iDEA Growth in the News:

• NJ Online Gambling, 1.15.19 – New Jersey Plans To Fight For State Right To Offer Online Gambling
  • The Department of Justice has issued a long-rumored reinterpretation of the 1961 Wire Act, a law that, believe it or not, directly applies to online casino gaming today. (J. Ifrah quoted as spokesperson): “The revised opinion does not reflect the thoughtful and more careful analysis issued by the two highest federal courts of appeal that have reviewed this precise question,” D.C.-based online gaming attorney Jeff Ifrah told CDC Gaming Reports. “This opinion standing alone, of course, changes nothing and is of no significance or value. It is unfortunate that the Office of Legal Counsel appears to have been manipulated to issue an opinion for purely political purposes.”

• US Bets, 1.15.19 – If Christie Had Been Named AG, Would The Wire Act Have Been Left Alone?
  •  Based on both Christie’s recent remarks about The Wire Act of 1961 and a legal opinion released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Justice, it’s fair to assume that countless souls in the business of expanding legal gambling in the U.S. wish Christie had gotten the nod. (J. Ifrah quoted as spokesperson): “This Opinion has not yet been implemented into an enforcement action, so worry about the legality of sports betting and online gaming may be premature,” Ifrah wrote in a blog post Tuesday. “However, the Opinion seeks to push these questions to eventual litigation and clarification by the courts or action by Congress.

Industry News of the Day:

• Sports Handle, 1.16.19 – Growing Pains, Learning Curve Testing New Sportsbook Operations
  • Growing pains and a steep learning curve are heavily impacting sportsbooks as sports betting continues to sweep the nation.

New York:

• ESPN, 1.15.19 – Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to legalize sports betting in New York
  • New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants 2019 to be the year legal sports betting comes to his state.

• Legal Sports Report, 1.15.19 – NY Governor Cuomo Pitches For Sports Betting, But There’s A Big Catch
  • New York appears to be taking another step toward regulated sports betting, but not the one the industry really wanted.

• The Buffalo News, 1.15.19 – Place your bets: Cuomo wants sports gambling in upstate New York casinos
  • Sports gambling should be permitted at four upstate casinos, according to the budget plan unveiled today by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

• FOX 5 NY, 1.14.19 – Sports betting is huge in New Jersey; New York could follow soon
  •  Since New Jersey legalized gambling on sports in June 2018, the state’s sportsbooks have collected almost $1.25 billion in bets and $94 million in gross revenue. And New Yorkers are playing a huge part in New Jersey’s success.

• Sports Handle, 1.15.19 – Cuomo Calls For Authorization Of Sports Betting In Upstate New York Casinos
  • As New York seeks to close a deficit in excess of $3 billion for fiscal year 2019-2020, there are strong indications that the Empire State may turn to sports betting to reduce some of the gap.

Tennessee:

• Nashville Tennessean, 1.15.19 – Sports betting, no vaping in zoos, raw milk regulation: Bills filed in Tennessee this year
  • The Tennessee General Assembly has briefly met for its first few days of session, before recessing until after the inauguration of Gov.-elect Bill Lee.

North Dakota:

• Sports Handle, 1.16.19 – First North Dakota Sports Betting Bill Filed
  • North Dakota Representative Jason Docktor (R-District 7) became the first in his state last week to file a sports betting bill. 

Indiana:

• Sports Handle, 1.15.19 – Indiana House Bill Allows State-Wide Mobile Betting, Sets Low Tax Rate
  • Indiana Representative Alan Morrison’s HB 1363, the companion bill to Senator Jon Ford’s SB 439, got a first reading Friday and was referred to the Committee on Public Policy. The bill mirrors Ford’s in many ways and adds a tax rate of 6.25 percent on gross gaming revenue for in-person wagers placed at physical sportsbooks. 

Pennsylvania:

• The Lines, 1.15.19 – Bettors Applaud Kiosk Availability, In-Game Betting At New Parx Sportsbook
  • The second major sportsbook in the Philadelphia-area opened to the public on Thursday. Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, began operations just in time for bettors to place wagers on the NFL’s Divisional Round game between the New Orleans Saints and local Philadelphia Eagles.

Connecticut:

• Connecticut Post, 1.15.19 – Committee heads differ on future of gambling
  • In a critical year for gambling in Connecticut, there are three Democrats at the center of a crucial legislative committee who appear poised to clash.

Massachusetts:

• AP, 1.15.19 – Casino revenues rise as gov to name new casino regulator
  • Massachusetts’ casinos are reporting increased revenues. The state Gaming Commission reported Tuesday that MGM Springfield generated $21.6 million in gambling revenues in December, a modest uptick from November’s $21.2 million.

Mississippi:

• Sun Herald, 1.15.19 – Coast casinos have best year since recession, best December ever with sports betting
  • Mississippi Coast casinos had their best December in 26 years, after legalized sports betting allowed Saints fans across the Gulf Coast to bet on their team this year.

Illinois:

• Chicago Post Tribune, 1.15.19 – Melton bill calls for Gary inland casino, port development
  • State Sen. Eddie Melton has introduced a wide-ranging economic development bill for Gary that permits the holder of Gary’s two riverboat licenses to relocate one license to operate an inland casino in the city.

Indiana:

• Tribune Star, 1.15.19 – Terre Haute casino bill filed, Chamber supports effort
  • Legislation outlining steps required to site a casino at Terre Haute received a reading in the Indiana Senate Tuesday and was assigned to the chamber’s Public Policy Committee.

Iowa:

• The Gazette, 1.15.19 – Iowa should go all in on internet betting
  • State policymakers in recent years have discussed several ways to expand legal gambling to the internet, including lottery e-tickets, sports betting and online poker, all of which would be more attractive to younger players who are not interested in traditional betting.

Federal Updates:

• Reuters, 1.15.19 – U.S. Justice Dept broadens restrictions on internet gambling
  • The U.S. Justice Department will effectively prohibit online gambling and lottery businesses, experts said on Tuesday, after it decided to broaden its interpretation of rules governing interstate sports gambling to other forms of betting.

• Bloomberg, 1.15.19 – U.S. Online Gambling Reversal Puts ‘Chill’ on Industry
  • The U.S. Justice Department’s decision to expand a federal prohibition on internet gambling will cast a pall on the industry as businesses and state lotteries evaluate the implications of the change and the government’s plans to enforce it.

• Fortune, 1.15.19 – Justice Department Says All Online Gambling Is Illegal
  • The U.S. Justice Department now says that all internet gambling is illegal.

• U.S. News, 1.15.19 – DOJ: All Online Gambling Is Illegal — Not Just Sports Betting
  • A new legal opinion released by the Justice Department could further restrict online gambling, making it illegal in all forms.

• AP, 1.15.19 – Justice Department opinion could threaten online gambling
  • A legal opinion from the U.S. Department of Justice made public Monday could threaten the viability of online gambling that crosses state lines such as poker.

• Investor’s Business Daily, 1.15.19 – Here’s Why The DOJ Has An ‘Uphill Battle’ To Defend New Online Gambling Stance
  • The Justice Department could struggle to defend a new opinion that threatens the legality of online gambling, an analyst has said.

• Online Poker Report, 1.16.19 – Will The New Wire Act Opinion Affect Legal Online Gambling Payments?
  • Earlier this week, the US Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel updated its interpretation of the 1961 Wire Act. The new opinion reverses the one issued in 2011, which narrowed the prohibitions to sports betting alone.

• Financial Times, 1.15.19 – US online betting ban knocks UK bookmakers
  • Shares in the UK’s biggest gambling groups fell on Tuesday after the US justice department released a legal opinion that all online gambling was illegal under federal law.

• NY Daily News, 1.15.19 – Sheldon Adelson’s casino interests ahead of states’ rights? Stop Trump from filling the swamp
  • In one of the most brazen examples of crony capitalism since President Trump was elected, on Jan. 14 the Department of Justice just made public a memo stating that federal law prohibits the state legalization of internet gambling. This re-interpretation could potentially reverse states’ existing policies, all as a seeming thank you gift to Las Vegas casino owner Sheldon Adelson, who with his wife just sent over $100 million to Republicans for the midterm elections.

Sports league updates: 

• No new sports legal updates to report. 

iDEA Growth Member News:

• Legal Sports Report, 1.16.19 – Sportradar Looks Beyond Data To Full-Service Sports Betting Marketing
  • Sports betting data giant Sportradar wants to branch out into a host of related services to expand its business.

• The Lines, 1.15.19 – If I Ran The SBNC: 5 Things I Would Implement For The Next DraftKings Sports Betting National Championship
  • As I write this, I am on a plane, one day removed from being bounced from the inaugural DraftKings Sports Betting National Championship (SBNC).

Overall industry updates: 

• No overall industry updates to report. 

Industry news of the day:

• Sports Handle, 1.11.19 – Get a Grip: The Week in Sports and Sports Betting: Southern States Getting in on Action 
  • Here’s the weekend Sports Handle item, “Get a Grip,” recapping the week’s top stories, and rounding up key stories in sports betting, gaming, and the world of sports at large. You may have missed them, and they are worth reading.

New York: 

• iGaming Business, 1.11.19 – Madison Square Garden eyes sports betting move
  • The parent company of New York’s Madison Square Garden (MSG) could be set to move into the sports betting market after applying to trademark its MSG brand for sports wagering purposes.

Maine: 

• Press Herald, 1.13.19 – Maine Legislature poised to debate legalized sports betting 
  • Mainers could legally place bets on football, baseball, basketball and other professional and college games under several bills to sanction and regulate sports betting that are heading for debate in this session of the Legislature.

Pennsylvania: 

• Philadelphia Business Journal, 1.11.19 – Sports betting officially kicks off at Parx Casino 
  • Parx Casino on Thursday accepted its first legal sports wager, with a line of people waiting to take their first bets following a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Louisiana: 

• The Advocate, 1.13.19 – James Gill: How sports betting money could be used to boost literacy in Louisiana 
  • Gov. John Bel Edwards believes that the state has been too eager to dedicate tax revenues, but suggests we do it again.
• The Advocate, 1.12.19 – Support builds around legalizing sports betting in Louisiana, but it’s not a slam dunk 
  • Bipartisan support is building around a plan to allow sports wagering in Louisiana casinos, but a host of issues have yet to be hashed out and it will likely be more than a year before the first bet is placed here.

Iowa: 

• Neighbor News, 1.12.19 – GOP leader says ‘good chance’ sports book legalized in Iowa this year 
  • The 2019 Iowa legislature convenes on Monday and odds are that lawmakers will consider a bill to make it legal to bet on sporting events.

Tennessee: 

• Chalk Beat, 1.11.19 – Sports betting among first education bills filed in Tennessee in 2019 
  • A proposal that would let voters legalize sports betting to help fund local schools and infrastructure is among a dozen education-related bills filed in the first week of Tennessee’s 2019 legislative session.

Missouri: 

• News-Press Now, 1.11.19 – Make Missouri benefits from sports betting 
  • If the Kansas City Chiefs play the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs next year, odds are you will be able to place a bet on that game.

New Jersey: 

• PlayNJ, 1.14.19 – Can the New Owners of Ocean Resort Casino Succeed Where Others have Failed? 
  • It’s official, pending final approval Ocean Resort Casino (formerly Reveland Ten) is once again changing hands.
• PlayNJ, 1.11.19 – Ride the NJ Online Casino Coaster this Weekend and Pick up Three Easy Bonuses 
  • Hold tight, as we’re about to go on another roller coaster ride through the wonderful world of NJ online casino bonuses.

Federal updates: 

• No new federal updates to report.

Sports league updates: 

• Sports Handle, 1.11.19 – NBC Sports Washington Hopes to Offer Fans Glimpse of Future Sports Betting Broadcasts with Innovative Wizards’ Contest 
  • Less than 10 months since the Supreme Court’s historic ruling on sports betting, a Washington D.C.-area network is launching an innovative product that may serve as a harbinger for how sports will be consumed in the post-PASPA era.

• Gaming Today, 1.13.19 – Super Bowl broadcast won’t be talking sports betting 
  • Super Bowl Sunday is in three weeks. Sports betting has been legalized in multiple states around the country in recent months.
• Gambling Insider, 1.11.19 – Gambling not to be mentioned during the 2019 Super Bowl 
  • Despite the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in the US, Columbia Broadcasting System (CMS) will not be discussing gambling during its broadcasting of the 2019 Super Bowl.

Member updates: 

• Legal Sports Report, 1.13.19 – $2.5 Million DraftKings Sports Betting Championship Ends with Controversy 
  • The DraftKings Sports Betting National Championship was supposed to be a celebration of the possibilities for the future of US sports betting.
• ESPN, 1.14.19 – Leader prevented from making final wager in $2.5 M betting contest 
  • A national sports betting handicapping contest with a $2.5 million prize pool ended in controversy Sunday in New Jersey, after the Day 3 leader was prevented from making his final wager before the NFC divisional-round game between the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints kicked off.
• Market Watch, 1.11.19 – DraftKings hires lobbyists as sports betting spreads in U.S. and draws lawmakers’ attention 
  • DraftKings Inc., a company that’s seen sizable growth thanks to its daily-fantasy games, is providing more evidence that it’s aiming to become a force in sports betting.
• Globe Newswire, 1.14.19 – Paysafe Group Appoints Walt Macnee as Non-Executive Director 
  • Paysafe Group (Paysafe), a leading global payments provider, today announces the appointment of Walt Macnee as an independent, non-executive director. The appointment takes immediate effect.

Overall industry updates: 

• The Guardian, 1.11.19 – ‘People are dying’: Campaigners want gambling classes a public health issue 
  • Campaigners for stronger government regulation of gambling have called for it to be classed as a public health concern and for betting companies to be required to prove their products are safe before being allowed to launch them.
• European Gaming, 1.12.19 – Race to Capitalize on U.S. Sports Betting Set to Continue in 2019 says GamblingCompliance 
  • The number of U.S. states with legally approved sports betting will more than double in 2019 from 9 to 18 or more as lawmakers capitalize on last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned a federal ban, according to a report published today by GamblingCompliance.

Industry news of the day:

West Virginia:

• Online Poker Report, 1.10.19 – West Virginia Looks to Legalize Online Casino, Poker with New Bill
  • West Virginia legalized sports betting in 2018, and now it’s looking into another expansion of gaming in 2019: Online casino and poker.

Michigan:

• The Detroit News, 1.9.19 – Opinion: Despite veto, online gambling still coming
  • As Majority Floor Leader of the Michigan Senate, I, along with the rest of the Michigan legislature, worked hard to help dig Detroit out of what amounted to the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. 

New Jersey:

• NJ Online Gambling, 1.10.19 – New $11 Million Borgata ‘Sports Wagering Venue’ to Open this Summer
  • Some Atlantic City casinos raced to the starting line to offer sports betting in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last May that paved the way for states to do so. Others took a more deliberative approach.
• iGaming Business, 1.10.19 – Borgata commits $11m to sportsbook project
  • Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa is to invest $11m (£8.6m/€9.5m) in the development of a new sports betting lounge on the property.
• Press of Atlantic City, 1.9.19 – Borgata to start $11 million sports betting bar project
  • The first New Jersey casino to offer sports betting is expanding its space to do so.
• NJ Biz, 1.10.19 – Borgata to build $11M sports betting ‘destination bar’
  • The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City will start construction next week on an $11 million sports betting bar, the luxury resort announced Wednesday.
• NJ Gambling Sites, 1.9.19 – Where and How to Bet on the Super Bowl When You’re in New Jersey
  • For the first time, New Jersey will be able to accept legal bets on the Super Bowl. In case you are wondering, this is a big deal.

Pennsylvania:

• The Inquirer, 1.9.19 – Slot machines, fantasy sports, mini-casinos. Where’s Pa. online gaming, a year after legalization
  • Fourteen months after the Pennsylvania legislature approved a massive expansion of consumer gambling options, the new offerings are only now beginning to trickle into the marketplace.
• The Intelligencer, 1.10.19 – Editorial: Parx ups the ante with sports betting
  • In July 2004, then-Gov. Ed Rendell came to Philadelphia Park in Bensalem and signed a law authorizing 61,000 slot machines in Pennsylvania to generate revenue for tax relief and to prop up the state’s flagging horse-racing industry. Detractors gloomily predicted that slots would be just the beginning.
• Penn Bets, 1.9.19 – Casino Regulators to Parx Poker Dealers: Sorry, We Just Don’t Trust You
  • Poker dealers at Parx Casino outside Philadelphia weren’t able to score a victory on Wednesday with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

Washington DC:

• Baltimore Sun, 1.9.19 – Digest (Jan. 9): Washington game sites could host sports betting
  • When sports gambling is formally legalized in Washington, fans will have the option to place bets in convenience stores, bars, restaurants or from their living room couches.
• The Washington Post, 1.9.19 – The biggest sportsbooks in D.C. could be at Capital One Arena and Nats Park
  • When sports gambling is formally legalized in Washington, fans will have the option to place bets in convenience stores, bars, restaurants or from their living room couches. But the most visible and elaborate betting venues could feel familiar to D.C. sports fans: the high-traffic arenas and stadiums the city’s professional teams call home.
• BisNow, 1.9.19 – Sports Bets on Every Corner: How Retailers Could Cash in on D.C.’s New Gambling Law
  • Bars, event venues and other retailers in D.C. could soon offer sports betting inside their walls under a new law the D.C. Council passed in December, and everyone from independent entrepreneurs to popular D.C. bar owners to MGM Resorts is looking to get in on the action. 

New York:

• European Gaming, 1.10.19 – Online poker bill introduced in US Senate
  • New York Senator Joseph Addabbo has introduced a bill in the senate to legalise online poker in the state.

Virginia:

• WAMU, 1.9.19 – State Taxes, Corporate Incentives, Sports Betting: A Look at the 2019 Virginia General Assembly Session
  • Virginia lawmakers met in Richmond Wednesday to start the 46-day General Assembly session.

Federal updates:

• Reason, 1.10.19 – The DOJ Shouldn’t Reignite the Fight Against Intrastate Gambling
  • The government has been shut down for over two weeks and is on track to become the longest shutdown in U.S. history. As for how long the current standoff between the Trump administration and the Democratic congress is going to last, your guess is as good as mine. It’s a gamble for both sides. That makes it the perfect time to write a column about gambling.

Sports league updates:

• ESPN, 1.9.19 – Astros projected to win 97.5 games by Ceasars’ sportsbook
  • With a close eye on impact free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, Caesars Entertainment’s sportsbook started taking bets this week on win totals for the upcoming MLB season.
• US Bets, 1.9.19 – Leagues Continue to Seek a Slice of the Sports Betting Pie in 2019
  • There’s a new name for the portion of the sports betting action that pro sports leagues want state legislatures — or the federal government — to guarantee to the leagues.

Member updates:

• Calvin Ayre, 1.10.19 – PokerStars PSPC Report: the giddy life of Daniel Negreanu
  • Lee Davy sits down with Daniel Negreanu to gauge his thoughts on what’s next for the PokerStars Player’s No-Limit Hold’em Championship, what goes into a cracking wedding list and much, much more.
• Independent, 1.10.19 – Smurfit Jnr’s Gan in US expansion with PaddyPower Betfair’s FanDuel
  • Dermot Smurfit Jr’s Gan has entered a “material” long-term deal with the FanDuel Group.

Overall industry updates:

• US Bets, 1.9.19 – The Long and Tortuous Road of U.S. Online Gambling Expansion
  • Just before Michigan’s legislative session wound down for the year, lawmakers passed a flurry of bills that would, among other things, legalize online poker and virtual casino gambling.
• Huff Post, 1.9.19 – YouTube’s Cool with Monetized Videos Promoting a Gambling Scam to Kids
  • YouTube’s top influencers have cashed in on highly lucrative sponsorship deals to promote an online gambling company to their young fans, and YouTube doesn’t have a problem with it.
• iGaming Business, 1.10.19 – GAN grows US reach with FanDuel contract expansion
  • iGaming platform and software supplier GAN has significantly expanded its US regulated market footprint through a new, expanded contract with long-term partner FanDuel Group.
• Press Release, 1.10.19 – GamblingCompliance: Race to Capitalize on U.S. Sports Betting Set to Continue in 2019
  • The number of U.S. states with legally approved sports betting will more than double in 2019 from 9 to 18 or more as lawmakers capitalize on last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned a federal ban, according to a report published today by GamblingCompliance.
• Las Vegas Now, 1.9.19 – Sports betting summit takes over South Point Hotel
  • The sports betting industry was in the spotlight in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Industry news of the day:

New York:

• Online Poker Report, 1.7.19 – NY Online Poker Bill Introduced for 2019 in Senate with New Sponsor
  • The prospect of online poker lives on in New York, as a bill was introduced in the state Senate once again.
• Online Poker Report, 1.7.19 – New York Online Poker Bill Faces a Difficult Path to Passage in 2019
  • Barely a week into the new year, New York has an online gaming bill in the hopper.
• Gaming Intelligence, 1.8.19 – New York lawmakers set to consider online poker legislation
  • It would amend the state’s racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law to define gambling as a person staking or risking “something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under his or her control or influence”.

North Dakota:

• Sports Handle, 1.7.19 – Two North Dakota Lawmakers Set to File Sports Betting Bills
  • Two North Dakota lawmakers are preparing to file bills that would legalize sports betting in a state that only allows gaming through charitable organizations. The lawmakers, Representative Thomas Beadle (R-District 27) and Representative Jason Docktor (R-District 7) have plans for similar bills, and depending on how Beadle’s bill is received, Docktor may choose instead to offer legislation that would ultimately change the state constitution to allow commercial sports betting.

Washington DC:

• Sports Handle, 1.7.19 – D.C. Lottery Wants to Extend Monopoly to Intralot
  • Three weeks to the day after the D.C. Council passed a bill to legalize sports betting, it will take up additional legislation that will allow the D.C. Lottery to partner with an operator without a competitive bidding process, and begin developing sports betting regulations.

Connecticut:

• Hartford Courant, 1.7.19 – Sports Betting would be legalized at Connecticut casinos, online under proposed bill
  • A bipartisan group of legislators from Connecticut’s southeastern delegation have submitted a bill that would establish online and in-person sports betting in the state.

Tennessee:

• Calvin Ayre, 1.7.19 – Tennessee to consider sports betting with proposed bill
  • When the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the federal betting sports ban last year, all experts expected a torrent of state legislation to follow. Tennessee is proving them right, with a new proposed bill in the works.
• FOX 13, 1.8.19 – Memphis City Council to discuss possibility of sports betting on Beale Street
  • Sports betting could be coming to Beale Street if some Shelby County commissioners get their way. 

Iowa:

• KCRG, 1.8.19 – Eastern Iowa lawmaker to push for legalization of sports betting
  • An eastern Iowa lawmaker says he will push for the legalization of sports betting when the legislature starts back Monday.

Missouri:

• Ozark Radio News, 1.8.19 – Missouri lawmakers to consider sports betting, redistricting
  • Missouri lawmakers will consider whether to collect sales taxes on online purchases, allow sports gambling and overhaul legislative redistricting when they return for the start of the 2019 session.

Federal updates:

• No new federal updates to report.

Sports league updates:

• iGaming Business, 1.8.19 – NBC Sports to integrate predictions game in NBA broadcast
  • NBC Sports will debut a predictions game incorporating features more commonly found in in-play wagering during its live broadcast of the NBA basketball game between the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks this week.

Member updates:

• Penn Bets, 1.7.19 – Paddy Power Betfair’s Marketing Wizards will Help Valley Forge Punch Above its Weight
  • On November 30, FanDuel Sportsbook in New Jersey gave Crimson Tide backers an unexpected surprise: The nascent book preemptively paid out all bets on Alabama to win the college football national championship — before the teams playing for the championship had even been determined.
• Gaming Intelligence, 1.8.19 – Feature: SG Digital embraces the Platform Revolution
  • SG Digital is aiming to be the Facebook of iGaming. Gaming senior vice president Dylan Slaney explains how.
• iGaming Business, 1.8.19 – Gamesys boosted by B2C growth in 2018 results
  • Gamesys reported a 24.4% rise in revenue for the year ended March 31, 2018 as a result of strong growth from its customer-facing brands.

Overall industry updates:

• NJ Online Gambling, 1.7.19 – Sports betting regulators advise states to temper expectations, welcome competition
  • Barely six months into the new era of legal sports betting in the U.S., it’s still a little early to project what impact the added option will have on the gambling industry in general.
• Legal Sports Report, 1.7.19 – Sports Betting Startup Bet.Works Receives GLI Hardware, Soft Certifications
  • Bet.Works is one new company probably worth keeping an eye on as sports betting expands in the US.
• iGaming Business, 1.8.19 – Bet.Works receives US Sportsbook certifications
  • Bet.Works, a US-based igaming and sportsbook platform supplier, announced today that it has been granted one of the first concurrent Gaming Laboratories International GLI-33/GLI-19 certifications for Sportsbook operations. Bet.Works has successfully completed pre-compliance testing of its Sportsbook Platform against the “GLI-33: Event Wagering Systems” standard.

Industry news of the day:

Pennsylvania:

• Legal Sports Report, 1.3.19 – Isn’t This Special, Philly? Parx Ready to Join PA Sports Betting Ranks Next Week
  • Get ready for another sportsbook, Philadelphia: Parx Casino plans to start its PA sports betting operation Tuesday.

Rhode Island:

• Legal Sports Report, 1.3.19 – How Much Can We Really Learn from Four Days of RI Sports Betting Revenue?
  • New Englanders apparently like the idea of RI sports betting, if the first four days of wagering give any indication.

Michigan:

• Online Poker Report, 1.3.19 – Michigan is the Biggest Loser Under Governor’s Online Gambling Veto
  • In deciding to veto a set of online gambling bills, former Gov. Rick Snyder left Michiganders with a lump of coal in their stockings on his way out the door.
• Casino Games Pro, 1.4.19 – Could 2019 be more Favorable to Michigan’s Online Gambling Following Major Setbacks after Governor Snyder’s Veto?
  • Last week, the Governor of Michigan Rick Snyder vetoed the proposed online gambling bill HB 4611 on his way out the institution.
• Pokerfuse, 1.3.19 – Michigan Fails to Legalize Online Gaming in 2018
  • The “Lawful Internet Gaming Act” got squashed by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder just days before he left office. Had the bill passed it would have seen the legalization of online poker, slots and other forms of online gaming for players within the state of Michigan.

New York:

• Sports Handle, 1.3.19 – Breaking Down Caesars’ Deal to Run Tribal Sportsbooks in New York
  • The Oneida Indian Nation in central upstate New York announced Wednesday it has struck a deal with Caesars Entertainment to offer sports betting at its three tribal gaming locations.

New Jersey:

• NJ Gambling Sites, 1.4.19 – Down the NJ Sports Betting Stretch: Freehold Raceway Mapping Out its Launch Plans
  • Freehold Raceway did not make it out of the NJ sports betting starting gates in 2018. It’s looking like this year is going to be a different story.
• Nj Gambling Sites, 1.3.19 – Atlantic City Casinos Head into 2019 with Smiles on their Faces
  • Atlantic City casino news has taken a back seat lately to all the NJ sports betting talk and online casino revenue chatter.

Arkansas:

• Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 1.4.19 – New official added to lawsuit by foes of Arkansas casino
  • The Arkansas Racing Commission and a newly sworn-in county judge were added to a lawsuit that seeks to nullify a letter of support for a Mississippi company that wants to build a hotel and casino in Russellville, Ben Cross, the current county judge in Pope County, said Thursday.

Tennessee:

• Commercial appeal, 1.3.19 – The 9:01: How sports betting could upgrade schools and public transit in Memphis
  • Thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last May, Tennessee is looking this year to cash in on the estimated $150 billion professional and college sports betting industry.
• WMC 5, 1.3.19 – State lawmakers request sports betting legislation
  • State lawmakers start the next legislative session Tuesday in Nashville, with sports betting as a main focus.

Maryland:

• The Baltimore Sun, 1.4.9 – 9 key issues that Maryland lawmakers will address during the 2019 General Assembly session
  • Maryland’s 188 lawmakers go back to work Wednesday for their annual 90-day General Assembly session. From abortion to marijuana to sports betting, here’s a look at at some of the key issues they’ll be facing.

Federal updates:

• No new federal updates to report.

Sports league updates:

• Legal Sports Report, 1.3.19 – NFL Gets into Gambling in a Big Way, Adds Caesars Entertainment as ‘Official Casino Sponsor’
  • The NFL now has a casino sponsor as legal sports betting spreads across the United States.
• Sports Handle, 1.3.19 – NFL Strikes Deal with Caesars – League’s First Official Casino Partner
  • Last month when the NFL announced it would hold its 2020 draft in Las Vegas, it also publicly wished for a gaming partner. Poof! Less than a month later, the league has signed a deal with Caesars Entertainment to be its casino partner. To be clear, this is not a sports betting deal, like the ones the other major professional leagues have signed with MGM International, but a casino deal.
• ESPN, 1.3.19 – NFL partners with Caesars Entertainment in first casino sponsorship
  • For the first time, the NFL is partnering with a casino at the league level.
• iGaming Business, 1.4.19 – AGA celebrates NFL’s first gambling deal
  • The American Gaming Association (AGA) has welcomed the National Football League (NFL) becoming the last of the four major US sports leagues to partner with a gambling operator following its deal with Caesars Entertainment.
• Concord Monitor, 1.3.19 – NFL: parlays with Caesars as sponsor minus sports betting
  • The NFL entered a partnership with Caesars Entertainment on Thursday, the league’s first official casino sponsor. The multiyear deal, however, does not include sports betting or fantasy football.
• The Action Network, 1.4.19 – Rovell: NFL’s Big-Money Deal with Caesars Full of Hypocrisy
  • On Thursday, the NFL announced that it signed a sponsorship deal with Caesars Entertainment to be the league’s first ever official casino partner.
• CBS Sports, 1.4.19 – NFL DFS for Wild Card Round: Best DraftKings, FanDuel daily fantasy football picks and lineups
  • NFL DFS players have plenty of headlines to sift through ahead of Wild Card Weekend. 

Member updates:

• iGaming Business, 1.3.19 – Bet.Works hires Laila Mintas to oversee US expansion
  • US-based iGaming and sportsbook technology start-up Bet.Works has strengthened its expansion efforts in the country’s burgeoning sports betting market by appointing Dr Laila Mintas as chair of its advisory board.
• NJ Gambling Sites, 1.3.19 – DraftKings Eyes More Online Casino Games, Adds Slots, Roulette and Bonus Poker
  • New Jersey’s industry-leading sports betting platform unveiled four new iGaming offerings on Tuesday — Cleopatra and Wheel of Fortune slots, Double Double Bonus poker and roulette.
• Play NJ, 1.3.19 – Are you ready for some football this weekend? NJ online sportsbooks sure are
  • Sportsbooks in New Jersey are no doubt approaching the end of football season with some regret since football is the busiest time of the year for sports betting.

Overall industry updates:

• Legal Sports Report, 1.3.19 – An LSR Fireside Chat, Part 2: Who Were the Mount Rushmore Figures of Sports Betting in 2018?
  • Welcome back to a (mostly) civil discussion among the Legal Sports Report staff on the sports betting year that was. The last 12 months in sports betting proved enormously eventful and covered more ground than we possibly could review.
• The Sports Daily, 1.3.19 – Where is Online Gambling going in 2019?
  • The online gambling industry boasts of being a pioneer in adopting new technologies. Whether it is video gaming designs, marketing or payment systems, online casinos don’t shy away from embracing technology. So, what awaits of the industry in 2019?
• Know Techie, 1.4.19 – Can you cheat online gaming sites?
  • A genuinely foolproof way of cheating online gaming sites could make you some serious money. Plenty of people say they can do it, and many software companies say they have the tools to help you cheat online casinos. But is it possible? Read on to find out.
• iGaming Business, 1.4.19 – iGaming Dashboard – January 2019
  • H2 Gambling Capital and iGaming Business are pleased to bring you the January 2019 iGaming Dashboard.
• iGaming Business, 1.4.19 – MGM launches efficiency drive to achieve 2020 vision
  • Las Vegas-headquartered casino operator MGM Resorts International has announced a major restructuring programme as it looks to increase earnings by $300m (£236.7m/€263m) by 2021.