By
Mike J. Davies
Editor in Chief at Casinos.US Updated: 09/05/2020
Mike is our Senior Editor and experienced gambling strategist. A former hockey player, he transitioned to the casino industry after finishing his B.A. in English. Blackjack systems, online casino guides, gambling terms, and more – Mike is familiar with all fine points of gambling.
Online Casino Market in West Virginia has Strong Start
Figures released by the West Virginia Lottery Commission have shown that the online casino market in the state has got off to a strong start. The online casino platform from DraftKings has only been operating for four weeks, having launched in mid-July. However, gamblers in the state have already wagered more than $37 million during this time.
The DraftKings standalone casino app was the only online casino option available during this period. In total, $37.2 million was wagered on the app during the four-week period, and this generated revenue of close to $825,000. From that revenue, just under $124,000 went to the state via taxation.
A breakdown of the figures from the Lottery Commission showed the amount that was wagered on a weekly basis since the casino app was launched. In the first four days following the launch, gamblers wagered nearly $7 million. The following week, the amount wagered on the app grew to $9.4 million as gamblers enjoyed the range of casino games and activities offered.
The best performing week for the DraftKings casino app was the last week of July, which saw online gamblers in West Virginia wager an impressive $12.2 million using it. The following week, this dipped to $8.6 million.
Despite the drop in handle for this final week, it did result in the best week in terms of revenue, with the operator generating over $270,000 in online casino revenue for that period.
The figures will undoubtedly be welcomed by officials at DraftKings, and the sportsbook and casino operator is keen to continue its expansion into other states.
DraftKings co-founder and CEO Jason Robins said:
We believe that the best product will ultimately win with the American consumer.
In a statement, the operator also stated that “the Company is well-positioned to continue to deliver on its key priorities, which include entering new states.”
It has already been revealed in recent press releases that the operator wants to continue its expansion in West Virginia as well as move into other states around the country.
Online casino and poker sites were legalized in West Virginia in March 2019. DraftKings became the first online casino available in the state and launched after forming a partnership with Hollywood Casino. This casino is part of the Penn National Gaming group.
Penn National has also launched its own Barstool brand for online gaming. However, under state laws, land-based casinos can only partner with one online casino brand. This means that despite owning Hollywood Casino, Penn National Gaming will not be able to offer its Barstool app for online gambling, as Hollywood Casino has now already partnered with the DraftKings brand.
Over recent months, online casinos have been thriving due to land-based casinos being closed. This is a trend that has taken place in gambling states around the country. However, with casinos now having opened, many are interested to see whether the trend with online casino gambling will continue or whether online wagering levels will start to fall.
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