Top Sportsbooks Shun Nevada over Strict In-Person Betting Rules

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Prominent online sportsbook operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings, along with burgeoning entities like Fanatics, have demonstrated a hesitation to establish their operations within Nevada. This hesitation emanates primarily from the state’s insistence on in-person registration for mobile sports betting accounts.

Though trailing behind states with larger populations, such as Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, in terms of handle, Nevada has nonetheless maintained its dominant status on the national sports wagering scene since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling on the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).


Registering for mobile accounts can prove a laborious process for prospective bettors within the jurisdiction. According to industry analyst Chris Krafcik of Eilers & Krejeck Gaming, Nevada makes up a mere 1% of US online wagering revenue. Given the meager percentage and the demanding registration requirement, major operators including FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics, and Penn Entertainment’s upcoming ESPN Bet don’t view the Nevada market as essential to their expansion.

In Nevada, individuals wishing to place sports wagers via mobile must undertake a physical visit to a casino and navigate through paperwork to activate their mobile wagering accounts. This compulsory procedure stands in stark contrast to most other sports betting permissive states and Washington, DC, where sign-ups are permissible via computers or smartphones.

Regardless of its demanding in-person account activation process, Nevada remains a significant force in the sports betting world. Gaming operators in the state procured around $4.9 billion from sports bets through August, as reported by the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB). However, at a time when approximately 80% of sports wagers nationally are placed remotely, Nevada sees this percentage dip to roughly two-thirds. This suggests that Nevada sportsbook operators could be missing potential clients and revenue-generation opportunities.

States such as Colorado and neighboring Arizona offer more lenient conditions, devoid of the in-person registration requirement. They provide sports bettors with more significant sign-up advantages and a wider range of wagering menus, leading some Nevada sports bettors to travel across state lines into Arizona to gain enhanced odds and promotional dollars.

Although the in-person registration stipulation is widely considered an inconvenience by bettors and operators, online sportsbook providers are showing interest in entering Nevada. Pertaining to the previously mentioned companies, the first to venture into Nevada will likely be those with existing connections to the state’s land-based casinos.

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