Golden Nugget Online Gaming (GNOG) has secured market access for online sports betting and iGaming in Illinois. It’s a deal that paints an optimistic picture for the potential of online gambling legalization in the state.
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The deal has Golden Nugget and casino development firm Wilmot Gaming forming a joint venture to build a new casino in the city of Danville.
The casino will operate under Golden Nugget’s brand and feature a Landry’s restaurant steakhouse.
Crucially, the new property gives GNOG the exclusive right to offer online sports wagering on its license, as well as other forms of online gambling, should they be legalized.
You’ll also have the ability to earn crossover rewards at several other NJ online casino sites, including the Golden Nugget online casino and Tropicana Atlantic City’s online casino. All of the NJ online casino sites listed on NJ Gambling Websites are 100% legal and licensed to offer gambling online in New Jersey.
The access deal will last for a minimum of 20 years. It requires GNOG to pay the joint venture a percentage of its online net gaming revenue. That includes a minimum revenue guarantee, so GNOG is banking on success.
Golden Nugget has big plans for IL
“We are thrilled to gain market access in Illinois, the 5th most populous US state and the largest to have regulated mobile wagering to date,” said Thomas Winter, president of GNOG.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for us to further increase our US footprint and deliver on our ambitious growth plans. We look forward to bringing our award-winning online offerings to the Prairie State.”
GNOG going public
The deal comes as GNOG is in the process of going public. A special purpose acquisitions company, Lancadia Holdings II, will acquire the digital business from Landry’s.
Nj Casino Online Gambling Sites
What’s interesting about this deal is that sports betting isn’t big business for GNOG. The Golden Nugget license is the highest earning of all online casinos in New Jersey. At the same time, it’s among the smallest NJ sportsbook operators.
But that’s by design. Golden Nugget’s brand has high visibility in the retail casino space, and the casino users are worth much more than sports bettors. GNOG has claimed that its average customer is worth around $7,700 over five years, more than triple DraftKings‘ estimate.
As a result, GNOG has focused on states where online casino is legal. It’s only active in New Jersey at the moment, but will be coming to Pennsylvania as a qualified gaming entity, and in Michigan when that state finally launches online gambling.
In that context, the choice to plunge into the Illinois market suggests that GNOG is confident that online casino gaming will come to Illinois in the near future. Asked about it, Winter told OnlinePokerReport as much:
“With the success of online gaming in NJ and PA, we are hopeful that IL, among many other casino states that have already regulated mobile sports betting, will see online gaming as the next logical step.”
Tides are shifting toward IL online gambling
The state has tried and failed twice before to pass online casino laws. But now there is quite probably enough political will to get a bill through. Rush Street Interactive is very influential in the state — Rush Street Gaming runs the Rivers Casino outside of Chicago — and has also enjoyed major success with online casino in other states.
Like GNOG, Rush Street will soon be going public via a special purpose acquisition company. And shareholders will surely want to see its casinos operating online in as many markets as possible.
That could help clear some of the previous obstacles to IL online casino – particularly if Golden Nugget is lobbying too.
Illinois’ next legislative session will begin in January. Keep an eye out for an online gambling bill on the docket.
Best online casinos in NJ for slots, blackjack and live dealer games
There is a significant difference between the regulated New Jersey online casinos and the offshore ‘grey market’ unregulated ones they replaced. Not only are players guaranteed fair games and protected in case of a genuine dispute – the software is different too.
| Online Casino | Partner | Bonus | Promo Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Nugget | Golden Nugget | $10 | PLAYBONUS |
| Virgin Online Casino | Tropicana | $30 | 30BUCKS |
| BetMGM Online Casino | Borgata | $25 | PLAYNJFREE |
| Caesars Casino Online | Caesars | $25 | PLAYFREE25 |
| 888 US | Caesars | $20 | None needed - click here |
| SugarHouse Casino | Golden Nugget | 100% up to $250 | PLAYNJ |
| Tropicana Online | Tropicana | $25 | PLAY25 |
| Harrah's Online Casino | Caesars | $10 | None needed - click here |
| Pala Online Casino | Borgata | $25 | OVBONUS |
| PartyCasino | Borgata | $25 | PLAYNJCASH |
Big slot and table game creators like High 5 Games, IGT and Net Entertainment were unable to provide real money casino games to US players before. With these licensed casinos you can enjoy many of the most popular online slots – as well as online versions of popular live slot games.
When you choose a real money NJ casino, keep in mind that there are big differences in the number of games and how easy it is to clear your new player bonuses. The list below gives you an overview of what to expect from the major NJ casinos, along with ownership details and the casino software you will find.
New Jersey Sports Betting Sites
Of the three main gambling verticals, sports betting took longest to get approved in New Jersey. The reason was opposition from the pro sports lobby. They cited the PASPA legislation, which barred legal sports betting (both online and B&M) and took their fight all the way to the Supreme Court.
It took until 2018 for online sports books to appear. The major sites have been quick to get established after this breakthrough – with a lot of competition appearing fast. Some of these NJ online betting sites are part of larger casino / poker brands, while others are stand-alone.
Click here to read our full guide to NJ online sports betting.
New Jersey Poker Sites
There was a lot of interest in how popular online poker rooms in New Jersey would become. While other states (Delaware and Nevada) have poker rooms online, the bigger population of NJ meant the player pool could support big guaranteed tournaments and higher stakes cash games.
Nj Casinos Online Gambling Sites
This was also the first time that big poker brands which left the US after the 2006 UIGEA would return. PokerStars, 888 Poker and Party Poker all run sites in NJ. In 2018, player pools were shared with DE and NV. While poker traffic has been steady (compared with the popularity of the casinos), these sites have shown some promise. With new states legislating (and potentially joining the player pools), regulated poker sites have the potential to boom.
Below is information on the biggest and best of the New Jersey poker sites – along with bonus information and ownership.
#1 – PokerStars NJ
- Partner: Resorts Atlantic City
- Established: 2016
#2 – WSOP.com Poker
- Partner: Caesars
- Established: 2013
#3 – 888 Poker NJ
- Partner: Caesars
- Established: 2013
#4 – Party Poker NJ
- Partner: Borgata
- Established: 2013