William Hill has agreed to a multi-year partnership with American gaming giant IGT in order to secure sports betting deals with US state lotteries.
The British bookmakers had already secured a deal with the company to run sports betting for the Rhode Island Lottery and hope that IGT’s sports betting platform alongside its mobile software will lead to further state deals in America.
William Hill has been working to expand into the US following the US supreme court’s decision to repeal a federal law banning sports gambling earlier this year, City AM reports.
In a statement, Joe Asher, the Chief Executive of William Hill US, said: “We are delighted to be expanding our relationship with IGT to address the US lottery market together.
“William Hill’s track record as an operator globally, and our clear leadership as a sports book operator in the US, in particular, mean that US lotteries can be confident that in choosing IGT and us together, they will be benefitting from a reliable, trustworthy, and responsibly-managed solution.”
Renato Ascoli, the Chief Executive of IGT, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with William Hill, whose proven leadership and capability in the US sports betting operations will ensure that we are able to fully support our loyal customers as states start to regulate these products.”
Just last month, the bookmakers struck a 25-year deal with the Eldorado Resorts by becoming the group’s exclusive partner in the provision of digital and land-based sports betting and online gambling.
The two companies also announced plans to open William Hill shops in five properties in three states within the next three weeks. They include the Tropicana in Atlantic City, the Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort in West Virginia, the Lady Luck Casino in Vicksburg, the Isle of Capri in Lula and the Tropicana Casino in Greenville.
Following the deal, William Hill’s shares shot up 6%.
