The Daily Fantasy Sports operator, DraftKings has scored a deal to operate a real money sportsbook at a commercial casino in New York if and when new sports betting laws are implemented in the state.
On Monday it was announced that DraftKings would enter the New York sports betting landscape via the del Lago Resort and Casino when the Empire State enables legislation, hopefully by next year.
The chief executive officer and co-founder of DraftKings, Jason Robins said in a statement: “New York is one of the largest revenue opportunities for future sports wagering operators and we are thrilled to partner with del Lago Resort & Casino to offer sports fans a unique and novel sports betting experience, both at a physical sportsbook and on mobile when permitted.”
Currently, lawmakers are pushing regulations to allow New York’s four upstate commercial casinos to legally operate sports betting platforms.
While there is “no substantive action planned on the issue” of legalizing sports betting at the moment, according to the Director of Communications at the New York State Gaming Commission, Brad Maione, analysts believe that 2019 will definitely be the year that we see changes in the state’s gambling landscape.
DraftKings’ Robins continued in his press release: “DraftKings is well positioned to capitalize on the New York market through its industry leading technology and more than 10 million customers. … New York is one of the largest revenue opportunities for future sports wagering operators and we are thrilled to partner with del Lago Resort & Casino to offer sports fans a unique and novel sports betting experience, both at a physical sportsbook and on mobile when permitted.”
Commenting on the deal, the co-chairman of del Lago, Brent Stevens said that the group sees DraftKings as a “fantastic and strategic partner” in the casino’s sportsbook operation. He said that the deal represents a tremendous move forward for the property in general. According to Stevens, the partnership with DraftKings combines one of the most recognizable brands in sports with one of New York’s top resort and casino brands and “represents an incredibly important moment for gaming in the upstate region.”
Stevens added that the del Lago brand looked forward to working closely with DraftKings to create a “dynamic, engaging and innovative sports betting experience for New Yorkers.”
