No More Bets: Resorts Online Sportsbook Halts Betting To Clear Path For Unknown ‘Exciting Sports Betting Brand’
It seems Super Bowl LVI was the final big event for Resorts online sportsbook.
Resorts Digital Gaming sent out a press release on Monday teasing a pretty big announcement. The words “set to sign deal that will allow an exciting sports betting brand, new to the USA,” appear in the headline. So which brand are they talking about?
We do know if Resorts is willing to surrender its own slot to make way for this mystery operator then the brand must be successful globally.
Each Atlantic City casino is only permitted three online skins under their respective licenses. DraftKings Sportsbook and Fox Bet also operate under the Resorts Digital umbrella. So of the three, it makes the most sense for Resorts to pull its sportsbook product.
Editor’s Note: We will continue to update this story as we get more information.
How close is Resorts Digital to closing the deal?
Getting back to the press release, Resorts Digital is in “advanced discussions with a major global sports betting company that will allow it to operate under the RDG online sports betting license in New Jersey.” As far as the timeline goes, “the deal will be signed imminently” which could mean today or sometime this week. Like the other NJ online sportsbooks, the launch is subject to being approved by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.
“I can’t wait to announce this exciting deal once it is finalized – it really will give RDG the most diverse stable of sports betting brands in the NJ market,” said Ed Andrewes, CEO of RDG. “This will also free up our third sports betting skin, allowing us to focus all our energy on our core casino customers. ”
The fact that Resorts Sportsbook stopped taking bets the day after Super Bowl LVI and before March Madness betting season shows Resorts is all in with closing the deal very soon. Customers will see the following message when trying to access the sports betting menu:
Resorts Digital is among NJ sports betting revenue market leaders
Those who regularly follow NJ sports betting revenue results are well aware of Resorts Digital’s success as a license holder. Looking at 2021 totals, Resorts Digital reported $159.7 million for the year. The total is a combination of the DraftKings, Fox Bet and Resorts brands. The number also ranks No. 2 among the 12 New Jersey sports betting license holders.
The Meadowlands Racetrack (FanDuel Sportsbook, PointsBet and SuperBook) once again dominated the field with $451.8 million. Keep in mind this is retail and mobile revenue combined. The Meadowlands is also the closest to New York City, making it a popular retail location. However, with mobile wagering now live in the Empire State, the FanDuel betting windows could start seeing a slight drop.
And by adding another big name operator to its portfolio, 2022 could be the best year yet for Resorts Digital. The “could” really depends on who the mystery operator is and how quickly the brand builds a following with NJ bettors.
Resorts online casino is staying put
As the message above indicates, the Resorts online casino app remains active with slots, table games and live dealer. The five Internet gaming skins permitted under each Atlantic City license are separate from sports. Yes, operators like DraftKings and FanDuel offer both, but operators are not required to do so.
Resorts has a full house of online casino skins. Besides its name brand and DraftKings, there is Barstool, Mohegan Sun and PokerStars.
The mystery sportsbook partner is …
This is where the guessing game begins. That is until Resorts Digital officially announces the name of the new sports betting partner.
A brand such as Sky Bet is a possibility as they have yet to enter any legal U.S. sports betting jurisdiction. It’s the sports betting brand from Sky Betting & Gaming based in the United Kingdom.
They are owned by Flutter Entertainment, the parent company of FanDuel and Fox Bet. But does Flutter really need three different brands operating here in New Jersey?
From a Resorts Digital perspective, the deal makes sense as the two companies have an established business relationship via the PokerStars and Fox Bet brands.
This is just one possibility. Call it a strong guess until Resorts Digital ends the suspense.
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