Boyd Gaming Will Finalize Pala Interactive Acquisition in Coming Weeks

Published: Oct 26, 2022

Updated: Nov 17, 2022

Boyd Gaming will complete its $170 million acquisition of Pala Interactive in the coming weeks.

That’s according to the gaming company’s third-quarter earnings report, which showed a $877.3 million revenue helped, in part, by the opening of Sky River Casino in Elk Grove, California, which it runs in partnership with the Wilton Rancheria.

The Pala Band of Mission Indians currently owns Pala Interactive. The tribe also owns Pala Casino Spa Resort in Pala, California, which is one of the top Indian casinos in California.

Pala Interactive is an online real-money and social casino gaming services platform operating in the casino, poker, virtual sports, and bingo spaces. It has more than 500 games built in-house, including multiple variations of blackjack, poker, roulette, and video poker. It also has slots, as well as craps, bingo, virtual horse racing, virtual soccer, and virtual auto racing.

The acquisition was announced in late May. In a press release, Boyd Gaming CEO Keith Smith said adding Pala Interactive to its portfolio was the next phase in expanding Boyd Gaming’s online casino gaming footprint.

Boyd Gaming is also partnered with FanDuel. And, likely given the heated climate of Prop 26 vs. Prop 27 and California tribes vs. private sports betting companies, Smith felt it necessary to mention his company’s relationship with FanDuel in the release.

“While the acquisition of Pala Interactive supports our iGaming strategy,” Smith said, “we remain fully committed to our sports-betting partnership with FanDuel, which has allowed us to participate in the nationwide expansion of sports-betting.”

WANNA PLAY? California Online Casinos: Where to Play for Real Money?

Does the Acquisition Affect Future Pala Sports Betting Partnerships?

Previously, Pala Interactive had partnered with online gaming companies Unibet and Betway, both of which also offer sports betting. So, it’s clear the Pala Band of Mission Indians has relationships with both of those companies.

Should Prop 26 pass and the tribe wants to open a retail sportsbook at its casino with a national brand, they could be options.

However, given that Boyd just launched retail and online sports betting with FanDuel in Kansas and the company owns a 5% stake in FanDuel, could Boyd’s acquisition of Pala Interactive also make FanDuel an option for a retail sportsbook at Pala Casino Spa Resort if Prop 26 passes?

CAMPAIGN SPENDING: New $2.5 Million Donation Shows California Tribes Still Think Prop 26 Can Pass

About the Author

Matthew Bain

Matthew Bain started as News Editor and Content Manager at California Casinos in 2022. Before that, he spent six years as a sports reporter and then deputy sports editor for the Des Moines Register, during which time he won nine statewide journalism awards, including the Genevieve Mauck Stoufer Outstanding Young Iowa Journalists Award. As deputy sports editor, Matthew oversaw the Register’s recruiting coverage while also innovating the outlet’s high school sports coverage. Matthew graduated from San Diego State and grew up in California, but he’s somehow a Boston Celtics fan. Long story.