DETROIT, March 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) announced today the launch of legalized sports betting at MGM Grand Detroit. The property kicked off this new era in sports entertainment as sports fans, casino staff and invited guests witnessed the inaugural bet placed at the now open BetMGM Sports Lounge.
"Twenty years ago, MGM Resorts bet on the great City of Detroit with an $800 million commitment to create the city's first and only integrated luxury casino resort built from the ground up," said David Tsai, President & COO of MGM Grand Detroit. "We've been able to help stimulate the local and state economy by creating thousands of jobs, making substantial infrastructure investments, and contributing over $2.8 billion in tax revenue to the City and State since opening. As the market leader in Detroit, we're proud to be part of this groundbreaking moment for Michigan gaming and to bring a world-class sports betting and entertainment experience to our guests."
BetMGM Sports Lounge features over-the-counter betting, bar top video poker machines, wall-to-wall HDTV coverage of daily games, and a full bar with signature craft cocktails and local craft beers. Sports fans on property can also easily place wagers at BetMGM kiosks throughout MGM Grand Detroit.
"Michigan is home to some of the nation's most enthusiastic sports fans. MGM Resorts and Roar Digital are excited to be opening BetMGM Sports Lounge at MGM Grand Detroit in time for college basketball's tournament season," said Scott Butera, President of Interactive Gaming for MGM Resorts. "We worked with the most creative design talent to create a world-class sports book and lounge with amenities that will give our guests an exciting sports viewing experience."
Michigan passed legislation in December 2019, which created a two-step timeline for sports betting becoming legal within the state. Today, retail sports betting went live. Online, mobile wagering and iGaming are expected at a later date, subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals.
BetMGM is the marquee betting offering from Roar Digital, the joint venture between MGM Resorts and GVC Holdings (LSE: GVC). The venture has exclusive access to MGM Resorts' U.S. land-based and online sports betting, major tournament poker, and online real-money and free-to-play casino gaming. BetMGM has been rolling out across the United States, with BetMGM Sports Lounges in MGM Resorts properties as well as with mobile betting via the BetMGM app which is currently available in New Jersey, West Virginia, Indiana and Nevada, with additional state rollouts planned, subject to receipt of all required regulatory approvals. For more information on BetMGM, follow @BetMGM on Twitter.
As MGM Resorts continues to expand and evolve its sports betting platforms, responsible gambling education remains a key focus. GameSense is an industry-leading program, developed and licensed to MGM Resorts by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), focusing on positive, transparent and proactive conversations with players about how to gamble responsibly. The program comes alive through personal interactions between guests and trained staff based at each property's M life Rewards desk. In addition to speaking to trained employees – known as GameSense Advisors – guests also utilize interactive GameSense touchscreens and educational materials and other resources found at the M life Rewards Desk. Players can also visit www.mgmresorts.com/gamesense.
About MGM Grand Detroit
The only Forbes Four-Star hotel in Detroit with the only Forbes Four-Star restaurant in Michigan, the AAA Four Diamond Award-winning MGM Grand Detroit is the city's first and only downtown hotel, gaming and entertainment destination built from the ground up. The hotel features 400 chic and stylish guest rooms, including nine rooftop VIP suites and 56 opulent corner suites. Guests enjoy signature restaurants; one by world-renowned chef Wolfgang Puck as well as the hotel's own sports pub, TAP at MGM Grand Detroit; casual dining options; lounges; the only Topgolf Swing Suite and the only resort-style spa in Southeast Michigan. More than 30,000 square feet of meeting space hosts everything from large corporate events to intimate black-tie affairs. MGM Grand Detroit is a wholly owned subsidiary of MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information, visit mgmgranddetroit.com or call toll free at (877) 888-2121.
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global entertainment company with national and international locations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 29 unique hotel and destination gaming offerings including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. Expanding throughout the U.S. and around the world, the company recently acquired the operations of Empire City Casino in New York and Hard Rock Rocksino in Ohio, which was rebranded as MGM Northfield Park. In 2018, MGM Resorts opened MGM Springfield in Massachusetts, MGM COTAI in Macau, and the first Bellagio-branded hotel in Shanghai. The over 80,000 global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies®. For more information visit us at www.mgmresorts.com.
About Roar Digital
Roar Digital LLC is a US sports betting and online gaming venture, owned by MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) and GVC Holdings Plc (LSE: GVC). Based in New Jersey, the venture was established in July 2018 to create a world-class sports betting and online gaming platform in the United States, in order to take advantage of the new regulated sports betting market developing in the US. Utilizing GVC's U.S.-licensed, state-of-the-art proprietary technology platform, Roar Digital offers sports betting and online gaming via market leading brands including BetMGM and partypoker. The venture has exclusive access to MGM's U.S. land-based and online sports betting, major tournament poker, and online gaming businesses. For more information visit www.roardigital.com.
Statements in this release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking" statements and "safe harbor statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and/or uncertainties, including those described in MGM Resorts' public filings with the SEC. MGM Resorts has based forward-looking statements on management's current expectations and assumptions and not on historical facts. Examples of these statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the launch of BetMGM in additional jurisdictions in the future. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements include effects of economic conditions and market conditions in the markets in which MGM Resorts operates and competition with other destination travel locations throughout the United States and the world, the design, timing and costs of expansion projects, risks relating to international operations, permits, licenses, financings, approvals and other contingencies in connection with growth in new or existing jurisdictions and additional risks and uncertainties described in MGM Resorts' Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K reports (including all amendments to those reports). In providing forward-looking statements, MGM Resorts is not undertaking any duty or obligation to update these statements publicly as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. If MGM Resorts updates one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those other forward-looking statements.
CONTACTS
MGM Resorts
Marc Jacobson
media@mgmresorts.com
MGM Grand Detroit
Dayna Calkins
dcalkins@currentglobal.com
Roar Digital
Elisa Richardson
Elisa.richardson@roardigital.com
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SOURCE MGM Resorts International