Industry News of the Day for January 2, 2020

iDEA Growth Member News:

• US Bets, 12.31.19 – New Hampshire Bettors Get First (And Only) Online Sportsbook With DraftKings Launch
  • With some 33 hours to spare, New Hampshire crossed the sports betting finish line in 2019, becoming the 14th state to accept legal wagers when DraftKings Sportsbook went live on Monday afternoon.

Industry News:

• Law360, 1.1.20 – Sports & Betting Legislation To Watch In 2020 (subscription paywall)
  • With more states looking to legalize sports betting and Congress taking a hard look at controversies in Olympic sports, the new year could be a busy one for new legislation impacting the sports industry.
• Online Poker Report, 1.2.20 – 10 For ’20: US Online Gambling Stories To Watch In The New Year
  • With 2019 in the books and 2020 now officially underway, it’s time to look ahead at what the coming year might bring for the gambling industry.
• Online Poker Report, 12.31.19 – A Year To Remember: Top US Online Gambling Stories Of 2019
  • In case you missed it, 2019 was an absolutely enormous year for online gambling in the US. Now as we prepare to celebrate the New Year, it’s time to look back on the one just past. Here are the seven biggest stories over the past 12 months.
• Sports Handle, 12.31.19 – Year In Review: Continued State-By-State Expansion, Robust Merger Activity Top 2019 Sports Betting Storylines
  • The continued state-by-state expansion of U.S. sports betting represents our top storyline of the year. Here is the complete list of the most notable storylines of 2019.
• Legal Sports Report, 12.31.19 – The Top Five US Sports Betting Stories Of 2019
  • Here’s a look back at the top US sports betting stories of the year.

Michigan:

• The Sault News, 12.31.19 – Area Casino Readies For Online Gambling, Sports Betting
  • With the governor’s recent signature, online gambling and sports betting will be legal in the state of Michigan.

New Hampshire:

• Associated Press, 1.1.20 – Thousands Register After New Hampshire Allows Sports Betting
  • More than 6,000 people registered to bet on sports in New Hampshire in the first day since the launch, according to the state lottery.

Connecticut:

• Associated Press, 1.2.20 – Fiscal Reports Show Revenue Declines At Connecticut Casinos
  • Revenue at Connecticut’s two casinos declined in fiscal 2019 amid new regional competition, according to new fiscal reports.

Kentucky:

• WFPL, 12.31.19 – Kentucky Returns To Divided Government In 2020 Legislative Session
  • State lawmakers will return to Frankfort on Jan. 7 for the next legislative session, a nearly four month period to write a new state budget and pass bills into law.

Oklahoma:

• Gambling Compliance, 1.2.20 – Tribal Gaming Compacts Remain In Limbo As Oklahoma Rings In 2020 (subscription paywall)
  • Three gaming tribes in Oklahoma have filed a lawsuit seeking to resolve a dispute with Governor Kevin Stitt over gaming compacts, a decision one analyst believes could render casino gaming illegal in the state should the tribes lose in federal court.

New York:

• Buffalo Law Journal, 1.1.20 – Legal Briefs: What’s Next For Sports Betting In New York? (subscription paywall)
  • Here’s something you can bet on for 2020: the sports gambling industry will continue to boom. And especially in New York.

Rhode Island:

• Gaming Intelligence, 1.2.20 – Rhode Island Benefits From Online Sports Betting Growth In November
  • Rhode Island’s regulated sports betting market reached a new monthly high in November as total wagers surpassed $31.4m.
• WPRI, 12.31.19 – Sports Betting Reaches All-Time High; Mobile App Activation Still Lags
  • Twin River will soon launch an initiative to encourage would-be bettors to activate their mobile sports betting apps, a process that currently requires users to visit Twin River’s Lincoln or Tiveron casinos in person.

Indiana:

• PlayIndiana, 12.31.19 – Casino Or ‘Racino:’ There Will Soon Be Little Difference In Indiana
  • On Wednesday, the advent of 2020 will signify a new day for racetrack casinos, commonly referred to as “racinos,” in the Hoosier State. Indiana racinos will add table games with live dealers on January 1.
• Louisville Business First, 12.31.19 – Churchill Downs Set To Clash With Caesars In Indiana Sports Betting Arena (subscription paywall)
  • Churchill’s product launch in Indiana moves the company into direct competition with the Southern Indiana casino.

Florida:

• South Florida Sun Sentinel, 12.31.19 – Sports Betting Bill A Bad Bet For Florida | Editorial
  • The Florida Senate is pushing a bill to legalize sports betting statewide. It would allow instant wagering on smartphones, make betting kiosks as common as lottery terminals, and allow betting on individual statistics, such as whether a quarterback’s next call will be for a run or a pass.

Sports League News:

• NJ Online Gambling, 1.2.20 – Ex-NBA Commissioner Stern Made Remarkable Pivot On Sports Betting Legislation
  • Former NBA Commissioner David Stern, who passed away on New Year’s Day at age 77, was often quite willing to speak rather, well, sternly and provocatively on controversial topics. But gambling may be the topic on which the man who grew up in North Jersey made his most extreme turn.
• Sports Illustrated, 12.31.19 – The 10 Most Significant NBA Legal Controversies Of The 2010s
  • The 2010s began and ended on very different notes for the NBA’s position on sports betting.