William Hill debuts updated app in Iowa

In line with the expiration of an in-person registration requirement that finally allowed Iowans to open wagering accounts online, William Hill has recently launched an enhanced version of its William Hill Sports Book App and desktop software to cater to the state’s evolving legislative landscape. 

Earlier this January, the sports betting operator announced that its upgraded app now live and its customers will be able to use it from anywhere within the state to open new accounts. Iowans will also be able to sign up and create accounts through William Hill’s companion desktop software. 

The bookie’s upgraded app is designed to make it easier for sports fans to find their favourite markets and to seamlessly and quickly make and track their bets.

William Hill’s new betting app was built and developed in-house, allowing the operator to cater to the needs of specific markets.  The app is specifically designed to cater to Iowa’s sports bettors, allowing them access to a wide variety of markets and bets, including in-play betting. As in-person registration is no longer required, the app offers bettors the ability to quickly and easily register and open accounts. The app also enables Iowans to deposit and withdraw funds easily and safely via numerous accepted payment channels which include debit cards, online banking, and PayPal, among many others.

William Hill offers mobile sports betting in states where it is legal in the USA.  It is currently offering the app in eight states particularly in Iowa, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Washington D.C. 

Sports betting was legalised in Iowa in August 2019.  Upon its legalisation, William Hill was the first operator allowed locally to launch a digital sportsbook. William Hill runs sportsbooks at six gaming venues in the state under its exclusive partnership with Caesars Entertainment Inc. and as well as through partnerships with other land-based casino operators across the state. To add more to William Hill’s expansion, the operator has just recently opened betting shops with its partners, Caesars’ Horseshoe and Harrah’s properties, in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  

The expiration of in-person account registration has been seen by the sector as a positive development in the state’s betting market.  The idea that bettors had to open accounts at physical gaming establishments to be allowed to wager online was actively objected by the sector when sports betting was initially legalised as it would muffle engagement and damage profits from betting. 

Now that the requirement has been lifted, industry experts believe that a major improvement will be seen in the state’s betting market. The state’s sportsbooks managed £267/$368 million in bets during the first full fiscal year of legal betting in Iowa and generated £18/$25 million in revenue. During the first five months of the new fiscal year, the state exceeded last year’s totals, with figures showing that local sportsbooks, both online and retail, netted more than £19.71/$27 million in revenue.

The majority of the revenue came from online betting as bettors have been urged to avoid brick and mortar gambling venues. Analysts believe that the ease of new online registrations will lead to a rise in digitally placed bets where 90% of the state’s bets will be placed online.