Bet365 Receives Full Approval to Operate in Pennsylvania

• bet365 is now fully licensed to operate in Pennsylvania
• The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board gave the operator full approval after several days of a soft launch
• The gaming company can now fully operate in 11 states

Bet365 has received full approval to offer online sports betting and iGaming in the Keystone State.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board gave the go-ahead to bet365 to fully launch in the state after three days of a soft-launch and testing. The board confirmed the full launch to Sports Betting Dime this afternoon.

A full launch has yet to be announced by the operator.

Testing, Soft-Launch Completed

The newest Pennsylvania sports betting and iGaming operator successfully tested its systems in the state over the last three days. It began its soft launch on Tuesday, July 16, offering services from noon to 8 p.m. It continued its soft launch and extended hours from noon to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17. It completed its soft-launch phase in the state on Thursday, July 18, operating from noon until midnight.

The bet365 launch in Pennsylvania has been a long time coming, as the sports betting operator announced a partnership with Presque Isle Downs & Casino in January 2023 to enter the Pennsylvania gaming market. Bet365’s multi-year agreement with the Churchill Downs Incorporated owned company provided iGaming and online sports betting market access in Pennsylvania for the gaming company.

“We are pleased to partner with a global leader in the online gaming industry,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of CDI, in a press release. “Our relationship with bet365 enables us to maximize the value of our company’s sports betting and iGaming market access in Pennsylvania.”

However, more than a year-and-a-half passed before bet365 officially took steps to begin offering sports betting and iGaming in Pennsylvania.

While the operator received the go-ahead to fully launch in the state, it has yet to do so. A request for comment on when bet365 will fully launch in the commonwealth was not returned Friday afternoon.

Bet365 Licensed in 11 States

Bet365 is currently live in 10 states, but licensed in 11 to do business. The company is licensed in the following states:

• Arizona
• Colorado
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Ohio
• New Jersey
• North Carolina
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia

It will be interesting to see how bet365 performs in Pennsylvania. The company surprisingly has been a top-three operator in neighboring Ohio, which is a particularly crowded market, but Pennsylvania features higher tax rates than the Buckeye State.

Ohio’s online sports betting tax rate sits at 20% of gross gaming revenue, but Pennsylvania features a 34% tax rate. Its iGaming tax rates include 54% for slot games and 16% for table games, so it will be interesting to see how competitive bet365 can remain with market leaders, such as FanDuel and DraftKings.