On Tuesday, Tennessee sports betting saw another online operator announce its exit from the state as Betly withdrew. However, officials with Betly announced the app’s departure could be short-lived.
A statement from Delaware North, which owns the app, noted the company made the decision “a strategic realignment to focus on its preparations for expansion into new markets.” The New York-based gaming and hospitality company, though, did not reveal where those new markets might be.
Betly Staying Open In Other Licensed States
“As we evolve our business strategy, we’re excited to concentrate our efforts on our existing markets, while also preparing for new state launches that will further strengthen our footprint,” Delaware North Vice President of Interactive Gaming Lee Terfloth said.
The Betly app is currently licensed in Arkansas, Ohio and West Virginia. Delaware North operates casinos or racinos in all three states. In addition, Betly offers iGaming in West Virginia.
Other states where Delaware North operates gaming properties include Arizona (off-track betting), Florida (card rooms), Illinois (video gaming terminals), New Hampshire (charitable gaming casino) and New York (racinos).
Delaware North also partners with the Catawba Indian Nation, which operates the Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The casino has been operating out of temporary facilities for four years, but permanent, $1 billion facility is expected to have its grand opening next spring.
The Volunteer State is one of the few markets with legalized only online wagering – only at Tennessee sportsbook apps – without tying it to other gaming facilities, such as casinos or racetracks.
Terfloth added that Tennessee bettors who still wish to use Betly can do so in Arkansas. Delaware North owns the Southland Casino Hotel, roughly six miles west of Downtown Memphis. Folks in Tennessee would need to download and make a deposit into the Betly Arkansas app.
Last Betly Bets On Dec. 29
According to a note sent to account holders, Betly’s official closing date will be Dec. 30. Wagering will stop before 10 p.m. Central Time the night before, and all bonus funds will expire on that date. Withdrawals and tax forms will be available through Jan. 11. Any account holders who have funds remaining after that date will receive a check.
Bets placed on events scheduled to conclude after Dec. 30, such as Nashville Predators playoff odds, will be resolved early at fair market value. Once Betly exits, Tennessee will have 11 licensed online sports betting apps available for adults 21 and older.
USA Today Network photo by Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel
