On Thursday, Fanatics Sportsbook announced the opening of a retail sportsbook at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City.
The sportsbook will be located in The Gallery, a 12,000-square-foot gaming and bar area centrally located in the casino. The opening comes just in time for the 2024 NFL lid-lifter between the reigning two-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night.
"It’s an exciting day in our company’s continuous evolution as we announce the opening of Fanatics Sportsbook at Ocean Casino Resort,” said Ari Borod, Chief Business Officer, Fanatics Betting and Gaming. "As Fanatics grows its gaming presence in New Jersey, Ocean represents the perfect partner to deliver an elevated retail sports betting experience at the premier hotel in Atlantic City.”
Retail sports betting has generated $259 million handle in New Jersey through the first seven months of 2024, which is 3.5% of the $7.4 billion overall wagered on sports in the state so far this year.
Ocean Looking to Jump-Start Retail Action
Big news!
@FanaticsBook has opened a retail sportsbook location in partnership with Ocean Casino Resort in AC. The Fanatics Sportsbook is located inside The Gallery where sports fans can place wagers at the betting windows or self-services betting terminals. pic.twitter.com/9vGsWogtAP— Ocean Casino Resort (@TheOceanAC) September 5, 2024
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement does not disclose handle by either casino licensee or mobile operator, but Ocean Casino's retail sportsbook has totaled just $29,645 in revenue through the first seven months of the year. That is down 88.1% from the $249,463 won over the same span in 2023.
“Fanatics boasts an unmatched roster of the world’s most renowned sports leagues, teams and global brands, and we are excited to present these to our guests here at Ocean,” said Bill Callahan, general manager for Ocean Casino Resort, in a press release.
Ocean Casino has generated $14.4 million in all-time retail sports betting revenue, but $9.3 million of that total came in the first 19 months sports betting was legal in the Garden State in 2018 and 2019. Mobile wagering has since become a far more popular method of betting.
