A little less than a year ago, states in the US were given the green light to decide on whether they preferred to legalize sports betting or not. Since that landmark US Supreme Court ruling, sports betting in a number of states progressed significantly both in terms of actual operation and legislative efforts. In states like New Jersey, punters have even been able to access a great deal of online and on-site sports betting offerings making the state a benchmark for many other states that are looking to capitalize on the very lucrative sports betting market.
Part of the reason why sports betting in New Jersey has been as successful as it is the regulator’s willingness to allow operators from just about anywhere to get a share of the market, that is, so long as they meet all of the requirements stipulated in the state gaming laws. One of the most recent entrants in the state’s and the country’s sports betting market is Bet365, a popular UK-based online gambling operator which has recently signed a lease for space in Marlton.
The 19,000-square-foot space in Marlton that Bet365 signed a long-term lease for will be the gambling operator’s physical location in the state and it will serve as its operational center. Supposing everything goes as planned, punters in New Jersey will be able to enjoy Bet365’s sports betting services. While the initial focus is on sports betting, there is a possibility that the company will eventually branch out to offer other forms of online gambling including online poker which it is well known for in the UK.
As is required by New Jersey gaming laws, Bet365 had to join forces with a local gambling operator which turned out to be Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. The casino has since acquired licenses to operate both a physical sportsbook and online gambling operations.
Expansion to the Other States
Bet365 is also reportedly working with New York’s Empire Resorts which owns and operates Resorts World’s Catskills – the operator signed a 20-year deal and invested a whopping $50 million for 5 percent of the gaming shares. Bet365 is set to build a branded sportsbook for the casino and this is hopefully going to launch within the year.
Pennsylvania has also shown great potential and has plenty of opportunities in both the sports betting and online gambling sectors. As such, if Bet365 wishes to get into that particular market, it might not be as difficult as it may be in other parts of the United States.
