Harrah’s Metropolis Casino and Hotel in southern Illinois has introduced in-person sports betting, partnering with the Caesars Sportsbook platform to provide this new gaming offering to its customers.
Former NFL standout George Wilson Jr. was invited to place the first official bet to mark the inauguration of the Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s Metropolis, KFVS12 reported. Any proceeds resulting from Wilson’s wager will be directed towards supporting a local charitable organization.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony, held on September 7, witnessed the presence of Harrah’s Metropolis executives, including Kelley Keeling, Sherry Wessel, and Misty Cates. Additionally, long-standing casino guest Ralph Swords joined the event. In a statement, Wessel expressed the casino’s eagerness to cater to sports enthusiasts in the region.
“We are excited to bring sports betting to our valued customers at Harrah’s Metropolis. The launch of our sportsbooks at Harrah’s Metropolis is just the beginning. We look forward to serving sports fans on every platform and offering our customers unforgettable experiences with Caesars Rewards,” Wessel said.
Caesars Sportsbook is an official sports betting partner of the NFL. It also has inked partnerships with major professional sports leagues such as the NBA, NHL, MLB, and several individual teams.
“Caesars is proud of our commitment to Illinois and the entire southern IL region,” Caesars Entertainment Regional President Bill Reeg added in a statement, released on Thursday night.
“Today was historic for us as a company and we’re excited to open our new Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s Metropolis to honor the legacy it holds in the region. We can’t wait to introduce all that sports betting has to offer to sports fans while sharing our emphasis on responsible gaming.”
The launch of in-person sports betting at Harrah’s Metropolis Casino is expected to contribute to the state’s growing gambling revenue. According to a report earlier this year from the Illinois Gaming Board, gambling revenue in the state was nearly back to pre-pandemic levels in 2022.
Illinois casinos registered total adjusted gross revenue of almost $1.348 billion last year, meaning income is only about 0.4% below the 2019 total of $1.354 billion, which was the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Revenue in 2022 was also up 14% over 2021.
The state alone collected nearly $290 million in taxes whereas local governments took in $76.5 million, coming to an aggregated sum of $366.5 million. Moreover, visitation to casinos in Illinois recovered in 2022, reaching a total of over nine million guests.