DraftKings opens temporary sportsbook at Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge

DraftKings on Wednesday opened a temporary sportsbook at Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge in Louisiana and plans to open a permanent location in 2023, after the riverboat’s landside expansion is completed.

The new temporary sportsbook has 20 self-service kiosks and three over-the-counter sports betting ticket cages.

“We believe this temporary DraftKings Sportsbook space will lay the foundation for one of the most engaging sports viewing environments, which will be further elevated upon the opening of the proposed permanent DraftKings Sportsbook next year,” stated Terry Downey, president and CEO of Casino Queen, which operates Hollywood Baton Rouge under a master lease with landlord Gaming and Leisure Properties.

DraftKings has been operating a mobile sportsbook in the state since January, when six major operators debuted online sports betting in Louisiana, including FanDuel, Penn National's Barstool, Rush Street Interactive's BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook and BetMGM. Also, DraftKings already has a physical presence in the state, operating the sportsbook at Golden Nugget Lake Charles.

Furthermore, DraftKings has an agreement with Casino Queen, which owns the DraftKings at Casino Queen riverboat in East St. Louis, Illinois.

Last summer, Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge broke ground on a $60 million expansion, putting it on track to be the first Baton Rouge riverboat casino to come off the water.

The work, which is set to be completed in the second half of the year, will add 38,000 square feet to the casino atrium, as reported by The Advocate. There are plans to add a sports bar/entertainment venue with seating for 250, a sports viewing area and a Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken Restaurant, named after the former LSU basketball and NBA great.