Casino operator Caesars Entertainment Corp. (CEC) officially joined its rivals in the sports betting market derby, right on the heels of one Atlantic City casino that has started taking sports bets this week.
Bally’s Wild Wild West started accepting sports bets on Monday morning, while its sister casino Harrah’s Resort will welcome punters on Wednesday, according to CEC. This makes the twin gambling facilities the third and fourth casinos to offer sports betting in Atlantic City.
Bally’s temporary sportsbook operation inside Wild Wild West reportedly has 30 leather chairs placed right in front of three large television screens and five smaller screens. Bally’s has converted its shuttered cashier windows to sports wagering windows. Harrah’s sports wagering space looks quite similar to Bally’s, although Harrah’s only has 28 leather chairs, six high-top tables and five screens for viewing.
CEC also plans to bring sports betting in Mississippi by mid-August through its casino properties, Horseshoe Tunica and Harrah’s Gulf Coast resorts.
The casino operator’s announcement came a day after rival MGM Resorts declared that it will create a $200 million sports betting and online gaming joint venture with UK-based GVC Holdings, one of the world’s largest bookmakers.
CEC has tapped gambling technology provider Scientific Games Corporation (Sci Games) to provide its OpenBet sportsbook platform in New Jersey and Mississippi. CEC President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Frissora described its partnership with Sci Games to be strategic since the casino operator also plans to roll out mobile sports betting throughout New Jersey and Mississippi.
One of the advantages that CEC have against its rivals in Atlantic City is its experience operating sportsbooks in Las Vegas, according to Frissora.
“We recognize that our customers expect exciting new experiences, which is why we will continue to offer new products through our mobile and digital platforms and inside our properties,” Frissora said in a statement.
