Resorts Casino Hotel, the first casino to open its doors in Atlantic City way back when in 1978, is about to expand into the realm of online gambling with the launch of ResortsCasino.com.

On Monday Resorts Casino officially launched the play money version of their online casino, as they continue to prepare for the launch of their real money online casino, which the company claims will occur in “early 2015.”

According to the company’s press release, Resorts’ online casino will be available on both desktop and mobile devices right from the get-go.

Preregister for special promotions

Even though real money games are not available at this time, Resorts is encouraging players to register accounts prior to the real money launch with some special offers.

The company announced, anyone of legal age who registers an account at their play money casino will be entered into Resorts’ Laptop Giveaway promotion.

Resorts has also announced registered players will have early access to marketplace games when real money games come online, and will “be first in line to receive exciting weekly wins through randomized drawings, including overnight stays at Resorts Casino Hotel, slot cash, dining credit and exclusive gift cards.”

For more information on the offers available to players who preregister an account go to ResortsCasino.com.

Resorts Casino and PokerStars and NYX Gaming

Most of the iGaming world is aware that Resorts is partnered with PokerStars in New Jersey, but a PokerStars/Resorts online poker room is not part of ResortsCasino.com… not yet anyway.

The PokerStars and Resorts partnership dates back to July of 2013, and is online poker-excusive.

For online casino games Resorts has partnered with Sportech-NYX Gaming. The partnership with NYX Gaming was officially announced in June of 2014, right around the time Amaya announced they were going to purchase PokerStars’ parent company, the Oldford Group.

The partnership deal with NYX Gaming seems to have been in place well before PokerStars was purchased by Amaya Gaming, considering Amaya quickly announced their intentions to push PokerStars into the online casino market.

Resorts Casino brick & mortar upgrades

Resorts Casino can boast of being the first casino in Atlantic City, but over the years the property has been bypassed by the new, trendier, casinos that have opened in the city.

Still, Resorts survived the Great Casino Purge of 2014, and is now positioned to be a serious player in the New Jersey gaming industry thanks to sevaral factors:

1. Diminished competition.
2. Their gutsy iGaming partnership deal with PokerStars (a company that was no sure bet to receive a license in the state).
3. And some recent renovations to their brick & mortar property.

Resorts got a shot in the arm in 2012 when management of Resorts Casino was taken over by Mohegan Gaming Advisors, which triggered the recent renovations.  In 2013 the casino rang in their 35^th anniversary with the opening of the $35 million Margarita Casino, and there is informed speculation that PokerStars will also pump some money into Resorts brick & mortar property in the form of a $10 million state-of-the-art poker room.

“We’ve spent the last few years renovating and expanding our Atlantic City property to create a world class gaming experience,” said Mark Giannantonio, president and CEO of Resorts Casino Hotel, a Mohegan Sun property stated in Monday’s press release regarding the launch of ResortsCasino.com.

“Today, we’re excited to launch the next phase in our expansion with a free online casino featuring the best-in-class casino games at www.ResortsCasino.com, players will experience the same energy and excitement we’re known for from any wireless hotspot in the United States.”

Does this signal PokerStars is coming?

This is pure speculation, but the announcement of the play money casino launch, and the hyping of the company’s real money online casino imminent launch could be a signal that PokerStars license application is back on track, and perhaps close to being a done deal.

Reason being, the best possible scenario for Resorts would be a synchronized launch between their online casino and online poker room, particularly with PokerStars marketing and branding leading the way.

On the other hand, it’s possible that Resorts has simply grown tired of waiting for PokerStars license application to be approved by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and wants to get their online casino up and running, but the timing seems to be right for PokerStars’ New Jersey online poker room to potentially be ready to go right around real money launch of ResortsCasino.com.

Another tip-off that might signal PokerStars is about to be approved for a license comes from Senator Raymond Lesniak, who stated PokerStars would be approved in/by March, which seems to line up pretty well with the announced launch of ResortsCasino.com, assuming a two to three week play money period for the site.