Fanatics Launches First Retail Sportsbook
Author:
Megan Butler
The sports betting arm of sports apparel giant Fanatics, Fanatics Betting and Gaming, has earned the lucky title of the first sports wagering operator to launch a retail sportsbook inside of a National Football League (NFL) stadium. The sportsbook is housed within the FedExField in Maryland, which is the home of NFL team the Washington Commanders.
Fanatics Betting and Gaming will be the first sports wagering operator to launch a retail sportsbook inside of a National Football League (NFL) stadium. ?Lernestorod/Pixabay
Fanatics Retail Sportsbook Spans Over Whopping 5,000 Square Feet
There’s always a first: the sports betting and gaming arm of sports apparel giant Fanatics, Fanatics Betting and Gaming, has revealed how it has become the first sports wagering operator to earn the status of opening a physical retail sportsbook inside of a National Football League (NFL) stadium.
Housed within the FedExField stadium in Maryland, which happens to be the home of NFL team the Washington Commanders, the sportsbook also stands as Fanatics’ first foray into the sports betting market, as well as its arrival in the state of Maryland, with the Commanders team now acting as its market access partner.
The Fanatics retail sportsbook boasts the following stats: its size spans an impressive 5,000sq ft, while the venue also boasts eight betting windows, 21 self-service betting kiosks, two LED video walls, 38 TV monitors, and finally, a full-service restaurant. Customers will earn the privilege of putting down bets on a wide range of major sports events at the retail sportsbook.
Launch of Fanatics’ First Retail Sportsbook is Just the Beginning; Washington Commanders Thank Maryland Governor
To mark the occasion, Ari Borod, who is the Chief Business Officer over at Fanatics Betting and Gaming, naturally drove home the company’s excitement at being able to open up its first retail sportsbook at the FedExField stadium, while also promising more enticing developments to come:
“We are excited to bring the Fanatics Sportsbook to Maryland at FedExField. Our first retail location, with adjacency to the Commanders Team store, is a physical representation of what Fanatics will deliver to sports fans all over North America. We are rolling out our platform first at retail and we will have more exciting news to share in the coming months as we bring to market new mobile technology designed to improve the betting experience for sports fans.”– Ari Borod, Chief Business Officer, Fanatics Betting and Gaming, Press Release
Given that FedExField is home to the Washington Commanders, it’s only natural that the team president, Jason Wright, had something to say, choosing to thank Maryland’s former governor Larry Hogan in particular:
“When our journey began over two years ago, we knew we had to reinvigorate the guest experience at FedExField and open the campus to the community. Today is a special moment in realizing that vision as we open this innovative sportsbook, operating seven days a week for sports fans throughout our community. We owe a debt of gratitude to Former Governor Hogan, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, and numerous other elected leaders who supported our vision of an equity framework that will ensure minority participation in this venture; allowing us to do right by the community and the fans at the same time.”– Jason Wright, Team President, Washington Commanders, Press Release
Finally, Charles Hopkins, Founder and Managing Principal of Hamilton Hall Real Estate Partners, LLC, which owns the FedExField stadium, stressed how he himself is from the same county in which the stadium, and now Fanatics’ sportsbook, are located in:
“It is a special day to see the vision for legal sports wagering advocated by Maryland’s legislative leaders come to fruition here in Prince George’s County. As a native Prince Georgian and minority business owner with deep expertise in hospitality, gaming and commercial retail, I am honored to join forces with the Washington Commanders and Fanatics Betting and Gaming to offer a best-in-class sports betting experience. I am also grateful to Dan and Tanya Snyder for their leadership and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels of the sports betting business in Maryland.”– Charles Hopkins, Founder and Managing Principal, Hamilton Hall Real Estate Partners, LLC, Press Release
Genius Sports and NFL Partnered with Three Sportsbooks in November 2022
The NFL is wasting no time in making the most of legal sports betting in the United States and even Canada, collaborating in November 2022 with Genius Sports to secure a video streaming licensing agreement with three major Canadian sportsbook operators.
The three sportsbooks in question are Bet365, the Canada-facing Bet99, and the esports-focused Rivalry. All three will now gain the ability to treat their customers to video streams of all regular and post-season NFL matches, powered by Genius’s increasingly in-demand Watch & Bet sports technology solution.
Genius CEO Mark Locke firmly believes that all three operators will benefit greatly from the partnership between Genius Sports and the NFL:
“We are delighted that the NFL has broadened its partnership with Genius Sports to become the exclusive provider of official data and live streaming content for sportsbooks across Canada. We connect the global sports ecosystem through cutting-edge data technology, and our official solutions will help Bet365, Bet99 and Rivalry to thrive in the newly legalised Canadian market.”
WynnBet Selected GAN Sports to Power its US Sportsbook in December 2022
In December 2022, storied casino operator WynnBet revealed that it had chosen GAN Sports technology to power its online sportsbook operations in future market initiatives across the United States.
The announcement came just in time for the launch of the WynnBet Sportsbook at Encore Boston Harbor in Massachusetts. Rob Lekites, vice-president of North American sports for GAN, sees promise in the initiative, citing GAN’s already strong reputation in the industry:
“The combination of GAN’s cutting-edge sportsbook technology with WynnBet’s highly experienced and successful leadership team, provides tremendous growth opportunities for both of our organizations. This announcement builds upon our strong partnership with WynnBet in the state of Michigan and further validates our capabilities to provide a highly differentiated and flexible sportsbook as well as bolsters our position as one of the top suppliers in the US iGaming space. The reception of GAN Sports remains highly encouraging as we look to carry this positive momentum into a strong cadence of new partner launches over the coming quarters.”
