Following a short soft launch period, DraftKings has officially started offering online sports betting in New Jersey through an app available on mobile devices.
The official launch came Monday morning, allowing anyone in the state to fund an account and place bets on a wide range of sporting events from anywhere in New Jersey.
First to Market
Following the Supreme Court decision that overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), New Jersey quickly moved to begin allowing legalized sports betting. The first bets were taken in June, and a month later, mobile betting was permitted. While nobody was prepared to launch an app at that time, DraftKings partnered with Resorts International to be the first to the online market, a goal they accomplished Monday.
“Being first is a huge testament to our product development team,” DraftKings cofounder Matt Kalish told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “And a major point of pride for us.”
While New Jersey’s sportsbooks have posted solid early returns, almost everyone in the industry agrees that mobile wagering has the potential to be much larger. If gamblers can place bets from their phones and tablets, that will offer up the kind of convenience that will help regulated operators compete with less reputable options.
“People are going to bet on sports and when it’s through an offshore site or through a bookie there is no protection for the consumer,” Kalish told NorthJersey.com. “The things that the regulators put together for the consumer are great and we’re working closely with them to make sure we’re complying completely.”
In-Play Betting Available
Anyone who has played online poker or casino games in New Jersey is already familiar with some of the controls used to ensure that only users located in the state can participate in sports betting. Geolocation technology ensures that the devices used to place bets are located within state borders. In addition, only those 21 years or older can open a betting account.
The DraftKings app offers a wide variety of sports, with Kalish saying that even more could come pending regulatory approval.
“We have the capability to offer dozens of sports,” Kalish told NorthJersey.com. “We’re working with regulators in New Jersey to determine what sports we will offer, and over time more may be available. But all major American sports – we’re not missing anything that people would expect.”
Kalish also praised the depth of markets on each individual game or competition. Included in that is in-play betting, allowing bettors to place wagers on contests that are already underway with odds based on the current game situation.
Unlike many of the other operators in the New Jersey market, DraftKings chose to go mobile first. However, the company says that they will also open a brick-and-mortar location in the near future at Resorts Atlantic City.
Meanwhile, many of the operators and their partners who started with physical sportsbooks are planning to get into the mobile game as soon as possible. Among those who have announced their intentions to have online betting available before football season include Caesars Entertainment, the Borgata, FanDuel, and The Stars Group.
