It has been about 4 months since the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board finally approved the launch of a sportsbook in the state and so far, everything has been going great. We cannot dismiss some of the issues that have been setbacks to the progress of the industry – including the revenue drops reported in February – but the victories have been more than enough to make up for everything, at least for Rivers Casino.
Launched on December 13, the Rivers Casino sportsbook received its sports betting license from the PGCB and since then it has grown to become a household name in the state’s sports wagering industry. This fact has been proven true by the number of wagers that the casino has already taken for the March Madness event. March Madness refers to a basketball tournament that is run by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). According to Jimmy Vaccaro, the director of sports at Rivers Casino, there has been nonstop wagering at the sportsbook and the numbers are expected to go even higher than they already are. The sportsbook has 12 self-serve kiosks and not even one of them was not being used by the punters.
Being the most active sports betting event after the Super Bowl (in the United States, that is), the NCAA’s March Madness was expected to be every it as lucrative as it is primarily because it involves a sport that so many Americans love and enjoy. With more and more states venturing into the sports betting space, it should not be too long before we get to see many more betting activities that are associated with the event.
This year NCAA March Madness is the very first one being held in the United States since the country’s Supreme Court lifted the federal ban on sports betting. The NCAA was also a strong opposer of sports betting but it has since eased its stance on the matter perhaps after acknowledging its inevitability. More states are jumping on to the sports betting bandwagon which means there are fewer sports betting-free areas that the NCAA can take its events to.
What the Future Holds
The Rush Street Gaming-owned Rivers Casino is considered to be one of the most promising gaming establishments in both the Keystone State and the rest of the United States. That said, it is easy to see just how likely it is that Rivers Casino will outdo all of its competitors when the month’s revenue reports stream in next month. Sports betting will definitely account for a huge chunk of the state’s gaming revenue and this might even get better next since by then, the state will have, hopefully, legalized online and mobile gambling.