FanDuel Plans to Open a Retail Sportsbook in the United Center

FanDuel has announced a partnership with United Center to open a retail FanDuel Sportsbook lounge inside the arena. The arena is home to the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago Blackhawks.

 

FanDuel Group Plans to Be the Next in Line to Open a Retail Sportsbook in Illinois 

This will be all pending based on necessary approvals, especially from the Illinois Gaming Board to open an in-arena sportsbook in the United Center. In the blueprint, the details will include a two-story venue unlike any other sportsbook competitor in the industry.

The lounge will be located adjacent to the United Center atrium. The point of the design is to make sure the fans get the best fan experience at every game. Here no fans will miss any action at any point in the game due to the sports betting and viewing technology. 

The new FanDuel Sportsbook lounge will be in the United Center’s atrium.

FanDuel Group CEO Amy Howe stated, “Chicago sports fans are some of the most loyal and passionate in the world and plans for our sportsbook lounge inside the United Center reflect their excitement,…Our team has a track record of delivering incredible retail locations for fans, and we can’t wait to make this sportsbook lounge the premier destination for Chicago sports fans and a place where they can fully experience the FanDuel brand.”

FanDuel joins other sportsbook competitors that want or have a detail to establish a retail location in or near the venues across the state. The Illinois sports betting legislation passed the bill that would allow sportsbooks to enter stadiums; however, the Chicago City Council had to approve them for the city.

The approval took a while as it was signed by Dec. 2021. The city will also impose a two percent tax on sportsbook operators who want to conduct business in these venues. Some lobbyists opposed this idea. 

The opposition was led by Rush Street Gaming co-founder Neil Bluhm who pushed to build more gaming facilities in the future. 

He believes that retail sportsbooks would destroy the casino business as consumers will stay away from going to casinos. On the other side of things, Bluhm is a supporter of in-person registration for sports betting.

 

FanDuel Business Plan Moving Forward in Illinois 

Competitor DraftKings plans to have a retail sportsbook lounge in Wrigley Field and hopes to open its doors by the 2023 MLB season. Adding a sportsbook in the United Center is a marketing and strategic expansion, especially with the Bulls and Blackhawks.

The advantages include VIP fan experience, media, and advertising assets throughout the arena. FanDuel also has a sportsbook at FanDuel Sportsbook and Horse Racing, also formerly known as Fairmount Race Track.

This is a great time to announce all these plans as FanDuel secured the second-best market share for Nov. with 28.8 percent out of $746 million in total wagers. Sportsbook operators shattered the sportsbook revenue record as it hit $78.2 million. FanDuel also set a new revenue record in the state that month with $30.2 million.

Sports betting will continue to grow in the state as the state’s in-person registration requirement ends on March 5, 2022.