When Circa Sports opened for business at the Golden Gate Casino in June 2019, the small sportsbook took up only 1,300 square feet — tiny when compared to the company’s three-level, 1,000-seat flagship facility at Circa Casino Resort on the opposite side of the Fremont Street Experience that would open 16 months later.
Size wasn’t a concern.
Golden Gate owner Derek Stevens told ESPN’s David Purdum his newly launched Circa sports betting operation needed to make a statement in a crowded market. The sportsbook took in $800,000 in wagers on opening day because Stevens didn’t charge customers vigorish — a fee placed on wagers.
The result? Circa lost roughly $100,000 over 24 hours.
In the four years since launching, Circa Sports hasn’t changed its business plan.
