- BetMGM and Caesars awarded mobile sports betting licenses by the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission.
- The PRGC granted licenses to nine companies in total, including two mobile sports betting licenses and technical licenses to seven other companies.
- The launch of mobile sports betting in Puerto Rico is expected soon, pending clearance from the PRGC.
- BetMGM has partnered with Casino del Mar at La Concha Resort in San Juan, while Caesars plans to open a retail sportsbook at Casino Metro.
- Other companies, including data collection companies and subsidiaries of BetMakers and Churchill Downs Incorporated, also received licenses in March.
BetMGM and Caesars Entertainment have been awarded mobile sports betting licenses by regulators in Puerto Rico and will launch on the island in the near future.
According to reports, the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission (PRGC) awarded nine licenses in total — the two mobile sports betting licenses for BetMGM and Caesars, plus technical licenses to seven other companies, including Kambi Group.
It was unclear when BetMGM and Caesars would be cleared by the PRGC to officially launch, but the latter stated last December that it expected to launch sometime in 2023.
PRGC Executive Director Jaime Rivera-Emmanuelli said the agency is well on its way toward authorizing the launch of sports betting. Still, a few outstanding details remain, including a PRGC inspection of gaming controls at two island-based casinos.
“Once certain final details are clarified, the door will officially be open to online betting, which can be conducted from anywhere, including through mobile devices such as smartphones and computers,” Rivera-Emmanuelli said according to a report by the online newspaper NotiCel, which covers the island.
“Puerto Rico will quickly be on par with US states that have already legalized sports betting. The island appeals to a broad and culturally diverse audience, and it will have the same security, controls, and regulations that the United States demands of its jurisdictions,” Rivera-Emmanuelli added.
Retail sports wagering is taxed at 7% in Puerto Rico. Mobile and online wagers will be taxed at 12%.
