Carousel Pivots From SportsBetting.com Plans; Will Bring MaximBet Sportsbook To Iowa Instead

Written By Russ Mitchell on April 13, 2021 - Last Updated on October 6, 2021
iowamaximbet carousel deal

Carousel Group still plans to launch a sportsbook in Iowa this summer, but it won’t be SportsBetting.com as initially planned.

The casino-sports betting operator wants to move ahead with a sportsbook app called MaximBet, centered around the Maxim men’s lifestyle brand instead.

Plans remain unofficial, but Carousel Group CEO Daniel Graetzer passed along the following through a spokesperson:

“At this time, SportsBetting.com is unlikely to be launched in Iowa. The plan is to have MaximBet.com up and running in the Hawkeye State by July.”
Carousel looked for a partner that would help “build something incredible that would resonate with the segment we aim to serve,” according to the CEO:
“After our first conversation, it was clear that Maxim was the perfect partner. We couldn’t be more excited to be on this journey with them.”

MaximBet will be Carousel’s US-facing brand

The SportsBetting.com sportsbook made its first US presence in Colorado in mid-September. The app “is alive and well in Colorado and it will be business as usual there until MaximBet is operational.”
Carousel Group will retain both skins. The SportsBetting.com brand and domain “is strong so they are still deciding what do ultimately do with it,” the spokesperson added.
SportsBetting.com will continue to exist as an app outside of the US.

The MaximBet pivot comes less than two months after Carousel announced a 10-year, multi-state partnership with the casino giant Caesars Entertainment.

This deal significantly affects the Iowa gaming industry because IA has four Caesars-affiliated casinos: Harrah’s and Horseshoe Council Bluffs as well as the Isle casinos in Bettendorf and Waterloo.

These Iowa casinos currently host William Hill Sportsbook. Any of these locations would be candidates to offer the MaximBet Sportsbook skin, too.

Iowa a welcoming environment for sportsbooks

Thanks to recent changes in the gaming code, Iowa casinos can partner with up to three individually-branded online sportsbooks.

Furthermore, bettors in Iowa do not have to visit a brick-and-mortar casino to sign up for their favorite sports betting apps. Remote registration became legal in Iowa at the start of 2021.

Iowa code calls for an initial $45,000 licensing fee each time a sportsbook wants to operate in the state.

In the regulated sports betting market, every operator must keep players’ accounts safe and secure. Furthermore, app and geolocation functions also must be certified by an independent lab. Sportsbook operators must meet standards to address problem gambling, as well, including self-exclusion.

Carousel Group to continue US expansion

Carousel has market access agreements in New Jersey and Indiana, in addition to Iowa and Colorado.

Graetzer praised Maxim as a “preeminent lifestyle brand over the last 25 years.” He thinks Carousel’s online betting profile makes MaximBet a prominent gambling brand.

In a joint April 5 announcement, the Carousel CEO went on to say:

“Our mutual objective to provide premier entertainment and VIP experiences to the same customer demographic makes Maxim the perfect partner for Carousel. We can’t wait to launch MaximBet later this year for fans.”

Also, Carousel Group announced the end of a $50 million funding round with the tech company xSigma. The MaximBet partners will use the capital for continued US expansion and marketing.

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Russ Mitchell

Russ Mitchell has been covering news and sports in northwest Iowa since 1997, including 11 years as managing editor for one of the most acclaimed community newspapers in the state. He looks forward to keeping readers up to date on the growing sportsbook industry in Iowa.

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