New sportsbook

DraftKings and Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino have announced the launch of a new retail sportsbook.

Pending licensure and regulatory approvals, the DraftKings Sportsbook at the Louisiana casino will open November 10. Golden Nugget Lake Charles took to Twitter to share the official opening time of 2pm Wednesday:

After the official opening of the DraftKings Sportsbook, housed inside the Golden Nugget’s Blue Martini bar, sports fans across the state aged 21 and over can place bets on multiple markets from professional and collegiate to additional sports leagues.

In a news release, the Boston-based sports betting giant said its sportsbook will be the largest in Lake Charles, with six ticket cages and 30 self-serve kiosks. Future plans for a permanent location expected to open next summer include a 10,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art sportsbook and lounge with big screen TVs, odds boards, and nearly 300 seats.

Starting Wednesday, bettors can only wager at the casino from 10am to 11pm Monday to Friday, and 9am to 12am Saturday to Sunday. Once all the final regulatory and licensing boxes get ticked, customers can place bets 24/7 at kiosks within the Lake Charles venue.

First fantasy, now in person

DraftKings North America co-founder and president Matt Kalish said his firm was looking forward to providing fans in the Bayou State with a “premier retail sportsbook experience.” Kalish said since launching daily fantasy sports (DFS) in Louisiana, his brand has been “eager” to introduce fans in the state to “the DraftKings Sportsbook experience.”

The incoming sportsbook, Kalish added, will provide give bettors “a new level of engagement with several of America’s most popular leagues overlapping across the NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAA football.”

Gerry Del Prete — senior VP of gaming for Golden Nugget Hotel & Casinos’ holding company Fertitta Entertainment — said his team had “worked diligently alongside state legislators make the sportsbook experience a reality” for Louisiana bettors.

Del Prete added the fusion of his brand’s gaming network with DraftKings’ innovative technology and trading promises “an unmatched partnership” and that the new sportsbook will offer “an unparalleled experience.”

Digital, the final frontier

Caesars Entertainment sportsbooks in Bossier City and New Orleans secured the honors to take Louisiana’s first commercial in-person sports bets on October 31. The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana-run Paragon Casino, meanwhile, opened its doors for sports betting early October.

In Monday’s news release, DraftKings said it would launch its online sportsbook in the state “at a later date, pending aforementioned approvals.”

state officials expect digital wagering to go live in early 2022.

While the LGCB has yet to award its full quota of 20 sports wagering licenses to existing racetracks and casinos, state officials expect digital wagering to go live in early 2022.