NJ Casino News: Weekly Roundup

Get the latest casino news and updates in New Jersey for this week (January 15, 2022 – January 21, 2022).

Ocean to Open New Sports Betting Lounge

Ocean Casino Resort has announced that it will build and open a new $4 million entertainment venue by this summer. The new space, which will have a bar and lounge, will offer an emphasis on sports betting. Construction will begin in March, and this is part of a larger, $75 million investment in property improvements, which will also include 460 new guest rooms and suites:

“As Ocean continues to strengthen its position within Atlantic City, we are steadfastly dedicated to property growth and development,” Bill Callahan, Ocean’s interim CEO, said in a press release. “We are excited by the new venue’s central location and the ability to advance our product with an innovative experience for our guests to enjoy. Partnering with USBookmaking allows us to capitalize on their expertise to bolster our land-based wagering product.”

Borgata Was the Biggest Winner in 2021

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement released its roundup of how the various Atlantic City casinos performed in 2021, and Borgata came out clearly on top at $606 million in brick-and-mortar gaming revenue. The others in the top three, Hard Rock and Ocean Casino, each earned $431.1 million and $306.8 million, respectively:

“Atlantic City’s casinos came into 2021 with nearly 6 months experience of operating under pandemic conditions,” Jane Bokunewicz, faculty director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism, Stockton University School of Business, said in a statement.

“The health and safety protocols implemented in 2020, and refined throughout 2021, helped support a return to in-person play for casino patrons and improve brick-and-mortar gaming revenues especially in the third quarter. These protocols were not enough to wholly overcome the impacts of the pandemic, but succeeded in bringing year-end brick and mortar gaming revenues to within 5% of year-end 2019 totals.

Bally’s to Get a New Beer Hall

The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority recently approved a site plan for a new project at Bally’s Atlantic City. The proposal includes a 5,100-square-foot beer hall in the courtyard of the former Harry’s Bar and Grill site. The facility will be an indoor-outdoor space that can be used year-round:

As proposed, the facility would be open air in the summer, but the glass structure would have walls that could be put up in bad weather, allowing the space to be heated in the winter.

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Considering the size of the site, the structure is small, he said. There also is an outdoor seating area and an outdoor stage proposed, which could help draw people in from the Boardwalk.