Tropicana Atlantic City, which is in the process of being sold to regional casino operator Eldorado Resorts, announced Thursday it was partnering with William Hill US to bring sports wagering to the Boardwalk casino.
The announcement comes a day after an agreement was announced in which William Hill US would oversee all the sports betting operations for Eldorado in exchange for a 20 percent ownership stake in the bookmaker, a subsidiary of United Kingdom-based William Hill PLC.
William Hill US and Eldorado will co-develop sports books and add the infrastructure needed for mobile and online wagering. The companies expect to focus initially on New Jersey, Iowa, Mississippi and West Virginia. In a statement, Eldorado said it expects its casinos in West Virginia and Mississippi to be ready for sports betting this NFL season.
Tropicana Atlantic City, in a statement, said it was in the process of creating a sports betting venue inside the casino with wagering kiosks located throughout the property. A time frame wasn’t given.
“We are excited to share more details about Tropicana Atlantic City’s sports book in the coming weeks,” resort General Manager Steve Callender said.
On Wednesday, Eldorado President Thomas Reeg told the Nevada Gaming Control Board the company’s $1.85 billion acquisition of Tropicana Entertainment could be completed by Oct. 1. The Reno-based company is acquiring the operating assets of seven Tropicana-owned casinos in six states from corporate raider Carl Icahn. in partnership with real estate investment trust Gaming and Leisure Properties.
Tropicana Atlantic City would give Eldorado its first casino in New Jersey. Nevada gaming regulators tentatively approved the transaction, which includes Eldorado acquiring two casinos in Laughlin and Lake Tahoe.
Reeg said Eldorado is seeking approval from other state regulatory bodies this month. He said deal has already cleared a federal anti-trust review.
“The Tropicana has been a great property in Atlantic City for many years and we can’t wait to be a part of it.” said Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill US.
Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgamingreports.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter
