Sports Betting Kiosks Gone, Soon To Be Forgotten

Sports betting kiosks by William Hill and Cantor Gaming are getting the boot from bars across Nevada. While there are some negatives to kiosks getting banned this it’s not really a big deal for business.

(Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill Corp.) argues that only $600,000 of the $170 million won in sports pools came in these small businesses. That’s one-third of 1 percent, he says.

I didn’t think that the sports betting kiosks were big money makers but that’s much less revenue generated then I expected. I always viewed the kiosks as more of a place holder until every sports bettor in Nevada has a smart phone with a sports betting app from their favorite casino or sportsbook operator. That time isn’t too far off.

We’re on the cusp of a mobile gaming revolution as sports betting expands and poker becomes legal again. Slot machine and video poker games won’t be far behind. The kiosks being banned by government should help expedite the move to mobile by bettors.

I mentioned that there is something negative here and it’s simply that major casino corporations have a stronghold on the Nevada government. You know, like every other major group of businesses. Station Casinos isn’t in the kiosk game and fought strongly against the kiosks. Any traditional casino operator would likely fight against any gaming that keeps people out of their casino. I don’t think that the sportsbook operators fought too hard here. After all, “it’s only one-third of one percent” of sports betting win. Their words, not mine.

Photo: Review Journal