UK sports betting operator Smarkets has formally entered into a multi-million-dollar, long-term partnership with casino developer and operator Full House Resorts to offer online sports wagering in Indiana and Colorado.
With the first agreements to enter the US market now in place, Smarkets, which is headquartered in the UK and has offices in Los Angeles and Malta, plans to initially operate its recently launched SBK sportsbook. The company said it will be well positioned to accelerate growth through its internationalization plans across these two brands.
Sports betting legislation was written into Indiana law by Governor Eric Holcomb in May of this year, exactly one year after the US Supreme Court’s decision to strike down PASPA. Sportsbooks went live at the start of September with a flurry of launches.
Colorado residents, meanwhile, will vote in November to ratify sports betting bill, HB 19-1327. If approved, online sports wagering could be made available in the Centennial State by Spring 2020.
Smarkets CEO & Founder Jason Trost described the signing of the Full House Resorts deal as “…a landmark day for Smarkets”. In a statement he said: “As an American myself, I’m thrilled to bring our world-leading technology to Indiana and Colorado, as well as more states across the country. I truly believe that an agile company like ours can make a huge impact against some of the bigger players thanks to our superior technology and focus on providing the best prices.”
SBK will be available for customers in Indiana to download for iOS and Android in late 2019.
Alex Stolyar, Full House Resorts SVP & Chief Development Officer, added: “This is a very exciting time for sports betting in Indiana and Colorado, and we are delighted to partner with Smarkets. The SBK sportsbook platform that Jason and his team have built brings many new innovations to the industry, including a unique social network to heighten the customer experience.”
While Smarkets is initially launching in America with its SBK app, it hinted that there may be an opportunity in the future to introduce its established betting exchange, which has processed over $15.6bn in trading volume, as more US states adopt online sports betting.