Esports Entertainment Group Inc (EEG) and the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City have announced a new partnership that will create the first sanctioned skill-based esports wagering event in the US.
EEG and Hard Rock Atlantic City have produced a tournament for January 22 and 23, 2022 to launch LANDuel and sew the seeds for future esports betting events and permanent installations at the casino.
Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group, commented: “We are extremely excited to partner with one of the top global hotel and casino venues to kickstart the world of regulated peer-to-peer wagering in esports.
“This partnership and event are a tremendous accomplishment for our brand and creates a wide variety of opportunities for our groups to explore more innovative esports events.”
The two-day, 256-player in-person tournament is the first skill-based gaming event approved by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement where participants will be allowed to wager on themselves in each round of the event.
Players competing in the event will check in and create a LANDuel account. Once assigned to a PC, they will begin tournament play. Players will be able to place bets on their own matches.
Joe Lupo, President of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, added: “We are extremely proud to offer a one-of-a-kind e-sports wagering experience in partnership with EEG. We are confident that this innovative and highly regulated partnership will prove to be a success, contributing to our market-leading gaming offerings.”
The event will also have PCs for non-tournament participants to compete in side matches on LANDuel, allowing for eligible tournament spectators or casino guests to side-wager in their own matches outside of the tournament. The event will include a showcase stage for the tournament with spectator seating.
