New Jersey Online Gambling Brief: Up, Up and Away – Cash-Game Traffic Soars on New Jersey Poker Sites
Talk to me three months ago, and I would have told you that unless New Jersey’s poker rooms get their act together, they’re finished.
That was then, and this is now.
Since April, the state’s iPoker operators have taken bold steps to improve their sites’ appeal. Whether it be a much needed software update, an irresistible promo or a new banking method, each site made a concerted effort to be better than before.
And now, it’s all starting to pay off, reflected in what now amounts to a one-month long cash-game traffic surge across NJ’s three biggest networks. A traffic surge that becomes all the more impressive when you consider that the majority of the online poker industry is suffering through one of its worst seasonal downtrends in recent memory.
Of course, circumstance also played a role in the industry’s revitalization. With PokerStars reentry into New Jersey now a near inevitability, the state’s nearly forgotten iGaming scene was once again front and center. It also didn’t hurt that players in Vegas for the WSOP were made very aware that legal US online poker was no urban legend.
And as much as I hate to say it, now that Ultimate Poker is all but out of the picture, NJ’s iPoker market feels stronger and more focused.
With a major poker pro now tied to one of its sites, I expect it to only get stronger. More on that later.
But as good a week as it was on the online front, it was another forgettable week for Atlantic City, which may be relying more and more on iGaming to save it. Let’s get to the news.
New Jersey’s iPoker traffic by the numbers
Here’s a quick peak at current 7-day cash-game averages in NJ as of July 24th. (July 11th numbers in parenthesis)
- Party / Borgata NJ: 152 (139)
- WSOP.com: 140 (120)
- AAPN (us.888poker.com): 72 (63)
At 16.7 percent, WSOP.com would experience by far the most growth among the state’s three major poker networks. But Party / Borgata would prove no slouch, increasing its liquidity by 9.4 percent over the same period. Still, if this trend continues, it won’t be long before NJ will be crowning a new iPoker king.
888 also performed admirably, boosting gains of 14.3 percent. What happens when the network’s two major promotions (Summer Slam! and Double Points) come to a close is still anyone’s guess, but for now the volatile network is riding high.
In total, the market has grown 13 percent in the past two weeks. Compare that to the global market, which has lost 1.9 percent liquidity in that time.
Since beginning its revival on June 8th, liquidity in New Jersey is up 20.1 percent – that’s good for number one among worldwide markets.
Greg Merson signs with WSOP.com
Last week, rumors began flying that 2012 WSOP Main Event champion Greg Merson was somehow affiliated with WSOP.com. It was around this time that Merson began playing on the site under a different username – simply “GregMerson.”
The two-time bracelet winner has since confirmed the rumors, stating on Two Plus Two:
“My name change was due to signing with WSOP.com and [I] apologize if that wasn’t more clear by my tweets and instagram. Since the name change I have not played on my other screen as it has been terminated [as far as I know].”
The Twitter and Instagram posts Merson is referring to depict him playing on and promoting WSOP.com under his new username.
To date, representatives from WSOP.com have not confirmed the nature of the partnership, although I imagine it will resemble Jason Sommerville’s alignment with Ultimate Poker.
Tropicana says no to online gambling
EGR North America reports that Tropicana will not be launching its online poker platform anytime soon.
For those who have been following the industry, Tropicana’s decision to focus primarily on its two online casinos (TropicanaCasino.com and VirginCasino.com) comes as little surprise, as the state’s iPoker industry has already proven to be saturated.
To illustrate: Based on recent revenue tallies, both Ultimate Poker’s and Betfair’s online poker rooms have failed to generate enough income to realistically be considered viable, with the latter grossing a laughable $5 in June. and $48 to date. That’s less than it would cost for a family of four to eat at a second rate pizza joint.
On a more positive note, Tropicana’s online casinos are holding their own. In June, the pair ranked second in the state in gross revenue, eking out Caesars by $70,000.
Thanks to Online Poker Report‘s Chris Grove for putting together the spreadsheet.
Phil Ivey and the Borgata still at it
The saga of 10 time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Ivey and the Borgata continues this week, with the latter’s lawyers countering Ivey’s motion to dismiss a $9.8 million dollar lawsuit against the poker pro for using “edge sorting” tactics to delineate between cards while playing Baccarat.
In the filings, which were first obtained by 4Flush, the casino’s lawyers refute Ivey’s attorneys’ claim that the statute of limitations regarding cheating violations have already expired.
The Borgata’s team would also argue that the only way the casino can recoup the funds Ivey allegedly stole from the casino is via a lawsuit.
Ultimately, what it comes down to is Ivey believes that his actions do not constitute cheating, and the Borgata believes they do. Perhaps more clearly defined language regarding what it means to “cheat the house” is in order?
Just saying.
More bad news for Atlantic City
Atlantic City can’t seem to catch a break. Less than two weeks after it was announced that Trump Plaza would likely be shuttering its doors in mid-September, the former Mecca of East Coast gambling was hit with not one, but two, calamities.
On Monday morning at around 6 am, Caesars Casino was reportedly robbed by two masked men, one of which was brandishing a gun.
The thieves got away with two cash boxes with contents in excess of $180,000. But that’s a relatively insignificant sum compared to the potential revenue losses Caesars now faces due to arising questions regarding the casino’s safety.
In other catastrophic news, credit rating agency Moody’s has lowered Atlantic City’s rating to “junk” status. According to analysts Vito Galluccio and Julie Beglin:
“The downgrade to Ba1 reflects the city’s significantly weakened tax base, revenue-raising ability and broader economic outlook. These result from ongoing casino revenue declines, expected near-term casino closures, and the impact of sizable casino tax appears, all of which has stemmed from increased competition from casinos in neighboring states.”
Atlantic City brought in $2.86 billion in revenue last year, down from its $5.07 billion high point in 2006.
More on this story at Bloomberg.
To conclude on a slightly brighter note, three NJ lawmakers (Sen. James Whelan, and Assemblymen Vince Mazzeo and Chris Brown) are fighting for the rights of those about to be laid off by Trump Plaza’s and Showboat’s impending closures. According to the lawmakers, providing short notice “to many 20-plus-year employees is wrong and unrealistic.”
The lawmakers indicate that by closing the casinos sooner rather than later, they are acting solely in their own best interest. I concur.
