DraftKings has announced that it is launching a standalone New Jersey online casino application that will no longer be tethered to the company’s sports betting app.
Since 2018, DraftKings customers have accessed online casino games via the company’s mobile sportsbook. The new casino app will use the same technology that is already in the DraftKings sports betting and fantasy sports platforms.
Jason March, Vice President of Gaming at DraftKings, said, “We are thrilled to break new ground for DraftKings in the gaming space today with the launch of our DraftKings Casino app, the Company’s first perennial product that operates year-round irrespective of the annual sports schedules. Following our debut in the Garden State, we look forward to continued innovation, nationwide expansion where regulations allow, and to further positioning DraftKings as an all-inclusive gaming and entertainment experience.”
Along with Resorts Casino, Mohegan Sun, and Fox Bet, DraftKings is one of the brands that comprise the four New Jersey casino skins of Resorts Digital.
The new DraftKings casino app is significant news considering there are only three states that offer legal online gaming: New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. The Garden State posted a record $85.9 million from online gambling revenue in May, which is an increase of 124.1% from May of 2019.
There has been an 88% increase in online gambling for the first five months of 2020 compared to last year. That has helped keep revenue streams flowing while New Jersey’s land-based casinos are closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The DraftKings Casino already offered both table games and slots games and will keep doing so through the standalone casino app. It will also offer blackjack, roulette and a wide variety of other games from third-party providers.
DraftKings recently conducted an internal study that showed 70% of its casino players made their first wagers on DraftKings-branded games. The firm believes this points to an “appetite and demand” from a growing customer base that is looking to venture beyond sports betting.
Resorts Digital has carved out a significant market share in the New Jersey online casino industry. It had a May revenue of $17.7 million, which is 20.6% of total online gaming revenue in the state. Resorts was the second-highest earner of the month, with Golden Nugget taking top spot yet again with a little over $29 million in online casino revenue.
This year, Resorts Digital has already collected $71.7 million in online gambling revenue – 95.4% rise from the first five months of 2019.