DraftKings has launched sports betting in West Virginia after reaching a licencing agreement with an affiliate of Penn National Gaming, the operator of Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.
The agreement allows sports fans in the Mountain State to access DraftKings Sportsbook, the mobile and online sports betting platform, pending regulatory approvals. West Virginia is the second US state within which DraftKings is to offer an online sportsbook. Last month, the firm became the first sportsbook retail outlet in Mississippi when the doors opened at its Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort in D’Iberville.
“We are pleased to help welcome DraftKings to West Virginia,” commented John Finamore, Vice President of Regional Operations for Penn National Gaming. “We believe the state will certainly benefit from DraftKings’ tremendous brand awareness and expertise in providing customers a quality online sports betting experience.”
DraftKings states that its sportsbook is to offer “a superior and engaging online sports betting experience,” including live and in-game betting, alongside the opportunity to wager on major and niche international and US sports, as well as new features such as sportsbook pools for the NFL, NBA and NHL.
Matt Kalish, Chief Revenue Officer and Co-founder of DraftKings, explained: “We are thrilled to work with Penn National Gaming to bring our online sportsbook product to West Virginia. We look forward to serving sports fans in the Mountain State, and building on the immense success we have had in leading the New Jersey market.
“With over 90 percent of sports bettors returning to play after trying DraftKings Sportsbook, we are confident we can deliver on being the best place to play for West Virginia consumers.”
First phase of New Jersey online casino launched
The news comes as the firm also launched the first phase of its New Jersey online casino platform, after a blackjack game for Android users was incorporated into the firm’s existing sportsbook app for The Garden State.
According to Online Poker Report, more games will follow as the iOS client becomes available for Apple devices in the near future, but the operator has “no apparent plans to offer online poker in NJ or anywhere else”.
The same publication has speculated as to whether FanDuel, notoriously locked in a battle for market share with DraftKings, will match this casino offering, possibly through rebranding the existing Betfair NJ online casino under FanDuel colours.
Read about the US affiliate opportunity here.
