888 launches first sports betting site in US as British firms capitalise on legalisation
Online gaming company 888 has launched its first sports site in the US in a bid to capitalise on the legalisation of sports betting in the country.
It follows recent moves by William Hill and Paddy Power Betfair to expand across the pond following a US Supreme Court ruling in May that struck down a nationwide ban on sports betting.
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888 has launched its 888sports brand in New Jersey and said it “paved the way” for the company to launch in more states in the future.
The company's casino and poker products are already operational in the US.
Paddy Power Betfair's US affiliate, FanDuel, launched its sports book app over the weekend, giving New Jersey residents the chance to bet on sports on their smartphones.
Earlier this month William Hill signed a 25-year partnership with US casino group Eldorado and opened a sports books in five of the company's casinos.
Sports betting is now legal in New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware and Mississippi, with more than 20 other states drafting bills at the moment.
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Chief executive Itai Frieberger said: “The launch of 888sport.com in New Jersey is a major milestone for the company in our ongoing expansion across the regulated US online gaming market.
“We now have our sport, casino and poker products all operational in the US and are continually developing our proposition, brands and technology to ensure that the group remains exceptionally well position to capture the potentially significant future growth opportunities as new regulation allows.”