Industry News of the Day for February 24, 2023
iDEA Growth Member News
- SBC Americas: Catena Media Efforts ‘Concentrated’ In North America As Strategic Review Concludes In Q4
- Catena Media has reiterated that its future focus is now on the North American sports betting and online casino markets, noting that the region offers ‘the best investment case’ in the current climate. Reporting its Q4 of 2022 financial report, Catena declared total revenues of $29.2m, up 15% year-over-year. 78% of this turnover was sourced from North America and the region’s revenue grew by 31% YoY.
- Gambling News: Entain To Position Itself At The Forefront Of ‘Sportainment’
- A change in the way fans engage with entertainment is happening and Entain wants to position at the forefront of it. As the long-awaited fight between Jake Paul and Tommy Fury is finally to take place this weekend, global gaming and entertainment group Entain shared some observations about the rise in exhibition fights and its effect on the entertainment industry.
- PlayNY: DraftKings Latest RG Investment Is The Effort NY’s Online Casino Push Needs
- Making a wager is entertainment for most people — offering as much risk as concert tickets or a new book. But, for some, gambling becomes darker, a pleasant pastime turned burden as need overrides want. While help is available, problem gambling support is something the industry can continually improve. DraftKings’ recent partnership with responsible gambling research and consultancy firm, Gramres could do just that.
Massachusetts
- PlayMA: PointsBet Sportsbook No Longer Launching In Massachusetts
- PointsBet has pulled its Massachusetts online sports betting application and won’t launch a PointsBet Massachusetts app. That update was revealed during Thursday’s Massachusetts Gaming Commission meeting. “They are withdrawing from Massachusetts,” MGC Executive Director Karen Wells told her fellow commissioners.
- MassLive.com: More Illegal Bets On Boston College Women’s Basketball Reported At Encore Boston Harbor
- Encore Boston Harbor officials have stopped all betting on NCAA women’s college basketball after patrons were able to place illegal wagers on a Boston College women’s basketball game for the second time this month, officials and regulators said Thursday. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s new inquiry into bets placed on instate collegiate sporting events — which are prohibited under Massachusetts law — is at least the fourth of its kind since in-person sports betting launched on Jan. 31.
Missouri
- PlayUSA: Missouri Senate Rejects Combining Missouri Sports Betting, Video Lottery Terminals
- The Missouri Senate made clear Thursday that lawmakers want to do Missouri sports betting separate from video lottery terminals. And one Missouri Senator isn’t happy about it. The Senate Appropriations Committee voted 11-1 “do pass” on SB30, the standalone Missouri sports betting legislation sponsored by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer. But a motion to do the same with SB1, Sen. Denny Hoskins’ bill combining regulation of sports wagering and video lottery terminals (VLTs) failed 2-10.
Texas
- PlayTexas: Dallas Stars Owner: Lawmakers Should Pursue Legal Sports Betting In Texas Over Casinos
- Legal gambling and sports betting continue to be unavoidable topics of discussion in Texas. And for good reason. Texans love to gamble. And their current method of doing so is going across state lines or to illegal, offshore websites. Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi recently told The Dallas Morning News that he’s also been thinking about casino gambling and sports betting lately. He shared his opinions on the possibilities of casino resorts and online sports betting coming to Texas and how they fit into the Stars’ future at American Airlines Center.
Washington
- Legal Sports Report: Washington Sports Betting Future Uncertain After Federal Judge Tosses Suit
- Washington sports betting remains limited to in-person wagers for now, after a challenge to the state’s tribal monopoly failed Tuesday. U.S. District Court Judge David Estudillo dismissed cardroom operator Maverick Gaming’s antitrust challenge to WA sports betting agreements with native tribes. Estudillo ruled that the Shoalwater Bay tribe needed to be part of the lawsuit, as it would be affected by the outcome, but could not be because of its sovereign status.