Industry News of the Day for December 28, 2020

Industry News:

• Online Poker Report, 12.23.20 – The Year In Review: The Three Biggest Surprises And Disappointments Of 2020
  • As we count down the days until it’s time to throw out our calendars, here are some of the biggest surprises and worst disappointments that we’ve covered at OnlinePokerReport in 2020.
• Sports Handle, 12.27.20 – Get A Grip: The Week In Sports Betting: TN and CO Numbers, FanDuel Promotion
  • Here’s the weekend (or fashionably late) Sports Handle item, “Get a Grip,” recapping the week’s top US sports betting stories, highlighting some fresh news, and rounding up key stories.
• Sports Handle, 12.23.20 – Michigan, Virginia Planning January 2021 Mobile Sports Betting Launches
  • January could be a huge month for legal sports betting as regulators in both Michigan and Virginia say they’re aiming to have operators go live with digital platforms in the first month of 2021.

Overall Industry News:

• The Baltimore Sun, 12.24.20 – Sinclair Broadcast CEO Chris Ripley Sees Big Future In Pairing Sports Betting With Media
  • When Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired 21 regional sports networks from The Walt Disney Co., it transformed its business from being one of the nation’s largest local TV station owners known for its conservative editorial bent into a media conglomerate with a huge stake in sports broadcasting.

Pennsylvania:

• Penn Bets, 12.23.20 – Addition Of Betfred’s Online Sportsbook Makes It A Clean Dozen In Pennsylvania
  • It didn’t take long for Pennsylvania to move from 11 to 12 online sportsbooks, as Betfred received state approval Wednesday for permanent operation of its site.
• The Morning Call, 12.24.20 – Wind Creek Launches Online Sportsbook In Pennsylvania
  • Wind Creek Hospitality on Wednesday launched its online sports betting platform in Pennsylvania, following the opening of its sportsbook last month at the Bethlehem casino.
• WPXI, 12.28.20 – Retail Casino Gaming Revenue Down In PA, But iGaming And Sports Betting Soars
  • Total revenue is down at casinos across the state, according to figures released by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

New York:

• WAMC 12.27.20 – NYS Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara: Time To Permit Mobile Sports Betting
  • Democratic state Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara has another idea: legalize mobile sports betting, allowing New Yorkers to gamble from their cell phones instead of only inside a casino.
• NY State Of Politics, 12.23.20 – Seeking Revenue, Some Lawmakers Eye Mobile Sports Betting
  • Closing New York’s budget gap will likely include a combination of tax increases for upper income New Yorkers, spending reductions and, potentially, aid from Washington.

Tennessee:

• Associated Press, 12.23.20 – Tennessee Saw $131M In Nov. Sports Bets; $2.4M Tax Revenue
  • Tennessee’s new online-only sports betting program saw $131.4 million in gross wagers last month, yielding almost $2.4 million in privilege taxes for the state, officials said Wednesday.
• Legal Sports Report, 12.23.20 – Tennessee Sports Betting Handle Hits $131 Million In Strong First Month
  • Tennessee launched sports betting in November with just four operators but still managed the best first month in US betting history.
• TN Bets, 12.23.20 – Tennessee Sportsbooks See $131.4 Million In Handle During November
  • On Wednesday afternoon, the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation released official online sports betting figures from November, the first month of wagering after a shotgun launch on Nov. 1.

Michigan:

• Online Poker Report, 12.23.20 – Multistate Online Poker Bill Passes Legislature, Heads To Michigan Governor
  • Michigan online poker players are one step closer to being able to take part in tournaments and cash games that involve players in other states.
• PlayMichigan, 12.26.20 – Michigan Sports Betting’s First Year: What Was And What Could Have Been
  • The events of March 11 and 12 are ones that as a nation we won’t soon forget. Pandemic news brought a slow acceptance of the new normal on the horizon. All the while, Michigan’s sports betting industry was opening, right as the world was shutting down around it.
• PlayMichigan, 12.24.20 – Michigan Bettors Lament: All We Wanted For Christmas Was Online Gambling
  • Sports betting, online casinos, and online poker will finally arrive in Michigan in early 2021, but it’s been a long year leading up to it.

Illinois:

• PlayIllinois, 12.24.20 – With Betting Numbers Booming, Illinois To Further Study Problem Gaming
  • In late November, The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) announced it would conduct a yearlong, statewide study on gambling and gambling addiction.
• PlayIllinois, 12.23.20 – Why Illinois Sportsbooks Made 6X More Money In October
  • Illinois posted $434.6 million in sports betting handle in October, a sharp increase from $305.2 million in September.

Iowa:

• PlayIA, 12.23.20 – Iowa Lottery Could Prime The Pump For Changes To Gambling Law In 2021
  • The new session of the Iowa Legislature starts on Jan. 11, and there’s a lot on the agenda for the IA gaming industry.

Georgia:

• The Sun Herald, 12.27.20 – Sports Betting Front And Center In Renewed Legalized Gambling Debate In Georgia
  • Advocates for bringing legalized gambling to Georgia will be back under the Gold Dome next month, pitching the financial benefits of casinos, horse racing and sports betting together and separately.

Oklahoma:

• Cherokee Phoenix, 12.26.20 – Sportsbook Betting Not An Urgent Issue For Tribes
  • Despite talk about renegotiated tribal gaming compacts possibly leading to sports wagering in Oklahoma, it appears there is no urgency to legalize “sportsbook” gambling in the state.