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Pennsylvania’s Presque Isle Downs prepares sportsbook soft launch

News

Churchill Downs’ Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Pennsylvania has announced plans to begin its final testing of a BetAmerica-branded sportsbook, with a view to completing a full roll-out by the end of the week.

The SBTech-powered BetAmerica Sportsbook will be open from 4PM until 12AM local time on 24 July, then between 2PM and 12AM on 25 July.

Presque Isle Downs will feature 50 BetAmerica sports wagering kiosks across the casino floor, as well as separate sections to bet near The Hub center bar, Bar 90, High Limit Room and the sportsbook area in the non-smoking room.

Subject to final approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), Presque Isle Downs and BetAmerica plan to open the sportsbook round the clock from 12PM on 26 July.

Presque Isle Downs and BetAmerica will follow this up with a special opening event on 8 August, to coincide with the first pre-season games for the 2019 National Football League season.

Last week, the PGCB revealed that gambling revenue in the state amounted to a record $3.3bn in the 12 months to June 30, 2019, boosted by additional income from regulated sports betting.

Legal sports betting, which launched in Pennsylvania in November of last year, generated $21.7m in revenue in the period – primarily from land-based activities, with online wagering having not launched until May this year.

The annual figure was boosted by a record performance by the market in June, partly due to the launch of legal online sports betting in May. Operators posted collective revenue of $3.1m for June, which is the highest figure since legal sports wagering launched.

SugarHouse Casino was the sports betting market leader in June, with more than half of all money wagered in the month spent via its casino or internet platform ($23.3m).