The New Jersey online gaming scene added another virtual platform to its ever-increasing roster at the start of November thanks to a pact with a major Indian Tribe. Although companies such as Betfair are still waiting for the market to mature before stepping into the Garden State, Pala Interactive has decided to make their move just 12 months after regulated gaming in New Jersey went live.
Tribe Becomes First Legal US Platform
According to recent reports by the Division of Gaming Enforcement, Pala Interactive will work alongside the Borgata Casino to offer all forms of online gambling for residents of New Jersey. On top of being one of a handful of active legal sites in the US, Pala Interactive will be the first tribal casino to join America’s virtual landscape.
As yet the full extent of the platform’s offering is yet to be seen, but leading the way will be former bwin.party CEO, Jim Ryan. Having led one of Europe’s largest poker and casinos and competed with other major operators such as Betfair and 888Casino, Ryan will bring a wealth of experience to the New Jersey platform.
One of the main conditions that will characterise Pala Interactive’s move into the state will be that it can only serve players located within New Jersey’s borders. According to laws passed in 2013, an online casino and poker room will only be granted a licence if it has a base in New Jersey and only accepts bets for state residents.
To satisfy this condition, Pala Interactive will host servers inside The Borgata and work with the Atlantic City casino to create a comprehensive gaming platform.
In 12 months of operation, New Jersey’s online gaming scene hasn’t performed as well as some would have hoped. Although revenues for all the major online casinos continue to improve, the amount of money taken has fallen short of expectation so far.
Sports Betting Offers New Hope for New Jersey
However, a recent legal development could breathe some new life into the state’s igaming fortunes. Although a legal battle is now in progress, it looks as though legal online sports betting could be headed for New Jersey in 2015. Although nothing has yet been confirmed, the first gaming outlet to offer sports betting could be Monmouth Park Race Track.
If this happens then it could cause a domino effect that would lead to a slew of casino’s following suit. Indeed, on top of established New Jersey operators, such as 888 and the Golden Nugget, opening up their platforms to sports betting, a wave of new companies could join the market. As has already been referenced, Betfair has already signalled its intent to join the US gaming economy. Known across Europe as the largest sports betting exchange in the business, the latest legal developments will certainly be of interest.
In addition to Betfair, Paddy Poker has also suggested that it’s interested in launching an igaming platform in the US. Focusing specifically on New Jersey, the Irish betting operator would be a perfect fit for the state if it can enact a stable online sports betting economy.
Continued Growth for US igaming
Of course, for now, all this is somewhat academic until a sports betting act is written into state law. However, one thing that is clear at the moment is that New Jersey’s online gaming scene is continuing to grow regardless. Pala Interactive will certainly bring an added level of depth to the local economy. Moreover, it could act as a catalyst that will see more operators take the leap and join up with the US igaming market.
