Launch follows state approval and soft launch
DraftKings has launched an online casino in Pennsylvania after being approved for a license and completing a series of tests.
The online gaming giant wasted no time in getting started in the state. DraftKings secured an interactive gaming operator license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board on Wednesday and immediately began testing ahead of an official launch just 48 hours later.
secured an interactive gaming operator license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
After receiving approval, DraftKings carried out a two-day soft launch. On the first day, the site ran from 2 to 10pm. On the second day, the site operated from 1 to 11pm. The new online casino is now available to Pennsylvanians 24/7.
Operating through Penn National’s Hollywood Casino
In Pennsylvania, online gaming operators must be partnered with a land-based casino. DraftKings already has a partnership in place with the Meadows for its sports betting site in the state.
For the company’s online casino, DraftKings has partnered with the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. This partnership came to fruition thanks to DraftKings’ national market access agreement with Penn National Gaming, the owner of the Hollywood Casino.
Tim Dent, chief compliance officer for DraftKings, commented on the relationship the brand has with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The executive thanked them for
their thoughtful leadership in creating a consumer-focused, competitive iGaming market.”
The launch of a DraftKings online casino marks the eighth online gaming operator to offer services in Pennsylvania.
Going public after multibillion-dollar merger
News of DraftKing’s online casino launch in Pennsylvania comes just days after the company completed its multibillion-dollar merger with SBTech and Diamond Eagle Acquisition Corporation (DEAC). As we reported, DEAC shareholders decided to vote in favor of merging the companies.
With the merger now complete, the Nasdaq exchange will list DraftKings with the ticker symbol ‘DKNG’. The new company has been valued at $3.3bn.