Bet365 begins soft launch in Pennsylvania 18 months after market access agreed
UK-headquartered operator first announced plans to expand into the Keystone State back in January 2023 via an agreement with Churchill Downs subsidiary Presque Isle Downs & Casino
Bet365 has announced its website is now available to customers in Pennsylvania as part of the firm’s soft launch in the state.
In turn, players are now able to register an account, deposit and use its sports and casino products, with the operator also promoting a number of offers for its newest customers.
The website’s first day of action fell on Tuesday, July 16, with bet365’s site operational from 12pm to 8pm local time.
Today, July 17, the site will be running from 12pm to 10pm before a 12-hour live test from 12pm to midnight on July 18.
The operator is yet to confirm how long the soft launch window will be open for on July 19, scheduled as the final day of testing.
In January 2023, Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) confirmed its subsidiary Presque Isle Downs & Casino had entered into a multi-year agreement with bet365 for online sports betting and igaming market access in Pennsylvania.
An agreement with bet365 also represented CDI’s commitment to its online sports and casino business exit strategy, with the operator set to focus on strengthening its TwinSpires online horse racing wagering business instead.
Eleven months before the agreement with bet365 was announced, CDI confirmed it had made the decision to scrap its online sports and casino business, with Carstanjen admitting at the time the project had not produced as much success as first anticipated.
When the market-access deal was signed, Bill Carstanjen, CDI CEO, said: “We are pleased to partner with a global leader in the online gaming industry.
“Our relationship with bet365 enables us to maximize the value of our company’s sports betting and igaming market access in Pennsylvania.”
A bet365 spokesperson also added: “Off the heels of our launch in Ohio, we are thrilled to announce our partnership with Churchill Downs Incorporated.
“Once live, the world’s favorite online sports betting brand will be available to sports fans in Pennsylvania, offering fantastic site features, including Bet Boosts, Same Game Parlay, Cash Out and Edit Bet, on top of our market-leading sign-up offer.”
In the US, bet365 is rapidly emerging as a force to be reckoned with, as shown by a recent YouGov survey released in spring 2024 that documented the operator is the most popular sportsbook among young Americans aged between 21-24 and 24-35, beating the likes of FanDuel and DraftKings.
Just over 30% of those asked had already bet with bet365 within that month leading up to the survey.
Prior to confirmation of its planned Pennsylvania expansion, bet365 is available in 10 US states, including most recently North Carolina, where the UK-headquartered firm launched in March 2024 and partnered with local NBA outfit the Charlotte Hornets on a market-access deal.