Harrah’s Philly Gears Up for Test Run on Tuesday

Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack is launching a mandatory 48-hour mode on Tuesday, January 22 ahead of a full-scale launch later on.

Harrah’s Philly’s “The Book” Opening Up for Test Run on January 22

The Philadelphia property owned by Harrah and known as “The Book” is about to launch its first two-day test period, allowing it to navigate through a mandatory sports betting pilot run. Upon success, the Harrah will move into full-scale launch.

Commenting on the occasion, Harrah’s Philadelphia SVP and GM Chris Albrecht had this to say:

We are excited to bring sports betting to Delaware County and allow our guests from the tri-state area to experience our property in a whole new way.

Mr. Albrecht spoke of the multi-purposefulness of the complex, citing live harness racing, gaming offering, along with sportsbook and restaurants, making “The Book” a perfect spot for all gaming, racing and betting aficionados.

The test offering will go live at 2 PM on Tuesday, January 22. All properties that want to open in the state of Pennsylvania have to comply with the rules outlined by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB).

Pennsylvania already has a rather impressive array of multi-purposed properties, including:

• Hollywood Casino
• SugarHouse Casino
• Rivers Casino

These properties will be complemented by Valley Forge Turf Club planning to enter in March and FanDuel, which is still navigating the legal headwinds in the state.

Churchill Downs has been a known company in the Pennsylvanian betting landscape, particularly with the recent takeover of Presque Isle Downs.

More interestingly still, Pennsylvania is preparing for mobile sports betting, although the PGCB has urged all operators to revisit their license submissions and see if they comply with the new provisions outlined by DoJ’s latest Opinion, effectively reversing the Wire Act to pre-2011 state.

Finding Your Way on Tuesday

Harrah’s Philadelphia suspects a considerable interest in its offer. The first 1000 to place a wager will be awarded a special “The Book”-branded T-Shirt to take home.

There will be a special loyalty program called “Total Rewards,” which would allow customers to build their betting profiles and benefit from extra treats down the road. Each wager will fetch participants a fixed amount of points.

Timing the launch properly, if Harrah’s managed to clear the test period successfully, the property will be able to invite bettors interested in wagering on the outcome of the upcoming Super Bowl, kicking off on Sunday, February 3, 2019.