Fanatics Betting and Gaming has now taken over PointsBet USA’s operating companies in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. As Fanatics must wait for regulatory approval before switching to its own branded sportsbook in certain jurisdictions, PointsBet’s mobile sports betting offering will soon change its name from PointsBet to “PointsBet, a Fanatics Experience” in those states.

Rather than departing from those eight states for the current NFL season, PointsBet will continue to operate. In Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Tennessee, Fanatics Sportsbook will continue to run its own branded platform. During the 2023 football season, Maryland residents will have access to both PointsBet and Fanatics Sportsbook.

Fanatics Betting and Gaming, which operates under the two names Fanatics Sportsbook and PointsBet, a Fanatics Experience, will be active at the start of the NFL season in a total of 11 states. Additionally licensed in Kentucky, where digital operators are scheduled to launch on September 28th, is Fanatics Sportsbook. By the end of 2023, there might be 15 sportsbooks.

According to a news release from Matt King, CEO of Fanatics Betting and Gaming, “We are excited about what we are building at Fanatics Betting and Gaming and this acquisition accelerates our plans.” Our ten-year strategy puts the consumer, not market share, in the center of attention. By making investments in the customer experience at Fanatics Sportsbook and PointsBet, a Fanatics Experience, we will efficiently attract customers and be able to return savings to customers.”

The risk management platform and trading models from Banach Technology will start to be incorporated into the Fanatics Sportsbook app by Fanatics Betting and Gaming. In March 2021, PointsBet paid $43 million to purchase Banach, a provider of gaming software with offices in Dublin. The in-game trading capabilities of PointsBet have been significantly improved by Banach’s algorithms and software.

The announcement does not automatically grant users in the eight states access to the Fanatics Sportsbook. As Fanatics still lacks state regulatory permission for the transfer of PointsBet licenses to Fanatics Betting and Gaming, they will be able to use the rebranded PointsBet platform instead.

Fanatics Betting and Gaming lacks market access in 12 states, although PointsBet has that access. Following the announcement on Thursday, Fanatics Betting and Gaming is now able to enter seven of the twelve states; however, the regulatory clearance procedure can take some time. Fanatics Betting and Gaming won’t require a license transfer in Maryland, the eighth state, as both businesses already operate live platforms there.

According to a Fanatics release, PointsBet will be renamed for clients in Indiana and Illinois in the coming months, but the current operations will continue to be run by PointsBet USA until Fanatics Betting and Gaming formally shutters in those states later in 2023. While Fanatics Betting and Gaming is still open in Louisiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio, PointsBet USA will continue to run in those areas as well.

The New York State Gaming Commission announced it will discuss the license transfer at its next meeting, which is anticipated to take place in September but for which no official timing has yet been determined.