Ocean Resort is the second casino to open its sports betting operation in Atlantic CityGETTY IMAGES
The sports book at the Ocean Resort casino in Atlantic City opened Thursday afternoon around 1:15pm ET with "several dozen people already lined up," according to Ed Barkowitz of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. The scene at the casino "gave way to the usual pandemonium" when actor Mark Wahlberg "arrived a half hour later." William Hill U.S. CEO Joe Asher said, "I couldn't believe the number of people in line to sign up for a player's card. What an unbelievable vibe when Mark Wahlberg came out." Wahlberg "eventually made three bets," putting $100 each on the Eagles and Patriots to win the Super Bowl and $200 on the Browns to "win more than five games next season." Wahlberg said, "There's so much excitement and buzz around and it's awesome for Atlantic City and the community." Barkowitz notes the Ocean Resort is the "second casino to open its sports betting operation" in Atlantic City and the "first located on the famed boardwalk." The Ocean Resort's full sportsbook will not be complete "until early August, so an early parlor was set up in time for the fourth of July holiday" where five tellers "were taking action" (PHILLY.com, 6/28). In Newark, Amanda Hoover noted the Ocean Resort is "becoming one of two new luxury resorts promising to pump life back into the struggling city." Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam said, "Atlantic City is truly back in the game." The opening of the Ocean Resort comes "just hours after Hard Rock Hotel & Casino celebrated its first day of official business with guitar smashing and glamour at the former Trump Taj Mahal." Hoover: "Eyes are on both casinos as many wait to see if the two luxury properties will give a much needed boost to the long-struggling resort city" (NJ.com, 6/28).
NO COLLEGE CUT: USA TODAY's Steve Berkowitz reports the NCAA's leadership "will not pursue so-called integrity fees." That comes despite a top-ranking exec saying that the NCAA "recognizes that the anticipated spread of legalized sports betting will require it to monitor betting patterns for indicators of potential irregularities in college games." NCAA Senior VP & CFO Kathleen McNeely said that if sports gambling "continues to operate under regulation on a state-by-state basis, it will be up to individual schools to decide whether they want to pursue this type of money." However, McNeely also said that the NCAA national office "will not be going after any gambling revenue." McNeely: "We know it will cost money to monitor, but [NCAA President] Mark Emmert has been pretty firm in saying he doesn't think it's appropriate for the NCAA to try to access that revenue. Schools will need to look at their own values and decide." McNeely added that the NCAA "remains opposed to sports betting," and Emmert "has made clear that 'it feels a little disingenuous to think about taking revenue'" from sports betting (USA TODAY, 6/29).
