Boyd Gaming bringing back iconic Stardust brand

Las Vegas-based Boyd Gaming Corp. and online betting platform FanDuel announced Monday they are partnering to launch Stardust online casinos in New Jersey and Pennsylvania next month.

FanDuel is rebranding its Betfair Casino in New Jersey and launching a Pennsylvania e-casino as Stardust platforms, the companies said in a joint release. Players will be able to use a single Stardust Casino app through iOS and Android operating systems to play in both states.

“For nearly 50 years, the Stardust was one of the most famous casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. And while the resort has been gone for more than a decade, the Stardust brand is still as well-known and popular as ever,” Boyd President and CEO Keith Smith said in the release. “We are excited to work with our partners at FanDuel to launch our first real-money online casinos and are confident this legendary brand will give us a significant advantage in connecting with players looking for a distinctive online gaming experience.”

Stardust casinos will be built out of FanDuel’s front-end, apps and player account management system, the release said. Online casino players can link their B Connected Boyd loyalty program accounts and earn points and tier credits for playing via the Stardust.

Among the casino games: slots, blackjack, roulette, video poker, baccarat and live dealer games.

“The new Stardust Casino will retain all of the great games that customers love on Betfair Casino, while incorporating a new stylish look that captures the glitz, glamour and nostalgia of old Las Vegas,” FanDuel Group President Amy Howe said in the release.

“Stardust Casino allows us to take a market leading product to the next level, creating a unified platform across New Jersey and Pennsylvania and integrating Boyd Gaming’s B Connected player loyalty program to provide even more value to our customers.”

The online casinos are subject to regulatory approval and will be limited to New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Stardust social app

People across the country, however, can download and play Boyd’s separate Stardust Social Casino mobile app. The social casino is an avenue to play casino games without betting or winning real money, the company announced last summer.

In lieu of actual money, social casino players download the app, log in and receive a certain level of virtual coins that can be played over a set period. When the coins run out, a player has the option of waiting for the next period or purchasing more from within the app — which is how it generates revenue for the company.

The Stardust branding is an homage to the gone-but-not-forgotten resort by the same name, one of the Strip’s most recognizable. The resort was well-known for its own sportsbook and associated sports betting radio show, “The Stardust Line,” which lasted 25 years.

The Stardust opened in 1958 with the largest casino and swimming pool in Nevada. Sam Boyd acquired the Stardust in 1985. The property would become a 1,500-room resort home to shows such as Siegfried & Roy and memorable signage, the latter inspiring the online and social casino branding.

Boyd closed the property in November 2006 and the building was imploded March 13, 2007, as Boyd prepared to make way for a project called Echelon Place.

The Great Recession killed the Echelon project and Boyd eventually sold the acreage and a partially built tower to Genting Group, which is building Resorts World Las Vegas on the site.

Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter.