FanDuel Sportbook has announced a deal with the United Center in Chicago to open a retail sportsbook in the arena.
The United Center is the home of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls and the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks. The plans for the United Center Sportsbook include a two-story venue which will be located adjacent to the arena’s atrium. According to FanDuel it will include “state-of-the-art viewing and sports wagering technology.”
No timeline on the construction and opening of the sportsbook was released, but FanDuel did announce they will open a non-wagering space in the United Center while they await regulatory approvals to open the sportsbook.
When the state legalized sports betting in 2019 it included a provision that would allow sportsbooks in professional sports stadiums and arenas. However, the Chicago City Council still had to approve them, and this approve finally came in December, 2021. Along with the approval the city imposed a two percent tax on sportsbook revenue.
Well before Chicago City Council gave its approval DraftKings Sportbook announced plans to open a sportsbook in Wrigley Field, home of MLB’s Chicago Cubs, in September 2020. The latest plans for the sportsbook at Wrigley call for it to be open in time for the 2023 MLB season.
The United Center and Wrigley Field are part of a growing list of professional sports venue that are opening sportsbooks.
In Arizona FanDuel has created a partnership with the Phoenix Suns to open a sportsbook at Footprint Center, Caesars Sportsbooks is opening a sportsbook at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and BetMGM is opening a sportsbook at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals.
In Washington DC BetMGM just opened a retail sportsbook at Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals. It is the second sportsbooks in a pro stadium in Washington DC, joining Caesars Sportsbook which has set up shop at Capital One Arena, home of the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards.
Other states that have granted sports betting license to professional sports teams include Maryland, and Ohio.
