SugarHouse Makes Interactive Wagers a Reality in PA

• First SugarHouse interactive wagers placed
• Tests to run for a few days before a full-scale launch
• Physical customer registration still necessary

SugarHouse is quickly moving towards a full-scale launch of its interactive wagering platform later this week.

SugarHouse Starts Testing Interactive Wagering System

As SugarHouse has commenced a series of tests, the casino operator is moving closer to becoming the first business to launch online and mobile sportsbook service in the now regulated state of Pennsylvania.

SugarHouse accepted its first wagers on Tuesday, May 28 as mandated by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), the state’s gaming watchdog. The initial test stretched full eight hours and ran from 4:00 PM local time to midnight.

The company continues with the testing today, May 29, with the new sessions stretching 10 hours, from 2 PM local time to midnight. Meanwhile, the company is preparing for a full-scale mobile and online launch later in the week. The official testing schedule is as follows:

• Tuesday, May 28: 4 p.m. to midnight
• Wednesday, May 29: 2 p.m. to midnight
• Thursday, May 30: noon to midnight

Interactive Betting Brought by Kambi

The SugarHouse project didn’t come out of the blue. Kambi, a noteworthy casino supplier and software company, has been working with SugarHouse since December, 2018 to build a reliable platform for trustworthy interactive wagers.

All participants in online wagering will have to register in person at the SugarHouse Casino before they can start using the online platforms. By launching the SugarHouse project in full, Rush Street and Kambi are consolidating their partnerships across key markets, such as New Jersey and now eyeing fresh opportunities to launch activities in Illinois and New York.

The addition of mobile platforms will give casino and sports betting businesses an opportunity to grow beyond their current dimensions. Here’s what PlayPennsylvania’s news round-up had to say:

“The launch of sports betting apps will give us our first true look at Pennsylvania’s potential as a market, which we believe should rival New Jersey and eventually Nevada as the nation’s largest market.”

In terms of revenue, SugarHouse has still some catching up to do, as it’s the third most profitable company in Pennsylvania in April insofar as sports betting goes, with $781,163 in terms of revenue. The deployment of an online platform is expected to give Pennsylvania a slight edge when it comes to online wagers. Customers will be allowed to bet using a number of payment solutions, including:

• Visa
• MasterCard
• Discover
• SugarHouse pre-paid card
• Pay by cash in the venue

SugarHouse is only setting an example, but it will be joined by other prominent companies, such as Rivers Casino, reports have revealed, although no official confirmation has surfaced yet.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania deferred the official launch of its iGaming and casino industries until July, after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said that it would use the Wire Act to clamp down on any form of online gambling across the U.S.

It’s in this context that a number of states, including Nevada and Ohio are tinkering with their laws to avoid legal confrontation with the DOJ whereas New Jersey and New Hampshire aren’t quite willing to back down.