Call of Duty Homage to NJ
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Call of Duty is a popular first-shooter video game published by Activision but developed by Infinity Ward. The game was first released in 2003 and instantly became a hit due to its immersive combat gameplay and realistic, high-quality graphics. Different Call of Duty versions have featured several prominent US landmarks, including one of New Jersey’s largest malls.
Cherry Hill Mall is Now Live on Call of Duty
The 2020 release of Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War marks one of the proudest moments for New Jersey residents. After all, it pays homage to the unofficial mall capital of the world by recognizing one of New Jersey’s oldest malls, Cherry Hill Mall.
The game has a ‘Map of the Pines’ supposedly dating back to January 1984. Here, you’ll find an L-shaped Twin Pines Mall, a term referencing the 1985 movie ‘Back to the Future.’ Although the movie takes place in dystopian California, the shape of the mall in the game clearly references Cherry Hill Mall.
Cherry Hill Mall is among the biggest malls in New Jersey. When it first debuted in October 1961, it was the biggest climate-controlled mall in the eastern part of Mississippi. In fact, the property’s construction cost approximately $30 million. It was later renovated in 2009 for a whopping $220 million.
Another interesting fact about this 1.2-million-square-foot mall is that it inspired the renaming of the Cherry Hill Township. Initially, the area was known as the Delaware Township but changed its name one year after the mall opened.
Dubbed as ‘New Jersey’s premier shopping destination,’ Cherry Hill Mall is a top-rated venue for New Jersey residents and visitors. It features an amusement park, a movie theatre, and 130+ specialty retail stores.
Further, the mall was also popular for exotic bird sightings and tropical plants. But those days are long gone. Nonetheless, no one can deny the significant value of this 62-year-old mall.
It’s now legal to bet on esports in New Jersey. This means residents can place Call of Duty League bets at any of the top sports betting sites in NJ. There are also other esports games that NJ residents can wager on. The most popular include CS:GO, Fortnite World Cup, Dota 2: The International, Valorant: Champions, and League of Legends World Championships.
For players who also have an interest in casino gambling, NJ online casinos offers a list of reliable platforms to bet on. New Jersey is among the many states in the US to legalize sports betting and online casino gambling.
Types of Bets in the NJ Esports Market
What bet types can you enjoy in NJ esports betting sites? While having an excellent selection of esports games is one thing, you should also have a wide range of bet types to maximize your win potential. And NJ casinos online understand this.
All licensed NJ esports betting sites feature several betting markets. These include standard bet types like moneyline, points spreads, totals, and props, as well as more niche bet types like same-game parlays, multi-line parlays, and odds boosts. You’ll also find that most major esports tournaments allow you to place futures and live bets.
Esports Betting Regulations in NJ
New Jersey legalized esports betting back in 2020. That was after assemblyman Ralph Caputo forwarded legislation, now known as Bill A637, that the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) should permit and regulate esports tournaments like other sporting events.
In 2022, the NJDGE launched an exclusive esports betting sportsbook, Vie.gg, to cater to the needs of NJ esports bettors. The sportsbook partnered with Atlantic City Casino to offer NJ residents online and mobile esports betting options.
Unfortunately, it closed down soon after and is yet to reopen. Nonetheless, players can still bet on esports at various NJ online casinos and sportsbooks. These include DraftKings, Unibet, BetRivers, Bet365, and many more.
It’s also worth noting that plenty of bills in parliament seek to expand the NJ esports betting market further. For instance, Senator James Beach pushed to parliament a Bill that seeks to include esports as an ‘authorized gambling game.’ If passed, the DGE would provide existing casino licensees with an esports permit. The permit would not count towards the statutory five-limit individually branded internet/mobile platforms for casino licensees.
Additionally, the Bill also seeks to allow casino licensees to get two more individually-branded mobile/online sports betting platforms exclusively for esports. This provision would not count toward the three limit. However, the Bill is still up for discussion by State legislators.
New Jersey has yet again proved to be among the most permissive US states in terms of online gambling. And Call of Duty developers have noticed it, too. In fact, more and more players are flocking to NJ casino sites to play various Call of Duty tournaments and other esports games. As such, we expect to see more tributes paid to Garden State from the esports market in the coming years.
