Industry News For The Week Of February 9, 2025
Industry News
GeoComply, a global leader in advanced anti-fraud and geolocation compliance technologies, has reported a 14% increase in active player accounts across its online sportsbook customers during Super Bowl weekend compared to Super Bowl weekend last year.
While younger generations still dominate the US gambling market, a new TransUnion (TU) report found Baby Boomers and Gen X increased their betting engagement in the last quarter of 2024. Conversely, Millennials have been the core audience for gambling in recent years but saw their rates of participation drop somewhat last year.
Congresswoman Andrea Salinas and Senator Richard Blumenthal have reintroduced the Gambling Addiction Recovery, Investment, and Treatment (GRIT) Act, which aims to dedicate federal funds to studying, preventing, and treating gambling addiction across the US. If passed, the bill would offer states equitable funding for problem gambling efforts, replacing the patchwork state-level commitments available now.
Alabama
The new President of the Alabama Senate, Sen. Garlan Gudger, has expressed openness to evaluating gaming expansion proposals if any such bills are filed this year. While issues that prevented that enactment in 2024 remain, Gudger’s comments on the subject signal that similar bills will not be dead on arrival under his leadership.
Hawaii
A bill to allow casino gaming at two tourist destinations on Oahu has emerged from a Hawaii Senate committee and is awaiting a public hearing. Although more deliberation is needed before the legislation can come up for a vote in the full Senate, the bill has some influential supporters.
Mississippi
- Legal Sports Report: Mississippi Senate Passes Social Sweepstakes Ban
This week, the Mississippi Senate took the first big legislative swing at social sweepstakes platforms. On Tuesday, the Senate passed SB 2510, a bill that would ban social sweepstakes sites in the state. Lawmakers in the upper chamber voted in favor of the bill 44-1. While Mississippi is the first state with real legislative action on sweeps, bills in multiple other states could also impact the industry.
Oklahoma
- Legal Sports Report: Oklahoma Sports Betting Moves, But Is It Dead Already?
Oklahoma sports betting bills took a step forward Monday, but their fate seems all but sealed already. The House Appropriations and Budget Select Agencies Subcommittee moved Rep. Ken Luttrell’s HB 1047 and HB 1101 forward this week. HB 1047 would legalize sports betting in Oklahoma, while HB 1101 would put it to a public vote should 1047 fail. The pair of bills now go to the full committee.
New York
- Legal Sports Report: Key NY Lawmaker Issues Online Casino Hesitation
In January, Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner took over as chair of the NY Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee. Woerner said in a recent interview with City & State New York that online casino legislation will be looked at but she doubts 2025 will be the year it passes.
Texas
- Legal Sports Report: Texas Sports Betting Legislation Introduced In House
With the Texas sports betting conversations growing louder, a new House bill was introduced this week. On Wednesday, Rep. Sam Harless introduced House Joint Resolution 134, which would amend the state constitution to legalize Texas sports betting. It would need to pass the House and Senate before going to a public vote in November.