Industry News of the Day for February 22, 2019
Industry News:
- Cincinnati Enquirer, 2.21.19 – Eight states have legalized sports betting; Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana sportsbooks expected
- Last May, the United States Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that a 25-year-old federal law that prohibited sports betting outside Nevada is unconstitutional – allowing states to pass their own laws either allowing or prohibiting betting on professional and college sports.
- AP, 2.21.19 – How state lawmakers are placing their bets on sports gambling to fix pension systems
- Kentucky’s public employee pension system, $39 billion in the red, is among the worst-funded retirement plans in the country and has vexed lawmakers for years as they sought a solution. Now some lawmakers think they’ve found at least a partial fix: sports gambling.
- Play USA, 2.21.19 – More States Propose Sports Betting Legislation–Here Are Ones To Watch
- Sports betting news seems to be coming from all directions these days, but some states are much more likely to propel real legislation forward than others. Here’s a rundown of where things seem to be the hottest right now.
West Virginia:
- Wheeling News-Register, 2.22.19 – Online Gambling May Be in the Cards for West Virginia
- West Virginians could place bets and win money online playing poker and other interactive games under legislation being considered by state lawmakers.
Kentucky:
- Online Poker Report, 2.21.19 – Kentucky Moves One Step Closer To Online Poker, Sports Betting
- Add Kentucky to the list of US states seriously considering a modernized expansion of gambling. A multi-pronged bill that would legalize online poker, daily fantasy sports, and sports betting cleared its first legislative stop in Frankfort this week.
- AP, 2.21.19 – State lawmakers place their bets on sports gambling
- Kentucky’s public employee pension system, $39 billion in the red, is among the worst-funded retirement plans in the country and has vexed lawmakers for years as they sought a solution. Now some lawmakers think they’ve found at least a partial fix: sports gambling.
New Jersey:
- NJ Gambling Sites, 2.21.19 – With AC Team On Horizon, Commissioner Calls AFL And Sports Betting A ‘Match Made In Heaven’
- The expansion Atlantic City Arena Football League team received its official introduction Thursday afternoon. But talk about intriguing timing. Unlike the start of last season, NJ sports betting is legal. League officials are not ignoring the fact that sports betting is part of the game in New Jersey.
Pennsylvania:
- Play Pennsylvania, 2.21.19 – When It Comes To Casino Revenue, Valley Forge Just Keeps On Winning
- Pennsylvania’s casino industry is off to a strong start in 2019. According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s (PGCB) January revenue reports, gaming revenues were up across the board, with total casino revenue (a combination of slot machines and table games) up 2.18 percent.
New York:
- Ridgewood Post, 2.21.19 – Addabbo Renews Call for Sports Betting, Says it Can Fill $2.3B Gap in State Budget
- State Sen. Joseph Addabbo is once again calling for the legalization of sports betting in the state, this time as a means to fill in the unexpected $2.3 billion shortfall recently announced in New York’s 2020 budget.
Arizona:
- Mohave Valley Daily News, 2.22.19 – Future uncertain as sports betting remains on hold in Arizona
- Ten months after the U.S. Supreme Court cleared a path for states to allow gambling on sporting events, a movement is underway to allow Arizonans to wager on their favorite teams. SB 1158, introduced Jan. 23 by Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, would allow sports gambling in the state by giving Native American tribes exclusive rights.
Iowa:
- Des Moines Register, 2.21.19 – Prairie Meadows bets big on Iowa sports gambling
- Some might call it a roll of the dice. But Prairie Meadows officials believe the odds of sports betting becoming legal in Iowa are in their favor. The Altoona racetrack and casino has transformed a portion of its fourth-floor horse racing simulcast area into a Las Vegas-style sports book and bar, part of a larger $1.5 million renovation project.
Sports League News:
- Legal Sports Report, 2.21.19 – The Chicago Cubs Are Investing In A Company That Promotes Illegal Sportsbooks
- Why is a Major League Baseball team investing in a company that enthusiastically provides odds for offshore sportsbooks? That’s the question I have in the wake of sports betting media company The Action Network completing a $17.5 million Series B funding round.
- AP, 2.21.19 – Other football leagues seek boost from legal sports betting
- The National Football League is king when it comes to legal sports bets, but other professional gridiron leagues are looking to embrace and profit from it, too. Casino sportsbooks are already taking action on the Alliance of American Football, a new spring league.
iDEA Growth Member News:
- Play NJ, 2.21.19 – NJ Sports Betting Welcomes Online Casino’s Golden Child, Golden Nugget
- Superstitions aside, Golden Nugget Sportsbook becomes the 13th NJ mobile sportsbook to open its virtual sports betting windows. The dominant NJ online casino plans to take its loyal customer base, market-leader position, and forward-thinking ways and translate it into NJ sports betting gold.