Industry News of the Day for December 2, 2022

Industry News

Illinois

  • PlayIllinois: Illinois Pro Sports Teams Could Apply For Sportsbook Licenses If Bill Passes
    • Illinois sportsbooks could be licensed directly to the state’s seven professional sports franchises if a bill proposed last week by 5th District Representative Lamont Robinson Jr. is passed. Specifically, the 11-page bill, HB5847, eliminates the middleman for the sports franchises in Illinois and allows them to apply for a sports betting license from the Illinois Gaming Board.

Maryland

  • PlayMaryland: Maryland Gaming Director Curbs Expectations For Initial Sportsbook App Revenue
    • Come Monday, Dec. 12, Maryland regulators will release numbers from the first eight days of online sports betting. Although the overall amount of wagers placed is expected to be substantial, sportsbooks’ tax contributions to the state will likely be negligible, warned the state’s top regulator this week.

Massachusetts

  • Gaming Today: Massachusetts To Publicly Review Sportsbook License Applications Next Week
    • Massachusetts gaming regulators will publicly review sportsbook license applications next week ahead of the commonwealth’s retail sports betting launch in January.  Three applications for in-person sportsbooks – one for each of the commonwealth’s three casinos – will be publicly evaluated by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission before Dec. 9.

New York

  • SBC Americas: NY lawmaker introduces bill to limit sports betting promo credit
    • Just weeks after the New York Times published a story questioning how much promotional credit is used by US sportsbook, a New York state lawmaker is trying to take action on the issue. State Sen. Pete Harckham introduced a bill that would give power to the New York Gaming Commission to (NYGC) to create rules limiting how much promotional credit sportsbooks can offer bettors.

Ohio

  • Sports Handle: Up To 18 Platforms Could Go Live In Ohio On New Year’s Day
    • When legal sports betting goes live in Ohio on Jan. 1, 2023, it will coincide with among the busiest 48 hours of sports of the year — a full slate of NFL games followed the next day by four college football bowl games and the Cincinnati Bengals vs. the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.
  • WCMH: Gambling in Ohio: Is the state ready for launch in 2023?
    • Aside from Christmas trees now out at Scioto Downs, new counters for its soon-to-be physical sportsbook were installed Monday, and signs advertising it now decorate the horse racing track and casino on South High Street. It’s a signal that as 2022 comes to a close, casinos in the state and national digital sportsbook apps are mostly just ready to usher in the new year.
  • PlayUSA: Revamped Responsible Gambling Campaign Offers Advice For Ohioans
    • Just weeks remain until legal Ohio sports betting kicks off. In advance of that event, Ohio for Responsible Gambling has released some new content to help Ohioans form good gambling habits. The campaign features a 30-second video that espouses the virtue of taking time to consider individual bets before placing them.

Pennsylvania

Texas

  • PlayTexas: Sen. Alvarado’s Gaming Legislation Will Not Address Online Sports Betting
    • Texas Sports betting advocates are jockeying to bring legal sports betting to the floor of the Texas State Legislature in 2023. Sen. Carol Alvarado has pre-filed SJR-17, which would legalize casino gaming in the state as well as sports betting. The broad language of the resolution led many to wonder what forms of sports betting: retail, online, or both.

Virginia

  • PlayVirginia: October Virginia Sports Bets Set A New Record At $528 Million
    • October Virginia sports bets cleared the $500 million mark for the first time, according to numbers released Thursday by the Virginia Lottery. Customers placed a single-month record $528 million in bets at the 13 Virginia sportsbooks. Seven of the 13 operators reported positive numbers once customer wins and authorized state deductions were factored in.