BetMGM is the first online sportsbook to go live in Puerto Rico. The platform’s launch comes almost four years after Puerto Rico legalized in-person and online sports betting.
In July 2019, the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico approved House Bill 2038. The act authorized sports betting, plus wagering on esports and fantasy sports contests.
COVID-19 greatly delayed the rulemaking process and issuing of sportsbook licenses to applicants deemed suitable to operate such gambling on the US Caribbean island territory.
The Puerto Rico Gaming Commission is tasked with regulating all forms of gambling. The agency began issuing retail sportsbook licenses last year, and BetMGM was the first operator to commence retail wagering on the island at Casino del Mar at La Concha Resort in San Juan.
Now, BetMGM is taking its wagering operations online after receiving the go-ahead from the local government.
“BetMGM is ecstatic to become the first operator to deliver mobile sports betting to Puerto Rico,” said BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt. “This great collaboration between local officials and Casino del Mar provides a safe, responsible, and entertaining product accessible from anywhere on the island.”
Casino del Mar at La Concha Resort offers roughly 400 slot machines and 20 table games. The BetMGM Sportsbook opened last year at the casino at a cost of $3.5 million.
In-Person Registration Required
Puerto Rico’s online sportsbooks allow anyone 18 and older to legally wager on professional and college sports from anywhere on the island. But first, players must register in person at a retail sportsbook they wish to patronize online.
“Prior to placing any sports bet, whether in person or online, the player must register in an authorized location,” the Puerto Rico sports betting law reads. “Registration constitutes an essential requirement for placing bets.”
The in-person registration requirement is designed to make sure only people aged 18 and older have access to the online sportsbooks.
“In order to verify whether or not a player is a minor, the Commission shall be required to take measures as necessary to ensure the identity of the player and that the player is eighteen (18) years old or older,” the law continues. “The Commission shall employ the most advanced technology for such purpose and prescribe suitable parameters to ensure the authentication of the player, including, but not limited to, verifying his identification and social security.”
Competition Forthcoming
BetMGM’s online sportsbook is the first to market in Puerto Rico, but likely won’t be the last.
DraftKings and FanDuel also have partnerships in place on the island that allows them to seek online sportsbook permissions. The two sportsbooks are the front-runners to next receive Gaming Commission approval to accept wagers over the internet.
DraftKings plans to soon open a retail sportsbook at Foxwoods El San Juan Casino. Operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation in Connecticut, the 15,000-square-foot boutique gaming facility features 300 slots and 14 table games.
Located inside the historic Fairmont El San Juan Hotel, Foxwoods El San Juan Casino is the first gaming property managed by the Connecticut-based Native American tribe outside of its home state. The Mashantucket Indians have a longstanding relationship with DraftKings, as the iGaming and sportsbook operator conducts such gaming in Connecticut on behalf of the tribe.
FanDuel secured market access in Puerto Rico through a partnership with The Cage Companies, which is a leading operator of video gaming terminals throughout the island.
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