Press Releases
Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino opens FanDuel Sportsbook
Bally’s Corporation and FanDuel Group announced the opening of the “FanDuel Sportsbook at Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino.” This temporary sportsbook, which will utilize FanDuel’s proprietary risk and trading technology that leverages the IGT PlaySports platform, is the first retail sports betting operation for FanDuel in Atlantic City.
The FanDuel Sportsbook will initially feature six live odds boards, ten self-service IGT PlaySports betting kiosks, and three live betting windows with attendants available to assist customers with the sports betting process. It will allow bets on all major U.S. sports, including professional baseball, soccer, football, basketball, golf, boxing, motorsports racing, and more, and operate in accordance with all CDC and local health guidelines and protocols.
“We are very excited to announce the opening of the FanDuel Sportsbook at Bally’s AC. It is the first of many planned capital improvement projects at Bally’s Atlantic City and a testament to our commitment to reinvest in our physical property portfolio,” said George Papanier, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bally’s Corporation. “We are also looking forward to once again implementing the winning combination of Bally’s nationwide expertise in gaming and casino operations, with FanDuel’s market-leading sports betting acumen and globally recognized brand, to provide an unrivaled sportsbook experience for our loyal Atlantic City customers.”
Design and construction are currently underway on the permanent FanDuel Sportsbook location, which Bally’s expects to open in Spring 2021. The state-of-the-art, best in class facility will span 4,100 square feet and consist of 34 self-service IGT PlaySports betting kiosks, and 5 attended, live wagering windows. It will also feature a luxury 80-seat lounge with 30 reclining club chairs, oversized LED video walls, a thoughtful food and beverage menu including self-service craft beer, and a sensational game-day atmosphere.
“We are excited to be one the first pieces of the Capital Improvement Project at Bally’s Atlantic City Casino & Hotel,” said Keith Wall, Vice President of Retail, FanDuel Group. “While we are eager to get up and running with our temporary sportsbook, we cannot wait until we open the permanent location and showcase to Atlantic City why FanDuel is the number one sportsbook in New Jersey.”
The temporary FanDuel Sportsbook at Bally’s Atlantic City, which is directly accessible from the Atlantic City boardwalk and prominently located on the main casino floor, will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for self-service kiosks. Attendants will be available at live wagering stations Monday through Friday, 12:00pm-10:00pm ET, and Saturday and Sunday, 10:00am-10:00pm ET.
Bally’s Atlantic City, located in Atlantic City, New Jersey, is situated prominently in the center of the Atlantic City boardwalk. This iconic property includes 1,500 slots, 105 tables and 1,214 hotel rooms. Bally’s Corporation completed its acquisition of Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino in November 2020.
SOURCE Bally’s Corporation; FanDuel Group
Press Releases
YouGov unveils US bettor research report, which highlights that 43% of sports bettors use three or more sportsbook apps
YouGov has released its US bettor research report, which provides detailed insights into the preferences of US sports bettors.
Utilizing YouGov Custom Research, the report uncovers the impact that ESPN BET has had on the market, which in-app sportsbook features drive bettor engagement, and much more.
The report finds that:
- 71% of 25-44 year-old bettors find the ability to live stream sporting events that they bet on in their sportsbook app important (vs 65% all ages)
- bet365 is the most used sportsbook by 21-34 year-olds and DraftKings is used most by all other ages
- 67% of 21-24 year-old current and prospective bettors are likely to create a sportsbook account with a sportsbook that is associated with a streaming service (vs 57% of all ages)
- 51% of sports bettors are using ESPN BET more than they used to (vs 15% using it less)
âThe US sports betting industry is a very competitive marketplace and maintaining loyalty from customers has proven to be difficult for sportsbooks, especially when new sportsbooks enter the market,â said Jeff Morris, VP at YouGov.
âOur research shows that the sportsbooks that incorporate key in-app features like live streaming sporting events can provide an advantage for driving interaction from current sports bettors and attracting prospective sports bettors.â
The report highlights key factors that would influence prospective sports bettors to create their first sportsbook account and provides an in-depth look at how sports bettor preferences vary across age groups.
Compliance Updates
Arkansas Casino Seeks iGaming Approval
An Arkansas casino is seeking approval to operate an iGaming app, allowing people within the state to go online to play casino games such as slots, blackjack, craps and more.
On March 13, Carlton Saffa, Chief Market Officer for the Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, wrote to Arkansas Racing Commission Chairman Alex Lieblong asking for a change in the rules to allow Internet casino gambling, which is often referred to as iGaming or iCasino platforms.
On Monday, Saffa told Gambling.com he hopes to appear before the Arkansas Racing Commission on May 6 seeking approval to offer iGaming. The Arkansas Racing Commission regulates all gambling matters in the state including horse racing and casino games.
iGaming Doesn’t Hurt Bricks-And-Mortar Casinos: Saffa
Nationwide, only a half dozen states from Michigan to Connecticut offer Internet casino gambling. Arkansas would be the first in its region with iGaming, permitting users who want to log onto a computer or download an app to play traditional casino games for money. Other states in the region already offer sports betting.
In his March 13 letter to state regulators, Saffa said estimates indicate Internet casino gambling from the Saracen Casino Resort alone would generate an additional $12 million in taxes annually for the state. Internet casino gambling, or iGaming, generally raises more tax revenue than sports betting in states that have both.
However, in some states without iGaming, casino operators have fought legalization, contending customers wonât visit a bricks-and-mortar casinos and spend money at restaurants and on other amenities including entertainment and lodging if they can log onto cellphones or computers and gamble from anywhere. In his letter to state regulators, Saffa pointed to research showing iGaming doesnât cannibalize bricks-and-mortar casinos but instead gives them âa liftâ.
State Rule Change Required
Arkansas already allows online poker, though that has not been made available to consumers, Saffa said. He said the ability to allow iGaming would require the Arkansas Racing Commission to amend a rule to include Internet casino games in addition to the currently legal online card games such as poker.
âA solution exists by amending ARC Rule 5, which already authorizes online poker, to include other types of table games and slots,â Saffa told Gambling.com on Monday. âDoing so would provide significant tax revenues to government and, just as important, ensure that operators be held accountable by the government. Given that we have seen online operators in the fantasy sports space ignore cease and desist demands from the state, merely attempting to police the matter is not a workable solution.â
Saffa recently made a similar argument on the topic of unregulated gambling, telling Gambling.com on The Edge he opposes a ban on college player props bets, saying, âSunlight is the best disinfectant.â
âPeople in Arkansas are already gambling in online casinos and those companies are not regulated or taxed by the Arkansas Racing Commission,â Saffa said Monday. âThose companies are not held to the standards the people of Arkansas set forth for operators to include that a customer must be 21.â
Latest News
Internet Vikings and Casinogate Partner in Latin America
Innovative game studios aggregator Casinogate has chosen to partner with Internet Vikings, a leading supplier of cloud hosting solutions for sports betting and iGaming. Internet Vikings provides its private VMware cloud hosting services to Casinogate, supporting their move into the Latin American market.
At the core of its business model, Internet Vikings assist companies expanding into new territories to start small and scale their infrastructure as their business grows. This perfectly aligns with Casinogate’s vision for a measured and successful launch in Latin America.
“Our tailored approach enables clients to invest in what they need now while providing the assurance of scalability as their operations widen into Latin America or elsewhere. This partnership allows Casinogate to focus on what they do best â creating exceptional games â while we handle the critical infrastructure,” shares Rickard Vikström, CEO and Founder of Internet Vikings.
One of Internet Vikings’ most distinguishing features is its commitment to personalized service. AndrĂ© Castro, Co-Founder and CEO of Casinogate, adds: “Their key account manager worked closely with us to understand our specific needs for the Latin American market. They developed a solution that scales perfectly with our anticipated goals, ensuring a smooth transition.”
âFrom a technical standpoint, Internet Vikings leverages VMware, renowned for its user-friendly interface and reliability. This has translated into enhanced performance for Casinogate, with minimal latency experienced on their platform.
“Internet Vikings’ expertise in hosting and focus on strong partnerships make them an essential asset. We’re assured in delivering premium gaming experiences to our Latin American audience. Their professionalism, particularly during the initial VMware setup, instilled great confidence in us,” AndrĂ© Castro concludes.
The partnership between Casinogate and Internet Vikings exemplifies how industry leaders can leverage innovation and collaboration to achieve mutual success. By combining Casinogate’s thrill-seeking games with Internet Vikings’ cloud solutions, both companies are laying the foundation for a promising future in Latin American online gaming.
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