New Jersey considering five more sports betting licence applications

David Rebuck, the director in charge of New Jersey regulator the Division of Gaming Enforcement, has revealed to local reporters that five further applications for sports betting licenses have been received and are being considered.

Rebuck declined to identify the applicants, saying that this sort of disclosure was up to them.

The applications arrived at the regulator just prior to Monday’s deadline, with applicants anxious to be operational by the end of August.

The Associated Press news agency reports that Caesars Entertainment applied for permission to offer sports betting in person at Harrah’s casino, as well as at Bally’s casino, which also would service the adjacent Caesars casino.

The company also applied for permission to offer mobile sports betting affiliated with all three of its Atlantic City casinos, according to Kevin Ortzman, the company’s Atlantic City regional president.

The Golden Nugget applied for in-person and mobile sports betting, according to its executive vice president, Tom Pohlman.

Other potential applicants did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

So far, two casinos, the Borgata and Ocean Resort, and two horse tracks, Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands, offer sports betting in New Jersey.

There are 14 potential sports betting licensees: the nine Atlantic City casinos, the three functioning racetracks (Monmouth Park in Oceanport, the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, and Freehold Raceway in Freehold), and two former track sites (Atlantic City Race Course in Mays Landing and the former Garden State Park site in Cherry Hill.)

Rebuck said he expects the division will approve additional sports betting operations in the coming weeks.

Sports betting took in $16.4 million at Monmouth Park, the Borgata and Ocean Resort during the first two weeks it was offered in June.