Hard Rock Bet’s aggressive approach to the digital sports betting market continues, as the company announced its launch in the Colorado market.
Rocky Mountain Hard Rock
Hard Rock Bet has expanded into its ninth state, with Colorado joining Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia. They won’t be without competition, as the Centennial State now has 13 other mobile sportsbooks vying for customers’ gambling dollars, and they become the first sportsbook to enter the market since January 2024.
“Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook is bringing an exciting new experience to Colorado players with deep betting markets on all major sporting events, plus local favorites like table tennis and MMA. With our top-rated platform, weekly Legendary Reward Drops, and integration into Unity by Hard Rock, we’re confident that Coloradans are going to love the Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook experience,” said Matt Primeaux, Hard Rock Bet’s Executive Managing Director – President & Chief Revenue Officer.
Talent Expansion Signals Long-Term Growth Strategy
Hard Rock Bet is emphasizing its commitment to customer satisfaction and its range of wagering options as a valuable component to its success and growth in the fiercely competitive mobile sports betting industry. The company has also made additions to its key roles by hiring Sarah Durkin, a former executive at Better Collective, and Zachary Sold, previously with Caesars Entertainment.
“Hard Rock Digital is in growth mode, and we’re thrilled to be able to attract top talent like Sarah and Zachary,” Primeaux said. “With their years of industry experience and past success, we look forward to them leading our marketing teams to new heights in these vitally important areas.”
Colorado Graveyard
Although Colorado has several sports teams, including the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, the MLB’s Colorado Rockies, the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, and the NFL’s Denver Broncos, in addition to well-established college football programs in the University of Colorado Buffaloes and Colorado State Rams, it has not been a viable mobile sports betting market for many sportsbooks that could not gain traction.
Ten Sportsbooks Have Exited the Colorado Market
In fact, Colorado has been a graveyard for books that have pulled out of the market, including the following 10 that have shuttered operations in the Centennial State: SI Sportsbook, Betfred, Betsafe, ClutchBet, SuperBook, WynnBet, Novig, Betway, Fubo Sportsbook, and Unibet Sportsbook.
The reasons vary for the exit, but the bottom line remains the same—lack of profitability. Last year, SI Sportsbook became the seventh platform to leave the state in approximately one year and cited several reasons for doing so.
Industry analysts like Las Vegas-based consultant Brendan Bussmann said, “In any industry, there’s an ebb and flow. This has happened with land operators, and to see it happen with sports betting and online gambling, it’s not surprising. But you also (eventually) see resurgence, as we’ve seen in DFS (daily fantasy sports)… Sleepr, Underdog, PrizePicks. Where were they five years ago as compared to today? People will say that they were operating in an illegal way, but DraftKings and FanDuel got kicked out of Nevada 10 years ago,” and are currently dominating the market.
Innovation Could Be the Key to Surviving in Colorado
Smaller sportsbooks are ordinarily those that don’t survive, but innovation and niche marketing could keep them competing, according to Bussman.
“There is always room for smaller operations that want to innovate and compete in a meaningful way,” Bussmann stated. “Those that want to innovate will thrive; those that don’t and repeat what exists out there will wither.”
