Industry News of the Day for April 29, 2020

iDEA Growth in the News:

• Gambling.Com, 4.28.20 – Tennessee Sports Betting On Horizon; Will Sportsbooks Follow? (iDEA Growth mentioned)
  • The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation has posted applications for sports betting licenses on its website, but it remains to be seen which sportsbooks will want to enter the all-mobile betting market.

iDEA Growth Member News:

• NJ Online Gambling, 4.28.20 – Industry Insiders: Online Poker Can Be A ‘Lifesaver For Sports Betting Operators’
  • New Jersey is one of only four U.S. states currently allowing legal online poker — Nevada, Delaware, and Pennsylvania are the others — and as of March’s revenue figures, NJ was leading the way with over $3.6 million in rake among operators PokerStars, PartyPoker, and 888/WSOP.
• Online Poker Report, 4.28.20 – Waiting For Green: DraftKings Casino Could Be Competing In Pennsylvania This Week
  • The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) will hold its scheduled monthly meeting by teleconference this Wednesday, April 29.
• PlayPennsylvania, 4.28.20 – DraftKings Gearing Up To Get In The PA Online Casino Game
  • The DFS and online sportsbook giant just became a publicly traded company on Friday. Now, it looks to be adding to its online casino portfolio.
• PlayUSA, 4.28.20 – PlayUSA Rewind: DraftKings Acquires SBTech, Becomes Publicly Traded Company
  • Shareholders last week approved the company’s acquisition of SBTech, setting up DraftKings’ announcement a day later that it completed various transactions to complete the reverse merger.

Overall Industry News:

• Associated Press, 4.28.20 – Masks, Separated Slots, More Cleaning Once Casinos Reopen
  • The coronavirus could be a literal game changer once America’s casinos reopen.
• US Bets, 4.28.20 – Gambling Marketing An Increased Concern In The Age Of COVID-19
  • Experts said at the SBC Digital Summit panel on “Safer Gambling During Self-Isolation” that, so far, there has been little indication of any drastic increase in compulsive gambling despite the number of people furloughed, laid off, or working at home instead of going about their normal routine.

Federal News:

• NJ Online Gambling, 4.29.20 – Sports Leagues And Horsemen Brace For News From U.S. Supreme Court In May
  • On Monday, the NCAA, NFL, and three other major pro sports organizations took their final stand in a U.S. Supreme Court filing aimed at getting their feud with New Jersey’s thoroughbred horsemen heard.

Sports League News:

• ESPN, 4.28.20 – White House Discusses Reopening Plan With Sports Leagues
  • Chief medical officers from major sports leagues participated in a call Tuesday with Seema Verma, who is a member of the White House coronavirus task force and administrator for the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Virginia:

• Legal Sports Report, 4.29.20 – How Virginia Became Second State To Legalize Sports Betting In 2020
  • Virginia sports betting is officially legal after overcoming a rocky start and a last-second completion.

New Jersey:

• NJ Online Gambling, 4.28.20 – No Action On The Field, But Huge Betting Action At NJ Sportsbooks For Unusual NFL Draft
  • Last week, as the only game in town for the month of April for such sports bettors — those who didn’t jump at wagering on Russian table tennis or Burundi soccer — the NFL Draft was a bonanza for sportsbooks in the state.
• Legal Sports Report, 4.28.20 – PointsBet Touts NJ Sports Betting Handle Share Growth In Quarterly Report
  • Australian-listed sportsbook operator PointsBet turned out positive results for its fiscal third quarter despite a coronavirus-shortened sports schedule.

Pennsylvania:

• PlayPennsylvania, 4.28.20 – PA Tracks Prepare Reopening Plans As The Future Of Racing Hangs In The Balance
  • Members of the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission began early steps toward reopening racing in the Keystone State.

Rhode Island:

• Gambling.Com, 4.28.20 – Rhode Island Sees Decline In March Sports Betting Numbers
  • Rhode Island saw a drop in March sports betting handle and revenue as both casinos in the state closed on March 14 in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Michigan:

• PlayMichigan, 4.28.20 – Report: Michigan Tribal Casinos Suffering Due To Closures
  • Autonomous casinos have long been a sustaining economic boon for Michigan’s Native American tribes. So, what happens when the casinos close?
• PlayMichigan, 4.28.20 – PointsBet Plans iGaming Debut For Momentous Michigan Launch
  • From half a world away, PointsBet executives will keep a close eye on Michigan over the next few years.
• Gambling Compliance, 4.29.20 – MGM Resorts Pitches Accelerated Online Gaming Plan In Michigan (subscription paywall)
  • With casino doors still shuttered, discussions between operators and regulators are ongoing to potentially accelerate the launch of online casino gaming in Michigan.

Colorado:

• KDVR, 4.27.20 – Colorado’s Struggling Casino Industry To Get Boost From Sports Betting, Fee Waivers During Shut Down
  • The small town famous for having more than a dozen casinos is waiving $1.4 million in device fees to help casinos through the shutdown.