Six Atlantic City Casinos got the go-ahead from New Jersey gaming regulators to end their igaming trial period and proceed with full on real-money online gambling. It’s a huge step forward for the Garden State and its bold entry into the regulated igaming market.
The six casinos that were cleared for launch include Trump Plaza Hotel, Borgata Hotel & Spa, Tropicana Casino and Resort, Caesars Interactive Entertainment and their associated partners.
One company that didn’t get the nod was Golden Nugget Atlantic City. In an interview with iGamingBusiness.com, company CEO Tom Pohlman said their launch is being delayed due to site glitches. Pohlman doesn’t necessarily see the delay as a big deal saying:
We’d rather get it right than be embarrassed by something that doesn’t work. This is not a sprint for us; it’s a marathon.
It’s expected that the Golden Nugget’s site should be up and running by the end of the week.
All told, operators and regulators seemed very happy with the five day soft launch/trial period that proceeded today’s official igaming launch. Though a few problems did crop up, most of them were relatively minor.
The most significant issue that’s plagued Jersey operators centers on geolocation software. Specifically, some users near NJ borders were told by sites that they weren’t actually in the state. That’s an in issue that each casino will have to address individually and does not fall on state regulators.
Expect to see a slew of online casino openings in the Garden State in the weeks and months ahead as more sites and their land-based partners get ready for business.