Hard Rock Sportsbook Becomes Hard Rock Bet

Hard Rock International announced that they will rebrand Hard Rock Sportsbook to Hard Rock Bet in the six states they are currently licensed to operate in. 

Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia currently house Hard Rock's sports betting wing and the company is about to expand their offerings in the New Jersey market.

Hard Rock and iGaming will now be under one app, and the platform will be powered by in-house technology. Technology will feature Playtech, who purchased an $85 million stake in Hard Rock, to provide slot games and live dealer options software for the new brand.

It is a play for Hard Rock to better compete in the markets they have a presence in, as well as to claim some of the iGaming market share in New Jersey when their own inclusive Hard Rock Bet platform is likely launched later this summer.

More in New Jersey...

It is no secret that New Jersey sports betting and the iGaming market are an important factor in Hard Rock’s migration plans. New Jersey is  one of just six states in America that has legalized a comprehensive iGaming industry, complete with interactive slots, action and table games.

Casinos are Hard Rock International's bread and butter, and New Jersey is the only U.S. jurisdiction they have a license to conduct online gaming in.

A company spokesperson said of the rebrand: “With the upcoming launch of our proprietary online casino in New Jersey, we wanted a new name for our integrated platform and are eager to introduce our players to the Hard Rock Bet brand and experience.”

New "Flex Parlay" feature

Along with the Hard Rock bet rebrand comes a new and innovative bet type, one that aims to seize in the increasingly popular parlay betting craze.

The Flex Parlay feature will give bettors on the Hard Rock Bet site a chance to not only place a parlay bet, but to choose how many legs that have to hit in order for the wager to pay off. If one or two legs of your three to 10 leg wager loses, there is still a chance to cash out on your parlay bet.

“Hard Rock Bet’s all-new flex parlays solve the never-ending problem of having a multi-bet parlay ruined by a bad beat,” said Jon Chapper, senior director of communications for Hard Rock Bet. “With our flex parlays, your parlay can still win even if a few bets lose. It’s a new, better way to parlay that you’ll only find at Hard Rock Bet. Just build your parlay and then flip the flex parlay switch to choose a minimum number of bets that must hit for you to win.” 

What about Florida?

Hard Rock International is based in Florida and is owned by the Seminole Tribe. They have offered retail gambling in the state for decades and have a monopoly on the gambling action there. Yet there is still no sign of any mobile sports betting or iGaming legalization there.

There is definitely some history with Hard Rock and regulators of the Florida gambling scene. In April 2021, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reworked a compact with the tribe to allow for broad legal sports betting. That deal was later overturned by federal judge Dabney Friedrich as a violation of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).

That decision was again overturned last month in the US Court of Appeals. There is still a chance that the matter does go before the U.S. Supreme Court but as of now, there is little indication of that impending move.

In the end, there is a chance that Hard Rock Bet could go live in the Sunshine State in the near future.

So, it is a familiar "wait and see" for Florida sports betting.