Golden Gates, Golden Gulch, Mardi Gras renamed

The Tsunami-like resurgence of an iconic name in American gambling shows no sign of letting up as Bally’s Corporation rebranded three of its Colorado casino properties as Bally’s Black Hawk.

Bally’s took to LinkedIn on July 6 to announce the renaming of its Golden Gates Casino, Golden Gulch Casino, and Mardi Gras Casino properties in the eponymous Colorado municipality:

Bally’s executive vice president, casino operations and chief marketing officer Phil Juliano illustrated the intent behind the Rhode Island-based gaming firm’s rebranding effort in a simple statement.

single-minded strategy to re-establish itself as a household name in the US

In saying the Black Hawk consolidation was “the first step in a concerted effort to rebrand all 14 land-based casino properties,” the CMO underlined Bally’s single-minded strategy to re-establish itself as a household name in the US.

Juliano added that the move to the Black Hawk name was also about “establishing an omnichannel brand for online sports betting, iGaming offerings, and fantasy sports.”

Bally’s rewards at Black Hawk

Bally’s Reward Card members can now whip out their plastic at the newly named Black Hawk properties. Among other things, they will be able to stack up on Bally’s rewards, tier status, restaurant discounts, and casino multipliers.

Customers actively wagering on mobile via the Bally Bet sportsbook can also earn casino rewards at the three Colorado properties.

After Twin River Worldwide Holdings paid Caesars just $20m for the Bally’s name in October 2020, chairman Soo Kim stated that it was “an opportunity […] to revive a brand that is synonymous with American gaming.”

Before the month was over, Twin River would announce its official corporate rebrand as Bally’s Corporation. Starting November 9, the corporation even began trading on the stock exchange under BALY.

Transformation complete, the new Bally’s really began flexing its muscles.

Rise and rise of the new Bally’s

If October 2020 was Bally’s Excalibur moment, November was its crossing of the Rubicon. On November 18, it made three company announcements that reverberated across the gaming world.

Buying the sports betting and iGaming supplier Bet.Works for $125m and completing the purchase of Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino from Caesars Entertainment Inc. was eye-catching enough.

access to fans of over half of the US’s NBA, NHL, and MLB franchises

But the big daddy deal of the three was its inking of a ten-year strategic sports betting and iGaming partnership with Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. for a reported worth of $85m. The move allowed Bally’s to rebrand all Sinclair’s FOX regional sports networks, landing access to fans of over half of the US’s NBA, NHL, and MLB franchises.

Bally Bet and Sinclair attractive to sports fans

When Bally’s made its mobile sports betting market debut in late May with the Colorado beta launch of Bally Bet – which then launched in Kansas and Iowa in June – the Sinclair deal made even more business sense.

In a news release after the Kansas rollout, Bally’s said the partnership with Sinclair’s 19 regional sports networks, plus the ability to integrate content, will “attract sports fans in neighboring states to the Kansas mobile sportsbook.”

Following yesterday’s Black Hawk rebrand, Juliano said the company is proud to extend to Coloradans what the Bally’s brand has to offer “now and months and years to come.”