30-second summary:
- Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approves Presque Isle Downs & Casino petition for sports betting
- Additional review and testing phase can now begin
- Sportsbook will be 1,275 square feet in size, located near poker room and simulcast area
- 50 self-betting kiosks will be added for sports betting in another area of the casino
Yet another gaming facility in Pennsylvania has been approved for sports betting. During its first February meeting, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved the petition submitted by Presque Isle Downs & Casino.
The property is now authorized to operate sports betting after another review and testing phase have been completed.
Approval given
The casino, owned by Churchill Downs Inc., applied for a sports betting certificate in December. The approval now gives Presque Isle Downs & Casino the right to offer on-site sports betting. The approval also covers mobile devices and online wagering in the future.
The casino must pay a $10m fee for the sports betting license. Payment must be made within a 60-day time frame of the approval, or before the sportsbook is open for business.
During the recent Gaming Control Board meeting, the casino operator had several officials on hand, including legal counsel, to provide information on what their sports book would provide.
The casino, which is located in the Summit Township, must next complete two days of public testing before officially launching sports betting. The time frame in which the testing phase will take place has yet to be announced.
Churchill Downs offers sports betting currently under the BetAmerica brand. To operate the sportsbooks at the Summit Township facility, it has decided to partner with SBTech. Churchill Downs has praised SBTech for its best-in-class selection of events and wagering options, including the broad selection of in-play betting choices.
Churchill Downs Inc. said: “SBTech has partners in 21 regulated markets across the world and is able to offer world-leading, accurate and reliable prices covering over 30 sports worldwide. Its custom risk-management controls automate movement based on our specific appetite for risk to maximize turnover and revenue and real-time benchmarking keeps arbitrage at a minimum.”
Sportsbook details
The sportsbook that Presque Isle Downs & Casino plans to offer will be set up in two phases. Phase I will include the creation of a sportsbook in an existing space within the casino. It will be 1,275 square feet in size, and located next to the poker room and simulcast area.
An additional 317 square feet of space will be dedicated to special sports betting kiosks, which will provide self-service wagering. The casino plans on adding 50 kiosks to the property.
Phase I will also include the addition of 50 flatscreen HD televisions throughout the property. These will be used to display sports events. Boards will showcase pre-match odds, as well as live wagering options.
Phase II will see the launch of mobile and online sports betting. When this option will début has yet to be determined.