BetMGM App Goes Live in Nevada, Company Rebrands Sportsbooks, Adds Kiosks at Strip Venues

Posted on: March 9, 2020, 08:56h. 

Last updated on: March 9, 2020, 10:43h.

Todd Shriber @etfgodfather Read More
Expertise: Financial, Gaming Business, Mergers and Acquisitions.

MGM Resorts International (MGM) said its BetMGM mobile application is now live in its home state of Nevada. It’s a launch that includes the rebranding of the operator’s brick-and-mortar sportsbooks, as well as the addition of more than 100 gaming kiosks at its Las Vegas Strip venues.

MGM sportsbooks in Las Vegas are being rebranded with the Nevada launch of the BetMGM app. (Image: Pinterest)

BetMGM is a product of Roar Digital, a partnership between the integrated resort operator and UK-based GVC Holdings.

BetMGM offers bettors in Nevada the flexibility to play from the convenience of their phones, in person at MGM Resort’s sportsbooks, or from easily accessible gaming kiosks,” according to a statement.

MGM is the largest operator on the Las Vegas Strip, with properties including the Bellagio, Excalibur Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, and the Mirage. In January, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) granted initial approval for the BetMGM app to be offered in the state.

“In the coming weeks, rebranded BetMGM sportsbooks will debut at Bellagio, ARIA, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Park MGM, New York-New York, Luxor, and Excalibur – along with more than 100 gaming kiosks across the sportsbooks for quick and easy wagers,” said the company.

Rapid Growth

Industry observers view mobile betting as a major growth valve for the nascent US sports betting market, but one that is also highly competitive. A recent report by Morgan Stanley indicates that in the four weeks following the Super Bowl, DraftKings and FanDuel combined for roughly two-thirds of mobile sports betting app downloads, while Roar Digital/BetMGM’s share was just six percent.

MGM and GVC are looking to bolster their market position by entering new states, something the partnership has been adept at in recent months. In February, the companies announced an agreement with Boyd Gaming allowing for the entry of BetMGM into the fast-growing Indiana market. Prior to that, the app was available in New Jersey and West Virginia. Nevada marks the fourth state in which the platform is available to gamblers.

Users of iPhones (iOS) and Android smartphones can access BetMGM.

In Nevada, customers can download the app wherever they please. But in order for the platform to be activated, gamblers must visit one of MGM’s brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in Las Vegas and make a cash deposit.

After that process is completed, players can use the app anywhere in the Silver State and make deposits and withdrawals from their smartphones or tablets.

More States

With Michigan slated to have sports betting operational in the coming days, a new BetMGM sportsbook will be launched at the MGM Grand in Detroit.

Maryland and Massachusetts – states in which the company operates one property apiece – are considering sports betting legislation this year, with the former seen as closer to a vote. Approvals in either or both states could set the stage for BetMGM sportsbooks to open, and for the mobile app to eventually be accessible.