Playtech enters US retail sports betting market as it partners with Gold Rush Gaming

COO Shimon Akad discusses exciting development at ICE London, with the initial rollout set to launch in over 50 locations. Playtech, the world’s leading gambling technology company, has announced a new retail sports betting partnership with Gold Rush Amusements LLC d/b/a Gold Rush Gaming (“Gold Rush”), whose Illinois affiliate, Gold Rush Amusements, Inc. (“Gold Rush IL”), is a leading terminal operator in the rapidly expanding US video gaming market. As part of the agreement, Playtech will provide Gold Rush with its proprietary sports betting kiosk software and management systems for distribution across Ohio. The initial rollout, which will be activated ahead of Super Bowl LVII this Sunday, is set to launch in over 50 locations. The American Gaming Association (AGA) predicts that sports betting in the US is expected to reach a record $16bn (£13.1bn/€14.8bn) ahead of the game. This launch marks Playtech’s first strategic entry into the US sports betting market, just two years after it established operations in the country in the igaming sector. This also marks Gold Rush’s first strategic entry into the US sports betting market, with distribution approaching 100+ key locations across Ohio, as its Illinois-based affiliate currently services the video gaming market throughout Illinois. The deal comes at a significant moment for Ohio after sports betting made its long-awaited debut in January 2023. The state now represents one of the largest distributed retail sports betting markets of any state outside Nevada, with the Ohio Lottery having approved over 1,200 host locations to date. Over the last decade, Playtech has grown its supply of flagship kiosks to major clients across the globe, with more than 60,000 kiosk bet entry points worldwide – the largest footprint in this sector. Commenting on the announcement, Jonathan Doubilet, US MD & VP operations, said: “Through this partnership we will bring our extensive experience in retail sports betting to the US market for the first time. We’re confident that Ohio is the ideal place to start, leveraging our expertise and strong track record to deliver self-service betting kiosks across the state. We’re excited for this type of gaming to expand and look forward to introducing further products across the growing US market.” Rick Heidner, owner and manager of Gold Rush, added: “We are very pleased to partner with Playtech and leverage our joint expertise to launch kiosks in Ohio, a new and exciting market. We are bringing innovative content and best-in-class software to new players across the state. Our partnership is going from strength to strength, and we look forward to more exciting moments for our growth across the US in the near future.” At the end of last year, Playtech announced its most significant investment in US-focused content to date, building its first ever US-based studio and bringing two of its best performing games to the market, as the US becomes an increasingly important strategic factor for businesses in the gambling sector.