The Fanatics Betting and Gaming (FBG) arm of Fanatics Holdings has rolled out its online sportsbook in Virginia, marking the latest phase of its acquisition of PointsBet US.
Virginia players who previously had accounts with PointsBet will now automatically switch over to the Fanatics Sportsbook.
Existing PointsBet users can log in to their Fanatics accounts using their original username and password. The migration will also include their account balance, rewards points and any responsible gaming settings.
New customers can also download the Fanatics Sportsbook app and start betting in the Old Dominion State.
The launch means that Fanatics has completed the acquisition and subsequent migration of PointsBet US in seven states. Fanatics is also active in Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia.
The Virginia roll-out comes less than a week after Fanatics also went live in West Virginia. Last week’s launch also included a pilot of its new online casino, with this embedded in the Fanatics Sportsbook app. The product features a range of slot titles and table games such as roulette and blackjack.
Still some way to go for Fanatics to complete PointsBet deal
FBG brokered an agreement June to acquire the US operations of PointsBet for $225.0m (£179.6m/€207.1m).
This was more than the $150.0m it originally agreed to pay in May, with the higher purchase price the result of the emergence of a rival proposal worth $195.0m from DraftKings. This ultimately forced Fanatics to up its offer.
DraftKings dropped out of the process shortly after FBG tabled its increased proposal. PointsBet shareholders approved the higher offer in June, clearing the way for the deal to proceed.
In the months that followed, Fanatics had begun to take over PointsBet’s operations across the US. This process will see the existing PointsBet sportsbooks switch over to the Fanatics platform.
In September, Fanatics was approved to acquire PointsBet US in eight states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. A few weeks later in October, it completed the acquisition of PointsBet operations in New York and Wyoming.
However, the deal is yet to complete in several other states where PointsBet is also active. PointsBet will continue to operate in Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan and Ohio until FBG closes in each state.
It was previously stated that subsequent completions in other US markets are tracking as planned.
Fanatics brings Paysafe on board to support sportsbook roll-out
As part of its wider sportsbook project, Fanatics has agreed a major sportsbook partnership with Paysafe.
Paysafe will now offer traditional card payments and other alternative payment methods to Fanatics’ customers across five states. These include Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio and Tennessee.
Players can deposit and withdraw using debit cards and APMs as well as Paysafecash, the barcode-based online cash solution.
Major sports leagues back new responsible gambling campaign
Meanwhile, three major sports leagues in the US have joined together on a new responsible gambling campaign. The National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and Major League Baseball are all supporting the project.
The “Never Know What’s Next” advert will show the unpredictability of sports by featuring relevant gameplay moments from each league.
Bettors will be signposted to ResponsiblePlay.org, a site operated by the National Council on Problem Gambling. This features resources on responsible gaming including a screening quiz on gambling behaviour and links to local state resources.
The ad had its TV premiere yesterday (21 November) during the NBA game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers. This spot was supported by several major operators including Fanatics, DraftKings, FanDuel and Penn Entertainment.
