Industry News of the Day for February 12, 2020

iDEA Growth Member News:

• Legal Sports Report, 2.11.20 – Unibet Doubles US Market Access Through Caesars In Iowa, Indiana Sports Betting
  • Kindred Group has secured access to its third and fourth US states through a new agreement with Caesars Entertainment.
• PlayIA, 2.11.20 – Kindred Group And Caesars Entertainment Join Forces In Iowa
  • Kindred Group announced on Tuesday that it has signed agreements with Caesars Entertainment that will give it market access in the state of Iowa.
• PlayIndiana, 2.11.20 – Unibet Sportsbook Coming To Indiana Via A Deal With Horseshoe Hammon And Caesars
  • Kindred is about to move into a third US state after being none this past summer. A market access deal for Unibet sportsbook adds Indiana to the company’s list.
• Penn Bets, 2.11.20 – Kambi Report Shows Just How The NFL Rules Among US Bettors
  • The just-completed NFL season provided plenty of information to Kambi about sports bettors in Pennsylvania and elsewhere in the U.S., including the fact that two of every five across the country used a pro football game last fall for their first legal wager.

Industry News:

• PlayUSA, 2.11.20 – PlayUSA Rewind: Super Bowl Betting Numbers, Maine News & The NFL Is Hiring
  • The largest and most significant segment of the sports betting calendar has concluded.
• US Bets, 2.11.20 – New England Sports Betting Legalization: Mayhem In Maine, Mystery In Massachusetts, Connecticut
  • It is legal to place sports bets in Rhode Island and, as of about six weeks ago, New Hampshire. That much we know. Beyond those simple facts, though, sports wagering legalization in New England has become a tumultuous, uncertain mix of steps forward, steps backward, steps sideways, and, in Maine specifically, all manner of dance moves at once.

Sports League News:

• ESPN, 2.12.20 – All-In On Gambling: XFL Embracing Betting From The Get-Go
  • The XFL is embracing sports betting more than any other U.S. professional or collegiate league ever has.
• New York Post, 2.11.20 – XFL’s Betting-Friendly Approach Is Paying Off With Fans And Vegas
  • The first week of XFL 2020 is in the books, and the reviews generally have been positive across the board.

Maine:

• Associated Press, 2.11.20 – Maine Legislature Sustains Governor’s Veto Of Sports Betting
  • Maine lawmakers did not muster enough support Tuesday to override a veto of a sports betting proposal, and the governor urged lawmakers to “slow down” and see how it plays out in other states.
• Legal Sports Report, 2.11.20 – Why House Killed Maine Sports Betting After Approving It Last Year
  • An attempt to override the veto of Maine sports betting legislation fell short Tuesday after intense lobbying from Gov. Janet Mills to sustain her veto.
• Sports Handle, 2.11.20 – Despite Senate Override, Maine House Kills Sports Betting
  • Amid swirling drama, the Maine House on Tuesday killed a bill that would have allowed for legal sports wagering in the state — possibly for the next few years.
• Gambling Compliance, 2.12.20 – Maine House Fails To Override Governor’s Sports-Betting Veto (subscription paywall)
  • After a surge of optimism following the Senate’s override vote last week, state legislators dashed the hopes of sports-betting supporters in Maine on Tuesday by failing to override Governor Janet Mills’s veto.
• The Press Herald, 2.11.20 – House Votes To Sustain Governor’s Veto Of Sports Betting Bill
  • The state House of Representatives voted Tuesday to sustain Gov. Janet Mills’ veto of a bill that would have legalized sports betting in Maine.
• WGME, 2.11.20 – Maine House Upholds Gov. Mills’ Veto Of Sports Betting Bill
  • The Maine House of Representatives has upheld Governor Janet Mills’ veto of sports betting in Maine, which means it will not become legal.

New Jersey:

• NJ Online Gambling, 2.11.20 – Could Peace Be At Hand Between NJ Horsemen And Sports Leagues?
  • A $150 million lawsuit filed by New Jersey’s thoroughbred horsemen against five major sports organizations effectively has become a sequel to the six-year sports betting saga that led to a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Connecticut:

• The Hartford Courant, 2.11.20 – As The Debate Over Sports Betting In Connecticut Turns Into Groundhog Day, Focus Becomes Whether Tribes Should Have Exclusive Rights
  • More than two hours into an informational hearing about sports betting and other gaming issues Tuesday at the state Capitol, Rep. Russ Morin joked that he felt like a character in the movie “Groundhog Day.”
• WFSB, 2.11.20 – Lawmakers Take Up Topic Of Sports Betting In CT
  • Connecticut lawmakers have been debating the idea of sports betting for a couple of year, and now they’re taking it up again.
• The Day, 2.11.20 – Tribes Stick To Exclusivity Claim At Forum On Sports-Betting Legislation
  • Southeastern Connecticut’s gaming tribes Tuesday touted their decades-long relationship with the state as a win-win for the parties and repeated their claim that only they can be permitted to provide legal sports betting.

New York:

• Legal Sports Report, 2.11.20 – Key Lawmakers Lead Effort To Push Mobile NY Sports Betting Into Budget
  • The chairmen of gaming committees in each chamber of the legislature are beginning a full-court press on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to include mobile NY sports betting in the state budget.
• WBEN, 2.12.20 – Is 2020 The Year Mobile Betting Passes?
  • The state senator who is pushing for New York State to legalize mobile sports betting is optimistic that 2020 is the year that it can pass through the legislature.

Virginia:

• Online Poker Report, 2.11.20 – Fingers Crossed; Virginia Online Lottery Bills Passed In Each Chamber
  • There’s no such thing as a sure bet when it comes to gambling legislation, but the odds of Virginia getting an online lottery are looking pretty good.
• Sports Handle, 2.12.20 – Differing Virginia Sports Betting Bills Need Ironing Before Deadline
  • On Monday, the Virginia House and Senate passed legal sports betting bills that resemble, but don’t mirror each other.
• WHSV, 2.12.20 – Sports Betting Bills Pass In VA House And Senate
  • Legal sports betting could soon be coming to Virginia. Both the Virginia House and Senate passed versions of bills that would legalize the activity.

Nebraska:

• KLIN, 2.11.20 – State Senator Justin Wayne Defends Expanded Gambling Legislation, Says He Will Continue Push
  • Though he faces an uphill battle, State Senator Justin Wayne tells says he has no intention of giving up on bills he introduced that would expand gambling in the state.
• 247 Sports, 2.11.20 – Tom Osborne Opposes Sports Gambling In Nebraska
  • Like many other states, Nebraska is exploring the possibility of implementing sports gambling. Former Nebraska football coach, Tom Osborne, isn’t exactly a fan of the idea.

Illinois:

• Chicago Sun Times, 2.11.20 – Casinos Put Workers On The Books In Race To Launch Illinois Sports Betting
  • Soon-to-be sportsbooks are beefing up staff as the newly legal industry inches toward launch.
• Our Quad Cities, 2.11.20 – Sports Betting Delays Have Local Illinois Casino Losing To Iowa
  • Both Illinois and Iowa adopted legalized sports betting last year. Iowa got its system operational quickly. There’s no activity in Illinois.

Indiana:

• Inside Indiana Business, 2.11.20 – Mobile Sports Betting Gains Wagering Share
  • The Indiana Gaming Commission has released sports betting revenue numbers for January, and it shows big gains in online wagering.

South Dakota:

• Associated Press, 2.11.20 – Senate Approves Sports Betting Item On November Ballot
  • South Dakota’s Senate passed a measure on Tuesday that would let voters decide whether to allow sports betting in the state.
• Legal Sports Report, 2.11.20 – South Dakota Sports Betting Bill Clears First Test In Comeback Try
  • The state legislature appears inclined to give it another go on a South Dakota sports betting bill.

Nevada:

• Gambling Compliance, 2.12.20 – Governor Sisolak Gives Cold Shoulder To Nevada Gaming Tax Hike (subscription paywall)
  • Education is his top priority, but Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak of Nevada is less than enthusiastic about a proposal by the state’s largest teachers’ union to raise gaming taxes from 6.75 percent to 9.75 percent to pay for education programs.

Washington:

• The Seattle Times, 2.11.20 – Bill To Legalize Sports Gambling In Washington State Advances To Potential Final House Vote
  • Legalized sports gambling within Washington state’s tribal casinos took another step Tuesday toward becoming reality this year.

California:

• Gambling Compliance, 2.12.20 – California Tribal Sports-Betting Initiative Receives Key Endorsement (subscription paywall)
  • The California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) announced its support Tuesday for a sports betting initiative that was launched late last year by a coalition of tribes seeking to legalize wagering at brick-and-mortar tribal casinos and licensed horse racetracks.