A few years ago, the Hard Rock casino in New Jersey launched an experiment where they made physical slot machines available to play on their online casino. The goal was to replicate the success of live dealers for table games, by allowing a similar live experience for slots.
While this experiment drew a lot of initial attention, it quietly went away in time. However, a new option, focused on the more popular live table games option, is now available on BetMGM in New Jersey, and should bring online and in-person play together in a unique way.
The launch of Evolution Gaming’s Dual Play Roulette offering on the Borgata casino floor allows players to play Roulette in person, and also allows those playing on BetMGM online to play the game throughout the state of New Jersey. Effectively, a live play dealer option is offered on the casino floor itself, and cameras let those online watch the action in real time, as well as actually play along and make wagers while physically in the state.
This adds a new wrinkle on live dealers, as oftentimes the solutions are produced in locations where you can’t actually see the dealers. Golden Nugget in Atlantic City had a room on property where their live dealers could be seen when walking in from the parking garage, but that was an exception vs. a rule. Now, with this option right on the Borgata gaming floor, you can see for yourself exactly what’s going on.
For now, this installation focuses on roulette, but you could see how some other table game options could be supported, such as craps or baccarat, where everyone is betting on the same outcome (a wheel spin, a dice roll, and so on). Blackjack could be a harder one to accomplish, but for the games where this solution makes sense, it’s a nice step forward that brings a creative connection between the physical and online casinos.
