Industry News
- Legal Sports Report: ESPN Bet Launches Mint Club Linking Betting, Scores In App
On Wednesday, Penn Entertainment launched a new in-app feature called Mint Club, a step toward tighter integration between ESPN Bet and ESPN’s broader digital ecosystem as the company works to boost engagement and improve market share.
- Hard Rock Bet: Hard Rock Bet Launches New Stats Hub
Hard Rock Bet has launched its latest sports betting tool, Stats Hub, powered by GTG Network. The Stats Hub features interesting insights for bettors across various sports. Users can sort for info by the sport or the information they’re after. Within each league, there is a variety of data, including streaks, player props, and parlays.
- Legal Sports Report: Penn Hires Former FanDuel Product Chief As ESPN Revamp Continues
Penn Entertainment has hired former FanDuel executive Billy Turchin as the Chief Product Officer for its interactive segment, the latest in a string of key hires from major sports tech brands. Turchin announced the move on LinkedIn on Thursday. He will oversee product strategy across Penn’s digital portfolio, which includes ESPN Bet, Hollywood Casino, and theScore Bet.
Hawaii
Hawaii will say “aloha” to sports betting legislation in 2025, but it is unclear if that will mean hello or goodbye. Last week, the Hawaii Senate passed a bill to legalize and regulate sports wagering and fantasy contests in the Aloha State. Rep. Daniel Holt’s House Bill 1308 yielded a 15-10 vote in the Senate, with amendments returned to the House for concurrence. The House did not concur with the changes, though, meaning a conference committee will be needed to hash out any differences.
Kansas
- Legal Sports Report: Kansas Sports Betting License Renewals Shift To New Entity
Kansas sports betting could see some changes in the future after a strange move by the state legislature. Last week, lawmakers approved a small budget provision that prevents regulators from negotiating Kansas sports betting license renewals through the fiscal year ending in June 2026. Six sportsbooks have licenses with terms that run until August 2027.
Nevada
Any hopes for a Nevada state lottery in the current decade are dead after a bill to implement one failed to emerge from the Legislative Operations and Elections Committee before last Friday’s deadline. Due to the state’s laws, a repeat attempt would take at least five more years to come to fruition, even if lawmakers were to begin again immediately.
New Jersey
Atlantic City casinos in March saw a significant bump in revenue from February, though not nearly as large as the one enjoyed by the state’s online casinos. On Wednesday, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement reported that Atlantic City casinos produced $230.9 million in March revenue. That is a 3.7% year-over-year decrease, but a 13.5% month-over-month decrease. For the second straight month, online casinos outpaced the land-based market. Platforms produced an all-time record of $243.9 million.
North Carolina
- Legal Sports Report: Lawmakers Propose NC Sports Betting Tax Hike
In the latest North Carolina budget proposal, lawmakers are looking to double the NC sports betting tax. North Carolina Senate Republicans released their two-year budget on Monday night. It includes doubling the NC sports betting tax rate to 36% from 18%. The Senate has a large Republican majority, but it must also find an agreement with a yet-to-be-released House budget. Online sportsbooks launched in the state in March 2024 and paid more than $135 million in their first year of operation.
Ohio
- Legal Sports Report: Lawmakers Deny Ohio Sports Betting Tax Hike
Ohio lawmakers have passed an amended version of Gov. Mike DeWine’s proposed budget, but not before removing a massive sports betting tax hike. DeWine proposed increasing the Ohio sports betting tax rate to 40% from 20%. It would have been the second doubling of the rate in two years after DeWine doubled it in 2023. Lawmakers scrubbed the increase before passing the amended budget last week, 60-39.
Pennsylvania
- PlayPennsylvania: Sen. Yaw Brings Back Skill Games Regulation Bill to Support Veterans
Pennsylvania Senator Gene Yaw (R-23) announced last week that he has reintroduced a bill to regulate and tax skill games, with the goal of helping small businesses and raising revenue for veterans’ organizations. State legislators are divided on the issue, with some wanting to ban the devices while others, like Yaw, prefer to see their legality formalized. Yaw wrote a memo earlier this year stating his continued intent to bring the legislation to fruition.
