Industry News of the Day for February 11, 2020

Industry News:

• Legal Sports Report, 2.10.20 – The Week In Sports Betting News: Is The NFL Finally Embracing Wagering?
  • Welcome back to the Legal Sports Report weekly sports betting news recap.
• Legal Sports Report, 2.10.20 – Iowa, Indiana Sports Betting Continues To Move In Opposite Directions
  • Another month, another steady set of trends for Iowa and Indiana sports betting results with the Hawkeye State declining and the Hoosier State growing.

Overall Industry News:

• Sports Handle, 2.10.20 – William Hill Strikes Deal To Become Official Sportsbook Provider For CBS Sports
  • William Hill US and CBS Sports announced a strategic partnership Monday afternoon that will make the company the official sportsbook and wagering data provider across all CBS Sports platforms.
• Legal Sports Report, 2.10.20 – How CBS Sports Will Leverage William Hill As US Sports Betting Media Partner
  • After months of speculation, the bookmark today announced a “strategic partnership” with CBS Sports. The deal makes Hills the official sportsbook and wagering data provider across all CBS Sports platforms.
• Online Poker Report, 2.11.20 – Best Of Both Worlds: Hard Rock Adds Live Slots To Online Casino
  • Hard Rock Atlantic City added another new product to its online casino platform on Monday.
• PlayNJ, 1.11.20 – A First For Online Casinos: Hard Rock Debuts Live Slots Studio
  • Hard Rock Atlantic City is the first online casino operator to offer live slots.
• SBC Americas, 2.10.20 – Affiliate Company Leadstar Media Set To Capitalize On Emerging US Market
  • Almost two years since every American state was granted the power to create its own sports gambling laws, US online gambling has moved at breakneck speed. That’s the view of Eskil Kvarnström, CEO of lead generation company Leadstar and sportsbook comparison website United Gamblers.

Virginia:

• Sports Handle, 2.10.20 – Both Virginia Chambers Approve Sports Betting Bills
  • Virginia lawmakers easily passed legal sports betting measures in both chambers on Monday.
• Legal Sports Report, 2.10.20 – Two Bills, One Goal As Differing Virginia Sports Betting Legislation Advances
  • It was a busy day for Virginia sports betting as the House and Senate each passed a bill – but they don’t quite match up.
• Daily Caller, 2.11.20 – Virginia Nears Legalizing Sports Gambling As Separate Bills Pass House And Senate
  • Virginia might be the latest state in America to legalize sports gambling.
• Gambling Compliance, 2.11.20 – Online Sports-Betting Bills Victorious In Virginia (subscription paywall)
  • Virginia’s House and Senate have both passed bills to regulate online sports betting, giving lawmakers just under one month to reconcile differences between the measures before the state’s legislative session ends on March 7.
• WAMU, 2.10.20 – Legal Sports Betting In Virginia Could Be A Big Win For Washington’s Pro Football Team
  • Both the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate on Monday approved bills to legalize sports betting, moving the Commonwealth one step closer to joining D.C. in allowing residents and visitors to wager on professional sports.
• The Daily Press, 2.10.20 – Virginians Could Soon Buy Lottery Tickets Online
  • It’s been 14 years since Virginia lawmakers put a ban on online lottery sales.

Maine:

• Legal Sports Report, 2.10.20 – Governor Twisting Arms To Protect Veto Of Maine Sports Betting Bill
  • Intense lobbying by the governor and state casinos has put Tuesday’s expected House override of the Maine sports betting veto in doubt.
• Bangor Daily News, 2.10.20 – Sports Betting Survived In The Maine Legislature By One Senator’s Accidental Vote
  • A key sports betting measure got new life in the Maine Legislature by one vote last week only after a senator from Oxford County accidentally voted to override a veto from Gov. Janet Mills, according to another bill opponent.

Pennsylvania:

• Technical.ly, 2.10.20 – These Penn Grads Want Their Startup To Be ‘A Beacon Of Truth In Sports Betting’
  • In October 2017, Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill allowing sports betting in the state of Pennsylvania, which took effect the following year with the repeal of PASPA, a federal law outlawing sports betting.

New Hampshire:

• The Center Square, 2.10.20 – New Hampshire Officials Tout Early Success Of Sports Gambling Program
  • Even though the Patriots weren’t the winners, heading into Super Bowl weekend, the New Hampshire Lottery reported more than $1 million in sports betting net profit for education.

Connecticut:

• NBC Connecticut, 2.11.20 – Hearing To Be Held On Sports Betting In Connecticut
  • On Tuesday, state legislators will discuss a new bill to legalize sports betting in Connecticut.
• CT Post, 2.10.20 – Dan Haar: A Sports Betting Compromise That Might Pay Off
  • Connecticut missed the Super Bowl at the betting window and we’ll miss March Madness. But the state may be inching closer to online and in-person sports betting.

New York:

• The Buffalo News, 2.10.20 – Court Ruling Throws Online Sports Betting Push In New York Into Question
  • Legalizing online sports gambling in New York State already faced a questionable future in Albany this year.
• WHEC, 2.10.20 – Appeals Court Rules Legalizing Online Sports Betting Would Require Constitutional Amendment
  • Legalizing online sports betting could face more opposition in New York, after a recent court ruling.

Delaware:

• iGB North America, 2.11.20 – Delaware Sports Betting Revenue Reaches $1.5M In January
  • The Delaware Lottery has revealed a 5.5% year-on-year rise in sports betting revenue for January, despite an overall decline in player spending.

Nebraska:

• KOLN, 2.10.20 – Husker Legends Oppose State Bill To Legalize Sports Gambling
  • Senator Wayne brought his bills to hearing on Monday because he wants to keep money in Nebraska and boost the economy. While he supports this, dozens of opponents said it’ll ruin sports and several families.

Illinois:

• Gambling Compliance, 2.11.20 – Governor Pritzker Confirms Sports Betting In Illinois By March Madness (subscription paywall)
  • It should be a very happy St. Patrick’s Day this year for the Illinois gaming industry because at least one of the state’s casinos will be taking bets on March Madness, according to Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker.

Michigan:

• Online Poker Report, 2.10.20 – Online Lottery Sales Continue To Surge As Michigan Prepares For Expanded Gambling
  • Although Michigan passed a full-scale online gambling bill in 2019, its citizens still have at least a year to wait before the first online sportsbooks, casinos, and poker rooms go live.

Indiana:

• PlayIndiana, 2.10.20 – Online Betting Responsible For 72% Of $170M In January Sports Bets
  • Indiana continued to cement its status as the fourth-largest sports betting market in the United States with a record-setting January. Indiana bettors placed more than $170 million in wagers. Its an almost 10% jump from December’s take of almost $162 million.

Iowa:

• iGB North America, 2.10.20 – Iowa Sportsbook Revenue Rises To $3.2M In January
  • Iowa casinos took in $3.2m in revenue in January, an 11.4% year-on-year increase, despite handle declining 2.1% to $58.0m as lower success of retail punters offset a weak online win rate.

Tennessee:

• Gambling Compliance, 2.11.20 – Operators Push Tennessee Lottery To Drop Sports-Betting Hold Restriction (subscription paywall)
  • A host of major gaming operators have urged the Tennessee Lottery to amend, or drop altogether, a provision in its draft regulations that would require sportsbooks to hold at least 15 percent of betting handle.

Florida:

• Tampa Bay Times, 2.11.20 – Will Florida Pass E-Verify, Sports Betting And New Gun Restrictions? What Florida Insiders Predict
  • With the legislative session at the mid-point, the Tampa Bay Times asked more than 150 lobbyist, politicians, activists, party workers, campaign staff and donors to handicap what will and won’t pass out of Tallahassee before lawmakers leave town in mid-March.

Wyoming:

• Casper Star-Tribune, 2.10.20 – Lawmakers Mull Regulated Gaming In Wyoming. The Question Is How Far The State Should Go?
  • Almost everyone in the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee Room agreed Monday that 2020 should be the year Wyoming starts to regulate gaming.

Oklahoma:

• Tulsa World, 2.10.20 – Judge Orders Mediation Between Stitt, Tribes Over Gaming Compacts
  • A federal judge on Monday ordered Gov. Kevin Stitt and the tribes involved in a legal dispute over gaming compacts to enter mediation.

Nevada:

• Legal Sports Report, 2.11.20 – Could Barstool Sportsbook Be Destined For The Las Vegas Strip?
  • There could be a Barstool Sportsbook on the Las Vegas Strip whether Penn National keeps its current southern Nevada casino or not.

Washington:

• Sports Handle, 2.10.20 – Washington State Could Be First In West To Legalize In 2020
  • If you take Nevada out of the mix, the West has been slower than the East, Midwest or South to embrace legal sports betting since the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in May 2018.
• KUOW, 2.10.20 – Odds Improving That Washington May Legalize Sports Betting, But Not Like Oregon
  • A couple of years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for states beyond Nevada to have sports betting. Then Oregon dove in last yea