Hola, DraftKings.
The sports betting and DFS giant announced via press release Monday the company will be offering both an online and a retail sportsbook in Puerto Rico pending regulatory approval. DraftKings will be teaming up with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the same tribe DraftKings partnered with in Connecticut in October 2021.
On the retail side, the DraftKings Sportsbook will be located at the Foxwoods El San Juan Casino and is expected to be open within weeks, according to the release. BetMGM beat DraftKings to the island, opening a handful of kiosks right before the Super Bowl at Casino del Mar at La Concha Resort. BetMGM is also expected to open a full-scale sportsbook there by year’s end. Additionally, FanDuel has signed market access agreements with the CAGE Companies to operate a sportsbook on the island.
Today, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, @DraftKings and Foxwoods announced a deal to expand their relationship, paving the way to offer the @DKSportsbook online and retail experience in Puerto Rico. Full release: https://t.co/1gUaR9Q3Lf
— DraftKings News (@DraftKingsNews) April 4, 2022
“Since establishing our relationship with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and Foxwoods more than a year ago, we’ve seen immense success, which can be attributed to the collaborative efforts between the organizations and shared vision for providing customers with the very best,” Matt Kalish, president of DraftKings North America and co-founder, said in the release. “Puerto Rico is known for its rich and vibrant sports culture, and we look forward to being able to provide fans with a safe and legal form of sports betting through our retail and online sportsbooks.”
No dates yet
As far as the mobile sports betting app goes, no launch date was given in the release. BetMGM has previously announced it would be online in the “coming months.”
“We have made tremendous strides in the sports betting space in our relationship with DraftKings, who has continued to be a valuable partner, through our online and retail experiences in the state of Connecticut,” Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Chairman Rodney Butler said in the release. “As we expand our partnership with DraftKings to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico at the Foxwoods El San Juan Casino, we are confident that we will continue to create unforgettable memories for customers and sports fans alike.”
Additionally, DraftKings announced that, pending regulatory approvals, the company will also be bringing its daily fantasy sports product — currently available in 44 states — to Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico politicians legalized sports betting in July 2019, but it’s been slow going in getting the product rolled out.
One wrinkle in Puerto Rico’s laws is any would-be bettors will have to sign up in person for an online account.
