DraftKings is one of the four mobile sportsbook operators that just received a green light from the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) to start accepting sports wagers this weekend. According to the statement released by the Commission on Wednesday, January 6, Draftkings — alongside Caesars, BetRivers (under the Rush Street Interactive license), and FanDuel — has satisfied all legal requirements to “accept and process mobile sports wagering activity.”
The license officially goes into effect at 9 am EST on the morning of Saturday, January 8, and DraftKings will be open for business from the moment it happens.
Like most US-licensed operators, the company will go through a prelaunch phase, which is already underway and should last for about 36 hours in total. During this time, DraftKings will test software and processes to ensure everything runs smoothly, and customers can also take advantage of a generous $100 no deposit bonus to kick things off.
$100 in Free Bets up for Grabs
All users who register with DraftKings NY during the prelaunch period will receive $100 in free bets from the operator. The bonus comes with no strings attached, and there is no deposit required.
While the time window is a fairly small one, this is a rather generous promotion that signals the company’s desire to corner the market and attract as many players as possible early on. This does not come as much of a surprise, given the fact New York is the largest state in which the operator has a presence at the moment.
New York Sports Betting Launch Slightly Ahead of Schedule
Back in November 2021, the NYSGC recommended that licenses should be issued to nine approved operators who made the initial cut. Just last month, it was predicted that regulated sports betting would come to New York during the second or third week of January. However, to the delight of sports fans across the Empire State, the timeline was moved up a bit, and the first operators will be open for business on Saturday, January 8.
In addition to the four operators that have already been approved, five more will be joining the newly-regulated market in the near future, as they tick all the boxes needed to satisfy all regulatory requirements — the five sportsbooks lined up to launch next are BetMGM, WynnBET, Bally Bet, Resorts World, and PointsBet.
With NFL playoffs right around the corner and the Super Bowl just a few weeks away, the approved bookmakers will certainly be looking to cash in on the opportunities.
In addition to DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook was also quick to share its enthusiasm about entering yet another US state, as the wave of regulated sports betting continues to pick up momentum across the country. The company celebrated the news with an appropriate ““New York is awesome” GIF from by the iconic TV show Friends.
It is worth mentioning that “*all DraftKings customers who take advantage of the prelaunch offer*: will still have access to the regular welcome bonus* once the operator goes fully live, which will likely be a 100% boost of up to $1000 on the first deposit.
