Owner of SugarHouse Casino launches PlaySugarHouse.com in NJ

The majority owner of SugarHouse Casino has launched an online gambling site called PlaySugarHouse.com, in the state of New Jersey.

US.- The majority owner of SugarHouse Casino has launched an online gambling site, PlaySugarHouse.com, in New Jersey. Rush Street Interactive, a unit of Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming, will operate the site under the internet gaming permit of Golden Nugget Atlantic City LLC.

Rush Street opened an office in Cherry Hill to provide service for online customers, which have to be in New Jersey to gamble on the site. Five people work there now, with more to be added as the business grows.

“We think that there’s an opportunity to get even more customers from New Jersey,” said Greg Carlin, Rush Street Gaming chief executive. Carlin also said that he has heard from casino operators in New Jersey, where online gambling started in November 2013, “online’s actually complemented their bricks and mortar business and helped them grow that business, not detract from it, because a lot of the players online are players that don’t currently go to those  casinos,” he added.

The PlaySugarHouse.com announcement came a day after the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement posted strong internet gambling results for the year through August. Gamblers lost US$128.26 million online, up 32.6 percent from the same period a year ago.

By launching PlaySugarHouse.com now Rush Street is able to start building its brand for a time when Pennsylvania opens the gate to Internet gambling. As part of state budget negotiations this year, Pennsylvania lawmakers considered it, although it has not happened yet.

Carlin declared he is cautiously optimistic that it will happen. “We think it makes sense from a revenue standpoint and growing your customer base. It’s hard to predict the legislature and what the legislature’s going to do.”