Bet365 partners with newly launched Hard Rock Casino for sports betting

Eagle-eyed reporters for the publication PlayNJ found evidence this week that UK online and land gambling group Bet365 is partnering up with the newly launched Hard Rock Casino in Atlantic City to offer sports betting.

Our readers may recall that earlier this week we covered comments made by Hard Rock chairman Jim Allen at the casino’s grand opening in which he indicated that the company is interested in offering sports betting, but did not give details.

It now appears from correspondence on the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement website seen by PlayNJ that the regulator’s director David Rebuck very recently signed a temporary approval valid to end July for Bet365 pending its achievement of a licence, suggesting that an application from the company is already under consideration.

The role of Bet365 in the partnership is not clear, but the company is highly experienced in the B2C bettng sector.

Thus far neither Hard Rock nor Bet365 have made any official comment on the deal. Earlier this month Hard Rock’s online casino operation launched, powered by European online casino group Gaming Innovation Group (see previous reports).

Bet365 will be the third major UK gambling firm to enter the US sports betting market, following William Hill and Paddy Power Betfair.

William Hill US operates sports betting for two NJ properties, Monmouth Park and the new Ocean Resort Casino, whilst Betfair US has partnered with The Meadowlands to launch sports betting under the FanDuel brand this month.

Betfair US also operates the Betfair NJ online casino, and all three bookmakers operate existing horse betting platforms in the US.

With the addition of bet365, three of the largest gambling companies in the world now have a presence in New Jersey, NJPlay notes..