888poker and WSOP.com both are partnered with Caesars Interactive in the New Jersey Market.
Player traffic on New Jersey online poker sites is up 28% in November. The traffic increased on 888 Poker’s New Jersey portal and the WSOP.com website. Both of those sites increased their traffic 37.5% in the last three weeks alone.
888poker and WSOP.com each have partnerships with Caesars Interactive, the online division of Caesars Entertainment, in the New Jersey market. Caesars owns three casinos in Atlantic City, so the 888 and WSOP brands are not technically a part of the same operation, though analysts often combine the two sites together when studying the overall revenues in a given month.
Averages for Player Types
The seven-day average increased from 160 players to 220 during that time. That might not represent a huge increase in the overall picture for those gaming sites, but it is a positive trend which might build up momentum over time. If such percentages were to continue in the near future, the player community would reach significant levels soon.
Most of the action went to ring games. In card player slang, a “ring game” is the casino equivalent to a live poker game. Such games never technically end; players simply switch in and out, cashing out chips in-between hands. The gambler community in a ring game is much different than tournament poker.
Ring Games at Top Casinos
The ring games at the Borgata Online poker portal and the PartyPoker site attracted 140 players, which represents a 16.6% increase over the average of 120 in the previous month. The combined player total is now 360, while the previous combined best was 280.
Operators must be pleased with the increases, because each of them must continue to prepare for the day when PokerStars enters the NJ market. It is a good idea to build-up as large of a local players community as possible, before PokerStars products launch.
2 Years Since the Rollout
All of these are good signs for the Atlantic City gaming industry and the politicians who supported the industry. Though the rollout and subsequent profits have been disappointing, it has helped the Atlantic City casino industry to have an additional source of revenue.
When New Jersey first launched its site in November 2013, Gov. Chris Christie predicted it would be a billion dollar idsustry in a short time. The truth is it represented an industry worth one-tenth of that figure, at least in the early stages.
PokerStars Rollout by Fourth of July
When PokerStars launches its gaming portal, it should boost the numbers for online poker significantly. Though approval for such a launch occurred in October 2015, no one knows for sure when that’s going to occur. One site suggested it would happen by “Independence Day”, the most sources suggest the rollout should be months before that.
Amaya Gaming’s CEO, David Baazov, had suggested the launch would happen early in 2016. Given he is the one who ultimately will make the decision and given the fact corporate executives tend to assume “early” is the financial 1st Quarter, it is not too optimistic to hope the launch of PokerStars New Jersey will happen in Q1 2016.
WSOP Celebrates 2-Year Rollout
One promotion might be worth mentioning as online gaming news. To commemorate the 2-year anniversary of legalized Atlantic City online gambling, WSOP.com is offering 2 separate poker excursions. Each package include a 2-night stay at one of Atlantic City’s resort-casinos and hotels.
Winners receive $100 in spending cash, which can be used for any purpose, but is meant as house money for gambling. Each package also contain four pairs of show tickets. These show might involve concert tickets, or tickets to see a standup comic perform. The entertainment is paired with five $100 gift cards, which visitors can use to have meals at various types of restaurants and shops in the shopping areas around the Boardwalk, such as Bart Blatstein’s “The Playground“. Each gift card was contributed by a local business. Gift shops are also taking part in the same promotion.
