If FanDuel isn’t already a household name to NJ gamblers, it will be soon. This internet gaming powerhouse that has already been making big waves in New Jersey in both Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and as a full-scale sportsbook, is about to become a lot bigger.

The FanDuel online sportsbook and mobile app launched in New Jersey on Sept. 6, 2018, just a couple of months after a FanDuel retail sportsbook opened at Meadowlands Racetrack. FanDuel has since become one of the top-performing sportsbooks in the state.

New players can get a first bet of up to $1,000. If you’re not yet signed up, we invite you to take advantage of this offer. Claim your $1,000 bet at Fanduel Sportsbook online!

FanDuel is now an online and mobile casino, too

But much like FanDuel’s chief competitor, DraftKings, is not just a sportsbook but also a casino, so is FanDuel. Perhaps you’re one of the thousands of NJ players who enjoy betting online or on your mobile device on both sports and casino games. FanDuel gives its registered players that option.

The FanDuel NJ gambling website is currently affiliated with Betfair Online Casino. Therefore, for now, at least, FanDuel customers who log onto the site and want to play casino games can simply click on “Casino” and be redirected to the Betfair site. You can keep switching back and forth from one site to the other as often as you like.

FanDuel’s new partnership with Boyd Gaming

The association between FanDuel and Betfair might not continue much longer, however, due to another partnership between FanDuel and Boyd Gaming.

Hot off the press on March 8, 2021 comes a big announcement jointly issued by the two companies. It states that they have agreed to join forces to give FanDuel casinos a new look and a new name. FanDuel Casinos will be rebranded as Stardust Casinos!

FanDuel and Boyd Gaming–a perfect pairing

FanDuel’s partnership with Boyd Gaming makes a lot of sense.

The Nevada-based Boyd Gaming was founded all the way back in 1975. It currently owns and operates a dozen casino properties in the Las Vegas area and an even larger number of casinos and racinos in other states.

The company is also no stranger to New Jersey. It formerly co-owned the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City along with MGM before the latter took over sole ownership.

It is commendable that FanDuel wants to offer an online casino platform that can match the great success of its sports betting platform. However, its experience and expertise are primarily as a sportsbook operator. Therefore, FanDuel could benefit greatly from a company with a lot more casino experience. Boyd Gaming clearly qualifies.

In fact, in Aug. 2018, Boyd Gaming chose FanDuel as its online and mobile sportsbook partner. This gave the company access to FanDuel’s sports betting technology and the wherewithal to create an online and mobile sports betting platform for the players at Boyd-owned casinos.

Meanwhile, the same deal permitted FanDuel to run its own branded sports betting services in the jurisdictions where Boyd Gaming operated. As a result, FanDuel was able to open sportsbooks in many more states. Most importantly, Boyd Gaming was the last owner-operator of the defunct Stardust Casino in Las Vegas. FanDuel and Boyd Gaming both felt that the timing is right to bring back the popular brand. They also thought that it would be a great new name and concept for FanDuel’s online casinos.

Surely the new name would resonate with NJ casino players. Moreover, no one would be better positioned to know how to make it work than Stardust Casino’s former owner, Boyd Gaming!

Stardust Casino: Not just an iconic brand but a greatly missed Las Vegas landmark

Some readers in their 20s might not recognize the name Stardust.  But to most of you, it needs no introduction.

Back in its heyday, the Stardust was a legendary attraction on the Vegas Strip. But even though it is long gone, it is not forgotten.

The casino’s less than glorious past

The casino’s colorful history spans nearly history 50 years. Although the Stardust opened all the way back in 1958, the Boyd family did not take ownership until 1985.

The Boyd purchase put an end to the long period of association with the mob that had plagued the property. One prominent figure was the legendary bookmaker Frank (“Lefty”) Rosenthal who opened illegal sportsbooks at several Las Vegas casinos, including the Stardust, which became a leading mecca for sports betting. But because of his alleged ties to organized crime, Rosenthal was eventually banned from all Nevada casinos.

However, even while Boyd owned the property, the notoriety surrounding it didn’t go away. For example, in 1992, a guard who was transporting money to an armored truck was robbed of $1.1 million. And later that year, a sportsbook cashier stole $225K in cash and casino chips. Then, in 2000, a man was fatally shot inside the Stardust sportsbook.

The legacy going forward

Fortunately, the legacy that the Stardust leaves behind is a lot more than that of a place where unsavory characters presumably had free rein to do whatever they wanted. For starters, it was impossible to visit Las Vegas and not know it existed. Its dazzling neon sign could reportedly be seen from three miles away.

More importantly, the Stardust was a destination closely associated with old Vegas. The entertainment it offered was top of the line. Frequent headliners included Wayne Newton, Robert Goulet, Steve & Eydie, and Don Rickles, just to name a few.

However, during the last decade of its existence (from the late 1990s to its closure in Nov. 2006 and implosion in 2007), the aging property struggled. It faced a big challenge trying to compete with the much newer, bigger, and fancier casino resorts nearby. When the Stardust first opened, its hotel was the largest in the world, In its final years, it was one of the smallest on the Las Vegas Strip.

But some things refuse to die, and the Stardust brand is one of them. Right up to the end, the Stardust Las Vegas casino remained a popular choice with middle-class gamblers who liked the convenience of a hotel on the Strip but were also looking for value.

The makers of the 1995 hit movie “Casino” might have used the Stardust as the model for the fictitious casino in the film.

In addition, the letters from the iconic Stardust sign were refurbished, and tourists can now view them at Neon Museum in downtown Vegas.

But that’s not all. Boyd Gaming, recognizing that strong interest in the iconic brand still exists, has already launched a free-to-play Stardust social casino. The casino app can be accessed nationwide on the App Store and Google Play.

Will Betfair Casino in NJ become the next Stardust Casino? You can bet on it!

Fast forward to today. The success of the Stardust social casino led Boyd Gaming and its partner FanDuel to believe that a real money Stardust casino might be even more successful. It’s a gamble they want to take.

The two parties anticipate being able to launch Stardust casinos sometime in April in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. However,  they must receive final approval from state regulators first. In New Jersey, the plan is to rebrand the existing Betfair Casino as a Stardust Casino.

The FanDuel-Boyd Gaming joint venture should be a win-win for both and for the players, too

Here is what Keith Smith, president and CEO of Boyd Gaming, had to say in his press release:

“For nearly 50 years, the Stardust was one of the most famous casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. And while the resort has been gone for more than a decade, the Stardust brand is still as well-known and popular as ever”

“We are excited to work with our partners at FanDuel to launch our first real-money online casinos and are confident this legendary brand will give us a significant advantage in connecting with players looking for a distinctive online gaming experience.”

Meanwhile, the benefit for the players is that the newly created online casinos in New Jersey and Pennsylvania will be integrated with Boyd Gaming’s B Connected player loyalty program.

Here at NJ Online Casino, we can’t wait for the new Stardust Online Casino to launch and let you know what we think of it.