Bally’s Partners with the Queen Casino & Entertainment in Louisiana

The Louisiana Gaming Board has approved a new partnership between Bally’s Corporation and The Queen Casino & Entertainment, combining the two companies in the state.

The merger will see the Bally’s Shreveport Casino & Hotel, The Queen Baton Rouge, and the Belle of Baton establishments coming under one label for the first time in joint ownership.

The Louisiana Gaming Board has also allowed casino operators to submit petitions seeking approval for new investors. Bally’s Shreveport Casino & Hotel parent company, Premier Entertainment Shreveport LLC, submitted petitions seeking approval for the three corporate businesses to qualify as investors.

Louisiana State Police have confirmed that these approved entities will be seen as passive investors with no authority of operational control, decision-making, or management over Bally’s in the state as the merger happens.

Bally’s Corporation shareholders previously approved a $4.6 billion takeover from Standard General, the company’s largest shareholder, in November 2024. This corporate decision ultimately allowed for the large-scale merger between Bally’s Corporation and The Queen Casino & Entertainment, as Standard General previously owned the latter.

The merger will also see the new united company manage 19 gaming facilities throughout 11 states, offering a range of iGaming and sports betting services. Now, the state’s three biggest gaming establishments will operate as one.

The Queen Casino & Entertainment brand was founded in 2019 and has gone on to open and operate many high-profile gambling establishments, including Casino Queen Marquette and DraftKings at Casino Queen, in addition to The Queen Baton Rogue.

Bally’s Corporation operates three high-profile establishments in the South of the US: Shreveport (which is part of the merger), the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi, and Bally’s Vicksburg. The company also has properties in the West, most prominently its recently revamped Bally’s Las Vegas location. The company is also coming to the UK, with Bally’s Newcastle slated to open in April 2025.

In more casino news, Kambi Group is set to expand into Nevada.