bet365 plans to add Iowa as the fifth United States jurisdiction where it offers legal sports betting, with Louisiana to eventually follow.
It’s going to take longer than expected, however. A May launch of mobile and online sports wagering in Iowa was planned, but that and a Louisiana launch have been postponed.
A spokesperson for the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission confirmed that the global gaming giant is “fairly far along” in the licensing process.
In 2021, bet365 sealed a market access agreement with Casino Queen Marquette. The company is already offering sports betting in Colorado, Ohio, New Jersey, and Virginia.
Massachusetts Would Have Been Fifth bet365 US Market
bet365 pulled its license request in Massachusetts in January before mobile and online sports betting began there on March 10. bet365 had been seeking a “tethered” mobile license in partnership with the Raynham Park simulcasting facility.
“We encountered some issues and we didn’t feel like it would be the right time to push,” a spokesperson said of bet365’s decision to pull its application for Massachusetts.
The reason the company hasn’t blitzed more of the 36 American jurisdictions where sports betting is legal and in some form of implementation is largely because of quality control, the spokesperson said.
If You Get Sports Betting Wrong, ‘You’re in Trouble’
“Customers in the USA have a real passion for sports and have shown a real passion for sports betting,” the bet365 spokesperson said. “We hope that when the time is right, as more states welcome sports betting, bet365 can consider expanding further. As and when we do launch, our key priority will be customer service, and promoting responsible gambling.
“We feel that the USA can go on to become a huge territory for all sports betting operators, and it has to be a really considered approach to ensure that each launch and rollout is done correctly.”
bet365 has in the process avoided the expense of aggressive customer acquisition and backlash from advertising blitzes that are now prompting legislative pushback.
bet365 Group Ltd. earlier this year reported a 90% drop in profits from 2022, citing the “significant” cost of generating brand awareness in new markets. bet365 entered into a partnership with the San Antonio Spurs last year to create a free-to-play game.
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