Atlantic City’s Borgata Casino and its parent company MGM Resorts International, have launched their mobile sports betting service in New Jersey.
The playMGM NJ Sports app went live last Wednesday afternoon and is accessible for placing bets to anyone within New Jersey’s borders.
MGM Resorts International recently struck a deal with GVC Holding PLC to offer the sports betting app.
“The joint venture’s rapid entry into this market puts it in a very good position to take market share,” said Adam Greenblatt, GVC’s director of corporate development and strategy.
The Associated Press reported that the first bet on the app was placed just after it went live when a bettor wagered $50 on the Philadelphia Eagles to win their season-opening game against the Atlanta Falcons.
The new app is currently only available for Android phones and does not support services via a web-based browser or other platforms yet. The Borgata said that the app will be released for other platforms shortly.
“The playMGM NJ Sports app features a full range of US and selected international sports with customers able to sign-up, deposit and withdraw cash directly from their mobile devices from any location in New Jersey,” said MGM.
“The sports-betting app features a single wallet that enables existing and new customers to view their total account balance and easily apply available funds to their choice of sports-betting, casino or poker products.”
However, the New Jersey app significantly differs from MGM’s sports betting app in Nevada. The betting odds on the two apps will not be set in the same way, according to LegalSportsReport.com.
Ever since the Supreme Court ruled that the1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was unconstitutional in May this year, several gaming operators and casinos have been seeking approval from New Jersey gambling regulators to offer sports betting.
Borgata became the first Atlantic City casino to offer land-based sports betting when it opened its Race & Sports Book on June 14.
“After a tremendously successful launch of land-based sports betting at Borgata, we are excited to offer this product that both complements our retail sports wagering offerings and lives up to the brand reputation established by Borgata and MGM Resorts,” said Marcus Glover, president and COO of Borgata, at the time.
“The launch of PlayMGM NJ Sports is expected to bolster land-based sports wagering at Borgata and further establish our company’s leadership in the New Jersey market and beyond.”
Fantasy sports giant DraftKings partnered with Resorts International to become the first online sportsbook operator on August 6. Now with Borgata becoming the second operator to move into New Jersey’s online sports betting sector, DraftKings will have to make room for competition.
Last week, PlaySugarHouse.com also launched its own mobile sports betting app in conjunction with the Golden Nugget casino. It is expected that The Stars Group who also recently partnered with Resorts, will be launching its mobile and online sports betting app– BetStars ahead the start of the NFL season.
At the moment, the Borgata, Ocean Resort, Bally’s, Harrah’s, Resorts and the Golden Nugget casinos offer sports betting in the state.
Additionally, both Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands Racetrack have also opened sportsbooks. Other casinos and gambling companies are hoping to have their approval from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) to launch an online sportsbook before the start of the football season.
July was the first full month of legalized sports betting in New Jersey. and since then gambling outlets took in $40.6 million in sports wagers with total revenue coming in at just under $4 million. The figures will further grow once other operators launch their sportsbooks.
