Indiana, Iowa, and New Jersey Markets About to Add Australian-based Gaming Operator PlayUp

The move by overseas sportsbooks into the US legal sports betting market continues. The latest foreign sportsbook to expand their US reach is Australian-based PlayUp. The company was looking to build on their US presence which consists of only Colorado, thanks to an agreement and a March 8 soft launch with Bull Durham Casino in Blackhawk, Colorado.

PlayUp announced Tuesday that it had gained market access into Indiana, Iowa, and New Jersey through a potentially important partnership deal with Caesars Entertainment, one of the Heavyweight names currently running wild within the US wagering scene. The agreement will see the PlayUp sportsbook go live in Indiana and Iowa with the company's iGaming platform being launched in the ultra-competitive and nearly saturated New Jersey market.

Laila Mintas, US CEO of PlayUp shared her excitement with the deal when she said" “In most of the states, the amount of available licenses is very limited. And they are, of course, in high demand, as operators from all over the world are trying to get access to the US market – which is said to become the largest legal sports betting market in the world. So, I couldn’t be more excited to share with you that PlayUp has continued to acquire market access now through a deal with Caesars Casino which is a very strong brand. The deal gives us immediate access into Indiana and Iowa and iGaming New Jersey.”

PlayUp's Chops

PlayUp isn't a recognizable name yet within the US legal sports betting scene, but company brass hopes to change all of that within the next year. Originating in Australia, PlayUp became one of the go-to names in that country through acquisition of a number of existing betting brands.

PlayUp has grown to become a reliable name within the Australian market, complete with the usual menu of sports betting options from leagues around the globe. PlayUp has developed and maintained their own top-tier Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) platform as well, which may come in handy in the Fantasy Sports-crazed US market.

The company has tried to set themselves apart through proprietary online sports betting technology which currently runs not only in Australia but New Zealand, India and the US, through their Colorado access.

Setting Themselves Up

PlayUp is fortunate to gain market access into three very successful US legal sports betting jurisdictions. That access comes along with a newfound relationship with Caesars Entertainment that has been on a tear lately in an attempt to become a dominant force within the US wagering industry.

Not only can PlayUp take their Caesars connection out of the recent news, but they can take solace into the fact that they are entering three established, top tier legal wagering markets that generated over a half-billion in wagers in April alone. Indiana's sports betting handle came in at $236 million for April, Iowa's produced $119 million and the iGaming scene in New Jersey saw $108 million in bets for the month of April.

“These three states are the next phase of our growth in the U.S.,” Laila Mintas, chief executive officer of PlayUp USA, said in the release. “Getting to add iGaming in New Jersey will usher in a new product offering for us that will help us guide and drive our continued success.”

Looking Forward

PlayUp will be looking to further expand its reach within the US legal sports betting market. But first, they must gain regulatory approval for launch in Indiana, Iowa and New Jersey. Those are being viewed by the company as just a formality.

Expansion has been in the back of PlayUp brass since the company raised $12.5 million this year and revealed $17.5 million in net revenue during the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2020. The expansion will come, according to a press release, “on a state-by-state basis, throughout the USA”.

So, get used to seeing the PlayUp brand in Indiana, Iowa and New Jersey, possibly by late-summer, in time for the start of the NFL season. And look for the brand to expand further to new jurisdiction within the next few months as well.