PointsBet strikes racetrack deal to move into Illinois
Australian sportsbook operator PointsBet has secured a 20-year partnership with Chicago-area racetrack Hawthorne Race Course, providing it with a route into the Illinois sports betting market.
The partnership will see the pair work together to launch a premium retail sportsbook, a key component of a new sports entertainment venue that will be constructed provided the venue is licensed by the Illinois Gaming Board.
PointsBet and Hawthorne will also launch wagering at off-track betting facilities throughout the state, and for online and mobile devices under the PointsBet brand.
“PointsBet is ecstatic to partner with Hawthorne Race Course, an iconic venue that has been part of the fabric of the Chicago sports and entertainment scene since its inception in 1891,” said PointsBet US chief executive Johnny Aitken.
“Illinois sports fans are diehard in every sense of the word and we are elated to introduce them to our premium sportsbook and our innovative, bettor-first experience.”
The operator’s partner in the venture, Hawthorne, is the longest continuously run, family-owned racetrack in North America. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area, the third-largest in the US, with more than 9.5m residents.
Read the full story on iGB North America.