FanDuel is doubling down on the West Virginia sports betting and iGaming markets thanks to its new market access deal with Delaware North. The market access partnership announcement ties one of North America’s premier online gaming companies with Delaware North’s Mardi Gras Casino & Resort.
“This partnership represents the best of what Delaware North strives for, bringing trusted, innovative experiences to our customers – and FanDuel is an incredible ally in that mission,” Lee Terfloth, Delaware North’s chief interactive gaming officer, said.
This is not FanDuel’s first dance with a West Virginia land-based casino. FanDuel will continue operating the sportsbook at the Greenbrier Resort. West Virginia sports betting has been live in the Mountain State since September 2018.
FanDuel joins Betly Casino & Sportsbook as the two brands operating under the Mardi Gras Casino license.
When it comes to online gaming, FanDuel is one of the biggest online gaming brands. West Virginia is one of five markets in which FanDuel Casino is available. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, and Connecticut are the others. The FanDuel Sportsbook app is available in 22 states plus Washington, D.C. FanDuel is also gearing up for the December 1 Missouri sports betting launch.
On the other hand, Delaware North is a top regional gaming operator with properties in New York, Florida, New Hampshire, Illinois, Arkansas, Ohio and Arizona. Mardi Gras is one of its two West Virginia properties with Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack being the other.
This partnership brings FanDuel Group’s market-leading sports betting technology and brand recognition together with Delaware North’s extensive gaming and hospitality expertise.
“Delaware North has been a respected name in gaming and hospitality for decades, and they’re an ideal partner as we continue to operate in West Virginia,” Jonathan Edson, FanDuel’s business development senior vice president.
Delaware North is not FanDuel Group’s only partnership with a land-based casino operator. The company also has an established business relationship with Boyd Gaming that includes FanDuel-branded retail sportsbooks across the country. The list includes IP Casino Resort Spa in Mississippi, Illinois-based Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino, and Pennsylvania’s Valley Forge Casino Resort. Like with Mardi Gras in West Virginia, the Boyd partnership includes market access for online sports betting.
However, the FanDuel-Boyd partnership is not expanding to Missouri as FD has partnered up with MLS team St. Louis City SC. FanDuel had originally tried securing one of the two untethered Missouri sports bettiing licenses, but DraftKings and Circa ended up winning them. While Fanatics is Boyd’s Missouri sports betting partner, FanDuel will still be amongst the nine operators confirmed for the Missouri sports betting launch.
