Industry News of the Day for April 26, 2019

iDEA Growth in the News:­­­­­

• Sports Handle, 4.25.19 – Mobile, Colleges Key to Illinois Sports Betting Debate (J. Williams as iDEA Growth spokesperson quoted)
  • Mobile sports betting was front and center at Thursday’s hearing. Of particular interest to the subcommittee was testimony from Jake Williams, vice president of legal and regulatory affairs for Sportradar, who was appearing on behalf of industry group iDEA Growth.
• Capitol News Illinois, 4.25.19 – Licensing Fee Emerges As Issue In Sports Betting Legislation (J. Williams as iDEA Growth spokesperson quoted)
  • With five plans being considered, it’s anyone guess what legalized sports gambling will look like in Illinois if the legislature approves a bill this spring.
• WRSP, 4.25.19 – Lawmakers Weigh Whether To Allow Mobile Sports Betting In Illinois (J. Williams as iDEA Growth spokesperson quoted)
  • Time is running out for lawmakers to pass a sports betting bill if they want to get through during the spring legislative session.

Industry News: Illinois

• WLS, 4.25.19 – Athletic Directors Want College Sports Kept Out Of Illinois Sports Betting Bill
  • Sports betting is moving a step closer to becoming a reality in Illinois as lawmakers work quickly to capitalize on the gaming market that is about to take off in neighboring states.

New Jersey:

• Legal Sports Report, 4.25.19 – March Madness Windfall: $100 Million Bet On NCAA Men’s Tourney In NJ
  • New Jersey regulators said that the state saw more than $100 million wagered on the recently completed NCAA men’s tournament. It’s the first time that betting on March Madness took place at legal NJ sportsbooks.
• NJ Gambling Sites, 4.25.19 – NJ Sports Betting Hauls In $106 Million Handle From 2019 March Madness
  • The anticipation of March Madness betting began months ago for sports betting in New Jersey. After all, last month, for the first time outside of Nevada post-PASPA, legalized wagering on the ever-popular NCAA Tournament began in earnest.
• AP, 4.25.19 – March Madness Bets 3 Times Higher Than Super Bowl Bets In NJ
  • Football’s championship game may have been super, but gamblers in New Jersey dug much deeper into their wallets for college basketball’s national championship tournament.

Nevada:

• Legal Sports Report, 4.25.19 – What, Vegas Worry? First March Madness After PASPA Breaks Nevada Sports Betting Records
  • Worry not for the future of Nevada sports betting, if revenue figures from March Madness is any indication. Nevada set a new record for monthly handle at nearly $600 million wagered last month as revenue topped $32.5 million. Hold nearly pegged historical markers at 5.4 percent.

West Virginia:

• WV Metro News, 4.24.19 – Lottery Prepping To Approve Additional Sports Betting Apps
  • The state Lottery approved one-year licenses for five companies Wednesday in connection with sports betting in the Mountain State.
• Charleston Gazette-Mail, 4.24.19 – Lottery Commission approves licenses for sports betting apps
  • West Virginia Lottery commissioners on Wednesday approved state licenses for several companies that provide sports betting mobile app technologies, but Lottery Director John Myers said state casinos probably won’t move forward until the courts resolve a new federal Department of Justice interpretation of the federal Wire Act.
• WV News, 4.24.19 – WV Casino Owner Will Have To Start From Scratch With Sports Betting
  • The state’s Lottery director said Wednesday that a company that owns two casinos in West Virginia will essentially need to start from scratch for its sports betting programs.

Indiana:

• WIBC, 4.24.19 – No Deal Yet On Casino Bill As Clock Ticks Toward Adjournment
  • The fate of a gambling bill is the biggest unanswered question on what’s expected to be the final day of the legislative session.

North Carolina:

• The News & Observer, 4.24.19 – As NC Seeks To Legalize Sports Betting, Ex-NBA Commissioner Weighs In At Elon
  • When former NBA commissioner David Stern is asked about the potential impacts of sports betting on college sports, he chuckles and shakes his head, as if he already knew the question was coming.

Tennessee:

• Nashville Tennessean, 4.25.19 – Sports Betting Passes Tennessee House Of Representatives After Debate Over Gambling
  • Legislation to legalize online sports betting in Tennessee passed Wednesday in the House of Representatives, despite a spirited debate from members worried about the effects of gambling addiction.
• AP, 4.24.19 – Tennessee House OKs Sports Betting Bill, Clearing Key Hurdle
  • A bill that would allow sports betting in Tennessee passed the House on Wednesday, a key hurdle in a state that has been historically hesitant to expand gambling.

New Mexico:

• KRQE, 4.24.19 – Isleta Casino May Soon Offer Sports Betting
  • A third casino may soon be adding its name to the list of sports betting venues in New Mexico. The Isleta Pueblo says their casino is expecting to begin operating their own sportsbook as early as this summer.

Iowa:

• AP, 4.24.19 – Iowa Governor Declines To Commit To Signing Sports Betting Bill
  • Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds declined Tuesday to tip her hand on whether she’ll sign a sports betting bill that’s passed its final legislative hurdle.

Colorado:

• Denver ABC 7, 4.26.19 – Colorado Lawmakers Eye Sports Betting For Nov. Ballot, But Experts Caution Over Expected Windfall
  • In a matter of months, Colorado’s sports gamblers may no longer need to travel to Las Vegas to place a legal bet. Earlier this week, Colorado’s House of Representatives passed a bill to legalize sports gambling in Colorado.

Overall Industry News:

• Sports Handle, 4.25.19 – Sports Betting Conference Shows Spotlight Is Off Daily Fantasy
  • There’s a classic family photo of my younger sister – she’s three years old with brilliant blue eyes, and is the baby of the family. Make that, was the baby of the family – the photo shows her crestfallen look as not one but two babies arrive at the front door: yes, twins (now I’m the youngest).
• Play NJ, 4.25.19 – How The US Sports Betting Integrity Group Works Now That It’s Officially Launched
  • The Sports Wagering Integrity Monitoring Association (SWIMA) is officially operational. And NJ sports betting operators are delegates to this multi-jurisdictional entity. The official launch date for this not-for-profit organization was April 18.