DraftKings Makes Another Big Move In Las Vegas With 90,000-Square-Foot Technology Hub

DraftKings continues to expand in Las Vegas despite not operating a sportsbook in Nevada.

The company recently announced it would be opening a 90,000-square-foot technology hub in Las Vegas next year.

DraftKings will occupy almost an entire building at UnCommons, a 40-acre mixed-use community in the rapidly growing southwest part of Las Vegas. Coincidentally, Station Casinos received approval to build a new casino nearby just a few days after DraftKings’ announcement.

DraftKings creating a unique Las Vegas office experience

The COVID-19 outbreak forced many workers to stay home to do their jobs for a year or more. The new DraftKings office looks to lure workers into a comfortable, mindful office space.

The new DraftKings office will be home to more than 130 dedicated sports trading desks, complete with a variety of amenities at the company’s disposal. Among them:

• Full multimedia walls
• Casino training pit
• A 500-square-foot interactive putt-view putting green
• Private cafeteria

Similar to large tech companies like Google, the new DraftKings office will also provide amenities for employees not available at most sportsbook operations. The conveniences include on-site haircuts, manicures, pedicures, private and public outdoor spaces, mothers’ rooms, a prayer suite and more.

DraftKings deepens ties with Las Vegas community

DraftKings expects this new expansion will ultimately lead to the company employing more than 1,000 people in Nevada. This isn’t the first DraftKings office in Las Vegas. In January 2020, the company opened a 300-person office in Las Vegas.

Matt Kalish, co-founder and president of DraftKings, said:

“Our goal is to create another world-class workplace environment that will foster DraftKings’ innovation, further bolster our local presence, and deepen community involvement. With these lofty aspirations, we were thrilled to discover that UnCommons mirrors these high standards.”

This new office will firmly embed DraftKings in the Las Vegas community. Last year, DraftKings signed a deal with UNLV to sponsor the Center for Gaming Innovation at the college.

This deal gives the sportsbook operator access to local up-and-coming gaming industry talent and possibly the first look at new technology. It also helps deepen DraftKings’ ties to the Las Vegas community.

Earlier this year, DraftKings purchased the Vegas Sports Information Network (VSIN). The multimedia broadcasting platform has studios at Circa and South Point casinos.

When will DraftKings open a Las Vegas sportsbook?

The new office announcement comes just a couple of months after another major purchase. In August, ​​DraftKings and Golden Nugget Online Gaming announced a multi-tiered deal.

DraftKings now owns Golden Nugget Online Gaming. The deal also includes a marketing partnership with Golden Nugget. The brick-and-mortar casinos are a completely different company from the online gaming segment.

DraftKings does not own Golden Nugget casinos. However, part of this marketing partnership allows all sportsbooks at Golden Nugget casinos to be rebranded as DraftKings Sportsbook operations. This will be the case for all current and future sportsbooks inside of Golden Nugget casinos.

There are no public plans for DraftKings to rebrand the Golden Nugget sportsbook in downtown Las Vegas or Laughlin. It’s likely that the online sportsbook operator with just a few retail locations in the US is waiting for the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) to amend online and mobile sportsbook account registration rules to allow for mobile and online account registration.

Station Casinos and others argue against online gaming expansion in Nevada. However, there appears to be a groundswell of support with Wynn, MGM Resorts and Caesars now offering online gaming with mobile account registration everywhere outside of the states where they’re headquartered.

DraftKings continued expansion in Las Vegas will only add support to changing online gaming and sports betting registration requirements. When — not if — the NGCB updates these requirements Las Vegas could see an influx of new sportsbook operators including DraftKings.