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It’s been a busy month for Fanatics.
Just weeks after completing its conversion of PointsBet gambling platforms across the country and launching its New Jersey online casino, Fanatics announced it launched a mobile sportsbook in Wyoming.
“Now that we have finished the migration of PointsBet states, Wyoming is a standalone market for the Fanatics Sportsbook to enter,” Fanatics Vice President of Communications Kevin Hennessy told PlayUSA. “We love going into a new market and giving sports fans a distinct alternative to the status quo.”
Wyoming marks the 21st state in which Fanatics has launched a mobile sportsbook.
Key takeaways
- Wyoming is the 21st state in which Fanatics opened a sportsbook.
- The company believes its sports wagering app’s features set it apart.
- Online casinos aren’t legal in Wyoming, but Fanatics thinks the state can sustain online sports betting and online casinos.
Fanatics is hoping user-friendly features will win its competitors’ customers
While Wyoming is one of the smallest sports betting markets in the country, the competition for revenue is just as fierce as in big-revenue states like New York and Illinois.
The Cowboy State is arguably one of the most competitive in the country. In addition to Fanatics, only four sportsbooks are live, and they’re the top sportsbooks in the country:
- FanDuel
- DraftKings
- Caesars
- BetMGM
ESPN Bet has been approved for a sports betting operator license but has yet to launch.
With the competition stripped down to the major players, Hennessy said Fanatics hopes its customer-centric features can help the sportsbook flourish.
In particular, Hennessy said the Fanatics sportsbook app has three features that set it apart: a search tool, a Discover page, and its rewards/loyalty program. The app’s search tool helps customers quickly find promos, bets, and trending topics. Hennessy said:
“Our competitors like to focus on how many markets they have – so there is a lot of scrolling to find the bets and markets that customers want. Customer research told us that while it’s great to have a lot of markets – we want to find the bets that we love quickly.”
The app’s Discover page is the app’s opening screen. It curates popular bets and, over time, learns customers’ wagering tendencies and focuses on showcasing the teams and bets that customers love.
Finally, Hennessy said the company believes its rewards program sets Fanatics’ sportsbook apart. Customers can earn up to 5% back in FanCash (Fanatics’ rewards currency) on bets placed, then use that FanCash to make bonus bets or buy merchandise through Fanatics.com.
“A customer can place a bet on their favorite team and buy a jersey with FanCash all in one place,” he said.
Will Fanatics be in play if Wyoming legalizes online casinos?
For as much support as online gambling has received over the past few years, the movement to legalize iGaming can’t seem to clear one hurdle: the West.
Online casinos are legal and live in seven states, all but one of which are located in New England or Appalachia. The lone outlier? Michigan.
That said, Wyoming lawmakers tried to buck that trend earlier this year. Rep. Robert Davis introduced a bill to the Wyoming House that would’ve legalized online casinos. However, the House voted not to take up the bill in a 25-36-1 vote.
Any state with mobile sports betting is a candidate for online casinos. Davis said as much during remarks he gave when introducing the bill to the House, noting that once lawmakers agree on online casino regulations, launching iGaming “will roll out just like our sports wagering has.”
When asked whether Fanatics has any loose plans to launch an online casino in Wyoming should iGaming become legal, Hennessy said:
“We are really excited about how Fanatics Casino is performing in New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. But specifically to Wyoming, any plans are contingent on what happens in the state legislature.”
He believes Wyoming could sustain online sports betting and online casinos, but that iGaming needs to be legalized “before we can talk about any plans.”
