Hard Rock International will partner with Gaming Innovation Group to power its new online casino offering in New Jersey.
Hard Rock is already seeking online licensing in the Garden State as it prepares to open its new Hard Rock casino this summer in Atlantic City. New Jersey requires online casino sites to be partnered with resort casinos.
GIG also announced it has applied to New Jersey regulators for an online service provider license. It’s the first move into the U.S. market for the Malta-based company.
GIG also recently announced that it has signed partnership with digital sports content and media group Perform to strengthen its sports book offerings. The move positions GIG to handle an online Hard Rock sportsbook should New Jersey prevail in the U.S. Supreme Court in its current challenge of a federal sports betting ban.
“Hard Rock has an ambitious plan to become a global leader in the international online gaming space,” said Kresimir Spajic, SPV, online gaming at Hard Rock. “We are confident that, together with GiG, we can disrupt the market, through product innovation and unique user experience.”
GIG will provide Hard Rock with its digital consumer portal as well as the back-end platform to manage the operations. The online casino will be developed by GIG’s design and development team in collaboration with Hard Rock, the companies said in a press release. The online product is expected to launch later this year.
“We are excited to be part of Hard Rock International’s inspiring and innovative plans to become a global leader in the international online gaming space,” says Robin Reed, CEO, GiG. “The online casino will be a stand-out product with the sizzle of the Hard Rock music, entertainment and lifestyle brand.”
Hard Rock International is spending $500 million in Atlantic City as it refurbishes the former Trump Taj Mahal casino on the resort’s Boardwalk.
In another move, Hard Rock has announced an agreement to utilize the Greentube Pro marketing platform in order to power all of the social casino offerings attached to its Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming-branded properties throughout North America.
Hard Rock said the deal is designed to have all of its social online casino products “powered by customized frameworks” that have been “developed specifically” for each venues’ “distinctive business strategies and requirements.”
“Continual customer engagement is important to casino operators who can maximize marketing opportunities as part of the social games,” read a separate statement from Spajic. “Our goal is to deliver one-of-a-kind immersive experiences and we believe this game will allow us to unite the online and offline experiences that the Hard Rock and Seminole Casino brands offer.”
On the side of social gaming, Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming, both owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, have debuted online social games featuring Hard Rock- and Seminole Casino-branded versions of social casino games developed as part of a contract with Greentube Internet Entertainment Solutions, a subsidiary of Novomatic Group.
The games will run on the Greentube Pro platform, and will be available in both desktop and mobile versions.
“Continual customer engagement is important to casino operators who can maximize marketing opportunities as part of the social games,” said Spajic. “We are constantly looking for opportunities to increase and deepen brand affiliation among Hard Rock’s millions of loyal fans around the world, and we are excited to bring them these new games, which will also allow us to unite the online and offline experiences that the Hard Rock brand offers.”
Free games include social versions of popular slot machines and table games, such as blackjack and roulette. Players also have the option of linking their social games play to their Hard Rock Wild Card rewards account or linking to other Hard Rock properties’ rewards programs to earn more points for merchandise or casino dining rewards and other prizes and gifts.
Players link to their favorite Seminole Casinos in Hollywood, Coconut Creek, Immokalee or Brighton. They can play as guests or complete an easy registration process.
“We partnered with Seminole Gaming and Hard Rock International because of their desire to provide one-of-a-kind experiences for each of their properties,” said Thomas Graf, CEO of Greentube. “This project has brought Greentube Pro to the next level in meeting the demands of a very competitive market, with new functions and features that enhance and maintain our leadership position. We will work on it well into 2018.”
Spajic echoed the potential for the new enterprise to rapidly improve and expand, as more games and entertainment options are added.
“Social games have a huge future potential for casino companies like Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming, and the launch is only just the beginning of many more games to come,” Spajic said.
