Industry News of the Day for January 29, 2020

iDEA Growth Member News:

• SBC News, 1.29.20 – SBTech To Power The Genesis Of A New Sports Betting Brand
  • Malta-based online casino owner Genesis Global is launching sports betting for the first time through a long-term partnership with SBTech.

Industry News:

• Vox, 1.29.20 – The Rise Of Daily Fantasy And Sports Betting Has Created An Economy Of Its Own
  • Though it is still an emerging industry, legal sports betting has already seen more than $15 billion in wagers and $1.1 billion in revenue — in just 12 states where sports betting is legal and data is available — since the Supreme Court reversed a decades-long federal ban in June 2018.

Overall Industry News:

• USA Today, 1.29.20 – Barstool Sports Sells Stake To Gambling Company Penn National Gaming
  • Penn National Gaming purchased 36 percent of digital brand Barstool Sports for approximately $163 million, the companies jointly announced Wednesday.
• Legal Sports Report, 1.29.20 – Penn National Buys Stake In Barstool Sports For $163M
  • Penn National Gaming may have found its national betting and gaming brand along with a media partner in one fell swoop.
• Legal Sports Report, 1.28.20 – Why William Hill Is Still On The Hunt For A US Sports Betting Media Partner
  • William Hill is continuing its hunt for a media partner for US sports betting.
• Legal Sports Report, 1.29.20 – Backlash Against UK Gambling Provides Cautionary Tale For US Sports Betting Market
  • Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) recently joined the growing chorus of anti-gambling rhetoric in the UK.
• Sport Techie, 1.29.20 – The Future Of Sports Betting Will Be Inspired By Silicon Valley And Hollywood
  • Sports betting legalization has spread far quicker across the United States than many experts predicted two years back.

Sports League News:

• Gambling Compliance, 1.29.20 – In A Post-PASPA World, The NFL Is Still Not All-In On Sports Betting (subscription paywall)
  • Several days before the second Super Bowl to be played in the post-PASPA era of sports betting takes place in Miami, the National Football League (NFL) continues to send mixed messages in its embrace of the genre.
• Legal Sports Report, 1.28.20 – Super Bowl Betting Expected To Shatter Records, Legally And Illegally
  • A record 26 million Americans will post $6.8 billion on Super Bowl betting this year, according to new data from the American Gaming Association (AGA).

Washington:

• Associated Press, 1.28.20 – Bills In Washington Legislature To Allow Sports Betting
  • Bills to allow sports betting at Indian casinos in Washington state, including events like the Super Bowl and the World Series, have been introduced in the Legislature.
• Gambling Compliance, 1.29.20 – Washington Lawmakers Consider Bills To Protect Social Games From Gambling Lawsuits (subscription paywall)
  • Lawmakers in Washington state have introduced a pair of bills designed to protect video- and social-game developers from class action lawsuits by amending the definition of “illegal gambling games” in existing state law to specifically exclude most video games.
• Law360, 1.27.20 – Bills Aim To Stop Social Casino Illegal Gambling Suits (subscription paywall)
  • Washington state lawmakers will consider pair of bills to stop users who lost money on social “free-to-play” casinos from seeking to recover their losses alleging the games are illegal gambling.

Connecticut:

• The Day, 1.28.20 – Draft Of Gaming Bill Details Expansion, Tribes’ Sports Betting
  • A draft of state Sen. Cathy Osten’s latest gaming bill calls for Gov. Ned Lamont to reach new agreements authorizing the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes to offer sports wagering at their resort casinos, at the “satellite” casino they still hope to build in East Windsor and at three other tribally owned facilities the proposed legislation would authorize in “entertainment zones” in Hartford, New Haven and elsewhere.

New Hampshire:

• Boston Herald, 1.28.20 – Chris Sununu Says NH Sports Betting Wagers Net $15.8 Million In One Month
  • New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu says more than $15.8 million has been wagered since sports betting became legal in the Granite State less than a month ago — a “booming” revenue stream that comes as the Baker administration lowers expectations for tax returns from Massachusetts’ casinos.

Virginia:

• Gambling Compliance, 1.29.20 – Virginia May Legalize Casinos Within Weeks (subscription paywall)
  • With less than six weeks remaining in this year’s legislative session in Virginia, gambling lobbyists appear to have momentum as they prepare to launch an aggressive campaign to bring casinos to the Old Dominion.
• Washington Business Journal, 1.29.20 – Sports Betting May Finally Come To VA If A State Bill Wins Support (subscription paywall)
  • Virginia lawmakers will consider fully legalizing online sports betting during their 2020 legislative session, while also tackling more substantial changes that could allow for the construction of casinos.

West Virginia:

• Online Poker Report, 1.28.20 – BetMGM Arrives In West Virginia Just In Time For Super Bowl LIV
  • BetMGM launched its sports betting app last week in partnership with The Greenbrier, West Virginia’s privately owned resort and casino.
• Sports Handle, 1.28.20 – Delaware North Prepping For West Virginia Re-Launch
  • West Virginian sports bettors found two retail and mobile wagering platforms shuttered ahead of March Madness in 2019. Looks like they might have better luck this year.

Kentucky:

• Bloomberg, 1.28.20 – Kentucky Governor Eyes Gambling, Vape Taxes To Fund Education
  • Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear wants to legalize sports gambling and raise taxes on cigarettes and some businesses to fund what his administration is calling an “education-first” budget plan.

Illinois:

• Sports Handle, 1.28.20 – Sports Wagering Rules Among Agenda Items For Illinois Gaming Board Meeting
  • The Illinois Gaming Board has included a rule-making item on the agenda regarding the recently released Phase II Sports Wagering rules for Thursday’s meeting.
• WTTW, 1.28.20 – Gamblers Still Waiting For Sports Betting In Illinois
  • The General Assembly passed a massive gambling expansion package in June but legalized sports betting in Illinois is still not ready for prime time because oversight authorities are still figuring out the rules.

Missouri:

• KMBC, 1.28.20 – As Chiefs Prepare For Super Bowl, Lawmakers Consider Making Sports Betting Illegal
  • As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare to play in their first Super Bowl in 50 years, fans wanting to place a legal bet on the game in Kansas City would have to drive several hours to do so.
• KCTV, 1.28.20 – New Bill Might Allow Sports Betting, Slot Machines At Power And Light
  • Power and Light’s KC Live! has long hosted packed watch parties for big sporting events. Soon you might be able to gamble on those games at Power and Light too.
• Columbia Missourian, 1.28.20 – Committee Votes To Legalize Video Gambling Terminals, Sports Betting
  • A House bill that would allow video lottery game machines and sports betting to operate under the jurisdiction of the Missouri Lottery Commission passed 5-1 in a committee Tuesday.
• Fox 2 Now, 1.28.20 – Four Bills Face State Legislature To Regulate Illegal Gaming Machines
  • Gambling at Ballpark Village is under consideration by lawmakers in Jefferson City.

Georgia:

• Georgia Public Broadcasting, 1.28.20 – Political Rewind: The Case For Sports Betting In Georgia
  • What are the opportunities and risks for Georgia associated with the legalization of some specific forms of sports betting?

Louisiana:

• Business Report, 1.28.20 – Betting Still Off The Table In Louisiana Ahead Of Super Bowl Weekend
  • Super Bowl weekend is coming, and while many Louisiana football fans won’t have a vested interest in the winner of this weekend’s game, most won’t have a financial one, either.

Florida:

• Sports Business Daily, 1.28.20 – Florida Legislators Confirm Ongoing Work To Legalize Sports Betting (subscription paywall)
  • Florida House and Senate leaders have confirmed that they are “engaged in an effort to reach a deal” with Gov. Ron DeSantis that would update the state’s gambling laws by “allowing organized sports betting and bring in new revenue from the Seminole Tribe.”
• WTSP, 1.28.20 – Points Spreads And Politics: Could Sports Gambling Become Legal In Florida?
  • Leadership in Tallahassee have discussed the topic informally while other lawmakers have introduced legislation to try and address the issue.

Arkansas:

• KAIT, 1.28.20 – Southland Casino Launches Sports Betting Days Before Super Bowl
  • West Memphis is betting on Southland Casino, as the gaming complex launches sports betting just days before the Super Bowl.

Mississippi:

• WJTV, 1.28.20 – Mississippi Casinos Prepare For Sports Betting During Super Bowl
  • Mississippi casinos are preparing for gamblers to bet on the Super Bowl on February 2, 2020.
• iGaming Business, 1.29.20 – Mississippi Lawmaker Makes New Mobile Betting Push
  • Mississippi Representative Cedric Burnett has resurrected a bill to legalize mobile wagering in the state, having previously seen a similar proposal die without progressing to a committee hearing in 2019.

Oklahoma:

• Tulsa World, 1.29.20 – Speaker McCall On Tribal Gaming: ‘In My Opinion, The Compact Has Renewed For Another 15 Years’
  • House Speaker Charles McCall believes the state’s tribal gaming compacts automatically renewed Jan. 1, he said Tuesday.