PointsBet to Launch Real Money Online Casino Product in West Virginia

PointsBet is adding West Virginia as its third iGaming market, the company said in a news release Wednesday.

The Australian operator will launch its proprietary real money online casino product in the Mountain State after doing so in Michigan in May and New Jersey in July.

PointsBet launched its mobile sports betting operation in West Virginia last August, with the market becoming the operator’s seventh state. PointsBet also offers sports betting in New Jersey, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Colorado and Michigan.

What PointsBet Adds to iGaming Market

PointsBet Vice President of Online Casino Revenue Aaron O’Sullivan said adding iGaming to the company’s existing offerings in West Virginia follows the company’s blueprint in the United States.

“It has been our goal to deliver the best-in-class casino content to our users in all of the states where we are permitted to offer the service,” O’Sullivan said in the press release. “We remain committed to its growth and PointsBet's position as the leader in the online casino market."

PointsBet entered West Virginia’s sports betting marketplace through an agreement with Penn National Gaming that was announced in 2019.

The PointsBet announcement comes as the state reported a surge in sports betting wagers and iGaming transactions during the final month of the year, with a handle of $280.4 million and $8.7 million in iGaming transactions.

The figures represented a huge increase, month-over-month, with the state’s handle climbing 41.5% in December, while iGaming transactions increased by 46.6%.

Launch Seen As Win-Win

Adding an international online casino player like PointsBet is a win-win for both sides, according to Manjit Gombra Singh, who serves as the president of product and technology for the operator.

Singh cited the state’s expanding iGaming marketplace and the company’s content platform partnership with Scientific Gaming as being integral to their decision to roll out their online casino product in West Virginia.

"We're quickly scaling our business and have now integrated Scientific Games platform to expand our premium content portfolio,” Singh said in the release. “We're looking forward to expanding and refining our suite of products throughout the year to deliver more options for our users in PointsBet online casinos."

Why PointsBet is Launching Now

PointsBet was originally scheduled to launch its iGaming product in West Virginia by the end of 2021, though that target date was subject to receiving necessary licenses and approval from the state.

The actual launch date wound up being delayed slightly. PointsBet become the sixth iGaming operator in the state, joining DraftKings Casino, BetMGM Casino, BetRivers Casino, among others.

The state legalized online casinos in 2019, with the first locations opening two years later.

"As PointsBet rapidly expands its presence across the U.S. and the online casino market continues to surge in popularity, we are thrilled to be able to now offer an online casino experience to users in West Virginia," O’Sullivan said in the release.