Daily fantasy and sports betting operator DraftKings and land-based casino operator Twin River Worldwide Holdings have announced the opening of a temporary retail sportsbook at the Mardi Gras Casino in Black Hawk, Colorado.
Guests will be able to place bets at the temporary location, on the first floor of the casino, from this Friday, July 10. The sportsbook will feature eight self-service betting kiosks, a cashier window and several large-screen TVs.
Construction has also begun on the permanent sportsbook location, which is expected to open for business in time for the start of the football season. The completed sportsbook will benefit from a large feature bar, a wall of TVs and a VIP lounge area.
“This partnership with DraftKings allows us to provide an unmatched sports betting experience to Coloradans, not only with their mobile betting access, but also with this exciting DraftKings retail sportsbook location,” said George Papanier, president and chief executive officer of Twin River .
“We are looking forward to introducing our guests to the fully renovated space in the coming months and until that time, are glad to be able to give our guests the ability to safely start placing bets as many professional sports begin to resume in the coming weeks.”
Guests will have the option to place bets on all major US sports, including professional and college leagues.
Mardi Gras Casino has introduced several safety precautions amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, including increased sanitization of surfaces, compulsory face coverings for all individuals, temperature checks and social distancing.
The venue, which was acquired by Twin River in January 2019, partnered DraftKings to give the sports betting giant access to the Colorado market in January this year.
“DraftKings and Mardi Gras Casino are committed to providing a safe, immersive and entertaining gaming environment to ensure sports fans in Colorado have the most enjoyable experience possible.”, said Ezra Kucharz, DraftKings’ chief business officer.
Colorado launched legal sports wagering in May this year. The handle for the first month reached $25.5m, despite a lack of major sporting events and no retail offering available.