Newly licensed Boomer’s Sportsbook already expanding in state
Nevada’s newest sportsbook company is also the state’s fastest growing.
Boomer’s, the new company operated by veteran sportsbook executive Joe Asher, the former CEO of Caesars Entertainment’s William Hill franchise, was licensed to operate a book at Casino Fandango in Carson City in a unanimous vote by the Nevada Gaming Commission on Thursday.
Asher appeared before the commission last month and was approved to operate Boomer’s at Elko’s Commercial Casino on Aug. 1 with satellite operations opening days later at Ellis Island Casino in Las Vegas and Casino Valle Verde in Henderson.
Asher told commissioners he negotiated establishing a book at Casino Fandango to replace William Hill there but knew it probably wouldn’t be possible to open before the start of the football season based on William Hill needing to give notice to end its month-to-month lease agreement.
But William Hill was allowed to give a one-month notice instead of two setting the stage for Asher to set up at Casino Fandango in time for football wagering.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board conducted a special meeting earlier Thursday and recommended approval of licensing for Boomer’s at Casino Fandango. Less than three hours later, the commission approved the board’s recommendation.
Asher said account signups are increasing rapidly for Boomer’s with the company’s incentive to offer $250 in bonus bets with a $250 deposit. Asher said Boomer’s also will offer -105 odds on all straight NFL bets instead of the traditional -110. That means bettors would have to place $105 to win $100 on those games instead of $110.
Asher also told commissioners that several more sportsbook locations would be brought for approval in future months.
Earlier in the meeting, commissioners unanimously authorized a public offering in Nevada for Dublin, Ireland-based Flutter Entertainment Plc. after company representatives pledged they wouldn’t sign any deals with KalshiEx LLC without first notifying gaming regulators.
Flutter, parent company of daily fantasy sports operator FanDuel, has had discussions with Kalshi about its futures prediction market and earlier this month was admonished by Gaming Control Board member George Assad about how Nevada believes Kalshi is operating illegally in sports wagering in the state.
Kalshi filed a lawsuit against the Gaming Control Board and commission after the Control Board issued a cease-and-desist order in March to stop operating in what it considers to be sports wagering.
The legal fight is ongoing.
Flutter group finance director Mark Irwin told commissioners it has no plans to engage with Kalshi but if it does have talks that they would alert Nevada regulators.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.