Industry News of the Day for February 23, 2024
Industry News
- Legal Sports Report: US Integrity CEO On Sports Betting Hot Topics In 2024
- It was a busy sports betting year forUS Integrity founder and CEO Matt Holt in 2023. US Integrity was at the forefront of several sports betting investigations. It also agreed to a multitude of integrity partnerships with collegiate conferences and professional leagues. With the calendar flipping to 2024, Holt recently discussed a few noteworthy topics with LSR.
- PlayColorado: Kindbridge Research Could Change Responsible Gambling Programs
- It’s hard to parse the serious from the fluff in an industry full of buzzwords. Perhaps no two terms are more overused than “responsible gambling” and “problem gambling.” Often peppered with the best of intentions, these terms are hard to define despite their huge impact on gambling operators. Kindbridge Behavioral Health and Kindbridge Research Institute are promoting a new approach to combat problem gambling, backed by research from Rutgers. Funding for the research game from the CODOG Responsible Gaming 2023 Grants. California
Connecticut
- SBC Americas: Study: Connecticut Problem Gambling Declines Over Past Three Decades
- A first-of-its-kind study in Connecticut has examined the impact of regulated gambling. Gemini Research, in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, has released a “Impacts of Legalized Gambling in Connecticut” study, which evaluates how the expansion of commercialized gaming affects state residents. Connecticut first entered the commercialized gaming industry in 1939 with the authorization of bingo games and has since expanded to other verticals including a state lottery, tribal casinos, keno, and sports betting, which launched in the state in 2021.
- District of Columbia: D.C. Sports Betting Off To Slow 2024 Start
- Washington, D.C.’s Office of Lottery and Gaming reported total sports betting handle of nearly $16 million for January, a sharp year-over-year decline as the City Council continues to ponder the fate of GambetDC. Handle was down 20.7% from the first month of 2023, with the $7.2 million worth of wagers accepted by GambetDC representing an 18.5% decline. BetMGM was the only operator among the four Class A licensees to post a year-over-year increase — its $3.3 million handle was up 15.8%.
Florida
- Florida Politics: Gaming Bill Continues To Draw Criticism As Veterans Group Descends On The Capitol To Fight It
- A House bill seeking to crack down on illegal gambling operations has cleared its final committee and is now ready for a floor vote, but the measure (HB 189) still faces heavy opposition despite amendments. The House Judiciary Committee cleared the bill, but only after hearing significant opposition from veterans’ groups worried about vague language, unintended consequences and a hit to veterans’ charities. The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee cleared a similar bill and faced the same opposition.
Illinois
- Gaming Today: Coalition For Fantasy Sports Shows Support For Illinois House Bill 5648
- The Coalition for Fantasy Sports has shown its support for proposed legislation introduced in the Illinois General Assembly. The bill advocates for the establishment of separate regulatory frameworks for fantasy sports and sports betting by the state’s gaming board. At the start of this month, Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado introduced HB 5648, accompanied by Sen. Lakesia Collins’ SB 3710. These bills share similar translations and aim to modify Illinois’ Sports Wagering Act of 2019, specifically by exempting fantasy contests from being classified as “sports wagering.”
Michigan
- PlayMichigan: Fanatics Goes Live With Its Online Casino And Sportsbook In Michigan
- Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino is now live in Michigan. The digital sports platform and memorabilia company is continuing its advancement in the online gambling world, launching in the mitten on Thursday afternoon. Today’s launch makes Michigan the third state launch for Fanatics in the last month. Fanatics Michigan online casino and sportsbook takes over the Michigan license of Northern Waters Casino, which is operated by the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians.
Mississippi
- SuperTalk Mississippi Media: Mobile Sports Betting Would Result In Immediate Revenue Growth, Gaming Commissioner Says
- As state lawmakers continue to mull over legalizing mobile sports betting, one expert says it would bring in more money for Mississippi — a state whose coastal region already ranks top five in generating gaming revenue nationally. The House of Representatives on February 1 overwhelmingly passed House Bill 774. The legislation would allow residents 21 and up to place legal wagers on sporting events from mobile devices. That legislation is currently pending Senate approval and a nod from Governor Tate Reeves.
New York
- PlayNY: Robins: NY Presents ‘Big Opportunity’ For iGaming With Momentum Building
- Legalizing online casinos in New York may face a steep, uphill battle. But at least one potential operator has faith that the Empire State can get the job done. Speaking during a recent earnings call, DraftKings CEO Jason Robins expressed optimism that one day soon, New York online casinos could indeed become reality. “I think New York could do iGaming, you know, in the next year or so,” Robins told investors. “So that’s another big opportunity.
North Carolina
- NC Sharp: NC Has Charted New Path In Legalizing Online Sports Betting
- Online sports betting in North Carolina is weeks away from launching, and there’s plenty of excitement around the buildup. The customer experience will be like any other state that offers online sports betting, but North Carolina took a different approach. To gain online market access within the Tar Heel State, operators must tether themselves to a professional sports entity. Originally, this wasn’t the case. North Carolina was poised to allow operators to allow market access to online operators without any sort of partnership with these teams.
Ohio
- PlayUSA: Ohio Legislative Committee Conducts Introductory Exploration Of Online Casino
- Ohio lawmakers considered the prospect of online casino legalization for the first time Tuesday. The newly formed Study Commission on the Future of Gaming in Ohio discussed online casino in the first of four scheduled meetings. Subsequent meetings will address iLottery, racinos/charitable gaming, sports betting and daily fantasy sports. The eight-person joint committee is led by Rep. Jay Edwards and Sen. Nathan Manning. Edwards previously told PlayUSA that he did not expect the Ohio online casino discussions to lead to legislation this year. These were preliminary talks to inform possible future legislation.
Ontario
- PlayCanada: Court Challenge To Legality Of Ontario Online Gambling Sector Begins Next Week
- Ontario’s open online gambling framework will be thoroughly tested in a court of law next week as lawyers for the Ontario government prepare to defend its legality. According to the Ontario Court Date’s website, the hearings will begin on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. at the Superior Court of Justice, located at 330 University Avenue in Toronto. The official court date comes more than 450 days after The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke first filed.