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Starting this month, Betly customers in West Virginia can place a sports bet and play online casino games from one app: Betly Casino and Sportsbook.
This week, Delaware North, which operates two casinos in Mountaineer State, announced it relaunched Betly after switching platform providers from International Gaming Technology (IGT) to Belgium-based Gamewise.
Delaware North Regional Director of Marketing David Morris said in a press release:
“We are thrilled to make the online and mobile Betly Casino and Sportsbook available to our many loyal patrons in West Virginia. Now they can experience the excitement of casino gaming from the convenience of their homes and anywhere in the state.”
Delaware North runs Mardi Gras Casino Resort and Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack. The company also has a partnership with WynnBet, which runs an online casino and sportsbook in West Virginia.
Betly’s journey from sportsbook app to online casino integration
Earlier this year, Delaware North announced that its Betly sportsbook app would stop accepting bets on June 19 as it moved to an integrated sports betting and casino platform. Customers had until July 31 to withdraw any funds left in their accounts. Those who didn’t withdraw their funds would receive their balance via check.
Delaware North worked with Gamewise during the shutdown to overhaul its sportsbook app. The main focus of the project? To integrate the company’s West Virginia online casino and sportsbook apps.
Three years after Betly launched its online sportsbook in 2020, the app has grown into the dual-gaming platform Delaware North had hoped for. Gamewise General Manager Todd San Jule said in a Betly news release:
“Betly will afford our loyal Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras casino patrons, everyone across West Virginia and visitors to the state a full array of popular games from the largest suppliers, including IGT.
We’re bringing the same easy-to-use and unintimidating type of platform to the Betly online and mobile casino as what we have provided for sports betting. It’s also a familiar and convenient extension of the gaming experiences we provide at our two casinos.”
Delaware North’s market share increases in West Virginia online gambling
West Virginia is one of six states that offers online casino gambling. As for sports betting, it’s one of the smaller states in terms of handle.
However, there’s plenty of revenue to be had via those two avenues. Delaware North was growing its US online gambling revenue in the months leading up to the merger via its partnership with WynnBet.
For example, in the final two weeks of June, Mardi Gras’ online gambling revenue was less than $80,000. In the first two weeks of July, that number jumped to more than $130,000.
With the launch of Betly Casino and Sportsbook, we should see those numbers increase dramatically by the end of August. Delaware North’s online gambling revenue will likely eclipse $200,000. And $300,000 in total monthly revenue is not out of the question by the end of the year.
