Industry News of the Day for July 29, 2020

iDEA Growth Member News:

• iGB North America, 7.29.20 – Kindred Approved For Indiana Mobile Betting Launch
  • The Indiana Gaming Commission has given its full approval for Kindred Group’s Unibet brand to operate mobile sports betting in the state.

Industry News:

• The New York Times, 7.28.20 – How Does The Coronavirus Affect Sports Betting?
  • Sports is slowly coming back to North America, and that means that sports betting is returning, too.
• CNN, 7.28.20 – Why This Betting Site Isn’t Worried About Live Sports
  • After months of no live sports, baseball season has finally kicked off — only to see some games postponed almost immediately because of a coronavirus outbreak on the Miami Marlins. But the head of FanDuel says he isn’t worried.
• Online Poker Report, 7.28.20 – The Divided States Of America: Why Interstate Online Poker Isn’t Ubiquitous In The US
  • With poker regulated on a state-by-state basis, the need for interstate compacts is obvious.

Overall Industry News:

• PlayUSA, 7.28.20 – Some State Lotteries Are Continuing To Struggled Due To COVID-19
  • As the coronavirus continues its decimation of the US economy, one industry seeing mixed results are state lotteries.
• PlayUSA, 7.28.20 – The Present And Future Of Daily Fantasy Sports According To A CEO
  • Maybe PrizePicks will one day join DraftKings and FanDuel as daily fantasy sports purveyors to make the evolutionary arc to legal sports betting.

Federal News:

• PlayNevada, 7.28.20 – Bipartisan Bill Introduced To Repeal Federal Sports Betting Tax
  • The co-chairs of the Congressional Gaming Caucus, Dina Titus (D-NV), and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA.), introduced bipartisan legislation to remove the federal “handle tax” for sportsbooks. Regulated US sportsbook operators currently pay a 0.25% federal excise tax on all wagers.

Sports League News:

• SBC Americas, 7.28.20 – Monkey Knight Fight Signs Exclusive DFS Deal With Miami Dolphins
  • Fantasy sports gaming platform Monkey Knife Fight (MKF) has inked a new strategic partnership with the NFL‘s Miami Dolphins whereby it will introduce exclusive fantasy sports contests tailored to Dolphins fans.

Massachusetts:

• Gambling Compliance, 7.29.20 – Massachusetts House Passes Sports-Betting Bill (subscription paywall)
  • The Massachusetts House of Representatives approved a comprehensive economic development package on Tuesday night that includes legalized sports betting.
• Sports Handle, 7.28.20 – A New Sports League – Sportsbook Business Relationship May Be On The Way In Massachusetts
  • There’s a curious new clause in the latest Massachusetts sports betting bill concerning relationships between sports leagues and to-be-licensed sportsbooks. Based on our knowledge of sports wagering legislation across the country, if passed, this clause and the type of commercial relationship it would expressly permit, would be a first.
• MassLive, 7.29.20 – Massachusetts House Passes $459 Million Economic Growth Bill With Sports Betting, But Legalization Depends On Senate
  • The Massachusetts House passed a $459 million economic development bill Tuesday night that includes funding for nonprofits affected by the coronavirus pandemic, local projects and language legalizing sports betting.

New Jersey:

• Online Poker Report, 7.29.20 – GameCo Approved To Bring Skill-Based Online Gambling To New Jersey
  • GameCo, the self-described inventor of video game gambling, has received its license from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE).

Pennsylvania:

• PlayPennsylvania, 7.29.20 – PA Gaming Review: Live! Casino Betting Apps, More Gambling Stocks On the Way
  • Busy week in Pennsylvania gaming news, but much of it about behind the scenes financial plans and adding to the online casino and sports betting market.

Rhode Island:

• iGN North America, 7.29.20 – RI Sports Betting Revenue Reaches $18.7m In FY2020
  • Rhode Island’s legal sports betting market generated $18.7m in revenue during the state’s 2019-20 financial year, despite the final four months of the period being impacted by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Washington, D.C.:

• Washington Business Journal, 7.28.20 – The Initial Reviews For D.C.’s Sports Betting App Are… Not Good (subscription paywall)
  • In May, the D.C. Lottery did a “soft launch” of its web browser platform.

Maryland:

• WBAL, 7.28.20 – Lawmakers Consider Online Gaming Options As Casino Revenues Sink Due To Coronavirus
  • A Maryland House committee heard proposals to expand gaming opportunities to the internet.

Illinois:

• PlayIllinois, 7.28.20 – Lots Of Questions, No Answers On Removal Of KBO, NASCAR, PGA And Soccer Betting Markets
  • On Monday, the BetRivers online sportsbook removed several soccer matches, Korean Baseball Organization, NASCAR and PGA betting markets from its Illinois platform.

Kentucky:

• TN Bets, 7.28.20 – Sports Betting ‘Icing On The Cake’ For Kentucky Track Near Tennessee
  • A Kentucky gambling facility near the Tennessee border is hopeful for sports betting legislation passing in the Bluegrass State in 2021.

Louisiana:

• The Lines, 7.28.20 – Bayou Bliss: What New Law Means For Louisiana Daily Fantasy Sports Players
  • Daily fantasy sports is finally coming to the state of Louisiana, and it could pave the way to legalized sports betting as well.

Colorado:

• Legal Sports Report, 7.28.20 – What Drove Colorado Sports Betting Growth In Its Second Month
  • More sports and an extra operator in the market led Colorado sports betting handle and revenue to grow in their second month.
• Sports Handle, 7.28.20 – Colorado Sees Sharp Uptick In Sports Betting Handle For June
  • More sportsbooks, a bigger handle, and a continued affinity for table tennis marked the Colorado sports betting revenue report for the month of June released Tuesday by the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Gaming Division.
• PlayColorado, 7.28.20 – With $38M In Bets, Colorado Handle Up 50% From May To June
  • The Colorado sports betting market continues to show why expectations are a mile high.
• PlayColorado, 7.28.20 – William Hill Launches Retail Sportsbook In Colorado
  • William Hill is the latest to open a retail sportsbook in Colorado.

Oklahoma:

• Gambling Compliance, 7.29.20 – Federal Judge Rules Oklahoma’s Tribal Gaming Compact Automatically Renews (subscription paywall)
  • A federal judge on Tuesday handed Oklahoma’s governor another setback in his efforts to renegotiate state-tribal gaming compacts and the exclusivity fees paid to the state that have been in place for more than 15 years.
• Gambling.Com, 7.28.20 – Federal Judge Sides With Oklahoma Tribes Over Gaming Compacts
  • Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has suffered another loss over tribal gaming compacts.