DraftKings Prepares To Open Its 1st Retail Sportsbook In Mississippi

Fantasy sports operator turned sportsbook, DraftKings, will now have a brick and mortar presence in Mississippi. On November 12, it announced the establishment of a partnership with the Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort in D’Iberville, Mississippi, which will open its doors as a DraftKings branded sportsbook on November 16.

The new partnership transforms the Scarlet Pearl’s existing PRL Bar into a multi-screen betting and social destination for those interested in wagering on sports contests. DraftKings says that it will soon also allow in-game betting with three open windows at the to-be-launched sportsbook.

“We are excited to introduce DraftKings, a ‘New Way’ to game for our current and future guests,” says Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort CEO LuAnn Pappas. “Our collaboration with DraftKings is an opportunity for us to continue to set high standards on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and give our players a new home for sports betting.”

Nicholas Sfanos, who previously ran sportsbooks for Station Casinos in Nevada, will be directing the new Scarlet Pearl sportsbook team.

DraftKings has been the leader in New Jersey since the state began allowing sports betting in 2018. It was the first company to offer a mobile/online product legally in the state and brought in roughly $3 million in gross revenue in August just from bets made in New Jersey. In September, DraftKings added $8.5 million from digital and another $280,000 from retail operations.