Valley Forge Casino Resort is going through property-wide enhancements, and one of the biggest additions is a FanDuel-branded sportsbook. The casino hopes for a mid-March opening of for the new facility. The target date lines up perfectly with the start of the NCAA Tournament, which is one of the busiest periods on the sports betting calendar.
The exact date is still under wraps. Valley Forge Casino Resort, a Boyd Gaming property, is not sharing too many details. The permanent sportsbook will be on the gaming floor near the food court.
FanDuel is one of those recognizable brands from the daily fantasy sports world. Last summer, the company entered the NJ sports betting market via its partnership with the Meadowlands Racetrack.
When completed, the FanDuel Sportsbook should be a major draw to the Valley Forge Casino Resort property.
“We are really looking forward to partnering with FanDuel,” David Strow, spokesperson for Boyd Gaming, said. “People are already familiar with FanDuel. It’s a reason for people to come to Valley Forge Casino Resort and give our product a try.”
FanDuel Sportsbook is part of $40-plus investment
Boyd Gaming is quite familiar with sports betting as a result of the company’s Las Vegas ties. Since Boyd finalized the purchase of Valley Forge, giving the company an entry into the PA market, the company has invested more than $40 million in upgrades that are debuting this month. Highlights include 250 new slot machines featuring the “latest and greatest themes” from Scientific Games, IGT and Konami, among others.
Other improvements include:
- A complete renovation of the gaming floor
- Event Center renovations
- 13 additional games to the high limit slots area
Valley Forge Casino Resort + PA sports betting
Valley Forge received approval for its PA sports betting license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB)on Dec. 19. It came four days after SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia and Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh opened their respective temporary sportsbooks.
While the FanDuel-branded sportsbook will not be taking Super Bowl LIII bets, there are four other Pennsylvania sportsbooks, besides the two previously mentioned, taking bets on the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots.
Like the other Pennsylvania sportsbooks, Valley Forge Casino will go through a two-day testing period. The property is expected to announce more details about its sportsbook in the weeks leading up to March Madness.
Speaking of March Madness, those men’s college basketball games tend to draw huge crowds, especially the first two days of the NCAA Tournament.
“March Madness at our properties in Las Vegas is really an event,” Strow said. “It’s a betting experience like no other in sports wagering.”
Online sports betting is coming, too
Like the other players on the Pennsylvania sports betting scene, Valley Forge Casino is looking forward to offering online/mobile sports betting. Unlike the on-property sportsbook, Boyd is not ready to commit to a specific timeframe.
