Mohegan Sun Pocono took center stage at Wednesday‘s PA Gaming Control Board (PGCB) meeting thanks to multiple head-turning presentations.
The most noteworthy presentation involved the property’s PA sports betting presentation. During that presentation, the casino showcased plans for both a brand-new sportsbook and its online betting offering.
However, PGCB was more concerned with what was not presented, namely, why the racebook was not part of the plans.
Mohegan + Kindred + Pala
The casino’s sports betting partner was already a given. Mohegan teamed with Kindred Group earlier this year. The property plans to leverage Kindred’s Unibet brand, which, per renderings in Wednesday’s presentation, will have ample signage throughout the PA retail sportsbook.
Additionally, Pala Interactive is coming on board to help with the interactive gambling side of things. The group received conditional approval for its interactive manufacturing license during Wednesday’s meeting as well.
Mohegan Sun Pocono will also bring in Novomatic for self-service betting terminals within the sportsbook and throughout the casino floor.
What the Mohegan sportsbook will look like
Located just to the right of the casino’s main entrance, Mohegan’s sportsbook expects to open by football season. Essentially, the idea is to have the facility become impossible to miss for incoming customers.
Spreading 1,130 square feet, the sportsbook will house 75 customers and will have several features:
- 42 couch seats
- 23 high-top chairs
- An 8-by-15-foot HD video wall with four 3-by-6-foot screens attached to stream various events
- Seven betting terminals and three teller booths
“It’s very modern, very comfortable,” Aviram Alroy, vice president of interactive gaming for Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, said during the hearing. “We’re aiming for a very younger age.”
Betting markets will abound for bettors at Mohegan, with events including:
- NFL
- NBA
- NCAA
- Tennis
- Boxing
- Rugby
Types of bets to expect on offer are:
- Parlays
- Straight bets
- Moneylines
- Prop bets
- In-play betting
Alroy noted that the offerings and environment at Mohegan will closely resemble that of Resorts Atlantic City in New Jersey, Mohegan’s NJ partner.
However, questions quickly arose regarding the sportsbook’s offerings, or rather, what the sportsbook lacked in offerings.
No connection to racebook
Following the Mohegan sports betting presentation, an observation arose:
The casino did not mention the racetrack in its plans.
After all, essentially, the reason Mohegan received a gaming license in the first place was because of its status as a racino.
Mohegan introduced a number of plans to expand and improve upon its property, although its racebook was not among them.
So far, there has not been a single casino with a racebook that hasn’t incorporated the racebook into the sports betting plans.
Those casinos noted how it could help drive traffic to their racetracks and increase business.
The Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association did not respond well to the lack of advance notice that the racebook was not part of the plans.
“I think it’s more, technically, we don’t want to offer it,” Alroy answered. He later added: “We want to go and start as soon as possible and not add a lot of components at the beginning.”
Mohegan needs to incorporate racebook
A board member postulated that “there seems to be evidence of synergism” between wagering on races and sports. Carlucci quickly stepped in to provide some clarity.
“I don’t want to lead with the impression … We’ll have it. … I think there was just a little confusion in our answer. But we’ll have it.”
Carlucci noted that, with limited technology at the sportsbook, the casino can only offer so much on busy sports days, such as football Sundays.
The board then requested the Office of Enforcement Counsel include Mohegan addressing the horse racing issue as part of its order of conditional approval.
