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Why Dave & Buster’s is Offering Betting on Arcade Games

Morgan Xaviero

Updated as of May 1, 2024 at 7:35 PM EDT • Read time: 1 minute and 56 seconds. Check out the Twitter and Google News links.

Baseball fans play Skee-Ball as we detail Dave & Buster's allowing betting on arcade games in partnership with Lucra.
Baseball fans play Skee-Ball at Sluggers sports bar across from Wrigley Field on June 11, 2021 in Chicago, Ill. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images via AFP.

If you’ve ever imagined placing bets on games like Skee-Ball and Hot Shots basketball, Dave & Buster’s is here to turn that dream into a reality.

The well-known dining and entertainment establishment is set to introduce a new feature where customers can place live bets on its arcade games using the “D&B Rewards” app. This social betting option will be powered by Lucra, a gamification software company, and is anticipated to be available in the near future.

According to a press release on Tuesday, the company’s five million loyalty members will have the opportunity to engage in a gamified experience where they can compete digitally, earn rewards, unlock exclusive perks, and compete with friends.

Simon Murray, the SVP of Entertainment and Attractions at Dave & Buster’s, expressed excitement about collaborating with Lucra to introduce a thrilling new gaming platform to their customers. Murray emphasized that this partnership will provide loyalty members with unparalleled gaming experiences in real-time, showcasing the company’s dedication to enhancing customer experiences through innovative technology.

Dave & Buster’s and Lucra have not disclosed the details of the betting function, including the limit for each bet. It is anticipated that the betting range will be between $5 and $10. This feature will only be accessible in 44 states for individuals aged 18 and above, according to CNBC.

Why Dave & Buster’s is embracing sports betting with arcade wagers

Although Tuesday’s press release did not directly mention sports betting, it alluded to “real-money contests” and “cash-based competition.” This distinction is essentially irrelevant for the arcade company, as they have hinted at entering the sports betting industry for quite some time.

In 2021, former CEO Brian Jenkins described sports betting as a significant opportunity and a powerful growth driver for the company’s main business as a sports entertainment destination, particularly as it aimed to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Later that year, Dave & Buster’s considered forming a direct partnership with one of the top sportsbooks in the industry, but ultimately no agreement was reached.

Ultimately, the company chose to collaborate with Gambit Underscoreg, enabling customers to wager on actual sporting events using virtual tokens through the D&B Rewards app. This decision paved the way for their recent alliance with Lucra to incorporate betting seamlessly into the company’s main arcade experience.

Due to their classification as games of “skill,” arcade games at Dave & Buster’s will allow the company to bypass the usual restrictions faced by other sports betting sites. Lucra’s products could be integrated within two weeks, suggesting a potential launch sooner than expected.

Dave & Buster’s stock has increased by 50% in the last year, despite facing challenges after the pandemic. The company is now looking to capitalize on the growing social wagering industry, estimated to be worth $6 billion, in order to reach and engage its 50 million annual visitors at 223 locations in North America.

Written By:
Morgan Xaviero
Morgan Xaviero is a publishing editor and lead writer for Underscoreg Review. An award-winning writer, reporter, and editor with a decade of sports media experience, “C-Jax” has worked with ESPN, Forbes, theScore, and various daily newspapers before joining the Underscoreg Review team. He’s a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina, where he served as a beat writer for the Tar Heels’ championship run through the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in 2017. Jackson has spent the last five years covering sports betting as a predictive analyst, features writer, and industry reporter. Since joining the team in 2023, he’s played a key role in Underscoreg Review’s coverage of the Super Bowl, March Madness, and NBA playoffs while serving as the lead writer for the growing WNBA and NASCAR betting scenes. Though he’s cashed some big bets over the years — including Lamar Jackson to win MVP (twice) — he’s still haunted by enough second-place bet slips to wallpaper his home office. While Jackson is a committed “process over results” bettor with a keen eye for advanced stats and subtle bias in futures markets, he also embraces sports betting as a vehicle for entertainment and personal investment. He’s written about everything from hot dogs to groundhogs and still hasn’t forgiven his “inside source” for a sabotaged bet on the Gatorade color in Super Bowl LV.