BetMGM Launches iGaming in Pennsylvania, Online Sports Betting Likely ‘In Coming Weeks’

Posted on: December 5, 2020, 10:36h. 

Last updated on: December 6, 2020, 10:42h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

Pennsylvania iGaming debuted a new player to the market on Friday. BetMGM announced it began offering its online casino app in the state.

Steelers MGM
BetMGM has launched iGaming in Pennsylvania. A key way the company is marketing its products in state is through a partnership with the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers. (Image: Pittsburgh Steelers/Twitter)

BetMGM enters the Keystone State without a tie to a land-based casino. A Pennsylvania state law passed in 2018 allows the Gaming Control Board (PGCB) to issue certificates to qualified gaming entities (QGE), which is defined as companies active in online casino wagering in other US states or foreign countries.

The state has three certificates for slots providers, three for table game operators, and four for peer-to-peer poker apps. BetMGM will offer slots and table games.

The certificates cost $4 million apiece.

In a statement, BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said the company was excited to launch in the state. Players will be able to register for or connect their M life Rewards membership with their iGaming account. That will allow them to earn perks that can be used MGM Resorts properties across the country.

With more than 140 different games, including our own in-house progressive jackpot network, we’re delivering the widest range of content currently available in the state,” he said. “Alongside MGM Resorts and its M life Rewards program, BetMGM will provide players with a truly unique entertainment experience.”

Besides Pennsylvania, BetMGM also offers iGaming in New Jersey, Nevada, and West Virginia.

Pennsylvania Sees iGaming Grow

Online casino gaming has grown substantially in Pennsylvania this year. That’s notably because of the COVID-19 pandemic that forced casinos nationwide to close during the spring. However, even as Pennsylvania casinos reopened, demand for iGaming remained steady.

Through October, the amount wagered on online slots each month has exceeded $1 billion for each of the last six months. Also in October, the handle for table games topped the billion mark for the first time.

Since the start of the 2021 fiscal year in July, Pennsylvania bettors have gambled more than $7.8 billion on online slots and table games, including poker. That has led to the state generating about $63.7 million in tax revenue.

Pennsylvania Sports Betting on BetMGM’s Horizon

Pennsylvania’s law that allows QGEs to become licensed does not extend to sports betting. Still, BetMGM does have its eye on entering what’s become the third-largest sports betting state in the country.

In Friday’s release, the company noted it’s also preparing to launch “in the coming weeks” sports betting in the state. That move is contingent on receiving necessary regulatory approvals.

Late last month, BetMGM announced a key partnership that will help promote its sports betting operations in the state. It became the first gaming partner for the Pittsburgh Steelers. When Pennsylvania signs off on BetMGM’s sports betting license, it will also become an official sports betting partner for the longtime NFL power franchise.

The arrangement will include promotions and displays within Heinz Field, the Steelers stadium. BetMGM will receive sponsorship rights for the team’s pregame radio kickoff show, as well as television and radio commercials to run during team shows. The partners also will run a sweepstakes with a grand prize of two club-level season tickets and two VIP hospitality tent passes for 10 years.

“We’re eager to launch BetMGM’s gaming offering in Pennsylvania, and I can’t think of a better way to kick off our entry into the state than through this monumental partnership,” BetMGM Chief Revenue Officer Matt Prevost said in a statement.

Pennsylvania would become the seventh state for BetMGM’s sports betting operations. The company currently holds licenses in Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, New Jersey, Tennessee, and West Virginia.