Industry News of the Day for December 13, 2023

Industry News

• The Guardian: Top US Betting Firm Lobbied Against Rules To Protect Young People And Problem Gamblers
  • One of the United States’ largest online gambling operators tried to water down rules designed to help problem gamblers and protect young and vulnerable people, according to documents seen by the Guardian. FanDuel lobbied for New York to rethink a proposed ban on gambling platforms from using certain words and phrases to attract people “who are or may be” problem gamblers to their websites. The company, which is owned by the Dublin-based gambling giant Flutter Entertainment, also opposed a rule prohibiting sports-betting advertisements near college campuses.

• PlayUSA: NCAA Commissions study of Social Media Abuse Related To Championship Events
  • Moving forward, social media posts regarding championship events that the NCAA holds will get some additional scrutiny. The NCAA has commissioned research into potential abuse on social media platforms directed at people involved with those championships. The NCAA says it will use the study’s data to formulate policy to deter such abuse. Although the scope of the study is not limited to posts regarding sports betting, such content on social media will be part of the analysis.

• Bonus.com: Time Out Ohio, Gamban Offer Free Blocking Software To Ohio Gamblers
  • A new partnership between Time Out Ohio (TOO) and Gamban offers Ohio gamblers one year of free access to the software that blocks over 70,000 international gambling websites and apps—across multiple devices. With the deal between the Ohio Lottery Commission’s (OLC) timeout program and the UK-based developer, Ohio joins Pennsylvania in giving players free access to the tool that blocks online bets. Through TOO, Ohio players could already self-exclude from brick-and-mortar casinos for one or five years. Alternatively, users can opt for lifetime exclusion.

Florida

• Gaming Today: Hard Rock Chairman Jim Allen On The Future Of Gambling In Florida
  • About an hour had passed since Hard Rock International Chairman Jim Allen concluded a ceremony marking a so-called “New Era of Seminole Gaming” in front of Elvis Presley’s gold piano. Craps and roulette tables being used for the first time at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino were bustling with imported celebrities and Seminole Tribe officials throwing down cash and curious on-lookers nudging through the crowded atrium. The makeshift retail sportsbook of televisions and kiosks wasn’t seeing as much action, and the full-time version behind the escalators leading upstairs to the Pool Bar & Grill had yet to be discovered by most.

Maryland

• SBC Americas: ESPN Bet Captures 6% Of Maryland Market During Opening Month
  • The end goal for Penn Entertainment, ESPN, and the newly launched ESPN Bet is 20% market share. That is not coming overnight, however. In its first month of operation in Maryland, the rebranded app did nab 6.2% of monthly handle with $33.3 million in wagers. That benchmark already exceeded any month of performance by Barstool Sportsbook during the year it was operational in the state. However, that performance did come with heavy promotional spending. A total of $13 million of the $33.3 million came in the form of promo credit.

New Jersey

• PlayUSA: Relax Gaming Launches In New Jersey Through BetMGM Online Casino
  • Relax Gaming has planted its flag in the Garden State. This week, the iGaming content supplier’s RLX Gaming brand cleared regulatory hurdles to go live in New Jersey through BetMGM. The partnership means that Relax’s library of online casino games is available to anyone within New Jersey state lines. New Jersey is the second-biggest online casino market in the country. It pulls in more than $135 million in revenue each month. The launch marks Relax Gaming’s first entry into the US iGaming space.

Vermont

• Sports Handle: Vermont Lottery Selects DraftKings, Fanatics, And FanDuel For Jan. 11 Launch
  • Gov. Phil Scott Tuesday announced that Vermont sports betting will go live Jan. 11, and that DraftKings, Fanatics Sportsbook, and FanDuel were awarded contracts to offer their betting apps. Consumers can begin registering for the platforms immediately. The Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery had the option to award up to six contracts. In addition to the three chosen, it received bids from BetMGM and PENN Entertainment, which operates the ESPN BET platform. To award contracts, the lottery used a detailed rubric that heavily weighted potential revenue to the state as a consideration.