Industry News of the Day for January 31, 2019

iDEA Growth in the News:

  • Sports Handle, 1.30.19 – ‘It’s A Case Of FOMO’: Why D.C. Is Rushing To Launch Sports Betting (J. Pappas mentioned as spokesperson)
    • The D.C. Council continued its aggressive march toward launching sports betting on Wednesday when the Finance and Revenue Committee voted 3-2 to advance Bill 23-25 to a vote before the Committee of the Whole, which is scheduled for Feb. 5. The bill would allow the District to bypass the bid process for a sports betting mobile operator and give the contract to current D.C. Lottery vendor Intralot.

Industry News:

New York:

  • Legal Sports Report, 1.31.19 – Mobile NY Sports Betting Showdown Could Pit Legislators, Governor Cuomo
    • Two key state legislators are preparing their case to sway Governor Andrew Cuomo on whether current law allows mobile NY sports betting. Assemblyman Gary Pretlow is joining Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. in calling for the New York State Gaming Commission to include mobile wagering in the final rules and regulations it approves this spring to commence sports betting at four upstate commercial casinos.

Virginia:

  • Legal Sports Report, 1.31.19 – Virginia Sports Betting Not Likely To Clear Legislature This Year
    • Reluctance among key legislators and a short legislative calendar likely will push Virginia sports betting back at least a year. Sources indicate to Legal Sports Report that following a Senate committee vote to require an in-depth legislative study, prospects for sports betting in Virginia this year appear dim.
  • US Bets, 1.30.19 – Virginia Lawmaker Calls Mobile Sports Betting The Real Moneymaker
    • A group of Virginia lawmakers convened Wednesday morning to consider whether to cast votes to move a sports betting proposal along in the legislative process, but a lack of consensus on how sports betting would be set up has so far delayed the measure from the Senate committee vote.
  • NBC 12, 1.30.19 – Bills to legalize sports betting in Virginia move forward
    • The odds of Virginia legalizing professional sports betting are improving as bills to authorize sports gambling are advancing in the Virginia General Assembly.

New Jersey:

  • Legal Sports Report, 1.30.19 – Legal Betting On The Oscars? New Jersey Sportsbooks Can Take Action
    • It will be the first time that legal betting on the Oscars will take place in the United States. Nevada, despite having legal wagering for decades, has never taken action on the Oscars.
  • ESPN, 1.30.19 – New Jersey sportsbooks to offer betting on Oscars
    • And the Oscar goes to … you’ll be able to bet on it this year in New Jersey. New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) informed the state’s new licensed bookmakers this week that they will be permitted to offer bets on the Academy Awards, a first for legal sportsbooks in the United States.

Rhode Island:

Overall Industry News:

  • Online Poker Report, 1.30.19 – US Sports Betting On The Agenda For Upcoming Gaming Conferences In London
    • Since the US Supreme Court overturned PASPA last May, sports betting has commandeered gaming conferences all across the country. Next week, America will export the conversation to Europe. The US sports betting industry will be a major focal point of the upcoming ICE and London Affiliate Conference (LAC) events in London.
  • Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1.30.19 – FOMO propelling legalized sports betting, says industry group
    • Sports betting legalization is moving at a face clip with bills pending in 15 states, an industry lobbyist said.
  • Sports Handle, 1.30.19 – AGA: Americans Will Wager $6 Billion On Super Bowl
    • An American Gaming Association survey released on Monday shows that $6 billion will be wagered by 22.7 million Americans on Sunday’s Super Bowl LIII. The New England Patriots will be making their third consecutive Super Bowl appearance and will play the Los Angeles Rams in Atlanta, setting up the second Boston-Los Angeles professional league championship in four months. Last fall, the Red Sox beat the Dodgers in five games to win baseball’s World Series.
  • ESPN, 1.30.19 – State-by-state sports betting bill tracker
    • After New Jersey’s Supreme Court victory last year, any state that wishes can legalize sports betting. At the same time various state lawmakers are considering sports betting legislation, Congress is too.