William Hill Announces Major Expansion in United States

William Hill announces major expansion in United States

Deals signed in Mississippi and West Virginia –

Discussions ongoing with casino operators in a further fourteen US states

William Hill US today announced major expansion plans with the signing of sports betting agreements with eleven casinos in Mississippi and a casino partner in West Virginia.  The company is also in discussions with operators about sports betting deals that would cover a further fourteen US states.

Subject to regulatory approvals, William Hill will provide sports betting risk management services and its proprietary technology for both retail and on-premises mobile sports betting to the following casinos: Hard Rock Casino Hotel & Casino Biloxi, Island View Casino Resort (Gulfport), Palace Casino (Biloxi), Treasure Bay Casino (Biloxi) and WaterView Casino (Vicksburg), in addition to six other casinos in Mississippi. All properties are expected to be live by the end of August pending granting of licences.

In West Virginia, William Hill will provide retail and mobile/online sports betting to a soon-to-be-announced casino partner. William Hill US is also in advanced discussions with operators about deals that cover casinos in a further fourteen states in the US about similar sports betting agreements.

The deals further expand William Hill’s US presence, which already includes sports betting operations in Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey and a race book in Iowa.  William Hill has also combined forces with IGT for the Rhode Island Lottery Sports Betting RFP.  If IGT is awarded the contract, William Hill will supply its operational expertise, risk management, and trading data to support the operation of sports betting in the state.

Commenting on the news William Hill CEO Philip Bowcock said: “It has been an excellent start for us since PASPA was overturned.  We have built on our existing business in Nevada which is number one and growing and in Delaware where we are risk manager for the entire state.  We are now the early market leader in New Jersey where our mobile app will launch within weeks and we expect to be market leader in Mississippi with these eleven casino agreements.  The team continue to engage in discussions that cover a further fourteen states and they are doing a tremendous job.”

William Hill US CEO Joe Asher commented: “We have had a great start in New Jersey and our team is working hard to launch our mobile product there, as well as getting ready to go live in Mississippi, West Virginia and elsewhere, subject to regulatory approval.  There is a lot happening and we are very proud of our team.”

About William Hill

William Hill PLC is one of the world’s leading betting and gaming companies, employing over 16,000 people. Its origins are in the UK where it was founded in 1934, and where it is listed on the London Stock Exchange. The majority of its $2.1 billion annual revenues are still derived from the UK, where it has a national presence of licensed betting offices and one of the leading online betting and gaming services. In 2012, it established William Hill US with a focus on retail and mobile operations in Nevada, which is now the largest sports betting business in the USA. William Hill US currently operates 107 race and sportsbooks in Nevada and the state’s leading mobile sports betting app.  Following the ruling in May 2018 by the Supreme Court that the federal ban on state sponsored sports betting was unconstitutional, the company is planning to operate where permitted by law throughout America. William Hill US is already operating in New Jersey at Monmouth Park Racetrack and Ocean Resort Casino and is the exclusive risk manager for the sports lottery in Delaware.  William Hill also has licensed operations in The Bahamas, Italy and Spain and serves online customers throughout the world from its Online headquarters in Gibraltar.

NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY IN THIS AGREEMENT, WILLIAM HILL MAY TERMINATE THIS AGREEMENT WITH OR WITHOUT NOTICE IF ILLINOIS EXECUTIVE ORDER 2020-41 EXPIRES, IS TERMINATED, ENDED OR WITHDRAWN, OR HELD INVALID.  

Executive Order 2020-41 states in pertinent part that “During the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, the provisions in the Sports Wagering Act, 230 ILCS 45/25-30(f), 25-35(f), and 25-40(i) requiring in-person creation of a sports wagering account at a facility authorized pursuant to the Act in order to participate in sports wagering offered over the internet or through a mobile application, are suspended.”    

IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS AGREEMENT (OR ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO DO SO) YOU MAY NOT JOIN THE WHAP.