Kambi Confirms It Will Power Pennsylvania Sports Betting For Parx, South Philly Turf Club


Written By

Updated on

Pennsylvania sports betting

Parx Casino has secured a partner to power its Pennsylvania sports betting operations.

Owners Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment selected Kambi to run the books at both their flagship property and the South Philly Turf Club.

Kambi is a business-facing operator from Europe with big ambitions in the expanding US market. Primary competitors IGT and SBTech also were rumored to be in contention for this deal.

Greenwood CTO John Dixon commented on the new partnership in a Tuesday press release:

“We are excited to be working with an experienced, successful sportsbook partner that can bring best-in-class systems and odds making to the Parx-branded sports betting products. We are confident in their systems to provide timely, secure and accurate wagering opportunities across many sports both pre-game and in-game.”

Parx is one of five casinos approved to offer for Pennsylvania sports betting so far, though the timing of the first bet is still to be determined. Kambi says it is “on track to launch before the end of the year.”

Parx + Kambi no real surprise

Although this is the first official confirmation that Kambi and Parx are teaming up, it comes as no surprise.

PlayPennsylvania reported the union way back in August when Greenwood filed its petition with the PA Gaming Control Board. That paperwork contained unredacted mentions of Kambi, spilling the proverbial beans early. Parx will also use GAN to supply some of the technology behind its online casino and sportsbook operations.

On the land-based side of things, Greenwood is currently building out a $10 million Parx sportsbook on site. Interactive Gaming executive Matt Cullen says he expects it to create “the best sportsbook in the country,” and it may well be considering the appetite and investment. A temporary space is being set up in the former 360 Bar in the meantime.

Kambi’s application is still pending a decision from regulators, so its approval is one of the primary launch conditions for Greenwood still outstanding. The group also plans to renovate the Turf Club, located in the heart of the Philadelphia stadium district, to accommodate a sportsbook. Both could launch this year, but early 2019 seems more likely.

Despite the advance knowledge, Tuesday’s announcement did include a few interesting morsels. In addition to confirming that the Parx sportsbook will be self-branded and powered by Kambi, it also teased a potential joint operation in neighboring New Jersey.

Kambi building out US footprint

Speaking of New Jersey, Kambi is already up and running there. And it’s off to a flying start.

As the supplier to DraftKings Sportsbook, SugarHouse Sportsbook and 888 Sport, Kambi powers around 70 percent of the online/mobile NJ sports betting industry.

Pennsylvania sports betting will add a second US state to Kambi’s reach, and Greenwood will add two more sportsbooks to its portfolio in the coming months. They will be the first retail sports betting operations for both parties in North America.

Here’s more on the Parx partnership from Kambi CEO Kristian Nylén:

“Greenwood Gaming represents yet another exciting partnership for Kambi, as we continue to establish ourselves as the premier choice for operators looking to enter the U.S. sports wagering market with a quality product and trusted partner.”

Nylén and company provide a comprehensive set of solutions for sportsbook operators, offering some of the most robust self-service betting terminals on the market. Parx plans to have 45 Kambi kiosks scattered throughout the property, including the casino floor and poker room.

US Director Max Bichsel talked about Kambi’s product with LSR at last month’s Global Gaming Expo: