SBTech has signed a deal with Resorts casino in Atlantic City to provide its sports book platform to the casino.
The deal is the second for the company in the city which has already announced an agreement with the Golden Nugget casino and its partner Churchill Downs. Neither casino, however, has opened a sports book yet.
Both casinos have said they hope to open their sports books by the end of the summer. Since New Jersey won a challenge to a federal ban on sports betting before the U.S. Supreme Court, it passed legislation to allow for sports betting at the state’s racetracks and Atlantic City casinos. Three sports books have opened in the state with a fourth—at the Meadowlands Racetrack—scheduled to open on July 14.
“Our strategic partnership with Resorts represents the next stage of our long-planned penetration of the US market,” Richard Carter, CEO of SBTech, said in a press release. “SBTech’s renowned commitment to delivering leading-edge solutions across all channels and intelligent responsible gaming infrastructure will help us develop a sports betting offering that will benefit our partners and promote best practice and the strongest levels of consumer protection.”
Resorts has also partnered with daily fantasy sports company DraftKings for its sports book, which is expected to include an online component once New Jersey regulators clear online sports betting.
“After conducting a comprehensive selection process to find the right sports betting supplier, we feel that SBTech offers the right combination of deep regulatory expertise in the world’s most dynamic and demanding markets and the scalability to support our ambitious multi-vertical plans,” said Mark Giannantonio, President and CEO of Resorts.
SBTech said its platform would allow both casinos to implement a “bespoke risk management strategy,” or the ability to manage its liabilities on wagering outside of wider risk management strategies across multiple state/platforms as sports betting rolls out across the U.S., according to the release.
SBTech’s deal covers land-based sports betting at the casinos and will probably co-exist with DraftKings online offerings. DraftKings recently announced a deal with Kambi Group to provide sports betting solutions for its online site.
Meanwhile, Hard Rock Atlantic City has also reportedly signed a partnership for sports betting with Bet365, according to regulatory postings by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. PlayNj.co reported that the division published a letter of intent for the partnership last month, but neither company has confirmed the deal.
Hard Rock’s plans for a sports book may be complicated by a naming rights deal the company has for the Miami Dolphins home stadium. Jim Allen, CEO of Hard Rock International has said that there are certain restrictions through that deal from the NFL—though he has not outlined them specifically—which could affect the casino’s ultimate sports betting product. However, Allen has said the casino is working towards opening a sports book. There is no restriction on Hard Rock in New Jersey due to its Dolphins sponsorship.
Bet365 has applied for licensing in New Jersey.
In another sports betting story, the Meadowlands Racetrack has moved up its opening day for its own sports book by one day to July 14. Jeff Gural, the track’s owner, had initially said sports betting would begin July 15.
The track’s general manager, Jason Settlemoir, told The Record and NorthJersey.com that the new service will begin on July 14.
“The timing is much better and in correlation with one of our biggest race days, the Meadowlands Pace,” Settlemoir said.
The Victory Sports Bar and Club, where patrons will place their bets, is set to open to “dignitaries” at 9:30 a.m. At 11 a.m. the club will open to the public. The Meadowlands has partnered with Betfair for sports betting.
