NJ Casino News: Weekly Roundup

Get the latest casino news and updates in New Jersey for this week (February 26, 2022 – March 4, 2022).

AC Casino Execs Express Concern About Future NY Casinos

Executives from Bally’s, Hard Rock, Resorts, and Tropicana were part of a recent forum sponsored by the Greater Atlantic City Chamber, and they shared their concerns about future New York casinos poaching revenue from Atlantic City casinos. They realize that additional New York casinos are inevitable, but they believe that Atlantic City still has time to boost its own business to compete more effectively when that time comes:

The general consensus at Friday’s panel was that Atlantic City has at least three or four years before New York joins the casino fray to correct problems like blight, poor infrastructure and potholed streets, and dirty neighborhoods that do not give the appearance of being safe for visitors.

If Atlantic City, its casinos, and state officials can work together to address those concerns, the impact from one or more New York casinos may be much less than it otherwise would, the executives said.

NJ Regulators Fine DraftKings $150,000 for Proxy Betting

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has fined DraftKings $150,000 because they allowed a Florida man to make online sports bets by having a friend who was physically present in New Jersey place the bets for him. Proxy betting is forbidden under state regulations, and in the settlement DraftKings has agreed to voiding 21 bets the Florida man made that are still pending, closing his account, and better training the DraftKings employees to recognize and prevent proxy betting:

DraftKings became aware that the Florida man’s account was being accessed by a proxy user when it was signed into from Florida, and then New Jersey within a matter of minutes, according to geolocation data cited in court documents. The company issued him a written warning.

But it also verbally informed the Florida man and the friend who was doing the proxy betting for him that they could still do so provided the friend waited at least two hours after the Florida man had last used the account to make a bet, according to court documents.

New Jersey authorities also said the Florida man was a guest of DraftKings at the Super Bowl in Miami in February 2020 from its company suite, during which he bet on the game through his friend in the presence of and with the knowledge of DraftKings personnel.

Regulators also said DraftKings was aware of the Florida man and his friend using the same arrangement to make bets in Pennsylvania once that state approved DraftKings to offer online sports betting.

Bally’s Names New General Manager

Bally’s Atlantic City has promoted its assistant general manager, Michael Monty, to the general manager position. In his new position, he will oversee the day-to-day operations and Bally’s nearly 1,500 employees. Monty is a former U.S. Army captain who graduated from Army Ranger School and earned his bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Military Academy and his MBS from the Yale School of Management. After working in real estate and private equity, Monty joined Bally’s in 2018 as the director of corporate finance:

Monty takes over an iconic casino hotel in the midst of a significant overhaul.

In the last 18 months, Bally’s Atlantic City has added a permanent FanDuel-branded retail sportsbook, several new restaurants, and completely revamped the high-limit slot and table rooms.

Nearly one-third of the 750 hotel rooms and suites scheduled for renovation are complete. The casino marked 222 room renovations on Feb. 22, 2022. Bally’s hopes to have most of the rooms done by Memorial Day weekend.

A brand new lobby bar is underway and should be open soon. The hotel lobby will be getting a makeover this year, too.

Also coming this summer is The Yard, an indoor/outdoor beer hall and live entertainment venue. Construction of a 5,100-square-foot addition to the Dennis Hotel courtyard began earlier this year.