Stars Group, Akwesasne Mohawk Team Up For New York Sports Betting

The deal will allow The Stars Group to operate a branded online sports betting, poker, and casino experience on behalf of the Mohawk venue. The Stars Group will also assist the casino in the construction and operation of its retail sportsbook.Per the terms of the deal, specifics of which have not been disclosed, revenue sharing will go both ways. The Stars Group will share a portion of its online proceeds with the casino, while the casino will share a portion of its retail proceeds with The Stars Group.

The Stars Group does business in the United States under its new FOX Bet mark, and the online component of the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino will reflect that branding.

Robin Chhabra, CEO of FOX Bet, is enthusiastic about the deal and its potential to lead to bigger things for the company.

“We are excited to announce this agreement with Mohawk, which further strengthens our market access as we work to build our FOX Bet business into one of the leaders in the emerging U.S. online betting and gaming market.”

Per Todd Papineau, GM of the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort, the agreement should bear fruit almost immediately in the retail space.

“We are thrilled to elevate the sports betting experience for our guests in our new sports lounge, a 5,200 square foot sports betting hub that will be ready during the NFL season. Once permissible in the state, we will be prepared to accept sports wagers through our new kiosks. With its online betting and gaming solutions and FOX Bet and PokerStars brands, we believe The Stars Group is the ideal partner for us and it is positioned to become a leader in the U.S. online betting and gaming industry.”

The New York State Gaming Commission recently finalized its regulations for the sports betting industry, and the first books could launch within weeks.

By law, sports betting is only permissible at the four upstate commercial casinos and among the seven tribal casinos currently active in New York. This betting is restricted to on-site access, as online wagering was not approved during the 2019 legislative session.

As such, The Stars Group is taking a small risk here. The company is fronting its expertise and financial contributions on the assumption that the New York legislature will approve online gaming and sports betting during the 2020 calendar year.

Nevertheless, they are not the only sportsbook operator to roll the dice on expanded online betting in New York. In late May, Scientific Games partnered with the Oneida Indian Nation in the first-ever NIGC-approved sportsbooks-tribal partnership.

Now, The Stars Group and the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne have followed suit in what’s sure to become a trend in New York – and the rest of the country – in the months and years ahead.