promotions.

DraftKings Casino looking beyond NJ

Liike the DraftKings Sportsbook app, the Garden State is where the company’s casino platform debuted. In June, they rolled out a separate casino app.

DraftKings Casino is now live in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, with Michigan expected to follow soon.

But NJ set the stage for other jurisdictions. March said “New Jersey has been invaluable to the industry as a whole.”

“They took a leadership role and paved the way for wider legalization in the United States. New Jersey provided an opportunity to deliver an online experience that needed change from the European models,” said March. “Players have spoken clearly with their actions that they want trustworthy options, games and brands that they know, all wrapped with exciting and valuable promotions.”

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Bill Gelman

Bill Gelman has been reporting on the NJ gambling market since 2018, right around when the Garden State launched sports betting. Bill transitioned from lead writer for Play NJ and NJ Gambling Sites to his current role as managing editor in 2020. Besides offering in-depth analysis on NJ gambling market trends and news, Bill regularly sits down with Atlantic City casino industry executives to offer readers exclusive interviews and comprehensive coverage. Bill received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ithaca College. He has contributed to other Catena Media sites including The Lines, Legal Sports Report, PlayPennsylvania and PlayCanada.

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