Kindred to Launch Unibet in Washington with the Swinomish Tribe

Online betting and gaming company Kindred Group announced it has signed an agreement with a Native tribe from Washington to bring retail and sports wagering to the state via its flagship Unibet brand.

Launch Pending Licensure and Approvals

Kindred Group and the Swinomish Tribe put pen to a six-year agreement with provisions for a five-year extension to launch the Unibet & Swinomish Sportsbook at Swinomish Casino & Lodge in Anacortes, pending licensure and regulatory approvals.

Commenting on the announcement, senior vice president of North America at Kindred Group, Manuel Stan, was delighted to see the business expand its presence across North American gaming markets, joining efforts with the Swinomish tribe.

“We are very excited to expand our footprint in the US, and to do so together with the Swinomish tribe, ” he said, convinced that “the opening of a Sportsbook Lounge at the Swinomish Casino and Lodge will allow” the company to bring the “best in class sports betting experience” to residents in the state.

Once Kindred and the Swinomish tribe launch operations at the tribal casino, Washington is set to become Kindred Group’s seventh US gaming jurisdiction in which the gambling group would be live with its Unibet brand.

Expanding Unibet’s US Presence

Unibet is currently live in New Jersey with Hard Rock Casino Atlantic City, Pennsylvania with Mohegan Sun Pocono Casino, Indiana with Caesars Horseshoe Hammond Casino, Iowa with Harrah’s Casino, Virginia via a direct market access permit awarded by the Virginia Lottery, and Arizona, in partnership with Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe.

In the Grand Canyon State, Kindred Group expanded its presence earlier in the year via an agreement with Turf Paradise that allowed the group to obtain nine Limited Event Wagering Operator (LEWO) licenses and build on its early success following the launch at Paradise Casino in Yuma in September 2021.

Kindred Group is determined to continue exploring opportunities to grow its operations across US gaming markets where business conditions support a sustainable business model, including expanding into new states.

In September, Kindred Group announced its long-term strategy and financial targets in which share development in markets in North America was one of two key priorities for the group, alongside its focus in the Netherlands following the recently acquired gaming license in the country.

Unlike in the Netherlands where the group sees a growing market which already surpassed its expectations, in the US Kindred believes that the market has moved to its mature stage and the focus should be on customer experience improvements.