Entering the Michigan market
European sports betting operator William Hill is continuing to expand its presence in the United States market, this time with an online casino and sportsbook in Michigan.
exclusive provider of online sports betting and casino gaming for the tribe in Michigan
The bookmaker has gained market access to Michigan by signing an agreement with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians in the state. This deal means William Hill will be the exclusive provider of online sports betting and casino gaming for the tribe in Michigan.
A retail sportsbook will also open at some stage in 2020 at the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel. Thanks to this deal, it will also be operated by William Hill.
This sportsbook will still need to get approval from the authorities. It was in December 2019 that the Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation that brought online sports betting and online casinos into legality.
Response to this announcement
Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill US, spoke about the company’s delight in reaching a deal with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
Commenting on the importance of having a presence in the Michigan market, Asher said: “Michigan will be a key state in William Hill’s US expansion due to its large population and deep rooted-sports culture with so many popular college and pro sports teams.”
Grand Traverse Resort and Casinos CEO Michael Schrader said that he was happy to be working with a brand like William Hill that has a lot of experience in the US market. He also spoke about how the online presence of the company will also help drive more guests to its physical locations in Michigan. Schrader went on to say:
We look forward to working with William Hill to develop the best sportsbook in northern Michigan at Turtle Creek Casino.”
Sportsbook in Onyx Sports Bar
The retail sportsbook in the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel will be located in the Onyx Sports Bar, which is already in operation. There will also be a satellite location for the sportsbook at the Leelanau Sands Casino.
The plan is for these sportsbooks to be open to the public before the beginning of the 2020 football season, providing they secure the required licenses.
William Hill’s US expansion
William Hill has been putting a lot of focus on expanding across the US ever since the federal ban on sports betting was ended in May 2018. It already had a significant presence in the Nevada sports betting market.
It has operations numerous US states now in varying forms. This includes Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and West Virginia. William Hill is also set to be the sports betting operator at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. This is where the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals teams play.
The company also is close to completing a deal with media giant CBS Sports. This would give William Hill access to more than 42 million monthly visitors to CBSSports.com.