Industry News of the Day for April 7, 2020

iDEA Growth in the News:

• Online Poker Report, 4.6.20 – Will US Online Gambling Ever Be Free From The Wire Act? (iDEA Growth mentioned)
  • The Wire Act still looms large over online gambling in the US. The 1961 federal statute is the reason there aren’t yet any legal betting exchanges or other interstate options for punters.

iDEA Growth Member News:

• Forbes, 4.7.20 – Legal Sports Betting Still Faces Competition From Illegal Market; Low State Taxes Could Turn The Tide (Ifrah Law)
  • Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, states are moving quickly to legalize sports wagering. Indeed, just last month, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed sports betting into law in that state, in addition to the Virginia state legislature passing a bill.
• NOLA.Com, 4.6.20 – Fantasy Debates? DFS ‘Survivor’? How Sports Betting Survives Amid Coronavirus Shutdown (DraftKings)
  • As the coronavirus pandemic grinds the sports world to a halt, keeping fantasy players in the money has taken some imagination.

Industry News:

• Bloomberg, 4.7.20 – States Stand To Lose Billions In Taxes Tied To Tourism, Live Sports
  • In recent years, taxing sports betting was embraced by a dozen states as new funding source. Now, suddenly, it’s a revenue wasteland.
• Legal Sports Report, 4.6.20 – The Week In Sports Betting News: Colorado Pushes Toward May 1 Open
  • Even with very limited sports, sports betting news continues to trickle out. We’ll remain on top of everything sports betting throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
• Legal Sports Report, 4.7.20 – It Could Be A While Before We See A Sports Betting Month Like February Again
  • It will likely be months until US sports betting sees a month like February, as the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a halt.
• Sports Handle, 4.6.20 – What’s The Point Of Banning Betting On In-State College Sports Teams?
  • Of the 21 states that currently allow legal sports betting in some capacity, 10 have some sort of prohibition on betting on collegiate athletics.
• Sports Handle, 4.6.20 – Nevada, Indiana Add More Events For Sports Bettors
  • Gaming regulators in Nevada and Indiana continue to add new options for operators who offer sports betting.
• Gambling Compliance, 4.7.20 – Pennsylvania, Missouri Cite Coronavirus In ‘Grey Slot Machines’ Crackdown (subscription paywall)
  • Pennsylvania State Police have warned convenience and liquor stores to bar customers from continually playing unregulated gaming devices amid a rise in coronavirus cases.
• PlayUSA, 4.6.20 – Live Updates: Casinos Throughout The US Shutter Amid Coronavirus
  • The uncontrollable spread of COVID-19 has brought the casino industry to a grinding halt. Across the country, casinos are closing their doors to casual and experts bettors in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Overall Industry News:

• 4.6.20 – Who Needs Sports? Quickpicks Offers Fantasy Games On Historical Data
  • The dearth of live sporting events during the COVID-19 pandemic has left television networks broadcasting vintage games and sportsbooks and daily fantasy operators scrambling to developing markets from the margins.

Sports League News:

• Gambling Compliance, 4.7.20 – US Sports Trying To Retain Fan Interest Amid Uncertainty (subscription paywall)
  • As uncertainty continues to surround the resumption of professional sports, some American leagues are turning to unorthodox solutions to keep fans, and potentially bettors, interested.

New Jersey:

• PlayNJ, 4.6.20 – Pandemic Leads To Uptick In Online Casino Gambling; Will Problem Gambling Also Rise?
  • It is hard to believe that Atlantic City casinos have been closed for three weeks. The state is surely feeling the economic impact.
• NJ Gambling Sites, 4.6.20 – With Most Sports In Hibernation, DGE Approves New NJ Sports Betting Operations
  • Table tennis, aka ping pong, and other sports were recently approved by the Division of Gaming Enforcement and has since become a regular in the lineup at a couple of New Jersey online sports betting platforms.

Connecticut:

• The Day, 4.6.20 – Ordering Legal Online Gaming Would Be A Step Too Far
  • Last week the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, by unanimous agreement of the 22 towns represented, urged Lamont to take the extraordinary step of authorizing the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes to conduct online gaming. Lamont declined.
• Gambling.Com, 4.6.20 – Governor Denies Connecticut Online Gaming Bid From Tribes
  • Tribes in Connecticut, unable to offer brick-and-mortar gambling at their casinos because of coronavirus-related closures, asked last week for a chance to offer online casino gaming but were denied by Gov. Ned Lamont.

New York:

• iGB North America, 4.6.20 – NY Sports Betting Revenue Up In March Despite COVID-19 Impact
  • The New York State Gaming Commission has reported a month-on-month rise in sports betting revenue for March, despite the state’s market being impacted by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) global pandemic.
• Sports Illustrated, 4.6.20 – PGA Cancels Open Championship, No Plans For Mobile Sports Betting In New York
  • There’s bad news for New Yorkers looking to gamble on sports from their phones in 2021. Governor Andrew Cuomo and Empire State lawmakers finalized the state budget and left out any revenue from mobile sports gambling.

Maryland:

• Press Box, 4.6.20 – William Hill Sports Betting Company Poised To Be Regional Player
  • Little is certain in the world these days, and in the very large category of the many loose ends in the coronavirus pandemic era is the question of what will become of sports gambling in Maryland.

Colorado:

• The Daily Sentinel, 4.6.20 – Colorado’s Sports Betting Market Could Generate $6B In Annual Wagers After Games Are Back On, According To PlayColorado
  • Colorado’s sports betting industry will eventually generate billions of dollars in bets annually, hundreds of millions in operator revenue, and millions in tax revenue, according to estimates by PlayColorado, which analyzes the state’s newly regulated sports betting market.
• iGB North America, 4.6.20 – Road And WH Receive CO Licenses In Latest Round
  • The Colorado Gaming Control Commission has issued master sports betting licenses to seven venues, including two operated by Century Casinos, as well as online betting licenses to Roar Digital, Smarkets, Rush Street Interactive and Penn National Gaming.

Nevada:

• NY Daily News, 4.6.20 – Nevada Gaming Control Approves eNASCAR iRacing Betting
  • According to ESPN’s David Purdum, Nevada Gaming Control has officially given the green light for the state’s sportsbook to offer betting on eNASCAR iRacing.

Washington:

• Associated Press, 4.6.20 – Tribal Casinos In WA Closing Due To Coronavirus
  • Numerous Indian tribes around the state are temporarily closing their casinos because of the coronavirus outbreak.