At long last, LeoVegas is launching in the United States.
On May 17, the European gambling giant announced an agreement with Caesars New Jersey to open an online gaming operation in New Jersey in 2022.
“We are proud to finally be able to share our plans to establish ourselves in the USA,” Gustaf Hagman, CEO of LeoVegas, said in a press release. “We think the time and partner are right to launch ‘The King of Casino’ in the USA. The American market has immense growth potential, and players are just now discovering online gaming.”
The market-access deal with Caesars Entertainment is on schedule to make LeoVegas’ product available in the first half of 2022, according to the release. The deal is pending regulatory approval from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.
LeoVegas is one of the largest online casino providers in the world and offers an exclusive platform for players, called Rhino, which excels in the mobile experience: Rhino is used by more than 10 brands; their brands include more than 60 games on the platform.
“In the USA, too, we will focus on what we are best at — offering an innovative, world-class gaming experience directly in mobile phones,” Hagman said in the release. “Establishing ourselves with our proprietary platform is a strategic decision, and we know from other markets that having full control over our technology is a key competitive advantage.”
It is not clear if LeoVegas will continue partnering with Caesars Entertainment as its expected expansion across the U.S. continues.
New Jersey was the first U.S. state to legalize online gambling in 2013 and currently boasts the largest market in the country, with more than 20 brands creating a revenue over $1 billion in 2020. Online gambling accounts for 17.5% of the state’s overall gaming revenue, and the addition of LeoVegas to the state’s online gaming scene in the next year will only add to that figure.