Casino Metro, Puerto Rico’s largest casino, is opening a retail sportsbook in partnership with Caesars Sportsbook. While bringing Caesars retail sportsbook under the casino’s roof, the long-range plans for this tandem include plans to launch the Caesars Sportsbook mobile app in Puerto Rico, hopefully in 2023. That development is subject to regulatory approvals, however. Caesars launches in the Island of Enchantment after two other successful launches in the US state of Ohio and Maryland.
Since Puerto Rico is a US territory, US federal law is applicable there. Thus, when the US Supreme Court ruled to enable legalized retail and online sports betting in 2018, that also changed the laws in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico legalized sports betting in 2019, but the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission, the regulatory body over sports betting in the territory, has yet to establish rules and regulations for online sports betting.
Caesars is the second major US-based sports betting operator to open a retail sportsbook in Puerto Rico. In February of 2022, BetMGM entered into a partnership with The Casino del Mar at La Concha Resort to launch a retail sports betting shop there.
The Caesars Sportsbook retail sportsbook at Casino Metro will open with three betting windows and 12 self-service betting kiosks for customers to place wagers. The newly renovated space will also feature more than 25 LED TVs and odds boards to bring guests the ultimate sports viewing experience to San Juan.
Casino Metro has already begun its expansion, which will be completed in the second quarter of 2023. This ambitious project would add more than 7,000 square feet to the operation of its casino.
“As we pursued sports betting in Puerto Rico under its unique framework, we wanted to align with the best possible partner that would provide deep, localized knowledge of the market,” Eric Hession, President of Caesars Digital, said in a statement. “We found that partner in Casino Metro, which has a strong brand and customer base in the Puerto Rico market.” After initially launching retail sports betting at Casino Metro, MetroBets with Caesars Sportsbook plans to expand to other satellite wagering locations in local businesses throughout the commonwealth, as permitted by Puerto Rico law.
Photo by Ana Toledo on Unsplash
