Boomer’s Sportsbook is moving to open a sixth sportsbook by the end of next week, while Caesars Sportsbook is preparing to take over the branding at its four William Hill properties in northern Nevada. The two companies will appear before the Nevada Gaming Commission Dec. 18 to seek approvals, after getting recommendations from the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
Boomer’s plans to open a kiosk-only sportsbook at the Mizpah Club in Tonopah, a mining town halfway between Reno and Las Vegas.
“It’s a hidden gem in the Nevada desert and it makes a perfect stop for travelers between Reno and Las Vegas,” said Gina Cervone, vice president of legal and compliance for Boomer’s.
The plan calls for an opening on Dec. 19 if granted approval by the Commission and it will mark Boomer’s sixth sportsbook opening since the independent operator launched in August. Boomer’s also has four applications pending with the Gaming Control Board.
“Business has been going great,” Cervone said. “We are excited to be expanding in various areas of Nevada.”
Boomer’s will be competing in Tonopah with William Hill, which has been locked in a competition with the startup that has taken away some of its former clients.
“If you approve our application, we will be the alternative, urging locals to check the price, so people don’t have to choose between us and the competition,” Cervone said. “They can have both apps and bet with us and book at the better price.”
MIzpah Club owner Ramsey Cline told regulators he went with Boomer’s, because he considered it a fair offer, after talking with other casinos around the state. He praised Boomer’s CEO Joe Asher.
“Other licensees I talk to about their sportsbooks, a lot of them said their relationships were lacking,” Cline said. “Joe came into the market with a new approach and tried to include the licenses on the mobile side as well, which was very fair,” Cline said.
Cline called Tonopah an “island in the middle of the desert” with not many options for sports betting. William Hill has a kiosk at the Banc Club, where he said the hours are limited from noon until 8 p.m. Some 60% of Mizpah’s customer base in the summer are tourists or others passing through, he said. It’s more local residents in the winter months.
“We get customers almost every day requesting sports betting options and oftentimes the competition isn’t open,” Cline said. “If it is an early-morning college game, they’re not going to the Banc Club and wager. I know Joe’s team has done a very thoughtful job in estimating the market.”
As for William Hill, its owner Caesars Entertainment plans to rebrand four sportsbooks in northern Nevada as Caesars Sportsbook, according to Dan Shapiro, senior vice president and chief development officer for the operator.
The rebranded books are in Bodine’s in Carson City, Sharkey’s Casino in Gardnerville, the Carson Valley Inn on US395, and Slotworld in Carson City. Only Carson Valley will have a manned sportsbook; the other three will be kiosks only.
Shapiro said in August 2024 that Caesars applied to be a key employee to manage the sportsbooks and do risk management for the four properties owned by G Peg.
The four will be transferred to the Caesars brand to provide a better customer experience that enables them to access the Caesars app, which they can’t do now. They would also be eligible for Caesars Rewards benefits, along with other benefits, such as depositing and withdrawals through the app.
“We always thought this would be the next evolution of the relationship, but it took us some time to get there,” Shapiro said.
There will be no changes with the employees. The Carson City Inn is giving up its racebook license at the end of the month.
Caesars operates about 100 William Hill sportsbooks in the state and more than 20 under the Caesars brand.