A William Hill-branded online/mobile sportsbook is coming to Indiana.
On Friday, the Indiana Gaming Commission gave American Wagering Inc., d/b/a William Hill, a mobile launch authorization to commence online gambling on Oct. 28. William Hill received approval as a vendor on Aug. 13, 2019, which has allowed it to offer retail sports gambling in the state.
William Hill operates the retail sportsbook at Tropicana Evansville, a Caesars casino. Caesars recently reached a deal to acquire William Hill, though the two entities were together already deeply involved with gambling. Caesars and William Hill had previously paired on a joint venture for sports betting.
In the mobile launch authorization, the IGC said that William Hill has “substantially demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Commission that its mobile sports wagering operation meets the requirements of Indiana Code Article 4-38, the Commission’s Emergency Regulations, and all Commission Directives related to sports wagering activities,” and thus is ready to hit Indiana cyberspace.
It will be the 10th online/mobile sportsbook in the state.
The mobile launch authorization came just days before the Indianapolis Colts announced a new partnership with Caesars and William Hill.
In September, the William Hill sportsbook at Tropicana took $1,668,146 in wagers, near the back of the pack in terms of handle compared to the other brick-and-mortar casinos. Total Indiana handle was more than $207 million, with online/mobile sportsbooks accounting for more than 80% of the statewide total.
The Caesars online sportsbook, operating under Caesars’ Horseshoe Hammond casino near Chicago, reported just $494,622 in online/mobile handle last month. For comparison, DraftKings reported nearly $90 million in online/mobile handle. Caesars/William Hill have a lot of ground to make up.
Sponsorship arrangement with Colts
The deal with the Colts isn’t exclusive for Caesars/William Hill. For example, in September, the Colts forged a similar deal with PointsBet, another leading sportsbook in the Hoosier State.
“In the digital age, and particularly this virtual world in which we find ourselves now, finding new ways to engage with our fans, partners, and community is one of our top priorities,” the Colts said in a presser.
“This partnership with Caesars and William Hill will help us better connect with Colts fans everywhere as we navigate this very unique season in 2020 and offer a greater fan experience well into the future.”
As part of the agreement, Caesars Rewards will sponsor a free-to-play “Pick 6 Predictor” game on the Colts Mobile App. Pending IGC approval, the Caesars Indiana mobile sports betting app, Caesars Sports Book by William Hill, will integrate into the franchise’s media and marketing efforts.
“This latest partnership between William Hill, Caesars, and the Indianapolis Colts brings together three industry-leaders that are reshaping the way fans engage with sports during unprecedented times,” said Sharon Otterman, William Hill chief marketing officer. “We’re excited to be revolutionizing the way fans connect with their hometown team in Indianapolis.”
