888 Holdings was awarded a provisional sports betting licence from the Virginia Lottery, taking its licences in the US to nine states.

The gaming group will launch in Virginia with partner Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the owner of the Sports Illustrated brand.

SI Sportsbook, a new betting and gaming channel was unveiled in Colorado in September 2021 and SI Sportsbook will begin trading in Virginia in 2022.

In Virginia, 888 has also partnered with Virtual Entertainment Partners LLC (VEP), a company with 100% African-American female ownership.

The state is a new sports betting market, said 888, but growing rapidly.

According to the Virginia Lottery, to date over US$1.95bn has been wagered, including US$293mln in September 2021 – a 61% increase on the month prior.

In the US, 888 now holds local licences or market access agreements in nine states: Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Yaniv Sherman, Head of US at 888, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded our license by the Virginia Lottery. This is an important milestone for 888 which enhances our foothold in the US online sports betting and iGaming market. There is a growing sports betting fanbase in the state.”