ZenSports to Expand Into West Virginia?

On a normal day, the online gambling community news will focus on the industry's major players, such as Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, BetMGM, and DraftKings. It's not often that an outsider garners any attention. All of that will change if VIP Play, Inc. has its way.

VIP Play, Inc. serves as the owner and manager of ZenSports. ZenSports is currently licensed to accept online sports bets in Tennessee, a license the online bookmaker has held since 2023. With the news that the company is looking to expand its brand into West Virginia, it signals that independent small online bookmakers may be able to find a place among the industry's "big boys" if they effectively pick the right sports.

VIP Looks at U.S. Expansion

In an April 2 press release, management at VIP Play announced they will actively be looking to expand into other states. They are starting with the expansion of ZenSports into West Virginia because it's a low-risk market. If the move succeeds, the possibility of moving into larger markets like Michigan, New, Jersey, and Pennsylvania becomes a real possibility.

At this time, ZenSports has received an interim license to offer sports betting to West Virginia residents. The provisional license was issued by the West Virginia Lottery with ZenSports operating in partnership with Wheeling Island Casino in Wheeling, West Virginia. It's worth noting that the company has not specified a West Virginia launch date. The press release merely stated that operations should start in the coming months.

ZenSports is currently the only brand that VIP Play has developed. With that said, there are rumblings that the company might be looking to develop an iGaming platform that it could pair with its sportsbook operations.

VIP Play Targeting the iGaming Market?

Online sports betting is currently available in close to 40 states. If ZenSports were to start expanding into other markets, it would make them a little fish in a big pond. It's quite possible that the company's future focus will be on the iGaming market where the competition is significantly less.

Currently, only seven (7) states allow their residents to participate in iGaming activities. There are the big three (Michigan, New Jersey, & Pennsylvania) and the other smaller market states (Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, and West Virginia). The fact that West Virginia is on this shortlist is very interesting indeed.

If VIP Play can establish a presence in West Virginia as a sports betting operator, it could lay the foundation for something more in the future. It would not be a stretch for the company to use West Virginia as a test market for an iGaming platform.

There has been no formal discussion on this matter as of yet. However, there are clear indications that VIP Play, LTD wants to find itself a meaningful place in the U.S. online gambling market. West Virginia is a good place to start as a market that's easy to enter without having to worry about barriers established by Tribal groups.