Golden Nugget has launched its first DraftKings-powered sportsbook in Arizona.
The Golden Nugget Sportsbook site soft-launched at the start of February, with mobile apps set to follow in the next couple of weeks.
Growing ties between GNOG and DraftKings
The new site will use DraftKings’ SBTech sportsbook engine. DraftKings, of course, acquired Golden Nugget Online Gaming (GNOG) last year. That deal is set to close in early 2022.
DraftKings said at the time it would ultimately migrate all GNOG products onto its own platform.
GNOG still uses Scientific Games‘ sportsbook technology in:
- New Jersey
- Michigan
- West Virginia
- Virginia
AZ sports betting keeps growing
Golden Nugget is the 14th online sportsbook to launch in Arizona. Hard Rock is also close to launching as number 15.
DraftKings currently leads the way among AZ sportsbooks with a 32% market share. Overall, Arizona sports betting handle hit $466 million in November 2021. That brings the total for the first three months to $1.2 billion in wagers.
The market could be set for even more growth, as a new bill in the Arizona Senate could add 12 new tribal sports betting licenses.
New back end for Golden Nugget Sportsbook
The Golden Nugget Arizona product also uses a player account management platform (PAM) from Strive Gaming.
That system manages back-end processes like deposits, withdrawals and bonusing.
Thomas Winter, the president of GNOG, said: “As we rapidly expand our online presence across North America, GNOG needed a PAM partner who could quickly integrate and launch our chosen sports betting engine, without sacrificing any of the flexible or functionality expected from a top-tier PAM.
“We are confident in our choice of Strive Gaming and have been very impressed with what we’ve witnessed from both the team, and the platform, to date.”
US expansion for Strive
Golden Nugget marks the third US partner for Strive since it launched in May last year. The company was founded by two former Kambi execs.
The Strive PAM also underpins the Desert Diamond mobile app for the Tohono O’odham Tribe in Arizona.
