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Kambi Group and Parx Casino in Pennsylvania finally changed their status to “in a relationship.” After months of rumors hinting at a partnership, the duo finally made it official.
Earlier this month, Greenwood Gaming, owner of Parx, and Kambi announced that they entered into a multi-year agreement. The deal includes provisions for powering both retail and online sports betting operations for the popular casino in the Keystone State.
Additionally, Kambi will supply the PA sports betting platform at another Greenwood property, South Philadelphia Turf Club.
John Dixon, chief technology officer at Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment, talked about the deal in a press release:
“We are excited to be working with an experienced, successful sportsbook partner that can bring best-in-class systems and odds making to the Parx-branded sports betting products.
“We are confident in their systems to provide timely, secure and accurate wagering opportunities across many sports both pre-game and in-game.”
Kambi and Greenwood Gaming are confident a temporary retail sportsbook at Parx Casino will be operational by the end of the year.
The Parx-branded online sportsbook will go live once the Kambi platform has fully integrated with the Parx player account management system. The company estimates being online sometime in the second quarter of 2019.
Once Parx is operational, the company will shift its focus to The Turf Club.
A look at the Parx Casino sportsbook
Parx Casino was one of the first casinos in PA to be awarded a sports betting license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB).
At the hearing, Parx shared its plans for the launch of its retail sportsbook. The public first learned of the potential partnership between Greenwood Gaming and Parx during that meeting.
The initial plans show Parx launching a temporary sportsbook sometime in November. That date is now on the calendar for the end of the year.
The temporary book will be housed in Parx’s 360 Lounge and will include:
- Seven betting windows
- 12 self-service kiosks
- Multiple 6 x 9 feet high HD TVs
Additionally, the property will house 30 additional kiosks throughout the casino. The plans for the permanent space are a little harder to come by. We do know that construction has started, though.
Additionally, the company also shared plans for a $1 million makeover to South Philadelphia Turf Club. The renovations will include seven betting windows and 13 self-serve kiosks.
Kambi quickly becoming a dominant figure in US sports betting
The deal with Greenwood will have Kambi powering five US sportsbooks with a presence in two states, the other being New Jersey.
Kambi powers about 70 percent of the New Jersey sports betting market. Three popular sportsbooks use Kambi’s platform to accept sports wagers:
- DraftKings
- SugarHouse
- 888 Sport
The press release also mentioned, “a potential sports betting operation in the neighboring state of New Jersey.” Right now, Pennsylvania seems to be the focus.
Kristian Nylén, Kambi chief executive officer, said:
“Greenwood Gaming represents yet another exciting partnership for Kambi, as we continue to establish ourselves as the premier choice for operators looking to enter the U.S. sports wagering market with a quality product and trusted partner.
“Greenwood Gaming is committed to delivering exciting gaming experiences to players in a safe and responsible fashion, therefore, when deciding to launch a sportsbook, Kambi quickly became the natural choice and I’m confident we will form a successful partnership.”
Don’t expect Kambi to be a household name
Powering the backend of a sports betting operation may not give Kambi the customer recognition it deserves. It might not ever be a household name. At the rate it is going, however, it will likely end up in a lot of households.
Kambi has some big plans for the US sports betting market. Legal Sports Report talked with Max Bichsel, US director for Kambi, in Las Vegas, Nevada recently at the Global Gaming Expo.
Bichsel shares the company’s projections for the sports betting industry, regulations and the power of in-game wagering.
