William Hill will enter the Indiana sports betting market sportsbook at Tropicana Casino, Evansville, pending approval by the Indiana Gaming Commission.
The casino is operated by Eldorado Resorts, which agreed a partnership naming William Hill as its exclusive land-based technology partner for online sports betting in September 2018. The operator will also launch online betting on a first skin basis in markets where a land-based partner is required.
“We are delighted to have William Hill as the official sports book operator at Tropicana Evansville,” Glenn Carano, senior vice president of operations, East region, at Eldorado Resorts said.
“They are a leader in the sports betting industry and bring years of experience with them. We have no doubt that William Hill’s industry-leading wagering menu and technology will enhance the guest experience which is always the priority at all Eldorado Resorts properties across the country.”
Tropicana Casino is located on the banks of the Ohio River, which marks the Indiana’s boundary with Kentucky, where a sports betting bill has been introduced but not passed by the legislature.
The casino is also located 25 miles from Illinois, where a sports betting bill was passed in June but is not expected to come into effect until after Indiana’s sports betting market launches from 1 September.
David Grolman, president of retail operations for William Hill US, noted the casino’s location as a major reason why Tropicana Casino appealed to William Hill.
“We are excited to continue expanding our relationship with Eldorado Resorts and introducing William Hill to sports fans in Indiana,” Grolman explained. “Tropicana Evansville is a great destination, nestled between Nashville, Louisville and St. Louis, and we look forward to serving guests with our 85 years of sports betting experience.”
The sportsbook will feature a 16 ft x 9 ft. video wall, ten 65-inch viewing monitors, and 12 odds boards which will provide sports fans with comfortable places to watch sports with friends and bet on the games.
Preparations for the launch of legal sports betting in Indiana are underway after Governor Eric Holcomb signed a sports betting bill into law in May this year, with regulations to be finalized at a state Gaming Commission meeting scheduled for 28 August. If the regulations are approved, sports betting could be legalized in the state on 1 September. Operators will be required to pay a license fee of $100,000, then a 9.5% gross wagering revenue tax.
Penn National Gaming has announced plans to launch legal wagering from 1 September, pending regulatory approval, with Caesars Entertainment’s Horseshoe Hammond expected to follow three days later.