Boyd Gaming and FanDuel to launch Stardust-branded online casinos

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FanDuel Group and Boyd Gaming Corporation have announced plans to team up to launch online casinos in Pennsylvania and New Jersey using the classic Stardust brand.

The companies expect to launch the new platforms in April, but final approval from regulators in both states is still necessary. Flutter Entertainment’s FanDuel is planning to rebrand its Betfair Casino in the New Jersey market to the Boyd Gaming-owned Stardust brand. The Pennsylvania launch of Stardust Casino would be an entirely new offering and will be in partnership with Boyd Gaming’s Valley Forge Casino.

The Stardust brand is iconic in US gambling history. For almost 50 years, the Stardust Resort and Casino was one of the most popular Las Vegas Strip casinos before closing in 2006.
The sites will use FanDuel’s player management systems, apps, and front end. The two online casinos will also integrate with Boyd Gaming’s existing player loyalty offering, B Connected. Players will be able to redeem loyalty points at Boyd Gaming properties.

Account integration

Popular casino games will be available as part of the new online casino offering, in addition to live dealer games. Existing users of Betfair Casino will be able to use the same account details to log into the Stardust Casino in New Jersey. Those who have a daily fantasy or sports betting account with FanDuel can also use those credentials on Stardust Casino in both states.

Speaking about the upcoming launches, Boyd Gaming CEO and president Keith Smith said that the casino company is “confident this legendary brand will give us a significant advantage in connecting with players looking for a distinctive online gaming experience.”

FanDuel Group president Amy Howe also commented on the new online casino brand, saying that it will have “a new stylish look that captures the glitz, glamour and nostalgia of old Las Vegas.”

The return of an iconic casino brand

Boyd Gaming has been in the casino business since 1975, currently operating 28 gaming properties across ten states. It also holds a 5% stake in FanDuel Group, with Flutter Entertainment owning the remaining 95% of the company.

Boyd Gaming bought the Stardust Casino in Las Vegas in 1985, eventually closing the property in 2006. The plan was to develop a new casino resort on the same site under the name “Echelon Palace.” The plans did not come to fruition, however, as a result of the global recession.

As well as being one of the first casinos on the Strip when it opened in 1958, Stardust was also a key part of the hit 1995 film Casino. Genting Group bought the unfinished Echelon Palace development in 2013 and is set to open its $4.3bn Resorts World Las Vegas casino resort this summer.

In recent years, Boyd Gaming’s market research indicated that the Stardust brand still has name recognition and value. This led to the launch of a free-to-play social casino offering in July 2020, available all across the US.