While no date has been announced, Fanatics Sportsbook continues to gear up for its anticipated online US sports betting launch.
Fanatics Sportsbook is currently doing online US sports betting beta-testing in Ohio and Tennessee, a spokesperson confirmed to LSR Monday.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has also said that Fanatics plans to join its sports betting market at some point in May. It is unclear whether Fanatics will fully launch online in OH or TN before MA.
Fanatics’ US sports betting status
Fanatics has been operating an in-person sportsbook at FedEx Field in Maryland since February.
Its online beta testing involves a limited, unknown number of users being able to test out its app in real time by placing wagers with real money. The entity is following state guidelines during this process.
Matt King, CEO of Fanatics Betting & Gaming, could give more updates when he speaks at the SBC conference on May 10.
Fanatics Sportsbook ambitions
Retail giant Fanatics has significant aspirations in the sports wagering space, believing its existing customer data base can be a separator.
Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin said late last year his entity planned to be in 15-20 states by the start of the 2023 NFL betting season.
Fanatics will be powered by Amelco source code. Micro-betting B2B Simplebet just reached a deal with Amelco.
Fanatics Sportsbook still on NY sidelines
Fanatics remains out of the Empire State, unable to join the New York sports betting or online casino markets.
After failing to land an online NY sports wagering license last year, Fanatics was among several operators attempting to push iGaming legislation efforts in the state. Yet those efforts proved futile. Online gaming did not make the Senate or Assembly one-house budgets, all but killing its chances of passing this year.
That means, unless something changes either legislatively or via mergers and acquisitions, the earliest Fanatics could potentially get into the Empire State would be 2025.
CEO lauds NY iGaming potential
King and VP of government affairs Brandt Iden recently attended an NY iGaming roundtable hearing with policymakers and industry executives.
“You could see New York become the epicenter of iGaming in the US,” King said.
“iGaming will be successful because sports betting has been successful,” he added, speaking of the symbiotic gaming relationship.
