bet365 Prepares to Launch Online in Pennsylvania

After taking its first steps into Pennsylvania in January of last year, international online gambling company bet365 could be ready to enter the state’s online sports betting and iGaming markets later this week. Another one of our best sports betting sites operating in the Keystone State is excellent news for residents. 

The UK-based operator soft-launched its real money online casino and sportsbook in PA on Tuesday, July 16, for testing by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). Testing will continue until Thursday, July 18, at midnight, after which the PGCB will evaluate its performance and potentially grant full approval.

If successful, bet365 will join the 11 sportsbooks currently operating in the Pennsylvania sports betting scene, including Caesars, FanDuel, and DraftKings.

“The bet365 soft launch in which PGCB staff conducts various checks to ensure that the platform is performing correctly per regulations did begin yesterday (July 16) and will run through Thursday. If all goes well, bet365 could get full approval on July 19,” a PGCB spokesperson told a local news source. 

Once it launches, residents can sign up by using our bet365 bonus code: SBRBONUS.

Pennsylvania’s Betting Landscape

Sports betting first arrived in Pennsylvania in November 2018 with the opening of a retail sportsbook at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. Pennsylvania sports betting apps debut in May 2019, with PlaySugarHouse leading the charge. Pennsylvania is home to 11 online sportsbooks, and the online market is responsible for over 90% of the action in the state.

Casinos have existed in PA since 2004, but PA online casinos didn’t arrive until 2019 following a 2017 gambling expansion bill. Pennsylvania is home to 21 online casino apps from BetMGM, DraftKings, and Caesars.

The PGCB has yet to release its financials for June 2024, but its May report revealed $520 million in revenue from all forms of gambling in the state, including land-based and online casinos, sports betting, and fantasy sports contests.

In May, the total sports wagering handle reached $591.9 million, resulting in $44.2 million in sports betting revenue, with online sportsbooks accounting for $41.6 million of that total. Online casinos generated nearly $174.1 million in revenue during the same period.

bet365’s US Expansion

bet365 entered the US market in 2019, launching its sports betting and casino platforms in New Jersey sports betting scene through a partnership with Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.

Since then, it has obtained licenses for the Arizona sports betting, Colorado sports betting, Indiana sports betting, Iowa sports betting, Kentucky sports betting, Louisiana sports betting, Ohio sports betting, North Carolina sports betting, and Virginia sports betting markets. Now, Pennsylvania has joined the fray.

The Pennsylvania soft launch comes 18 months after bet365 announced its market access deal with Presque Isle Downs & Casino, owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated. 

“We are pleased to partner with a global leader in the online gaming industry,” said Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen 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.”

About bet365

The history of bet365 dates back to 1974, when Peter Coates opened betting points across the UK under the name “Provincial Races.” He later handed the company over to his daughter, Denise Coates, who founded bet365 in a portable building in Stoke-on-Trent in 2000. With a team of 12 employees, Denise brought the business online in 2001.

Today, bet365 is a global betting powerhouse operating in more than 150 countries, with over 90 million customers and more than 7,000 employees. The company's offerings include sports betting, online casino, online poker, and online bingo.