There have been so many false alarms on when PokerStars’ iGaming application will be approved in New Jersey that this has almost turned into ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf.’ But based on recent comments from Morris Bailey, owner of Resorts casino, PokerStars’ New Jersey partner, this launch might soon become a reality. Here’s a look at what Press of Atlantic City writer Reuben Kramer tweeted about Morris:
“Resorts owner Morris Bailey says regulators r close 2 finishing PokerStars approval process, sez he expects 2 be pleased w/outcome #acpress”
Bailey added that if Stars is indeed approved, he will be celebrating their launch by building a big live poker room in Resorts. The casino didn’t give a specific date on when the approval process will be finished. But based on the wait and how Resorts and Stars have been iGaming partners for a while, it shouldn’t take long to get up and running when/if the application is accepted.
Combining this with Baazov’s Comments…
Just a few weeks ago, David Baazov, CEO of PokerStars’ parent company, Amaya Gaming, said at the end of March that he expects to “launch by next quarter,” alluding to a potential late-summer debut. Of course, this could be lumped in with all of the other failed predictions on when PokerStars will enter New Jersey. However, the key point here is that Baazov had previously said nothing on the issue until now.
What can we expect from Resorts/PokerStars Alliance
Resorts has already launched ResortsCasino.com, which offers slots and other online casino games. And they got off to a decent start after earning $154k in March iGaming revenue. But the big boon will come when the Atlantic City-based casino can work with PokerStars to offer New Jersey residents a first-class online poker experience – something that’s largely been missing in the state up until this point.
Is Governor Christie the Holdup?
A few months back, State Senator Ray Lesniak made the bold declaration that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is the one keeping Stars out of the Garden State. Lesniak’s proposed reason is that Christie wants to gain favor with anti-online gaming nut Sheldon Adelson’s, who’s the biggest donor to the Republican Party.
It’s still unclear whether or not Christie is fully committed to entering the 2016 Presidential Race. But since he hasn’t backed out yet and is still going through the motions of a possible run, he’ll need Adelson’s favor (money). But now that Lesniak has pointed out the potential problem, would Christie still deny approval to PokerStars?