For the better part of 20 years, the world was awaiting the day when the U.S. would finally embrace legalized online sports and casino gambling en masse. That day finally came in May 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the nation’s ban on legalized sports betting. Since that monumental day, the U.S. online gambling market has exploded in terms of revenue and participants.
With the door left wide open, several new U.S.-based online gambling operators immediately jumped at the opportunity to claim a share of the U.S. online gambling pie. That included operators like BetRivers and the newly formed BetMGM brand. Still, there were several other online operators that were patiently waiting in the wings to pounce.
These other operators were not located on American soil. In fact, they were well-established online gambling operators on the other side of the pond. They also faced the task of competing with other non-U.S. markets too of which there are many. The team at No Deposit Bonus has an extensive catalog of such casino sites and the promotions they offer.
The Migration of Online Gambling from Australia and the UK to America
While online sports and casino gambling are still relatively new concepts in the U.S., such online gambling activities have been going on in Australia and the U.K. for more than two decades. In fact, it was in the late 1990s that top online casino software developers like Playtech, NetEnt (formerly Net Entertainment), and Microgaming began introducing online casino games and software platforms. Proprietary online sportsbooks were actually introduced a decade before that.
With a 20 to 30-year headstart in their pockets, there were several Australia and UK-based online gambling operators that seized on the opportunity to become a part of the U.S. online gambling community. The most notable names in this group are PointsBet from Australia and bet365, Unibet, and William Hill coming in from the UK. It’s also worth mentioning that BetMGM has shown an ongoing interest in purchasing the Isle of Man-based Entain PLC (formerly GVC Holdings) in recent years.
The Impact of William Hill Coming to America
To date, bet365 and Unibet have been able to maintain a small presence in the U.S. for their sportsbook and no deposit casinos based in the U.K. PointsBet has made a much bigger impact but its U.S. assets were recently purchased by Fanatics Holdings, a large U.S.-based sports merchandise company. The company is aggressively expanding its rebranded online gambling platform throughout the country under the name “PointsBet – A Fanatics Experience.” Setting these other foreign players aside, it’s William Hill that has made a tremendous impact within the U.S. online and retail gambling markets.
William Hill was first established in the 1930s, making it one of the first huge gambling conglomerates in the UK. The company ran thousands of betting shops in Europe long before the internet was even imaginable. As the “grandfather” of legal sports betting in the world, it made perfect sense when the company brought its retail and online gambling platforms to the U.S.
When they arrived in America, William Hill immediately became a major player within the U.S. sports betting community. The only real competition they faced came from newly formed U.S.-based operators like DraftKings, Fanduel, and the aforementioned BetMGM. Then something amazing happened.
In or about 2019, Caesars Entertainment established a subsidiary called Caesars Interactive. The subsidiary was established to serve as ownership for the new Caesars Sportsbook and Casino brand. Immediately, the company began spreading its retail and online gambling platforms across the U.S. While Caesars was successful at getting a good share of the U.S. sports betting market, they wanted more and they wanted it sooner rather than later. Caesars Interactive management made clear they wanted to be the preeminent digital gambling operator in the U.S.
At a time when William Hill was emerging as the top dog in the U.S., Caesars Interactive stepped up and purchased the assets of William Hill. The deal closed in the spring of 2021. Clearly, it was a move that rocked the worldwide online gambling community. It’s worth mentioning that from the onset of the acquisition, Caesars stated its intention to keep all of William Hill’s U.S.-based assets and eventually sell the rest of the company to European investors.
Immediately, Caesars Sportsbook and Casino shot to the head of the class, becoming the nation’s leader in offering online sports and casino gambling services. The operator’s digital sports betting platform is currently available in more than 30 states while the online casino platform is currently licensed in all seven (7) states where online casino gambling is legal.
What the Future Holds
At this time, it’s not clear if any other Australia or UK-based gambling operators will be making the trek across the pond. There are signs that both bet365 and Unibet will be seeking opportunities to get more involved in the U.S. For now, it’s fair to say that foreign interests have played a significant role in the development of the U.S. online gambling community. The battle is on for dominance.
