DraftKings is to launch its first sportsbook retail outlet later this week when the doors open at its new venue in Mississippi.

DraftKings at Scarlet Pearl Sportsbook will debut at the D’Iberville-located casino on Friday following the receipt of a licence from the Mississippi Gaming Commission. The 300-room Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort has 1,170 slots, including 80 video poker machines, and 37 table games.

Sports betting in Mississippi launched in August but is currently only allowed at licensed venues, with mobile and online wagering not permissible off the grounds. DraftKings is still awaiting regulatory approval to incorporate on-site kiosks and an on-premises mobile app.

DraftKings at Scarlet Pearl Sportsbook will offer customers the opportunity to wager on a range of popular sports, with plans to launch in-play betting at a later date.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort, whose leadership has a high bar for quality and a forward-thinking approach to sports betting; a perfect fit for DraftKings,” said Matt Kalish, chief revenue officer and co-founder of DraftKings. “We’re excited to bring and offer an innovative sports betting experience to sports fans in one of the largest and most competitive gaming markets in the US.”

Mississippi took in $31.8m (£24.4m/€27.7m) in sports wagering revenues in September. American football was responsible for more than half of all bets in September, with sportsbooks taking a total of $22.9m in wagers.

The MGM-owned Beau Rivage and Gold Strike began offering bets on August 1, with Sam’s Town, Horseshoe and IP Casino – FanDuel’s first betting venue in the state - joining the venue in going live.

The Scarlet Pearl Sportsbook will be led by Nicholas “Nico” Sfanos, who previously ran sportsbooks for Station Casinos in Nevada.

Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort CEO LuAnn Pappas said: “Our collaboration with DraftKings is an opportunity for us to continue to set high standards on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and give our players a new home for sports betting.”

DraftKings became the first operator to offer mobile sports betting in New Jersey in August, but has no retail offering at the venue of its partner in the state, Atlantic City's Resorts Casino Hotel.

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