FanDuel on Friday became the sixth mobile site for casino games in Pennsylvania, adding a limited number of slots and the table games of blackjack and roulette to its sportsbook app.
Already the most popular site for sports betting in Pennsylvania, FanDuel launched FanDuel Casino at 1 p.m. with approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board after two days of quiet test monitoring Wednesday and Thursday.
Customers can switch between the sportsbook and casino options using their Apple and Android smartphones, and the different verticals share a wallet. For now, there is no access via computers and tablets.
“Currently, FanDuel Casino is only available within the FanDuel Sportsbook iOS and Android apps, but we will explore offering casino games on desktop in the future,” Jesse Chemtob, the company’s vice president/manager for casino, said in an email.
FanDuel keeps own name while attached to Valley Forge
FanDuel operates online in the state through its partnership with Valley Forge Casino Resort and the resort’s owner, Boyd Gaming. FanDuel Group has offered a higher volume of online casino games in New Jersey under the Betfair Casino brand, but it opted in Pennsylvania to stick with the more familiar brand name that has already proven immensely popular.
“Given how well FanDuel Sportsbook has resonated with players in PA, we felt it was a natural product extension in PA to leverage the FanDuel brand to bring our online sportsbook players a more robust online gaming offering,” Chemtob explained.
No poker is available from FanDuel, but 12 slots, three roulette games, and two blackjack options are available. The slots include such games as Divine Fortune, Crown of Egypt, and Double Diamond.
While the slots options are far fewer than has been typical in Pennsylvania so far, that could change before long.
“This is a conscious approach we decided to take to bring our FanDuel Casino product to market prior to Super Bowl,” Chemtob said. “In our experience in NJ, we’ve found that FanDuel Sportsbook customers are engaging significantly more with our table games, but we will look to add more table games and slots in the near future.”
For blackjack, the options already include playing for as little as 10 cents a hand, which is not possible on some competing sites.
For new casino players, FanDuel is offering the chance to play risk-free for up to $200 on their first day. “FanDuel will refund you up to $200 in net casino losses in Casino site credit for your first 24 hours of play,” according to a press release.
Online casino games have been available in Pennsylvania since July, though the buildup has been slower than for sports betting.
The FanDuel app follows such sites already operating as Hollywood Casino, Parx, PlaySugarhouse, PokerStars, and Unibet.
