DraftKings has been making headlines quite often recently, as they have adopted a very interesting and specific expansion strategy when it comes to sports betting. This fantasy sports and betting giant has been making the most of the fact that betting is now made legal in several states. In fact, many other states are planning to introduce betting on sports as one of the possible activities, and DraftKings is having a blast.
The company gained a huge reputation for offering fantasy sports, but it decided to introduce one more thing to its offer and quickly became one of the fastest-growing sports betting companies in the US.
DraftKings has recently made significant progress in Indiana as the Indiana Gaming Commission made a last-minute decision to allow the company to offer its services via mobile phones. The operators partnered with Penn National Gaming, a company that runs Ameristar East Chicago, and the two made a deal to launch a digital sports betting platform for the residents of Indiana.
The approval to offer digital sports betting means that DraftKings will join French Lick Casino and Rush Street Interactive in being one of the first companies to offer online sports in Indiana. If you are in this state, or you visit it, you will be able to legally place bets using your mobile phone.
The state of Indiana legalized sports betting earlier this year. They provided a license for offering this type of gambling to all 13 casinos that are located in the state. Brick-and-mortar properties started offering sports betting services on Sept. 1, just a couple of days before the first game of the NFL season on Sept. 3. In other words, the regulators hurried up to start offering to bet on sports before the beginning of one of the most popular sports in the US (as it turns out, one of the most popular among bettors as well).
Not Just Indiana
Another state that is focusing on expanding sports betting is Pennsylvania, and DraftKings is also at the forefront there as well, preparing the ground for going live soon. Being one of the states with the biggest population, The Keystone State has been the primary focus of many sports betting operators, which see an opportunity to offer their services there.
Last Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board made an approval to launch a brand new sportsbook called The Meadows Racetrack and Casino, which is located in the Pittsburgh area. The testing period for this book will take place on Oct. 8 and 9. After that, there will be a grand opening ceremony, which will take place on Oct. 10.
The Meadows will feature a physical sportsbook, which will be operated by Penn National Gaming. In fact, the company has a sector that focuses mainly on sports betting and online gaming called Penn Interactive.
On the other hand, DraftKings is also a part of the project, and it will make sure that online and mobile wagering runs smoothly. However, the company still hasn’t received official approval from the Gaming Control Board of Pennsylvania to launch the sportsbook for mobile. Their license application will be reviewed by the regulator in a meeting that will take place on Oct. 30.
The daily fantasy sports company and betting operator currently operates in four states: New Jersey, New York, Mississippi, and West Virginia. The company is doing pretty great, and their expansion to Indiana and Pennsylvania is pretty much inevitable at this point. They are closely monitoring the development of sports betting opportunities in other states, and will probably act quickly once an opportunity arises.
