Casino operator MGM Resorts says its Borgata property in Atlantic City will commence its legal sports betting operation on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the Borgata confirmed that it will take its first sports wager at 11am on Thursday, roughly half-an-hour after state racetrack Monmouth Park takes the state’s first legal wager from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who signed the state’s sports betting legislation into law on Monday.
That is, assuming the New Jersey Racing Commission plays its role and approves temporary betting regulations at its Wednesday meeting, after which Murphy can issue waivers to allow legal betting to commence while the permanent regs are finalized.
MGM operates sports betting at its Nevada casinos and the Borgata already had a leg up on its AC rivals thanks to its race betting book (pictured), which has been rebranded as The Race & Sports Book while the Borgata finishes construction of its permanent sportsbook.
AC’s other casino operators have been frantically inking sports betting technology partnerships following last month’s US Supreme Court ruling striking down the federal betting prohibition, but none of these operators are expected to be ready to launch wagering in the near term.
While all of the state’s licensed casinos and racetracks (including former tracks) are eligible to apply for sports betting licenses, this doesn’t apply to off-track betting sites. New Jersey’s licensed operators will also be limited to land-based wagering for at least 30 days following Murphy’s signing the bill into law.
MONMOUTH PARK WAGERING OPTIONS
Meanwhile, the Asbury Park Press has confirmed what wagering options will be on the menu when Monmouth Park’s William Hill-powered sportsbook officially opens at 10:30am on Thursday.
Thursday’s available options include wagers on the 2018 FIFA World Cup, US Open Golf, Women’s National Basketball Association and Nascar races. In addition to standard fixed-odds match wagering, Hills will also offer two-way, three-way, first half and proposition bets on all World Cup matches.
