Penn National Gaming said Monday it will open a sportsbook at the company’s Indiana casino that is roughly a 40-minute drive from downtown Chicago.
Pending regulatory approval, the sportsbook at Ameristar Casino East Chicago expects to begin offering wagering on Sept. 1, in time for the start of the NFL season. To celebrate, the casino will have a pair of Chicago Bears legends place the first wagers – Mike Ditka and Devin Hester.
“Our customers are very excited to start wagering on sports,” said Matt Schuffert, general manager at Ameristar Casino East Chicago. “The passion for Indiana and Illinois sports teams runs deep in this region, and we look forward to becoming a destination for fans all year-round.”
Ditka, in addition to being a Pro Bowler with the Bears at a tight end, coached Chicago to its only Super Bowl championship during the 1985-86 season. Hester was a three-time First Team All-Pro who also holds the NFL record for most kicks returned for touchdowns in a career.
The casino is just across the Illinois-Indiana border and caters to customers from the Chicagoland market.
Penn National’s sportsbook at Ameristar Casino East Chicago will include sports betting kiosks and ticket writer stations that will support thousands of sports betting options for customers.
Penn National said the new sports book will be located near the Stadium Sports Bar and Grill and main entrance to the property. The new betting counter and large odds boards and numerous televisions to enjoy sports action from across the country and around the world.
Company CEO Tim Wilmott said Indiana will become the 12th state to operate legal sports betting following the repeal of the federal ban on the activity by the U.S. Supreme Court 15 months ago.
“Our patrons in Northwest Indiana can expect an incredible sports wagering experience at our facility,” Wilmott said.
Penn National operates 41 casinos in 19 states. Ten of the company’s jurisdictions have regulated sports betting. Others are expected to launch sports betting or are considering legislation to legalize the activity.
Earlier this month, Penn National divided up the casino company’s potential online sports betting and online gaming operations, announcing multi-year agreements with four sports wagering operators.
The agreements with DraftKings, PointsBet, theScore and The Stars Group gives the companies access to the Penn National’s online partnerships – often referred to as skins – and provides the casino company with a combination of upfront cash and equity, one-time market access fees and ongoing revenue sharing.
Malta-based Kambi provides the sports betting technology for Penn’s retail sportsbooks at the company’s Iowa and Indiana properties.
Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgamingreports.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.
