Industry News of the Day for April 3, 2023

Industry News

  • Gambling News: Fanatics, Hard Rock Digital, PointsBet Bolster RG Commitments
    • The Coalition’s member lineup consisted of Bally’s, BetMGM, DraftKings, Entain, FanDuel, and MGM Resorts International, which are now joined by the latest trio as well. The organization came together in September 2022, introducing 12 responsible gaming principles, which members accept to follow.

Kentucky

  • Legal Sports Report: Kentucky Sports Betting Signed Into Law By Gov. Beshear Hours After Passage
    • It took less than 24 hours for Kentucky sports betting to become law following legislative approval. Gov. Andy Beshear signed KY sports betting legislation Friday morning, effective June 28, with the bill requiring the market to be live within six months. The signature comes following the Kentucky Senate passing HB 551 Thursday evening.
  • SBC Americas: Rep. Michael Meredith On How The KY Sports Betting Bill Succeeded
    • When Kentucky state Rep. Adam Koenig exited office at the start of the year, it created a vacuum around the effort to legalizing sports betting in the state. Koenig had sponsored the bill for years and very nearly got the bill passed in 2022. Yet, here we are in 2023 and the groundwork finally paid off, as the state Senate passed the sports betting bill on the final day of the legislation.

Massachusetts

  • PlayMA: Read The Letter PointsBet Sent To Pull Its Massachusetts Application
    • During last Thursday’s Massachusetts Gaming Commission meeting, the MGC voted to accept PointsBet‘s request to withdraw its Massachusetts online sports betting license application. This was merely a formality. PointsBet withdrew its application a few weeks before the March 10 online sports betting launch and was not one of six MA online sportsbooks that launched that day.

New Hampshire

  • PlayUSA: New Hampshire Online Casino Bill Survives Scare To Pass Senate
    • Passing New Hampshire online casino legislation through the Senate wasn’t easy. But nothing involving online casino legislation has been easy in 2023. Rep. Tim Lang’s SB 104 originally failed 11-12 on second reading Thursday. But Senate President Jeb Bradley had Lang’s back. Bradley immediately called a recess. And, after just a few minutes, the Senate returned and motioned to reconsider the bill. On a second vote, the New Hampshire online casino bill passed 12-11.

New York

  • PlayNY: Breaking Down Perhaps Overlooked Details Of NY Sports Betting Promotions
    • Sportsbooks offer some phenomenal promotions to New York bettors. But they can also cause confusion. Every NY sports betting app is in competition for your business, and gaming operators try grabbing your attention with flashy new-user bonuses. This is only intensified with the March Madness Final Four coming this weekend, and the Masters following soon after. Sportsbooks get a ton of handle from each event.

North Carolina

  • NCSharp: North Carolina Has High Rate of Problem Gambling Before Sports Betting Legalization, Expert Says
    • With Problem Gambling Awareness Month nearing its end, North Carolina’s bid to legalize online sports betting got bolstered this week as HB 347 cleared the House. The bill now moves to the North Carolina Senate. Dr. Michelle Malkin was among many interested observers in the Tar Heel State. Malkin, an assistant professor at East Carolina University, also serves as Vice Chair for the National Council on Problem Gambling’s Research Committee.

North Dakota

  • Williston Herald: North Dakota Lawmakers Divided On Sports Betting But May Put It To Voters Next Year
    • If passed, House Concurrent Resolution 3002 would allow North Dakotans to vote next year on whether they would like to see sports betting legalized. The resolution, which would put the issue on the November 2024 general election ballot, was introduced by Rep. Greg Stemen, R-Fargo. “It is important to note, passage of this resolution does not legalize sports betting,” Stemen told the House Judiciary Committee on Jan. 9.

Ohio

  • PlayOhio: Ohio Sportsbooks Take $639 Million In February Bets, Revenue Over $82 Million
    • Legal sports gambling in Ohio continued its momentum in February, following January’s record-setting debut with another successful showing. Ohio sportsbooks netted $82.8 million in revenue last month, according to March 31 data from the state Casino Control Commission. The state’s 17 online sportsbooks reported $81.9 million, or 99%, of the monthly revenue.

Ontario

  • PlayCanada: Ontario Seeing Increase In Problem Gambling Calls
    • One of Ontario’s leading problem gambling helplines is seeing a sharp rise in calls seeking help. And a large volume of the calls to Connex Ontario have been those seeking help for problems with online gambling. On April 4, it will have be a year since the launch of legal online gambling in Ontario. Over 70 gambling sites are being run by 46 operators in the province.

Pennsylvania

  • PlayPennsylvania: Pennsylvania Bettors Gambled More In Counties Near Major Sports Teams
    • The highest percentage of bettors in Pennsylvania reside in counties closest to major sports teams in the state, according to the PA Online Gambling Report. While online gambling remained stable across PA, it’s clear Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Penn State fans drive the majority of the action, both online and offline.