Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort, which begins its 2013 meet March 1, has been cleared to offer mobile wagering.
The West Virginia Racing Commission granted the request Feb. 26. The service will be offered through Sportech, the tote provider at Mountaineer, via the track's wireless Internet system.
Mountaineer director of racing Rose Mary Williams said the service will be available in the grandstand/clubhouse at the outset. The casino and hotel at the facility are located in a separate complex on the property.
"If it goes well we would like to expand it to the (off-track betting) area and hotel rooms," Williams said.
Full-card simulcasts at Mountaineer are only offered in the grandstand/clubhouse during the live racing season. The OTB facility in the casino is open year-round.
Williams said wagers through mobile devices would be treated as on-track wagers. Accounts must be opened with mutuel tellers, and all tote reports will reflect wagers made through mobile devices, she said.
When the service begins, accounts must be opened on a day-to-day basis. Williams said she'd like to offer full racing season accounts in the future.
