Hard Rock Sioux City Launches Online Sportsbook

• Hard Rock Sioux City partnered with Gaming Innovation Group for an online sportsbook.
• The population around Sioux City might limit the potential for this new sportsbook.
• Bettors will first have to go to the Hard Rock to register for their online account.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The online sportsbook in Hard Rock Sioux City went live on Tuesday.

“We are excited to introduce online sports betting to our players. Our plan since day one was to ensure that guests will receive the same exemplary experience online as they would if they were to walk directly into the sportsbook, and we believe they will be thrilled with the results,” said Anthony Torres, director of sportsbook operations at Hard Rock Sioux City.

Room For Growth

To accomplish this, the Hard Rock partnered with Gaming Innovation Group (GIG) to open an online and mobile sportsbook. GIG has opened a mobile sportsbook in a New Jersey Hard Rock as well. By joining with GIG, the Hard Rock could increase the sports betting handle they receive.

November revenue reports shows that sports betting is becoming increasingly popular in Iowa. Around 56 percent of the total sports betting handle was attributed to online and mobile sports betting.

In November, the Hard Rock had a handle of around $1.7 million. The total handle for the Iowa sports betting was $59.4 million. Adding mobile wagering will likely increase the total handle for Hard Rock, which in turn would be beneficial for the state.

Road Blocks With Mobile

Although mobile wagering has proven to increase betting handles in the past, there are issues that the Hard Rock in Sioux City must face.

Sioux City itself has a relatively small population. The total population of the city is around 83,000 people. It is unlikely that the majority of this group of people are sports bettors.

The location of Sioux City could be problematic as well. The city is right next to the border of Nebraska, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Although bettors from those states could come in to sign up for mobile betting, they would need to return to Iowa every time they wished to place a wager.

The reason this is troublesome for Hard Rock is that sports bettors need to register in person for online sports betting. This limit is set into place until 2021. Without natural foot traffic, it will be difficult for Hard Rock to draw people into their new mobile sportsbook.

But nothing is impossible. Hard Rock is a famous brand and many people could come in once they discover that they have a mobile sportsbook. Either way, the GIG mobile sportsbook at the Hard Rock Sioux City is actively taking bets.

News tags: Anthony Torres | Gaming Innovation Group | Hard Rock Sioux City | Iowa | Minnesota | Nebraska | Sioux City | South Dakota