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Earlier this week, the owner of West Virginia’s Betly online casino announced it is switching platforms yet again in the coming months, this time to Playtech technology. It’s a move that should bring an improved experience for Betly’s iGaming customers and, perhaps, more market share for the tiny operator.
West Virginia is home to Betly’s only online casino, though it offers sports betting in a few other states. It’s also host to Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island, two retail casinos operated by Betly’s owner, Delaware North.
Playtech will be the third platform the site has used. It originally launched as a pure play sportsbook with IGT technology, only to shut down less than two months later. Next, it made a return with Belgian supplier Gamewise as its partner.
Delaware North said it’s moving to Playtech to enhance its Betly iGaming platform and improve its promotional offers.
We are very pleased to partner with Playtech to provide Betly customers with an enhanced mobile sports betting and online casino experience powered by an industry leader. Not only that, but our team can now offer players robust promotional features through the Playtech platform.
Delaware North Chief Interactive Gaming Officer Lee Terfloth, via press release
What Playtech’s arrival will mean for West Virginia online casino customers
If you’re a Betly online casino fan, don’t worry, the change in platform’s shouldn’t disrupt your experience. However, it might become more personalized once the Playtech rollout is complete at Betly’s WV online casino.
Terfloth noted that the promotional features you’ll get include:
- Bonus bets
- Boosts
- Drawings
- Tournaments
In other words, you’ll have more betting and gameplay customization options to choose from.
Playtech live-dealer games could come to WV
It’s likely that the new Betly site will feature live dealer games from Playtech’s Pennsylvania-based live gaming studios. Unlike many iGaming states, West Virginia doesn’t require games to be streamed from within its borders. The state regulator has a deal in place with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to use that state’s studios.
Evolution is the only studio streaming out-of-state live dealer games at the moment. However, a Playtech subsidiary earned a license earlier this year to provide live-dealer games in West Virginia, suggesting plans to enter the market.
The Pennsylvania studio is Playtech’s newest, so its range of games is smaller than the company offers in New Jersey and Michigan. However, once it’s operating at full capacity, Pennsylvanians and West Virginians may get to enjoy Adventures Beyond Wonderland, an Alice in Wonderland-themed live dealer game show based on a giant spinning wheel and offering prizes up to 2,000x the player’s bet.
A host dressed in a Mad Hatter costume converses with guests in on a vibrant stage featuring the big wheel and an augmented reality background. The game host explains the various bonuses and variations on the game wheel.
It’s possible that you’ll get even more Playtech live-dealer options over time, too, CFO Chris McGinnis said in the company’s Q2 earnings call earlier this year. McGinnis said the company is focused on expanding its live-dealer studios.
“We’re expanding all three of our Live Casino facilities and I would say expanding quite aggressively actually because of the demand that’s coming in,” he said.
Generally speaking, Playtech has become a global name in online gaming. The company has more than 7,900 employees across 20 countries. While it’s well-known for its casino-style games, Playtech also offers sports betting services that Betly will likely use since it runs its West Virginia online sportsbook and casino in the same app.
