Atlantic City’s highest grossing casino resort, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, is ready to begin offering sports betting on the very day the provision of that service is legalized by New Jersey lawmakers, officials for the property said Tuesday.
The Borgata already features a facility for betting on horse racing and casino officials revealed plans to rename it as The Race & Sports Book once sports betting becomes legal in New Jersey. The venue will also open a separate sports betting facility, the plans for which are being finalized by owners.
The Borgata is owned by Las Vegas gaming and hospitality giant MGM Resorts International. The hotel and casino resort has long been Atlantic City’s most profitable property. It generated gaming revenue of $803.6 million in 2017. In comparison, Harrah’s, the second highest grossing casino in the city, reported revenue of $363.7 million last year.
Commenting on the recently lifted federal ban on sports betting and his casino’s plans, Borgata President Marcus Glover said Tuesday that the property is uniquely positioned as Atlantic City’s only one to be featuring a race book already. Mr. Glover added that Borgata’s owner, MGM, has years of experience in operating sports betting in Nevada, which will help them launch their sports book in New Jersey.
It was also understood that the Borgata has been readying itself for the decision of the US Supreme Court for quite some time and has been crafting its strategy for operating a sports betting business at the existing resort to make sure it would be launched in due time.
Sports Betting in New Jersey
New Jersey has actually been the state to push most actively for the annulment of the long-standing federal ban on sports betting. The US Supreme Court decided to review the state’s case last year and ruled on it last week.
Under the ruling, it is now up to each individual state to determine whether it should legalize sports betting within its borders. Prior to last week, sports betting was prohibited everywhere across the United States but Nevada and three more states.
With New Jersey being a backer of the legalization of sports betting, the actual introduction and implementation of a regulatory framework is not expected to come upon any major stumbling blocks. It is believed that the state’s sports betting law could be passed by legislators and enacted by early June.
Almost all of Atlantic City’s operational casinos have said that they would offer sports betting once the activity becomes legal in the state. It is also important to note that its two new casinos – Hard Rock Atlantic City and Ocean Resort Casino, both slated to open doors on June 28 – are too planning to feature sports betting.
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