Industry News of the Day for February 15, 2019

New Jersey:

• Online Poker Report, 2.14.19 – NJ Senate President To DOJ: Rescind Wire Act Opinion Or We’re Going To Court
  • New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney has asked the Department of Justice to rescind its new opinion on the Wire Act. And if the DOJ does not, Sweeney has indicated NJ will go to court.
• NJ Gambling Sites, 2.14.19 – NJ Online Gambling Revenue Shatters $30 Million Mark For First Time In January
  • January may be considered one of the slower months for Atlantic City land-based casinos, but NJ online gambling revenue continues to set records.

Colorado:

• Colorado Public Radio, 2.14.19 – Will Sports Wagers Be A $361M Cash Cow In Colorado? Gambling Rivals Don’t Agree On It
  • Colorado sports gambling could ring up $361 million in revenue by 2023, according to a market analysis paid for by the owners of the state’s lone horse track in Aurora.

California:

• Reuters, 2.15.19 – California’s Sacramento Kings to launch precursor to in-arena sports betting
  • Sports betting is not yet legal in California, but the Sacramento Kings want fans to come as close as they can to the real thing with a new “predictive gaming” lounge.

Kentucky:

• WAVE 3, 2.13.19 – Sports gambling discussed as first pension fix recommendation deadline looms
  • One way Kentucky lawmakers said they can chip away at the state’s $43 billion pension shortfall is to legalize sports gambling. House Bill 175 would do that, as well as codify and legalize online poker and fantasy sports in the state.

New Hampshire:

• AP, 2.14.19 – Sports betting allowed in New Hampshire gov’s budget
  • New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu’s proposed budget legalizes sports betting and estimates it would eventually generate $10 million a year in additional revenue.

Tennessee:

• Sports Business Daily (subscription paywall), 2.14.19 – Tennessee Politicians Mull Legalizing Sports Betting In ’19
  • After the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year paved the way for legal sports gambling, states like Tennessee are still deciding “how to move forward with legalizing the online platforms that facilitate it,” according to a front-page piece by Natalie Allison of the Nashville TENNESSEAN.

Rhode Island:

• Legal Sports Report, 2.15.19 – State Senate Moves Rhode Island Sports Betting One Step Closer To Mobile
  • Rhode Island is the smallest state in the nation, but it’s still inconvenient to have to drive to one of its two casinos to bet on sports.

Minnesota:

• Legal Sports Report, 2.14.19 – You Can’t Handle The Truth About New Minnesota Sports Betting Bill
  • A new Minnesota sports betting bill takes a unique approach to handling the tax rate for the industry. Rather than tax the gross gaming revenue for operators, legislation announced Wednesday by Rep. Pat Garofalo is the first in the nation to calculate tax obligations based on the total amount wagered.

Connecticut:

• Legal Sports Report, 2.14.19 – How A New Governor Could Help Connecticut Sports Betting Over The Hump
  • A change in governors could be just what Connecticut sports betting needs to finally get up and running. Last August, then-Gov. Dannel Malloy was rebuffed by the legislature when he requested a special session to approve a renegotiated compact agreement he discussed with the state’s Indian tribes.

Federal News:

• NJ Gambling Sites, 2.14.19 – MGM’s CEO Sounds Off On ‘Perplexing’ New Wire Act Opinion
  • The Department of Justice’s new interpretation of the Wire Act does not have too many fans. Count Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International, among them. He addressed the controversial topic during the company’s earnings call on Wednesday.

Overall Industry News:

• Legal Sports Report, 2.14.19 – SportTechie’s State Of The Industry Conference To Address US Sports Betting
  • This year’s SportTechie’s State Of The Industry (SOTI) conference takes place February 27-28 at Barclays Center in New York. The inaugural conference took place in February last year. Since then, US sports radically changed with state-regulated legal sports betting rolling out across the country.
• Sports Handle, 2.15.19 – Q&A With Sara Slane On Emerging Sports Betting Trends In States Without Casino Gaming
  • With proposed legislation in Texas, there are now six states nationwide that have active bills on sports betting in jurisdictions with a limited number of casinos in retail locations.