BetMGM completed some back-off-the-house technology updates to its New Jersey online sportsbook and casino app last month, but the “scheduled maintenance” lasted a bit longer than expected.
The previously announced plan took place across six states, including NJ. But it was anything but a smooth transition for one of the leaders in US online gambling.
And users of NJ sportsbooks and online casinos in New Jersey voiced their displeasure.
BetMGM NJ alerted customers of scheduled maintenance
BetMGM Sportsbook NJ and MGM Online Casino NJ players were unable to place any bets for the majority of Aug. 28. Likewise for the online sportsbook’s users in Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts and Tennessee, which were all part of the announced upgrades.
A random Monday in August is typically an ideal time to update a sports betting app. The sports calendar is slower in late summer and recreational gamblers are gearing up for football season.
This particular day was the official start of the 2023 US Open Tennis Championships.
BetMGM customers received an email on Aug. 27 titled “Important Update: Scheduled Maintenance on August 28,” which read:
“Scheduled Maintenance. We’re taking a short break to improve your experience. We’ll Be Right Back With More Action. Please be aware that on August 28th, our app and website will be unavailable for an extended period in Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey, & Tennessee because of scheduled maintenance. Thank you for your patience. We’ll notify you when we’re back up; you’ll be playing again in no time!”
Frustrated users respond to BetMGM issues
However, Bonus.com reported that users in Pennsylvania, Colorado, Michigan and Indiana were occasionally unable to access their BetMGM accounts that day. Those states had already completed the tech updates earlier in the year.
Some online sports bettors took to social media to voice their frustration. The timing of the phased update and the apparent lack of transparency were the primary complaints noted.
Most users in NJ were unable to access BetMGM for most of the day on Aug. 28, according to first-hand accounts and various, unverified comments on social media.
One commenter on X (formerly Twitter) noted that maintenance took longer than anticipated in states that upgraded earlier and, for BetMGM, it would be “better to just say that.”
The only problem is that BetMGM probably shouldn’t call it “maintenance” since it is significant behind the scenes upgrade. They’re going to a single login/wallet across their states.
When prior phase states went through this upgrade, it took all day. Better to just say that.
— Wodes (@PatWodes) August 28, 2023
Nonetheless, BetMGM did finish what it intended to do in NJ and elsewhere. The online operator has been focusing efforts on migrating the multi-state apps into a single wallet and account for all users. In other words, BetMGM users can now access the same account no matter which legal state they are currently in.
Previously, customers had to create individual accounts and enter their personal and financial information for separate logins across more than one jurisdiction.
In addition to the states mentioned above, New York, Kansas, Mississippi, West Virginia and Virginia have all completed the BetMGM migration process.
