Presque Isle Downs & Casino in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania offers casino games, retail sports betting, and live thoroughbred racing, in addition to online wagering. PI’s owner Churchill Downs may be relatively new to Pennsylvania, but it’s a veteran when it comes to legal horse betting in the US, both live and online.
Presque Isle Downs got in on the online wagering wave under the BetAmerica brand, launching its online sportsbook in December, 2019 and the BetAmerica online casino in January, 2020.
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Presque Isle Downs partners with BetAmerica for online casino
Prior to finalizing its deal to purchase Presque Isle Downs, Churchill Downs inked two deals related to US online gambling in 2018.
In May, the company agreed to terms with sports betting and iGaming software supplier SBTech, which powers the BetAmerica betting apps in PA. That association may be coming to an end though, as it appears Churchill will shift its PA online casino to a GAN platform. Kambi will power the BetAmerica sports betting app.
Prior to entering the online betting market in PA, Churchill Downs launched online sports betting and casino in New Jersey through a deal with Golden Nugget Atlantic City.
There will be no online poker through the Presque Isle property, as it only applied for online slots, table games, and sports betting through the PGCB.
Signing up for online casinos in PA
Signing up at online casinos and sportsbooks in Pennsylvania is easy. BetAmerica is no different.
It takes just a few minutes, requires only basic personal information, and is safe and secure. All online betting sites in PA are vetted by the regulating body, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Most operators also offer some kind of no deposit PA online casino bonus and first-deposit match bonus.
BetAmerica online casino games
The BetAmerica online casino offers a similar selection as other casinos in the state. In addition to popular online slots, you will also find online table games such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and video poker.
The exact selection of games may undergo some revision when the platform moves over from SBTech to GAN. Just know, the online game offerings in PA are ever expanding as the market matures and competition increases.
Presque Isle Downs skipping online poker
Churchill Downs and Presque Isle Downs & Casino have not applied for a PA online poker license. The pair has no plans to launch an online poker site in connection with the Presque Isle Downs PA online casino.
About Presque Isle Downs
Presque Isle Downs in Erie, PA was originally opened as a slots parlor by West Virginia’s MTR Gaming Group in February 2007. MTR opened a thoroughbred track on the property seven months later.
Table games were added in 2010, but Presque Isle Downs has always struggled to meet revenue expectations. It is one of the state’s smallest casinos with just 1,500 slot games and a little more than 30 table games. As a result, it is among the lowest-grossing casino properties in the state.
MTR Gaming Group merged with growing Nevada-based casino corporation Eldorado Resorts in 2014. In 2018, Eldorado agreed to sell the property to Louisville, Kentucky-based horse racing and casino company Churchill Downs Inc. for $178.9 million.
Additionally, Churchill Downs agreed to take over management of Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin in Farmington, PA as part of the transaction.
At the time, Churchill Downs executives said the pending launch of online gambling was a major reason why it wanted in the PA casino market.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved the operator change for Presque Isle Downs in August 2018.
Churchill Downs immediately applied for both PA online slots and PA online table games licenses. It later got approval to enter the emerging PA sports betting market as well.
Presque Isle Downs Online Casino Review
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Summary
Presque Isle Downs is in great shape to launch an exceptional online casino. The Erie casino partnered with New Jersey market leader Golden Nugget, who is well known for its gigantic library of games and solid software.