Sports gambling in Pennsylvania continues to expand, despite the state once being considered no-man’s land because of extremely high license fees. Boyd Gaming Corp.-owned Valley Forge Casino Resort is expected to launch an in-person sportsbook this week, becoming the fourth casino in Pennsylvania to offer sports wagers.
The sportsbook comes about following a successful partnership agreement between Valley Forge and FanDuel. The casino secured its license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board for in-person sports gambling late last year and is now ready to get things rolling.
SugarHouse was the first casino in the state to offer sports gambling when it went live last December. In January, Parx Casino jumped in on the action and Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack didn’t waste any time, also launching its sportsbook that same month.
The new Valley Forge sportsbook is expected to officially launch on Wednesday (March 13). The inauguration will see participation by several well-known figures, including former Philadelphia Eagles tight end Brent Celek. The retired NFL star and Super Bowl LII champion will make the ceremonial first wager.
Sports gambling fans will find a range of activity at the new FanDuel Sportsbook at Valley Forge. They can bet on both professional and collegiate football, basketball, baseball, soccer, boxing and more, and the inauguration of the sportsbook couldn’t be timed better. March Madness, the basketball tournament of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) gets underway on March 19 and is the largest sports betting event in the U.S. behind the Super Bowl.
Boyd might, at some point in the future, expand on the deal with FanDuel to offer mobile and online sports wagers. It has said that it is monitoring the market to determine if it is a viable channel, but will also need to consider the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) stance on the Federal Wire Act—and the accompanying lawsuits—before making any decision.
The ongoing controversy regarding the Federal Wire Act is causing many states to alter their gambling plans and implemented systems. Pennsylvania currently provides licenses for retail sports gambling and has previously stated that it could offer online sports gambling licenses this summer. However, depending on how things play out as states prepare to take on the DOJ and the U.S., those plans could change.
