Industry News of the Day for January 23, 2020

iDEA Growth Member News:

• PlayIndiana, 1.22.20 – The Indiana Pacers Now Have An Official Sports Betting Partner (DraftKings)
  • The Indiana Pacers have secured a sports betting partner, even though it hasn’t been officially announced by the NBA team — or the sportsbook — since the deal was consummated.

Industry News:

• PlayUSA, 1.22.20 – PlayUSA Rewind: 2019 Sports Betting Numbers, A New Kentucky Bill, NV Casino Updates
  • The first full year of legalized sports betting outside of Nevada is in the books.

Overall Industry News:

• ESPN, 1.22.20 – How Does Regional Home-Team Bias Impact Sportsbooks?
  • This was the first football season for a rookie class of American bookmakers, who launched their careers in one of the new sportsbooks popping up in states around the nation.
• Forbes, 1.22.20 – Europe’s Leading Sports Betting Affiliate Sets Sights On US Market
  • As more and more states begin to legalize sports betting in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Murphy v. NCAA, there has been an influx of investment into the newly-legalized U.S. sports betting market as companies both domestically and abroad all scramble to claim their piece of the proverbial pie.

Federal News:

• Gambling Compliance, 1.23.20 – US League Seeks Sports-Betting Settlement, Prepare Supreme Court Appeal (subscription paywall)
  • The nation’s major sports leagues are trying to settle a federal court case, which could potentially force their commissioners to testify about the veracity of their previous statements and result in the disclosure of the leagues’ sealed records on sports gambling.

New Jersey:

• NJ Online Gambling, 1.22.20 – New Jersey Would Help Online Gamblers Retrieve Abandoned Account Funds
  • A piece of legislation on the table in New Jersey would establish more consumer protection with regards to online casino accounts that remain inactive for an extended period of time.

Pennsylvania:

• PlayPennsylvania, 1.22.20 – Could Pennsylvania Sportsbooks Reel In $5 Billion In 2020?
  • At the beginning of the year, Pennsylvania only had three retail sportsbooks and no online options. As of January 2020, there are eight online sportsbooks and 12 retail sportsbooks.
• PlayPennsylvania, 1.22.20 – PA Gaming Review: Gambling Revenue Shines But Stormy Skies For Pace-O-Matic
  • In this week’s PA gaming review, we highlight gaming revenue numbers from December, which continued an upward trend across the board. Also, PA skill games manufacturer Pace-O-Matic lost its bid in court to prevent further seizure of its machines.
• Online Poker Report, 1.23.20 – Wind Creek Signs BetFred For Pennsylvania Sports Betting
  • British bookmaker BetFred has managed to snag one of the last available sports betting slots in Pennsylvania by securing a partnership with Wind Creek Casino.

Michigan:

• Associated Press, 1.22.20 – Online Sports Betting In Michigan Will Wait Until 2021
  • Sports bettors should be able to place wagers in person at casinos this spring but will wait until 2021 to do so online, Michigan’s regulatory agency said Wednesday.
• The Detroit News, 1.22.20 – Michigan’s Online Gambling Delayed Until 2021
  • Michigan’s regulators are estimating rules to govern online casino games, sports betting and fantasy sports will take about a year to develop.
• WILX, 1.22.20 – MI Sports Betting To Start In Spring
  • March Madness is the target for when sports bettors will be able to place their first legal bets in Michigan.

Maryland:

• Baltimore Business Journal, 1.22.20 – Maryland General Assembly Bills Aim To Put Sports Betting On 2020 Ballot (subscription paywall)
  • Past efforts to approve sports betting in Maryland have crumbled amid disputes over who should be allowed to host sportsbooks.
• Associated Press, 1.23.20 – Maryland Lawmakers Met With Redskins Owner On Sports Betting
  • Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder met with Maryland lawmakers to discuss allowing sports betting at a new stadium in the state, a lawmaker who participated in a meeting with the team’s owner said Wednesday.
• The Baltimore Sun, 1.22.20 – Redskins Owner Explores Sports Betting For Possible New Stadium In Maryland
  • If Maryland legalizes sports betting, Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder appears to want a piece of the action.

Washington, D.C.:

• Legal Sports Report, 1.22.20 – This One Operator Might Beat Intralot To DC Sports Betting Launch
  • It could be a few more months until Washington, DC, sports betting is live throughout the nation’s capital.

Vermont:

• VT Digger, 1.22.20 – Steep Odds: Dems Give Cool Reception To Scott’s Sports Betting, Keno Proposals
  • Phil Scott’s proposals to expand gambling in Vermont by legalizing online sports betting and keno, a game similar to bingo, are drawing a mixed response from Democratic lawmakers.

California:

• Legal Sports Report, 1.22.20 – Official Language Starts Race To Ballot For CA Sports Betting Initiative
  • California Attorney General Xavier Becerra issued a title and summary for the tribal CA sports betting initiative on Tuesday.
• Sports Handle, 1.22.20 – California Tribes Get Go Ahead To Begin Sports Betting Push
  • On Tuesday, California published a title and name for the proposed sports betting ballot initiative put forth by 18 tribes in the state, and those tribes can now begin collecting the nearly 1 million signatures they’ll need to get the initiative onto the ballot.

Washington:

• Sports Handle, 1.22.20 – Sports Betting The Talk Of Washington State
  • From Olympia in the west to the Northern Quest tribal casino in the east, legal sports gambling has become a hot topic in Washington State.

Indiana:

• PlayIndiana, 1.22.20 – Indiana Becomes The Second State To Authorize Betting On The Oscars
  • Indiana continues to be at the forefront of sports betting innovation, despite only being operational for a few months. On Wednesday, the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) announced it will let the state’s sportsbooks accept wagers on the Academy Awards.
• Chicago Sun-Times, 1.22.20 – Big Screen Betting: Indiana Gambling Regulators Approve Oscar Wagers
  • The sports betting industry is stuck in pre-production in Illinois, but it’s already going Hollywood in Indiana.

New York:

• Auburn Pub, 1.23.20 – NY Casinos, Lawmakers Hope Cuomo Will Support Mobile Sports Betting
  • Sports wagering began at several New York casinos last year, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo isn’t supporting a push to allow mobile sports betting in the state.
• iGaming Business, 1.22.20 – No Mobile Betting In 2020-21 New York Budget
  • The state of New York’s budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year, starting April 1, will extend sports betting outside of casino sportsbook lounges, but not beyond the confines of upstate casinos.

North Carolina:

• Smoky Mountain News, 1.22.20 – Sports Betting Implementation Longer Than Expected
  • When Gov. Roy Cooper signed a bill last July legalizing sports betting on Cherokee land, Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos expected to have the new offering up and running by late fall.

Florida:

• Orlando Business Journal, 1.22.20 – Orlando Sports Leaders See Gambling As Jackpot For The Industry (subscription paywall)
  • Central Florida sports leaders see the business potential in sports betting, which many other states have approved.

Sports League News:

• Associated Press, 1.22.20 – NJ Oks XFL Bets, 6^th State To Allow Wagers On Revived League
  • New Jersey gambling regulators have authorized betting on XFL football games, becoming the sixth state to authorize wagers on the revived league.