The Nevada Gaming Commission has approved an application from American Wagering Inc to allow state residents to place sports bets on iPhones, a company executive confirmed.
The approval makes American Wagering, which operates as Leroy’s Horse and Sports Place Inc., the first U.S.-based gaming company to have free sports betting applications available on iTunes’ app store.
“This means we are available through all major carriers,” said John English, senior vice president of business development and public relations. “We currently cover 90% of the Nevada smartphone market.”
English said the app is free to download and use, but customers should create an account before betting. The next step in the company’s mobile strategy will be the app for iPad, he said.
Apps on other devices, such as Windows-based phones and tablets, are handled in the order of full market penetration. The company’s iPhone app will be tested for 30 to 180 days for regulators to evaluate efficiency and security, English said. 온라인경마
American Wagering operates 77 Leroy’s Horse and Sports Place outlets and self-service kiosks on casino floors across the state. William Hill PLC bought the company in April for $18 million. The London-based company also acquired Brandywine Bookmaking LLC and the Club Cal Nevada satellite racing and sports books division in Northern Nevada.
“We have a lot of demand and interest in launching iPhone apps,” said English. “With our new kiosks and mobile apps, this has really changed our business.”
Las Vegas-based American Wagering introduced mobile betting for BlackBerry in September 2010, and launched Android phone and tablet applications in April.
“We are also planning to add a racebook feature in the future,” said Vic Salerno, chief executive of American Wagering and Leroy’s.
The iPhone app comes less than a month after state regulators approved a deal between American Wagering and Golden Gaming Inc to deploy betting kiosks at 37 PT’s Pubs, PT’s Gold and Sierra Gold bars in Las Vegas.
Salerno expected the launch of PT’s Sportsbet Live kiosk to take six months. “With the new addition of the iPhone, all mobile customers will be able to enjoy complete compatibility with PT’s Sportsbet Live kiosks,” Salerno said. “When customers set up Leroy’s betting account, PT’s kiosks and mobile phone accounts are fully integrated.”