Prairie Flower Casino expansion may not be completed until 2025

The expansion was due to be completed for the summer.

US.- The expansion of Prairie Flower Casino in Iowa was initially due to be complete for summer, but the date has been pushed back to at least the end of 2024 or even early in 2025. The delays were attributed to supply-chain challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The venue is owned and operated by the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and it opened its doors in 2018. The expansion will include a sportsbook.

James Centers, spokesperson for the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, said: “What we’ve seen with supply-chain issues since the pandemic, generally speaking, it’s not terrible to be a few months behind. If winter weather holds like it is right now, we could make up some ground. They’re using this time before winter really sets in to get that structure in place with the hopes that when we emerge in spring we can go full steam ahead in terms of completing the expansion.”

Iowa sports betting handle reaches $289.7m in November

Iowa’s sports betting handle was $289.7m in November, up 17.1 per cent year-on-year and up 13.5 per cent from October 2023’s $255.3m. The total was the highest spent since a record $303.3m in January 2022. Of the total, $265.8m was spent betting online and $23.9m at retail sportsbooks.

Operators generated $14.1m in revenue, up 143.1 per cent from November 2022 but 33.5 per cent behind the $21.2m generated in October 2023. Of the total, $12.6m came from online betting and $1.5m from retail wagering.