New Jersey approves Resorts casino for Internet gambling after successful 5-day trial

New Jersey's fledgling Internet gambling market got a new player Wednesday as Atlantic City's Resorts Casino Hotel got the go-ahead to conduct Internet gambling in the state.

The casino received permission from the state Division of Gaming Enforcement to conduct full Internet gambling following the conclusion of a five-day test period in which state inspectors verified that the casino's equipment and systems are working properly.

Resorts will now begin several weeks of beta testing, during which customers can win and lose real money on the site, www.ResortsCasino.com . A full launch of the site is planned within a few weeks, Resorts President Mark Giannantonio said.

"During our beta period, we will invite players to sign up and provide feedback on the user experience, while we add additional features before our official launch," he said. "Real-time feedback will be an important aspect of our beta period as we further enhance the gaming content and features to produce the best casino experience in New Jersey."

Resorts becomes the sixth of Atlantic City's eight casinos to offer Internet gambling, along with the Borgata, Golden Nugget, Tropicana, Caesars and Bally's.

Trump Plaza, which closed Sept. 16, and Trump Taj Mahal, which continues to operate, lost their Internet gambling operations last year.

Resorts has been partnered with PokerStars, the world's largest online poker website, since July 2013. But PokerStars still has not been approved to operate in New Jersey, following legal trouble some of its former executives encountered.

Currently, Resorts has approval to partner with Sportech NYX Gaming LLC to offer online gambling. It still plans to add PokerStars to its lineup once the site's new owner, Amaya Gaming, is approved to operate in New Jersey.

Internet gambling began in New Jersey on Nov. 25, 2013, but is off to a slow start, having taken in $122 million last year.

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Wayne Parry can be reached at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC