Players in Iowa can now download and place bets on the Fanatics Sportsbook mobile app. The existing PointsBet customers’ information will automatically migrate to the Fanatics Sportsbook, including their username, password, account balance, rewards points, and responsible gaming settings. At Catfish Bend Casino, the existing PointsBet retail sportsbook will also be rebranded as a Fanatics Sportsbook.
This project also involves the installation of new self-service betting kiosks from Suzohapp. Iowa is now the 12th state where the Fanatics Sportsbook is available, as part of FBG’s phasing out of the PointsBet brand across the US after acquiring PointsBet US in August 2023. Also, the Fanatics Sportsbook is online in Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Moreover, retail betting venues operate in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Aside from sports betting, FBG also offers casino gaming through the Fanatics Casino, currently only available in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. FBG’s plans for further acquisition and launches in other US markets are still underway without a specified timeline.
FBG takes over from PointsBet in Iowa as the state’s sports betting market continues to expand. December’s monthly results showed a handle of $282.7m, a 23.0% increase from December 2022 but 2.4% lower than November 2023’s $289.7m. Online betting accounted for $258.3m, while $24.4m was spent at retail sportsbooks. Revenue in December reached $26.3m, a 28.9% increase from the previous year and 86.5% higher than November’s $14.1m. Online betting generated $23.6m in revenue, while retail wagering accounted for $2.7m.
The market leaders in December were Diamond Jo Dubuque and FanDuel, reporting $7.2m in revenue from $68.7m in bets. Following them were Wild Rose in Jefferson and DraftKings with $4.0m in revenue and a $43.3m handle. Wild Rose in Emmetsburg, another DraftKings partner, ranked third with $3.0m in revenue from $27.5m in wagers. The legacy PointsBet brand, in partnership with Catfish Bend Casino, generated $331,818 in revenue from $4.6m in bets during December.