The newest entrant to join Pennsylvania’s sports betting scene is to come around this week, with Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack officially opening its sportsbook to the public from today (Tuesday 22 January at 2pm eastern standard time).

This will commence with a two day operational test and approval period which is to be overseen by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, conducted between the hours of 2pm-midnight across Tuesday 22 January and Wednesday 23 January.

Following PGCB testing and pending regulatory approval to proceed, a grand opening is pencilled in for Thursday 24 January at 12pm.

“We are excited to bring sports betting to Delaware County, and allow our guests from the tri-state area to experience our property in a whole new way,” commented Harrah’s Philadelphia senior vice president and general manager Chris Albrecht.

“With our gaming offering, live harness racing, our event center, award-winning restaurants and now the sportsbook, Harrah’s Philadelphia remains a must visit destination in the Philadelphia region.”

Being introduced amongst the build up one of largest spectacles of the US sports calendar, the Super Bowl, ‘The Book’ is to replace casino space previously reserved its The Block entertainment centre.

Offering betting on a variety of events, the sportsbook is to come equipped with 19 “better-than-stadium” lounge seats, 11 high-top tables, various bar seating and over 45 large screen TVs to watch the action live.

Following the celebratory ribbon cutting ceremony, the first 1,000 guests to place wagers are to be given commemorative The Book t-shirt.

Christian Stuart, EVP of gaming and interactive entertainment for Caesars Entertainment, explained: “The launch of retail sports betting at Harrah’s Philadelphia is another exciting milestone, showcasing Caesars Entertainment’s commitment to leading this expanding industry.

“The Harrah’s Philadelphia offering is fully integrated into Total Rewards, so customers can easily earn and redeem points for all Caesars amenities worldwide.

“The Caesars brands, powered by SG Digital technology, will be a powerful player as we expand across the US in retail and mobile sports betting (pending regulatory approval).”