With the re-opening of casinos in Detroit following the state-mandated shutdown, the Greektown Casino Hotel will be re-opening with Penn National Gaming Barstool Sportsbook. Greektown casino is one of the three land-based gambling venues located in Downtown Detroit. Two other Barstool-branded sportsbooks will be opened in two other casinos before the end of the week.
Another Barstool sportsbook opened on December 23 at the Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg in India. The final one of the three Barstools by Penn National Gaming will open on Christmas Even at the Ameristar East Chicago Casino and Hotel.
The Greektown casino Barstool is located on the second floor of the casino, adjacent to the table games area. Penn National is positive that the Barstool will attract sports fans as there will be a viewing and dining area. Also, there is a betting counter with large odd boards, several sports betting kiosks, and ticket writer stations. At the other two venues, a simple rebranding was done as sportsbooks previously existed there. They are both by the entrance of the casino floor.
What to expect with Bartstool
According to the Penn National Senior Vice President of Regional Operations, Rafael Verde. “The new designs incorporate the spirit of the Barstool Sports brand, resulting in unique sports wagering and dining experiences that we expect our customers will thoroughly enjoy.” The launching of three Barstools does not come as a shock as it was previously discussed in the company’s third-quarter conference call back in October.
Penn National Gaming has a strategy to utilize the Barstool Sports brand across its more than 40 properties. The opening of these Barstools can be attributed to the advancement of this strategy. The company is also building an online gaming portfolio as it purchased a 36 percent stake in the digital sports media company earlier in the year. The Interactive Head at Penn National, Jon Kaplowitz, said that the move would “drive audiences to Penn National’s online gaming products and retail locations.”
The covid-19 pandemic has been brutal, and the casino industry has seen its fair share of such brutality. Casinos in the state were ordered to shut down operations for the second time in the year in mid-November. The directive was as a result of a new spike in the covid-19 cases. However, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has given casinos the go-ahead to resume operations through a state order that will remain active till January 15, 2021. This will give the state some time to reaccess the situation and act accordingly. Presently, all three casinos in the state are not allowed to have more than 100 people each in their venues at any point in time.
Penn National is determined to continue with the partnership as there is hope that things will return to normal soon. The vice president and general manager of Greektown Casino, John Drake, has expressed his excitement and satisfaction. In his statement, he says, “The new facility design showcases the spirit of the Barstool Sports brand, resulting in an outstanding sports wagering experience that we expect our customers will thoroughly enjoy.”
Penn National currently operates in 41 gaming locations and 19 US states. The acquisition of the Hollywood Casino Perryville in Maryland will bum up those numbers. The company is not slowing down soon and we might hear about more expansion moves in 2021.
