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BetMGM announced on Monday that it has entered into a multi-year agreement with MLB’s Washington Nationals to open a brick and mortar sportsbook at Nationals Park in Washington D.C.

The partnership includes the use of BetMGM’s mobile betting app within the area surrounding the ballpark. BetMGM will have its signage inside Nationals Park with the gambling company designated as the MLB team’s official sports betting partner.

Said BetMGM Chief Revenue Officer Matt Prevost in a statement:

“This new partnership with the Nationals is our most in-depth partnership with a team and showcases the multitude of ways we’re able to engage fans in and out of stadiums.”

Sportsbook inside the Arena

The brick and mortar sportsbook inside Nationals Park will be the second of its kind in the market. In 2018, William Hill opened a temporary physical sportsbook at the Capital One Arena which is the home of the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the NHL’s Washington Capitals. A permanent sportsbook is currently under construction and is expected to open in early spring.

The Nationals Park sportsbook will be located in the space which is currently the Center Field Social, across Center Field Plaza from the Nationals Team Store. That means that the 4,400 square foot Las Vegas Style sportsbook won’t be accessible to fans inside the stadium but that’s where the sports betting app comes in.

BetMGM Sports Betting App

The BetMGM sports betting app will let fans inside the stadium place bets. Per the District’s sports betting regulations, the mobile app will be accessible to bettors from withing two blocks of Nationals Park. BetMGM is targeting the launch of the app for the start of the 2021 MLB season.

Under the District’s sports betting regulations, sports betting apps that are connected to a venue’s physical sportsbook can only operate within a few blocks from the surrounding venue. Only Gamebet DC, the mobile app operated by the D.C. Lottery can be accessed throughout the entire city.

BetMGM Gets Foothold of the Region

The deal with the Washington Nationals will likely give BetMGM a foothold of the region. BetMGM currently operates in 11 states. It already has a sports betting facility in West Virginia and is expected to launch in Virginia this year. BetMGM is also the likely sports betting operator at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland once the state approves its sports betting regulations.

The physical BetMGM sportsbook will include betting windows, electronic betting, and betting kiosks. It will be open all-year round even before or after the MLB season. The sportsbook will not be governed pandemic-related stadium restrictions because it is not a ticketed space. Instead, it will follow all D.C. regulations.

Posted on December 31, 2020

Sports Betting, Washington

William Hill Sports Betting App Launched in Washington D.C.

By Brian Walker

Sports Betting Graphic and Man Holding Fan of Money

William Hill launched its sports betting app in the Nation’s capital earlier this week after securing approval from the D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming. However, there is a catch.

Because William Hill received a Class A sports betting license, it’s mobile app is only allowed to be used within two blocks of the Capital One Arena. That’s because a Class A gaming license is reserved for facilities located inside the city’s four major sports stadiums and arenas.

William Hill is the exclusive sports betting partner of the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals, and Washington Mystics who all play their home games at the Capital One Arena.

App Not Available Everywhere

The William Hill sports betting app will offer several types of bets including in-play wagering and parlay cards that will link multiple bets. Starting this past Tuesday, it is available for download in any Apple or Google devices. But like D.C. Lottery’s Gamebet DC sports betting app, it isn’t available for use inside federal buildings.

But while the two block radius distance from the Capital One Arena and the prohibition of use inside government buildings is a limitation for the William Hill sports betting app, it’s launch will give DC sports bettors a solid alternative from the existing Gamebet DC sports betting app. William Hill is known to give the best user experience while also offering very competitive odds.

First Sportsbook Inside U.S. Sports Venue

Last July, William Hill also launched a pop-up sportsbook inside the Capital One Arena. It is also awaiting the completion of the construction of a full-service retail sportsbook in the venue. That project is in partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment which owns the Wizards franchise.

Once finished in the spring of 2021, the brick and mortar William Hill sportsbook at the former Greene Turtle Bar at the corner of F and Sixth Streets NW at the arena will have a restaurant and it will offer a first-of-its-kind experience for Washington sports fans and bettors. It will also be the first retail sportsbook to operate inside a U.S. sports venue.

William Hill vs Gamebet DC

The arrival of William Hill in D.C. has given Gambet DC stiff competition. William Hill’s pop-up sportsbook took $13.7M worth of bets with a reported $2.73M in gross gaming revenues in November. In contrast, Gamebet DC took in just $3.9M in sports bet during the same month.

The launch of its sports betting app only looks to make William Hill’s D.C. presence even stronger. Aside from D.C., William Hill has offers its mobile sports betting app in seven other states, namely Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, New Jersey, and West Virginia. It also operates the trading services for the Rhode Island Lottery mobile app.

Posted on December 31, 2020

Casino, Washington

Spokane Tribe Casino to Double its Current Size in Expansion Project

By Brian Walker

Casino Chips With a Casino Floor Themed Background
The Spokane Tribe Casino in Airway Heights, Washington has broken ground on an expansion project that aims to double its current size.

According to a statement from the Spokane Tribe on Monday, the expansion has already started earlier this month with the demolition of the Washington casino’s east side parking lot. The construction is expected to be completed in the latter part of 2021 and it will help bring in a total of 300 construction and casino jobs. The Spokane Tribe also said that additional amenities and expansion plans will be revealed in a series of announcements next year.

Expansion Project

The expansion project involves the addition of 20,000 square feet of gaming space to the Washington casino’s existing area. It is the second phase of the Spokane Tribe’s Economic Development Plan that calls for a hotel, cultural center, entertainment venue, and retail shops on the 145-acre site on U.S. Highway 2.

Warner Gaming, which operates the Washington casino, will lead the development of the expansion project. Spokane’s Swinerton Builders has been designated as the project contractor while the Cuningham Group from Minnesota will design the expansion.

Per Spokane Tribal Casino Marketing Director Christopher Marzotto, the Spokane Tribe had planned to break ground on the project earlier this year but was forced to move the date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doubling the Current Size

The Spokane Tribal Casino is built on the Spokane Tribal Exclusive Aboriginal Territory and it is owned and operated by the Spokane Indian Tribe. As such, it has tribal sovereignty and it is not covered by the state’s COVID-19 protocols.

Currently, Gov. Jay Inslee has set a 10 p.m. curfew for establishments in the state. However, since the Spokane Tribal Casino is on reservation land, it is open until 3 a.m. The casino however follows the state’s other protocols like the strict wearing of face masks, temperature checks, and regular disinfection of areas.

Because of its “relaxed” rules during the pandemic, the Washington casino continues to roll as its non-reservation competitors struggle. According to management, the Spokane Trial Casino has made profits of 10% more than its monthly average prior to the pandemic. Because of how well they are doing, they have decided to double the size of the current facility.

Posted on October 6, 2020

Casino, Sports Betting, Washington

Ilani Casino Announces Expansion Plan

By Brian Walker

Roulette Wheel and Row of Slot Machines

A 14-storey hotel, two new restaurants, and additional gaming space are among the components of a major expansion announced by ilani Casino Resort. The Washington casino also revealed that its 2,700-space six storey parking garage is set to open next month.

The expansion will begin on October 15th with the addition of about 17,000 square feet of gaming area. According to ilani President Kara Fox-LaRose, workers will remove an existing wall of the casino near the foodcourt. The area, which is currently a dirt floor with beams, is already under the same roof as the casino. According to Fox-LaRose, the project will cost $30M.

Roughly 200 jobs, 200 slot machines, and additional gaming tables will be added to the Washington casino as a result of the extension of its gaming area. This project was originally scheduled to open this summer together with the parking garage but has been moved to next summer after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two New Restaurants

One of the restaurants will be an open kitchen format eating house that will serve authentic Asian cuisine. Fox-La Rose added that ilani Casino is designing an Asian-themed gaming area to complement the new Asian restaurant. The second restaurant is still in the planning stage but according to Fox-La Rose, it will incorporate sports betting which the Washington casino plans to offer in the coming years.

The ilani big boss added that they are currently working with the state on the possibility of including electronic table games in the future. Fox-La Rose added that there are a lot of fun products in the market as the gaming industry continues to evolve. The Washington casino is currently going through the selection process in picking which ones to add to their stable.

The ilani Hotel

The planned hotel will employ a few hundred new employees. It will have 300 guest rooms, a swimming pool, spa, and fitness center. It will also feature a top-floor restaurant and a patio on the south side. Ilani also has a design to add a second tower in the future, if that becomes possible. The Las Vegas based Friedmutter Group, which designed all of ilani, is the new hotel’s architect.

The 14-storey tower will be wrapped in a curtain of royal blue glass. It can bee viewed by commuters who are traveling on Interstate 5. Per Fox-La Rose, the goal is to build a (AAA) Four Diamond Hotel since they are no hotels ranked that high in Clark County. Ilani’s current primary customer base come from within 80 miles of the Cowlitz Indian reservation but it also lure a secondary market that lives beyond Southwest Washington.

Posted on May 4, 2020

Casino, Washington

Here’s an Update on Washington’s Casino Plans

By James Murray

As the days progress, more states are beginning to slowly open back up. Unfortunately, the US land-based casino industry remains completely shut down. This week, officials offered an update on Washington’s casino plans and discussed when these gambling venues may open to the public.

It’s an extremely complicated situation. Casinos are ideal places for a virus to spread. Now is the perfect time to discuss what measures casino companies in Washington plan on taking to get things back to normal.

Let’s get into it!

The US Casino Industry Remains Shut Down

The past few months have been some of the toughest that US casino companies have ever endured. All casinos in the country have been shut down for weeks. Revenue has stopped flowing in and a huge number of casino employees have lost their jobs.

This has become a more serious issue in some parts of the country. Places like Las Vegas and Atlantic City, for example, are known to rely heavily on their casinos. The regulations set in place are already taking a massive toll on these cities.

Some states are slowly beginning to lift their restrictions. In some ways, this approach is an experiment for the rest of the country. Several top health experts are expressing fear that reopening the economy in these states will result in a spike of new Covid-19 cases.

Unfortunately, even the states with the most relaxed approach towards this virus are unsure about how to reopen casinos. Not long ago, Nevada’s Gaming Control Board released a set of guidelines that casinos can take to open again. Most feel it will be at least a month before the casinos in Las Vegas allows guests in.

Washington is known for having a successful casino industry. Tribal leaders in the state have been looking at ways to reopen casinos for weeks. Here’s what’s being discussed right now.

Tribal Governments Offer an Update on Washington’s Casino Plans

When most people think of the US casino industry, states like Washington don’t come to mind. That’s not entirely surprising. In reality, though, the state’s casinos generate more than $2 billion in revenue every year.

Closing down casinos here has been devastating for many local economies. Tens of thousands of Washington residents work inside casinos. According to a report by the Washington Indian Gaming Association, Tribal governments here are the 8th largest employer in the entire state.

Tribal leaders are now giving an update on Washington’s casino plans. Ron Allen, chairman of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and a member of the Washington Indian Gaming Association, spoke about the impact that closing down casinos is having.

“We are definitely in survival mode,” he said. “Some tribes would like to open up now, but we don’t want to be the source that causes anyone to get sick from the virus. It is a calculated risk, when to open up, but we can’t wait for zero, there won’t be any economy left.”

Many tribes have been forced to lay off thousands of workers. None have set official dates to reopen yet. Most agree that it’s impossible to do so until the virus spread is under control. Even then, these casinos are going to look different than they used to for some time.

Fortunately, infection rates have been relatively low in Washington in recent weeks. With more widespread testing, things may begin to improve here quicker than some analysts predict.

Las Vegas Casinos Continue Looking at Ways to Reopen

Washington is clearly taking a hit due to the shutdown of the state’s gambling industry. The economic losses here pale in comparison to what’s happening over in Nevada, though. Las Vegas casinos are completely shut down and revenue here is now at a record low.

The gambling and entertainment industry here employs hundreds of thousands of people. As time goes on, the impact of the casino shutdown gets more severe. Several major casino companies here are losing millions of dollars every single day.

Some hoped that things would begin to reopen by May. That includes Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, who continues to call for the city to reopen. Casino companies are now focused on finding ways to safely allow guests back in.

A few of the major casino-resorts on the Las Vegas Strip are accepting reservations as early as June. It seems these companies feel they’ll find safe reopening solutions by then. A recent report stated that the MGM’s New York New York and Bellagio venues may be the first to open their doors.

The update on Washington’s casino plans is similar to what many state leaders are saying. Unless everyone knows things will be completely safe, these casinos will remain closed.

When do you expect the US casino industry to get back on track? What do you think casinos will look like once they reopen? Let us know in the comments section below.

Posted on February 24, 2020

news, Sports Betting, Washington

WA’s Sports Betting Bill Advances Once More

By Nickolas Branson

Lawmakers in Washington are currently working to expand the state’s gambling industry. A push to legalize sports betting has been going on here for months. This week, WA’s sports betting bill officially passed through another legislative session.

Stamp Of Approval

Based on the way things are going, sports betting will be up and running here before the end of 2020. It’s an extremely exciting time for sports fans in the state. Today, we’ll look at the road to get sports gambling legalized here.

Let’s get into it!

The Casino Industry in Washington Continues to Grow

There was a time when Washington was an extremely anti-gambling state. For decades, almost no forms of gambling were allowed here. It was disappointing for the huge number of gambling fans that lived here.

Fortunately, things have improved dramatically. In the late 1980s, the Supreme Court passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. This immediately gave Native American tribes in every state the option to run gambling venues on sovereign land.

About a decade later, several tribal casinos opened up in Washington. These gaming venues proved to be extremely popular. They draw in many locals and visitors from nearby states, bringing in millions of dollars through taxes. More recently, lawmakers here began looking at the possibility of legalizing sports betting.

This is all thanks to the Supreme Court striking down PASPA in May of 2018. Now, every state can set its own laws on sports gambling.

WA’s sports betting bill has been working its way through the state’s legislative process. This week, another state government body here officially approved the bill.

WA’s Sports Betting Bill Advances Once Again

As of today, 21 states have officially legalized sports betting. Based on the way things are moving, Washington will be the next. House Bill 2638 was presented earlier this year. It’s already moved quickly through the state’s legislative process.

This week, the bill was approved by the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. It’s a huge moment for the state’s sports betting industry. WA’s sports betting bill was also recently approved by the House here by a margin of 82-14.

Lawmakers here are making the argument that online sports betting is already taking place in this state. Adding regulated sports betting options here will help earn the state valuable money. This argument seems to be working.

There are only a few more steps needed before this bill is officially approved. Eventually, Washington residents will need to vote to allow this form of gambling. Most analysts predict this will happen before the end of the year.

Unfortunately, Washington is only preparing to allow sports bets to be made in-person inside tribal casinos. This will make it hard for the state to compete with nearby states like Oregon, where online sports wagering is allowed. It remains to be seen how successful Washington’s new sports betting industry will become.

More States Push for Sports Betting Legalization

Washington seems poised to legalize sports betting this year. It’s unfortunate to see that lawmakers here aren’t interested in allowing online sports wagering. Nevertheless, this industry is likely to bring the state valuable revenue.

Several other states are likely to start regulating their sports betting industries over the next few years, as well. One state that seems poised to allow this form of gambling is California. This state is home to a huge number of tribal casinos. The legalization of sports betting would earn the state millions of dollars every single month via taxes.

There are several states that have legalized sports betting, yet have not yet launched any sports betting platforms. Gambling commissions across the country are still working to come up with specific regulations for this industry.

WA’s sports betting bill has passed through another important legislative session. It seems likely that legal, regulated sports betting options will become available here before the end of the year.

It’s an exciting time to be a sports fan in this state. Stay tuned for updates on the situation here over the next few months!

Posted on February 12, 2020

news, Sports Betting, Washington

Legal Sports Betting in Washington is Almost Here!

By Nickolas Branson

Washington may be the second state on the West Coast to officially legalize sports betting. Many politicians and sports fans want to see this form of gambling finally allowed here. Today, we’re going to talk about how this push to have legal sports betting in Washington came about. Sports Betting Picture

Many states around the country are now legalizing sports gambling. It’s proving to be an extremely lucrative industry. Lawmakers in Washington seem to recognize this fact.

Here’s what’s happening!

Washington’s Set of Gambling Laws, Explained

It might come as somewhat of a surprise to some, but Washington is home to a huge number of legal gambling options. This state is somewhat of a gambling hub for the Pacific Northwest. Most traditional forms of gambling are perfectly legal here.

This wasn’t always the case, though. For many years, Washington held a largely anti-gambling stance. In fact, some of the early leaders of this state set a blanket ban on gambling that lasted for decades.

In the 1980s, things began to change. Lawmakers here realized it was time to open a state lottery. About ten years later, the state approved plans to allow Native American tribes to operate casinos on sovereign land.

There are now a huge number of casinos in Washington that residents and tourists can access. Unfortunately, this state is against online casino gambling. A law was passed here in 2006 that seemed to criminalize playing casino games over the internet.

Some feel this law only makes it illegal to play casino games through sites based within the state. Others feel it’s a blanket ban on internet gambling.

Lawmakers are once again starting to embrace change. New reports indicate that legal sports betting in Washington may be just around the corner.

The Road to Legal Sports Betting in Washington is Almost Complete

The US Supreme Court decided to strike down PASPA in May of 2018. It was a monumental decision that immediately allowed every state in the country to set their own laws on sports betting. Today, more than 20 states have passed bills to legalize this industry.

It now looks like Washington is next. Two sports betting bills were presented here in February of 2019. This week, one of the bills to allow legal sports betting in Washington advanced to a final House vote.

This bill, called HB 2638, only allows for sports betting to take place inside tribal casinos. A House Appropriations Committee voted 25-7 to approve these new measures. The decision will now head to the House, and then the Senate for final approval.

Strom Peterson, a sponsor of this new bill, commented on the news to the media this week.

“I’m hoping to get this moving over to the Senate on a relatively fast timeline,” he said. “We’ll see if that happens, but with a very bi-partisan vote that we just had this evening, I think that helps.”

That’s certainly true. Both democrats and republicans are getting on board with the idea of legal sports betting. Most agree it will help to bring the state millions in additional revenue each year.

Will this state’s sports betting market be able to compete with Oregon’s?

Oregon’s Sports Betting Market is Set to Expand

Oregon was quick to jump on the sports betting train. Lawmakers here approved a bill to legalize this form of gambling in 2019 after months of careful consideration. Here, both land-based and online sports wagering is allowed.

Not long after approving this law, state officials began looking to expand the market. Soon, several new tribal casinos in the state will be allowed to offer sports betting odds. Several betting kiosks will also soon begin offering sports gambling options at different bars and retailers.

This isn’t going to make things easy for Washington’s sports betting market. The option to place wagers on different sporting events is welcomed here, yet the inability to make bets online is confusing.

Things are clearly going well for Oregon, though. Lawmakers in this state seem pleased with the revenue flowing in.

Legal sports betting in Washington may become available within the next few months. Hopefully, California completes the West Coast sports betting legalization this year, as well.

Stay tuned for more updates over the next few months!