In Pennsylvania, SugarHouse Casino has reportedly become the third casino in the Philadelphia area to formally apply for a license that would permit it to operate a land-based sportsbook.
Application lodged on Wednesday:
According to a Saturday report from local television broadcaster KYW-TV, the casino owned by Chicago-headquartered Rush Street Gaming submitted its sportsbetting license application to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board on August 26 following similar moves from nearby rivals Parx Casino and Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack.
Although the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board will consider the applications for its two competitors on Wednesday, SugarHouse Casino is not set to have its sportsbetting license request evaluated until a hearing scheduled for October 31. If this proves successful, the facility will purportedly be required to hand over a fee of $10 million and agree to an associated tax rate of 36%.
Sportsbook possibilities proving attractive:
The move by SugarHouse means that a full one-third of Pennsylvania’s twelve casinos have now applied for a sportsbetting license following the ratification of expanded gaming legislation almost a year ago.
Casino’s already extensive offerings:
Rush Street Gaming opened the 1.3 million sq ft SugarHouse Casino on the dockyard site of the former Jack Frost Sugar Refinery in September of 2010 with the facility already offering 1,891 slots alongside 103 gaming tables and a 28-table poker room.
iGaming licenses a-plenty:
Away from sportsbetting and a Friday report from iGamingBusiness.com (iGB) explained that the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is planning a ‘coordinated launch’ of online gaming services after earlier issuing 32 of its 39 licenses. It reported that only The Meadows Casino Racetrack and Hotel and Lady Luck Casino Nemocolin did not apply for iGaming licenses with Presque Isle Downs and Casino asking only for permission to offer online slot and table games.
