Celebrities would be paid to play in order to attract online poker fans
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement announced Thursday that it is considering a celebrity-based promotional scheme as a means of improving business for the online operators licensed in the state.
The proposal is that licensed operators would be permitted to hire for reward celebrities to play on their online sites. The operator would provide the celebrity with playing funds and absorb the celebrity's losses, but in the event of success, the celebrity would keep his or her winnings.
The publication NJ.com reports that the aim is to boost player activity in the New Jersey online market, which overall won $122 million in its first full year in 2014, and has already matched that total in the first 10 months of this year (see previous InfoPowa reports).
Reaction from the operators has been mixed, with the Borgata saying it already uses a celebrity strategy, albeit not involving celebs of the Hollywood variety.
Caesars Interactive does not appear enthusiastic, saying that it will pass on the proposal until internet gambling is more widespread among other states and can deliver larger player pools … but a spokesman nevertheless commended the DGE for trying to improve the situation.
The DGE has made the proposal publicly available until February 5 for comment.
Online Casino News Courtesy of Infopowa
