Industry News of the Day for February 21, 2020

iDEA Growth in the News:

• Sports Handle, 2.20.20 – Tennessee Sports Betting Rules Debate Persists As Comments Surface (iDEA Growth mentioned)
  • The final form of the Tennessee sports betting rules, regulations and market are still taking shape, with more light shed after a pair of meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday.

iDEA Growth Member News:

• Legal Sports Report, 2.20.20 – DraftKings Sportsbook Could Jolt Iowa Sports Betting Return To Growth
  • The launch of the DraftKings sports betting app could give Iowa sports betting handle the boost it needs to return to a growth path.

Overall Industry News:

• iGB North America, 2.21.20 – Penn National Completes Acquisition Of Barstool Stake
  • Penn National Gaming (PNG) has finalised its acquisition of a 36% stake in digital sports media company Barstool Sports for a total consideration of approximately $163m.

New Hampshire:

• Associated Press, 2.20.20 – New Hampshire Towns Vying To Open Sports Betting Locations
  • Two New Hampshire towns are vying to open one of the 10 sports betting retail locations in the state.

New York:

• Online Poker Report, 2.21.20 – New York Lawmaker Calls For Expedited Downstate Casinos In State Budget
  • New York Assemblyman Gary Pretlow is leading an effort to include licenses for casinos in the New York City area in the state budget.
• Legal Sports Report, 2.20.20 – Mobile Wagering, Change To College Ban In Lawmaker’s NY Sports Betting Ask
  • Assemblyman Gary Pretlow sent Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie a letter on Valentine’s Day, and it’s one NY sports betting enthusiasts will love.
• WSN, 2.20.20 – New York Legislators Want Online Betting To Help Solve Deficit
  • After watching New Jersey handle over $837 million in wagers from New York citizens over their first full year of sports betting, legislators in the Empire State have become increasingly desperate to approve online betting to take a chunk out of their impending deficit.

Virginia:

• WTOP, 2.20.20 – Virginia Budget Plans Include Teacher, State Worker Raises
  • Teachers and other government workers in Virginia would get some type of raise under budget bills approved Thursday by the House and Senate. The bills would also result in money becoming available to launch online sports betting and lottery sales.

West Virginia:

• PlayWV, 2.20.20 – West Virginia Sportsbooks See Explosive Start To February Thanks To Super Bowl Betting
  • The West Virginia sports betting market is better than ever. After adding a third online sports betting app to the mix, Mountain State sportsbooks accepted over $10 million in wagers for the first time.

Missouri:

• Gambling Compliance, 2.21.20 – Entanglement With Video Gaming May Hinder Missouri Sports-Betting Bill (subscription paywall)
  • It may prove to clever by half to pair a Missouri sports-betting bill with controversial video gaming machines that are provoking a public outcry in the Show Me State.

Indiana:

• PlayIndiana, 2.20.20 – Butler Takes A Stance Against Students And Faculty Betting The Bulldogs
  • Butler University is the latest Indiana school to ban sports betting on all of its teams and athletes.

Georgia:

• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2.20.20 – Georgia Senator Files Bill That Would Legalize Sports Betting
  • A Republican senator filed legislation that would legalize online sports betting in Georgia, aiming to expand gambling through the state lottery system without requiring a constitutional amendment.

Colorado:

• Legal Sports Report, 2.20.20 – First Colorado Sports Betting License Approved, Rules Finalized
  • The first Colorado sports betting licenses and permanent rules were finalized Thursday by Colorado’s Limited Gaming Control Commission.
• Sports Handle, 2.20.20 – Colorado Nears Legal Sports Betting Liftoff After Gaming Commission Approves Rules
  • Colorado regulators cleared another hurdle Thursday in the effort to launch legal sportsbooks in Colorado in time for the Stanley Cup Finals.
• The Denver Post, 2.21.20 – Colorado Will Decide What You Can – And Can’t – Bet On In Sports
  • With sports wagering set to launch May 1, Colorado regulators on Thursday decided the state will have the ultimate say on what gamblers can — and cannot — bet on within sporting events.
• The Gazette, 2.20.20 – Colorado Regulators Approve Sports Wagering Rules, First 7 Licenses
  • Colorado gaming regulators approved rules Thursday for sports wagering and licenses for seven casinos to offer betting, paving the way for state residents to place wagers on sporting events May 1.

Wyoming:

• Betting News, 2.20.20 – Wyoming Makes Waves In Sports Betting Legislation
  • The northwestern state is looking to get into sports betting with its own version of legislation, joining 20 other states with bills in process this year.

Montana:

• Associated Press, 2.20.20 – Montana Lottery Approves Sports Bets To Be Offered
  • The Montana Lottery Commission has approved the types of bets that will be available when legal wagering on professional and collegiate sporting events begins.
• iGB North America, 2.21.20 – Montana To Begin Sports Betting Terminal Roll-Out On March 9
  • The Montana Lottery Commission has announced that it expects to begin the roll-out of sports betting terminals across the state in the week commencing March 9, with a view to allowing consumers to place legal wagers soon after.
• Missoula Current, 2.20.20 – Sports Bet Montana Rolls Out Betting Types, Approved Sports
  • The Montana Lottery has announced sports betting parameters, and players could potentially be able to start making bets as soon as mid-March.

Oklahoma:

• Tulsa World, 2.21.20 – Legal Opinion Sought On State’s Handling Of Tribal Gaming Exclusivity Fee
  • Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter has been asked for a legal opinion about whether the state can put tribal gaming exclusivity fees in escrow pending the outcome of a federal lawsuit.

New Jersey:

• PlayNJ, 2.20.20 – New Jersey Gaming News: Milestones, Partnerships And Some ‘Unfinished Business’
  • The performance of online casinos in NJ continues to drive many discussions about the growth of the industry. They are still growing, as is evidenced by the recent revenue report released by the Division of Gaming Enforcement.

Pennsylvania:

• Online Poker Report, 2.20.20 – Newcomers Change PA Online Casino Landscape In 2020: $14 Million In January Revenue
  • The Pennsylvania online gambling market is getting much more crowded than it was a few months ago.
• PlayPennsylvania, 2.20.20 – PA Gaming Review: January Revenue Numbers Impress, Unregulated Gambling Targeted
  • While the post-football and post-holiday period can be a quiet time for wagering, Pennsylvania sports betting and online casinos in January smashed records.
• PlayPennsylvania, 2.20.20 – New Operators Like FanDuel Supercharging PA Online Casino Revenue Growth
  • Nearly $303 million in total PA gaming revenue for January 2020 represents a strong start to the year.
• Penn Bets, 2.20.20 – FanDuel Quickly Shows Its Casino Prowess, Just As With Its PA Online Sportsbook
  • Could FanDuel dominate Pennsylvania’s mobile casino industry in the same manner it has led online sports betting since its debut?