More Than 51,000 Online Bet Accounts Made in NJ

The rush to get online and gamble in New Jersey is increasing.

More than 14,000 new online gambling accounts were created with Atlantic City casinos since Friday, bringing the total to 51,352 since a trial period started on Nov. 21.

Internet gambling was expanded statewide on Nov. 25 for six casinos: the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa; the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort; Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino; the Tropicana Casino and Resort; Bally's Atlantic City and Caesars Atlantic City. The Golden Nugget Atlantic City decided to wait a week to launch its online betting while it works out last-minute problems with some systems, and could join the others sometime this week.

The second full week of online betting in the state began Monday.

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement could not say how many different gamblers actually made bets online; some users have created accounts with more than one gambling site.

On Thanksgiving Day alone, 5,000 new accounts were created.

The division will release its first revenue report from online gambling in January.

Online betting marks the biggest expansion of gambling in New Jersey since the first Atlantic City casino opened in 1978. The state lets gamblers play any of the games offered in its 12 casinos including card games and slots, but online poker has proven especially popular in the early going.

New Jersey is the third state in the nation to offer Internet gambling, after Nevada and Delaware.

It is designed to help the struggling casinos develop new sources of revenue as they battle increasing competition in neighboring states. Atlantic City's casino revenue has fallen from a high of $5.2 billion in 2006 to just over $3 billion last year, and is likely to fall below $3 billion this year.
 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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