888 makes inroads in Colorado as part of US invasion plans
888, a leading online betting company, has announced its expansion into Colorado with the launch of a joint product with Sports Illustrated.
The company will launch a Sports Illustrated wagering experience ahead of the start to the National Football League (NFL) season. The infamous media brand will direct its 30 million monthly viewers to 888’s betting tools which include betting widgets, educational resources and games.
Yaniv Sherman, Head of US at 888, commented “We are proud to launch the SI Sportsbook in Colorado. We strongly believe we have developed a unique and differentiated sports wagering experience… with one of the most impactful sports media brands for nearly 70 years.
“We look forward to introducing SI Sportsbook to sports fans across Colorado and are excited to continue its roll-out into new states in the coming months,” Sharman added.
With a base in Colorado the ambitious betting operator is poised to expand further into the nascent US gambling market which has seen rapid growth since Congress lifted a betting ban, affecting almost every state, in 2018.
Looking to fill a pandemic shaped hole in the budget, more and more states have been lifting gambling bans as politicians are swayed by the prospect of raising $300m annually in state taxes.
Since lifting its gambling ban in 2019, Colorado, dubbed ‘The Silver State’ has proved a gold mine for gambling companies. According to the American Gambling Association, total revenue from commercial and lottery-run sports betting operations in the state was $1.55 billion in 2020, up 68.3 percent versus 2019.
As 888 continues its invasion of the key growth market for the global betting industry it will face fierce competition from betting giants Entain and Flutter who have already made a foray into the US.
Read more: Betting boom: Gambling giant 888 UK revenues surge over 50 per cent