The excitement and economic impact of PA sports betting will soon extend into another corner of the Keystone State.
During a Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) meeting last week, Presque Isle Downs received conditional approval from the PGCB to move forward with plans to open up a sportsbook inside its Erie casino.
Sportsbook launch date still uncertain
Although the sportsbook’s opening date has yet to be determined, Presque Isle Downs revealed other essential elements of its sportsbook plans. The Churchill Downs-owned casino will feature 1,275 square feet of sportsbook space with 50 self-service sports betting kiosks and 50 large HD televisions.
Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs, spoke about the plans in a statement:
“Presque Isle will give us a foothold in Pennsylvania and the opportunity to participate in the sports betting and online gaming market throughout the state. This acquisition is projected to be immediately accretive to our shareholders. We are excited about welcoming Presque Isle and its employees to the Churchill family.”
Sportsbook will open as BetAmerica
The Presque Isle sportsbook will carry the BetAmerica brand name. The brand is already used in certain parts of the country as a horse race betting app.
Before the Erie location opens permanently, the sportsbook must satisfy the final conditions of the PGCB. After that, it must successfully navigate a two-day “soft-open” period that will be closely monitored by the gaming board. Following that, the sportsbook will be fully functional. Mobile sports betting should follow in the spring.
Presque Isle’s sportsbook continues PA sports betting
Presque Isle’s sportsbook will be the seventh in the state and provide another attraction in the state’s western region.
The PGCB also confirmed that the Valley Forge Turf Club has submitted paperwork to offer sports betting at its off-track betting parlor in the near future. Furthermore, Valley Forge Casino, which has partnered with FanDuel Sportsbook, has targeted a March opening for a sportsbook of its own.
PA sportsbooks could see record revenues in March
According to statistics released last year by the American Gaming Association, US citizens wager an estimated $10 billion annually on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, which tips off every year in March.
With easier access to sports betting nationwide – and especially in Pennsylvania – that number will likely grow even bigger this year. Pennsylvania’s newly-minted sportsbooks could see record revenues and unprecedented levels of activity during that month.
And Presque Isle’s sportsbook could be right in the middle of it.