Casino operator Boyd Gaming, which has a partnership with sportsbook operator FanDuel in the company’s regional casinos, said on Wednesday that it had signed a long-term sports betting technology agreement with International Game Technology.
The deal covers the equipment for Boyd’s retail sportsbooks in Nevada and the technology for the casino operator’s mobile sports betting app and online sports betting portal. Boyd has agreed to deploy IGT’s PlaySports self-service sports wagering kiosks at the company’s Las Vegas-area casinos.
Financial terms were not disclosed, and IGT and Boyd said in a statement a phased approach will be undertaken for rolling out the features and services associated with the technology.
Boyd, which operates 29 casinos in 10 states, has still not reopened three of its Las Vegas-area casinos, which were closed in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this week, the company asked the city of Henderson to make the operating licenses for its small Eldorado Casino nonoperational.
Boyd’s Main Street Station in downtown Las Vegas and the Eastside Cannery in eastern Las Vegas also remain closed. Boyd executives said the closures are due to a lack of customer demand.
FanDuel operates sportsbooks at seven of Boyd’s regional casino and mobile sports betting apps in Pennsylvania and Indiana and is expected to launch a digital sports betting app at Boyd’s Par-A-Dice Casino in East Peoria, Illinois.
Earlier this month, IGT and FanDuel extended the companies’ partnership, covering both sports betting and igaming in the U.S., through September 2024. IGT’s platform will be utilized by FanDuel retail sportsbooks in eight states, and FanDuel has agreed to offer IGT’s online casino games in the two states – New Jersey and Pennsylvania – where it currently operates.
IGT and Boyd Gaming have maintained a sports betting relationship in the U.S. since 2018.
IGT PlayDigital Senior Vice President Enrico Drago said the omnichannel sports betting will “stand apart in Nevada, the most mature and high-volume sports betting destination in the U.S.”
He said the agreement will allow Boyd “to differentiate its sports betting product in meaningful ways that position them to attract new players and grow revenue in the segment.”
Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgaming.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.
