PlayUp, a provider of online sports betting, horse racing and daily fantasy sports in Australia, New Zealand and India, has expanded its footprint across the US by acquiring a betting license in New Jersey. This is the second market access agreement announced by the firm after the recent acquisition of its Colorado license.

To gain the license PlayUp signed a multi-year deal with FR Park Racing LP which is the sports wagering certificate holder and operator of the Freehold Racetrack. FRP is owned by Pennwood Racing Inc, and the ultimate 50/50 partners of Pennwood are Greenwood Racing Inc, Penn National Gaming Inc and Parx Casino.

Matthew Cullen, Parx Senior Vice President of Interactive Gaming and Sports, welcomed the deal, saying: “Parx Casino is happy to partner with PlayUp in New Jersey as they debut their international expertise of online sports betting in the United States.” 

Dr Laila Mintas, PlayUp USA CEO, added: “We are very excited about the partnership with two excellent brands – Parx Casino and Penn National. We are looking forward to establishing PlayUp as a strong and innovative sports betting brand in the US. We are working to launch in New Jersey in the first quarter of this year.”

Daniel Simic, Global PlayUp CEO stated: “This is great news and another positive result for our business. We are building strong foundations of technology, systems and partnerships which will enable us to pursue our plans for rapid growth. We look forward to continuing to leverage our industry knowledge and innovative thinking to offer our clients the best possible betting experience in Australia and the US.”

Following the acquisition of various betting platforms in 2018, the group launched its PlayUp Sports and Racing Global Betting brand in 2019. The company has more than 300,000 users in Australia and will apply its learnings and experience to the US market, including the launch of several “yet to be seen” products.