William Hill US announced its fourth Iowa sportsbook agreement Wednesday morning. The Las Vegas-based company will launch the activity on Aug. 15 when the state becomes the 11th in the nation with legal sports betting.
In a deal with Lakeside Hotel & Casino in Osceola, Iowa, William Hill will add a sportsbook to the casino’s lower level. Lakeside, which is just south of West Des Moines, is operated by Las Vegas-based Affinity Gaming.
William Hill has deals already in place with casinos in Des Moines, Bettendorf and Waterloo. In all locations, customers will have access to William Hill’s mobile app, kiosks, and InPlay wagering menu.
Las Vegas-based William Hill has operated Affinity’s sportsbooks in Nevada and President of Retail Operations David Grolman said the agreement with Lakeside “expands our long-standing partnership with Affinity Gaming.”
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission approved the final rules for the state’s sportsbooks at a special meeting Tuesday in West Des Moines.
“There’s an excitement, just that kind of vibe,” Wes Ehrecke, president and CEO of the Iowa Gaming Association told the Des Moines Register. “We have another entertainment option to enjoy watching sports by betting on them, and we can let players do that in retail and mobile environments.”
Iowa will join Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Arkansas and New York as states with legal sportsbooks at casinos and racetracks. Sports betting been approved in Washington D.C., Illinois, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, Tennessee, and North Carolina, although those jurisdictions have yet to launch.
William Hill operates 113 race and sports books in Nevada and, since the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in May 2018 that legalized sports wagering, the company has launched operations in New Jersey, West Virginia, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and New Mexico. The company also serves as the exclusive risk manager for the sports lottery in Delaware.
Construction on the new sports book at Lakeside and will be visible as soon as guests step off the escalator. The location will feature more than a dozen 65-inch viewing monitors and two 86-inch viewing screens.
“We are partnering with William Hill to provide our guests with an exciting entertainment experience for football season and beyond,” Lakeside General Manager David Monroe said in a statement.
Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgamingreports.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.
