Borgata second-in-line for New Jersey sports betting on Thursday

Casino operator MGM Resorts says its Borgata property in Atlantic City will commence its legal sports betting operation on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Borgata confirmed that it will take its first sports wager at 11am on Thursday, roughly half-an-hour after state racetrack Monmouth Park takes the state’s first legal wager from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who signed the state’s sports betting legislation into law on Monday.

That is, assuming the New Jersey Racing Commission plays its role and approves temporary betting regulations at its Wednesday meeting, after which Murphy can issue waivers to allow legal betting to commence while the permanent regs are finalized.

MGM operates sports betting at its Nevada casinos and the Borgata already had a leg up on its AC rivals thanks to its race betting book (pictured), which has been rebranded as The Race & Sports Book while the Borgata finishes construction of its permanent sportsbook.