Horseshoe Baltimore set to launch Caesars Sportsbook, redesigned gaming area

Horseshoe Casino Baltimore will embark on a transformation of its venue space, ahead of the launch of sports betting in Maryland, announced Caesars Entertainment on Wednesday.

The first floor of the building will be turned into an “immersive entertainment environment”, combining a Caesars retail sportsbook with a reconfigured table games area and a new brewpub concept, reports Baltimore Business Journal.

The dining concept, called The Brew Brothers, offers local beer, handcrafted cocktails and a wide-ranging menu. The experience is new to Maryland, and is based on a restaurant under the same name at Caesars’ Eldorado Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. It will seat a total of 250 people inside and on its outdoor patio, and will feature two “fan caves” for private events.

The restaurant is currently under development, with an expected opening for Q4 2021, while the Caesars Sportsbook is too under construction, set to be located next to The Brew Brothers and the redesigned table games area.

“No sportsbook is complete without great food and drinks,” said Horseshoe Baltimore Senior Vice President and General Manager Randy Conroy, according to the previously cited news source. “As sports wagering is approved in Maryland, the addition of the Brew Brothers sports bar and restaurant will make the Horseshoe the best place in the region for guests to catch their favorite games.”

Both the restaurant and the sportsbook are being developed with Baltimore-based Mahogany Inc. as general contractor. Horseshoe Casino expects to hire 60 new employees to staff the dining concept in a variety of positions.

While the casino is eager to start taking bets, the opening of the sportsbook is contingent on regulatory approval. Maryland began accepting sports betting applications earlier this month, and a launching date could be expected for late fall.

Only entities that were specifically named in the state's sports betting legislation, including casinos, professional sports teams and race tracks, are eligible for a license Maryland for the time being. State regulators are currently working with 17 entities on background check investigations before granting the licenses.

However, Horseshoe Casino Baltimore is not the only gambling venue in the state waiting to jump on the sports wagering market. Live! Casino Hotel Maryland debuted a $15 million Sports & Social Lounge back in April, featuring a built-in retail sportsbook that will start operating as soon as the venue received the much-awaited green light. This week, MGM National Harbor also unveiled first renderings of the upcoming BetMGM sportsbook lounge.

In anticipation of sports wagering in the state, the Caesars Entertainment subsidiary announced a partnership with the Baltimore Ravens in August. The multi-faceted, five-year sports betting deal marks the team’s only comprehensive gaming partnership, and will be across both sportsbook and casino. The Ravens will grant Caesars Sportsbook naming rights throughout the club level of its M&T Bank Stadium.