Metro

Trump Plaza inks deal with UK firm for online betting

ATLANTIC CITY — Trump Plaza is partnering with British company Betfair to offer Internet gambling once it begins in New Jersey next month.

Betfair is one of Britain’s largest online betting companies, and it owns TVG, the platform provider for 4NJBets. That is the only horse racing account-wagering platform available to New Jersey residents.

“New Jersey is leading the way by launching online gaming and creating a new economy,” said Paul La Fontaine, the company’s managing director of gaming. “Betfair brings more than a decade of online experience, and through our platform will be pleased to enable play anywhere, anytime, through web and mobile devices.”

Betfair’s alignment with Trump Plaza had been rumored for months, but the company didn’t confirm the alliance until Wednesday morning. The company has more than 4 million registered users.

The company has begun running digital display ads at ferry terminals in Hoboken targeting commuters. It also has launched Twitter and Facebook social profiles where it plans to host free-to-play competitions and sweepstakes ahead of the start of real gambling in New Jersey. That happens Nov. 26 after a five-day invitation-only test period to make sure all the systems work properly.

New Jersey has already awarded Internet gambling permits to five casinos, clearing them to begin offering online gambling once it starts. They are the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa; the Golden Nugget Atlantic City; Trump Plaza and the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort; and the Tropicana Casino and Resort.

With Betfair’s announcement, only two of Atlantic City’s 12 casinos have not divulged their Internet gambling plans: Revel Casino Hotel and the Atlantic Club, which was nearly bought by the PokerStars website before that deal fell apart.

PokerStars has partnered with Resorts Casino Hotel. The Tropicana has joined with Gamesys Limited, which runs jackpotjoy.com.

The four casinos owned by Caesars Entertainment — Caesars Atlantic City, Bally’s Atlantic City, Harrah’s Resorts Atlantic City and the Showboat Casino Hotel — are partnering with 888 Holdings for online gambling.

The Borgata is partnering with bwin.party, and the Taj Mahal chose Ultimate Gaming, which began offering Internet gambling in Nevada this year.

The Golden Nugget Atlantic City is offering its own brand of Internet gambling using Bally Technologies.