Elys Game Technology, a sports betting tech company based in Las Vegas, has secured a Class III sports betting license in North Dakota.
The company will partner with the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation’s (“Three Affiliated Tribes”) 4 Bears Casino & Lodge in New Town, ND, one of five tribal casinos in the state to offer retail sports betting.
The license and partnership with 4 Bears “represents the Company’s plans to continue expansion of its Elys America brand and leading-edge sportsbook products throughout the US and Canada,” Elys noted in a statement.
4 Bears Casino bettors have a variety of sports betting options
The Elys partnership represents a new era of sports betting at 4 Bears. In late June, the casino opened a remodeled sportsbook. The new betting area features theater-style plush seating, a sizeable video wall with multiple other TVs, betting windows, and betting kiosks.
The sports betting tech that Elys will provide is called Elys America will allow bettors to gamble on games and races in the following leagues:
- NFL
- NBA
- MLB
- NASCAR
- NCAA Football
- NCAA basketball
Additionally, Elys America gives 4 Bears a comprehensive sports betting management system. It covers:
- Customer acquisition
- Payment processing
- Cybersecurity
- Compliance
- Risk management
- Customer service and other key operational tasks
“Elys provides the most complete and easy-to-use software made by bookmakers for bookmakers, with all your sportsbook needs under one platform,” Elys noted in a company press release.
When will online sports betting come to North Dakota?
While the Peace Garden State offers retail sports betting (wagering that takes place at physical sportsbooks), its lawmakers and voters have yet to approve online sports betting.
From the casino side, limiting sports betting to retail sportsbooks kills the chance of big revenue totals. In states with both retail and mobile sports betting, casinos and operators generate nearly all of their revenue from the latter.
As much as casinos would like to see online sports betting in North Dakota, lawmakers have consistently shot down attempts at legalization.
For example, earlier this year, a bill allowing voters to decide on sports betting legalization made it through the House of Representatives in a tight vote.
However, the North Dakota Senate shot down the bill by a wide margin, revealing that there’s still a lot of work to be done among lawmakers.
And, according to a survey from the National Council on Problem Gambling, once lawmakers do the work, it’s likely voters would support legalizing sports betting.
The survey noted that only 14% of respondents believed gambling is immoral. Nearly 60% believed gambling isn’t immoral, while 27% of respondents were neutral.