In the bustling heart of Atlantic City, as the neon lights of the legendary Golden Nugget casino twinkle against the evening sky, a chapter is closing for one of its more recent gaming attractions. DraftKings, the titan of the iGaming industry, has announced a significant strategy shift – it’s live dealer studio within this casino’s embrace is counting down its final days.
Since its grand inception in 2022, following a blockbuster $1.56 billion merger with Golden Nugget Online Gaming, DraftKings has dealt countless hands, spun innumerable roulette wheels, and overseen a myriad of craps games, from within the studio’s walls. These live dealer table games, a bridge between the digital and the tangible, have been a magnetic draw for online casino devotees across New Jersey.
Alas, come January 2025, the studio’s operations will cease, a revelation first brought to light by the eagle-eyed observers at Next.io, who delve deep into the shifts and shivers of the iGaming world. DraftKings, it seems, has filed a necessary WARN notice with New Jersey’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development – a harbinger of change affecting no fewer than 101 jobs. But amidst this end-of-an-era moment, DraftKings whispers assurances of support and smooth transitions for those who now stand at a professional crossroad.
Yet the appetite for live dealer experiences remains insatiable, a hunger DraftKings has no intention of leaving unsated. In the spirit of the shrewd innovator, the company eyes a model transformation. Not a retreat, but a strategic pivot, as they pass the torch of this hands-on thrill to the expertise of third-party studios—matured and poised to maintain uninterrupted service as the buzz of live games continues to pulse through Atlantic City.
The DraftKings Casino, a realm where about 70 games resonate in the quiet hours and over 100 when night falls and the city comes alive, finds its offerings, ranging from blackjack to Sic Bo, not to falter but evolve. Where once stood the DraftKings-gilded studio, Evolution—no stranger to the spine-tingling game of chance with its prestigious history—is likely to inherit the mantle. This interactive gaming maestro has committed a cool $75 million to erect an iGaming campus to dominate and distribute, feeding gamers’ fervor.
With tentacles reaching into Hard Rock, the Ocean Casino Resort, and the Tropicana, Evolution emerges as the natural heir to DraftKings’ live dealer kingdom, an alliance already tested and triumphant across varied states.
As if to infuse this transition with nostalgia, Evolution claims its territory on Fairmont Ave, opposite a locale steeped in local lore—an Italian tavern echoing with voices from 1935. Here, the new era of live dealer virtuosity will take root, adding contemporary craft to streets laden with history.
In the grand chessboard of New Jersey’s iGaming market, DraftKings’ stratagem is clear. With dominating revenue that dwarfs rivals and captivates a staggering market share, this is a player that shapes the game, bends the rules of engagement, and continues to ensnare the imagination of virtual gamblers, lured by the siren song of the real-deal casino experience.
The morphing of DraftKings’ dealer operations is but a single thread in the tapestry of Atlantic City’s vibrant gaming narrative, a testament that even amidst the inevitable ebbs and turns, the essence of play—brilliant, unyielding, and ever captivating—remains unchanged.
