New iGaming Lounge Gets New Jersey Into the Game

The move to lift the federal prohibition on state-sponsored sports betting, outside of Nevada, has been fought at both the state and federal level for the last few years. While any potential move is expected to take a few years, gaming companies across the country are examining and testing new products that they can offer well before legislation changes.

Resorts Casino in Atlantic City is one of those that are testing the waters and this fall, will open a brand-new iGaming Lounge to offer sports fans the opportunity to get a taste of betting action. The bets won’t involve point spreads or even teams but instead, individual players and their fantasy point totals. Tom Brady versus Matt Ryan, Julio Jones against Antonio Brown and plenty of other positional match-ups that blur the line between betting and fantasy sports.

That line is, technically speaking, legal but New Jersey is hoping that they don’t need to worry about that line for much longer. The Garden State’s battle for legalized sports betting has gone all the way to the US Supreme Court and the case should be heard by the end of June.

The fall launch of the Resorts iGaming Lounge likely means that the casino owners and operators in New Jersey are skeptical of that June date but regardless, fantasy sportsbooks will continue to operate and give customers a chance to get into the action. Some may resemble more of a sports bar or nightclub vibe, while Resorts’ has been described as “more Apple store than Las Vegas sportsbook.” FastPick.com, the game offered in the iGaming Lounge will also be integrated into Resorts’ online casino, which is one of the fastest growing platforms in the New Jersey marketplace. 

Real sports betting may be a few years away but until then, companies like Resorts Casino are looking for ways to bridge the gap to legalization with innovative products and experiences, while also respecting the existing sports betting laws and newer fantasy sports laws. Until New Jersey, and the rest of the United States, does get a chance to make legal sports bets, I’ll take Julio Jones versus the field every week of 2017.