Less than a week after getting its sixth online casino, Pennsylvania now has a seventh.
BetAmerica, the brand used by racing behemoth Churchill Downs Inc. for its sportsbook and online casino operations, announced a soft launch Tuesday via an email sent to existing customers.
Under test monitoring by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, its interactive slots and table games connected to the Kentucky-based gaming company’s Presque Isle Downs & Casino began operating for eight hours at noon Tuesday. The test resumes from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, with permanent operations expected to be approved Thursday.
Just last Friday, the FanDuel Casino affiliated with Valley Forge Casino Resort received its own state approval.
Online casino follows sportsbook by six weeks
BetAmerica’s online sportsbook at pa.betamerica.com began operating Dec. 16, and the casino is intertwined seamlessly with it. No new registration or deposit of funds is required for those who already have a sports betting account.
One distinction, or handicap, of BetAmerica’s site has been the lack of an app for the sportsbook, which has been available only for online wagers by computer or by logging into the website on a phone browser.
That continues to be the case even while adding the online casino, apparently, although BetAmerica representatives could not be reached for comment about that. This newest iCasino option employs the opposite approach from FanDuel, which has a mobile app but no play available via desktop.
As an incentive for players during the soft launch, BetAmerica is offering a $10 next-day casino bet to anyone using the site to place a bet Tuesday or Wednesday.
BetAmerica already operates an online casino in New Jersey, and as is the case with other Pennsylvania operators in the same situation, its selections in the Keystone State are far more modest — at least to start with.
The Pennsylvania site has 43 slot options, compared to 359 in New Jersey. Among the games are Divine Fortune, Reel Rush, Gonzo’s Quest, and Jimi Hendrix.
In Pennsylvania, four roulette games are available along with one blackjack option. BetAmerica has not pursued a license to offer online poker, and at least for now, it has no online video poker either.
The two new online casinos in Pennsylvania come on the heels of those started since July by Hollywood Casino, Parx, PlaySugarhouse, PokerStars, and Unibet.
