William Hill scores sports betting partnership with US lotteries

William Hill and International Game Technology have agreed a multi-year partnership to provide US state lottery operators with sports betting solutions.

The two companies, who have already worked together to secure a similar contract in Rhode Island, will expand the offer to provide an online sports betting package that combines IGT’s platform for land-based, retail, online and mobile wagering, with William Hill’s operational, trading and strategic expertise in sports betting.

IGT’s platform is already available in four states as a B2B solution for partners, while William Hill is currently active in five states with regulated betting.

"William Hill's track record as an operator globally, and our clear leadership as a sports book operator in the US, in particular, mean that US lotteries can be confident that in choosing IGT and us together, they will be benefiting from a reliable, trustworthy, and responsibly-managed solution," said William Hill US chief executive Joe Asher.

The US sports betting market opened up this year after the supreme court overruled a 1992 federal ban.

Delaware, Nevada, Oregon and Montana had effectively been exempt from the ban due to pre-existing sports betting frameworks and regulations but now a slew of other states, such as New York, California and Illinois, have begun moving towards regulation rather than criminalisation.

Renato Ascoli, IGT chief executive of North America, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with William Hill, whose proven leadership and capability in U.S. sports betting operations will ensure that we are able to fully support our lottery customers as states start to regulate these products."

William Hill’s shares were little moved at 257.00p at 0925 BST.