Global sports betting operator bet365 was previously slated to launch in Colorado at some point during the second quarter of this year, but according to its parent company, that rollout has been delayed until after the summer.
Peter Hoetzinger, co-CEO of Century Casinos, recently told Legal Sports Report that the new goal is “most likely September 1.” However, neither Hoetzinger nor bet365 offered further comment as to why the launch was being delayed.
The two-month hiatus will come at an inopportune time for bet365, as it will miss the beginning of college football season, which is one the biggest revenue draws in the U.S. sports industry.
It also means that the sportsbook will launch just one week before the start of the 2022-2023 NFL season, which does not leave much room for customer acquisition.
For now, New Jersey remains as the company’s sole U.S. foothold.
Bet365 has done extremely well internationally, but their lack of progress in the U.S. has come as a surprise to some around the industry—one anonymous sportsbook executive told Legal Sports Report earlier this year that the company is the “biggest enigma in sports betting,” due to the fact that it has “done almost nothing in the U.S.” despite its sizable cash flow in other markets.
In recent months, bet365 has made big international investments, most recently securing a deal with the PGA Tour to be their sports betting partner in the U.K., Australia and Canada. The company also entered the regulated Ontario market in April.
