Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino will soon be home to a FanDuel Sportsbook according to a joint announcement from Rhode Island-based gaming company Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:TRWH), new owner of the Boardwalk property, and the online sports betting company.
According to an official press release from FanDuel, the deal is contingent upon approvals from the northeastern U.S. state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement and Casino Control Commission, as well as the finalization of the sale of Bally’s New Jersey casino, which is expected to close in Q4 this year. At that time, all nine of Atlantic City‘s casinos will have on-site sportsbooks as the state competes to be king in the U.S’s fast-growing sports betting industry.
Twin River announced Wednesday that effective November 2, 2020, it is changing its name to Bally’s Corporation. Meanwhile, the New Jersey Casino Control Commission is due to consider the company’s application for authority to operate a casino in Atlantic City this coming Tuesday.
Colorado beginning:
The partnership between the two companies began in May with the launch of the FanDuel Sportsbook online and mobile experience in Colorado. Twin River said at the time that the partnership combines its nationwide experience in gaming and casino operations with “market-leading sports betting expertise” and a globally recognizable brand.
The sportsbook at Bally’s will be FanDuel’s second sports betting retail location in New Jersey, after on July 12, 2018, it opened its first-ever FanDuel Sportsbook at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, adjacent to MetLife Stadium.
In a statement in the current press release, President and Chief Executive Officer for Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc., George Papanier said, “We currently already have a FanDuel Sportsbook app and online experience in Colorado at another TRWH property.”
Adding…
“They are great partners and we are thrilled to work with them in another exciting, gaming-centric market like Atlantic City. The permanent sportsbook location is going to be one of the many exciting changes we have in store for the Bally’s property – a unique location just steps away from center boardwalk where millions stroll by annually. We look forward to breaking ground on this new space as soon as the closing is final.”
Temporary book:
Plans for a temporary sportsbook to be added to the casino’s first floor before the year’s end have been made, while a permanent FanDuel Sportsbook will be built on the center of the casino floor in spring 2021. Sports fans and bettors who visit Atlantic City will be able to enjoy the new retail experience featuring “an incredible game day atmosphere” with options for wagering on professional football, basketball, baseball, hockey and more.
Chief Executive Officer for FanDuel Group, Matt King said…
“The FanDuel Sportsbook is the clear market leader in New Jersey and we are excited to expand our retail footprint in the state to now include Atlantic City. We are excited to get started and be a key piece in Twin River Worldwide Holdings transformation of the 7BALL iconic Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino.”
New monthly record:
With a record handle of $748.6 million in September, New Jersey’s sports betting market easily beat its own national record set in August when $668 million was wagered on sports. The new record boosted monthly gaming revenue by 6.5 percent, according to the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (pdf).