Virgin Casino has a new look, having just finished a rebrand to Monopoly Casino in the Garden State. It’s been nearly 11 years since the operator first launched as one of the original NJ online casino sites, so perhaps it’s about time for a new look.
Despite having been early to the party, Virgin Casino NJ had remained a small platform among the 3o operators in the state. Now owned by Bally’s, it generated $14.6 million in year-to-date revenue through September. Most months, it produces less than 1% of total revenue in the state.
By transforming Virgin into Monopoly Casino, Bally’s is undoubtedly hoping to carve out a niche for its secondary brand that will help its longevity in the NJ online casino market. New Jersey is, after all, one of the strongest US iGaming markets but also the most competitive.
As of Thursday morning, Monopoly Casino is live in NJ and can be downloaded from the iOS App Store or Google Play. Existing Virgin customers have been told that usernames, passwords, and account details will carry over, so they don’t need to register all over again.
Details behind Virgin’s revamp to Monopoly
Virgin Casino greeted users with an email earlier this week, informing them of a temporary shutdown of the platform. The message read:
“Just a heads up, we will be temporarily offline on the evening of Tuesday, November 5th, until the afternoon of Wednesday, November 6th, as we prepare for the switchover from Virgin Casino to Monopoly Casino.”
The new app has a different look and feel than the old Virgin site. Customers can look forward to the following new features:
- Your Favorite Casino Games: Tap into the classics at home or on the go.
- Monopoly Slots: Take a spin on a selection of Monopoly slot games.
- Monopoly Rewards: Turn Monopoly Money into real cash.
- Free Parking Picks: Play an exclusive daily free game for the chance to win free spins.
- Monopoly VIP: VIP perks and exclusive offers.
What the new online casino looks like
Bally’s hopes that a familiar brand like Monopoly resonates with New Jersey online casino players. The platform continues to offer slots, table games, and live dealer titles.
True to its name, the app contains several Monopoly-themed slots in a separate section. Those games include:
- Epic Monopoly II
- Monopoly Megaways
- Monopoly Big Event
- Monopoly Mega Movers
- Monopoly: Money In Hand
- Monopoly: Paradise Mansion
- Monopoly: Rising Riches
Many operators have launched slots based on TV shows and movies, most notably Wheel of Fortune. BetMGM is so committed to that brand that it launched a separate Wheel of Fortune Casino site just for fans of the show. That move toward hyper-specialization may have inspired Bally’s pivot from Virgin to Monopoly.
Since Monopoly Casino makes up a small portion of NJ online casino revenue, perhaps it’s best to be niche rather than try and compete with the heavy hitters, such as FanDuel and DraftKings. In terms of market share, it is already in a position similar to BetMGM’s Wheel of Fortune sub-brand.
Despite the name, the new platform doesn’t stick solely to Monopoly-themed games. It still has a wide array of classic slots, which include Buffalo, Cash Eruption, and Gold Blitz. It also has a full library of live dealer games, including:
- Blackjack
- Crazy Time
- Lightning Roulette
- Crazy Coin Flip
- Roulette
Bally’s rebranding of its Virgin platform to Monopoly suggests that the company believes there’s an opportunity to acquire market share. A childhood classic brand combined with exciting titles may be the key to the new product resonating with iGaming players across the Garden State.
