More sports books launching online casinos in the U.S.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Companies that are well-known for conducting online sports betting are branching out into the online casino business.

The latest such deal was announced Monday when FanDuel and Boyd Gaming Corp. said they would launch online casino operations using an iconic gambling brand from years gone by.

The companies will operate Stardust-themed online casinos in New Jersey and Pennsylvania later this year, pending regulatory approval in both states.

FanDuel plans to rebrand its existing Betfair Casino in New Jersey under Boyd’s Stardust brand, and will launch a Stardust online casino in Pennsylvania.

A single Stardust Casino app will be available in both states.

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

All the games that were available under Betfair will continue to be available under the new brand.

The move was the latest among prominent online sports books to move into the online casino arena, an area of gambling that had been growing quickly even before the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic further boosted online winnings from customers unwilling to visit a casino in person.

According to the American Gaming Association, DraftKings has online casinos in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Michigan; William Hill has an online casino operation in Michigan, and PointsBet has plans for online casinos in New Jersey and Michigan.