Leading Australian sportsbook operator PointsBet is pleased to announce that it has entered into a 20-year partnership with Chicago-area racetrack Hawthorne Race Course, which will enhance its aim to move into the Illinois sports betting market.
The partnership signed by the parties sees Illinois having its first major sports betting partner since Gov. J. B. Pritzker signed legal Sports Betting into law on 28th June 2019. The $45 billion sports betting bill legalizes sports wagering at casinos, race tracks and certain other venues and was passed with the intention of increasing the state’s tax revenue.
Included in the partnership is the launch of a superior retail sportsbook operation, bringing legalized sports betting to the Chicago area, a number of off-track betting establishments throughout the state and a PointsBet digital sports betting mobile app and website.
Johnny Aitken, the Chief Executive Officer at PointsBet US, commented on the partnership by saying that PointsBet is ecstatic to partner with Hawthorne Race Course, an iconic venture that has been part of the fabric of the Chicago sports and entertainment scene since its inception in the year 1891.
Aitken went on to say that Illinois sports fans are diehard in every sense of the word and they are elated to introduce them to their premium sportsbook and their innovative, bettor-first experience.
PointBet’s partner in this latest venture, Hawthorne, is the longest continuously run, family-owned racetrack in North America. The racetrack is located in the Chicago metropolitan area which is the third-largest in the United States, with more than 9.5 residents.