Industry News of the Day for June 15, 2020
iDEA Growth Member News:
- Legal Sports Report, 6.15.20 – LSR Q+A: Less Than 10% Market Share ‘Not Success,’ Says Roar Digital CEO (GVC Holdings)
- The coronavirus pandemic changed a lot in the sports and sports betting world this year, but it hasn’t slowed down Roar Digital‘s US expansion ambitions.
Industry News:
- Sports Handle, 6.12.20 – Get A Grip: The Week In Sports Betting News: Oregon Lie Detector, Oh, Canada! More
- Here’s the weekend Sports Handle item, “Get a Grip,” recapping the week’s top U.S. sports betting stories, highlighting some fresh news and rounding up key stories.
- US Bets, 6.12.20 – How Important Is It To Be First To Market In Regulated Sports Betting?
- When Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced last week that he was lifting the in-person registration requirement for mobile sports betting, he completely changed the playing field.
- Gambling Compliance, 6.15.20 – Patchwork Of AML Rules Plagues US iGaming, Sports Betting (subscription paywall)
- As U.S. states continue to roll out legal online gambling, operators are facing significant challenges in attempting to navigate the still-churning waters, according to the compliance head at market leader FanDuel.
Overall Industry News:
- Associated Press, 6.15.20 – Some Tribes Reopen Their Casinos Despite State Opposition
- Despite having authority to shutter thousands of businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has been constrained when dealing with the sovereign tribal nations that own two of the world’s largest casinos.
- The New York Times, 6.14.20 – Trading Sportsbooks For Brokerages, Bored Bettors Wager On Stocks
- When Russian table tennis or Korean baseball won’t scratch the itch, some are trying their hand at trading equities. It’s enough to move the market, analysts say.
- Fox Business, 6.13.20 – Barstool’s Dave Portnoy Leads Army Of New Traders Into Stock Market
- The sports-betting industry was a $150 billion business in 2019 and gamblers have since March been limited to wagering on South Korean baseball and other obscure sports, causing many of them to turn their focus to the financial markets.
Sports League News:
- Legal Sports Report, 6.12.20 – Go Canada: Pro Leagues Unite On Single-Game Sports Betting
- Professional sports leagues have thrown their weight behind single-game sports betting in Canada.
- PlayMichigan, 6.12.20 – Pro Leagues Lobby Canada To Expand Sports Gambling
- After decades of unease, it’s safe to say that professional sports leagues are fully on board with legalized sports gambling.
- SBC Americas, 6.12.20 – Major Leagues Issue Joint Call For Legal Sports Betting In Canada
- Aspirations to introduce legal sports betting in Canada have been given a major fillip from the major sporting leagues who have issued a joint statement calling for prompt action to allow single-event sports wagering.
- ESPN, 6.13.20 – League Commissioners To Appear On ESPN’s SportsCenter Special: The Return Of Sports, This Monday
- ESPN will host a conversation with commissioners from the top U.S. sports leagues on Monday regarding resuming competition amid the coronavirus pandemic.
New Jersey:
- Associated Press, 6.12.20 – Atlantic City’s May Casino Revenue Down 65% In Virus Closure
- May was almost as bad a month for Atlantic City’s casinos as April was.
- Online Poker Report, 6.13.20 – With New Jersey Casinos Still Closed, Online Gambling Sites Win Record $86 Million In May
- Although there are now more US casinos that are open than closed, those in Atlantic City are still shuttered. At a result, New Jersey‘s gambling industry remained fully dependent on online revenue through the month of May.
- Legal Sports Report, 6.12.20 – NJ Sports Betting Handle Doubles Up April But Lags Last Year
- Doubling handle from the previous month normally shows market strength but May’s NJ sports betting totals present the outlier case.
- Gambling.Com, 6.12.20 – New Jersey Sports Betting, iGaming Numbers Grow In May
- With sports gradually returning, New Jersey saw a big increase in May’s sports betting numbers over April.
Pennsylvania:
- PlayPennsylvania, 6.12.20 – PA Gaming Review: PA Casinos Begin Reopening Doors, Tracks To Follow
- The new normal continues to take shape in Pennsylvania on the downslope of the virus pandemic.
Vermont:
- VTDigger, 6.12.20 – Senate Approves Committee To Study Legal Sports Betting In Vermont
- The Senate unanimously approved Friday setting up a study committee to investigate how the state could tax and regulate sports betting in Vermont.
Connecticut:
- New Haven Register, 6.14.20 – Connecticut OTB Sites Not Part OF Phase II Reopening
- Connecticut restaurant and sports bar owners can’t wait for the state’s Phase II reopening on June 17, which will allow them to serve customers indoors and add some much needed revenue.
Washington, D.C.:
- WTOP, 6.12.20 – What Are The Odds? Why Sports Betting In DC Isn’t A Hit With All Gamblers
- When it comes to sports betting in D.C., gamblers say the odds are stacked too high against them.
Michigan:
- PlayMichigan, 6.12.20 – 6 More Michigan Casinos Reopened Friday
- More than half of Michigan’s casinos are now taking bets as of Friday.
Illinois:
- PlayIllinois, 6.12.20 – Gaming Board Sets Stage For Illinois Casinos To Reopen
- There’s still no official date or timeline for when gaming facilities in Illinois will welcome guests again. The approval of a reopening plan for Illinois casinos represents a necessary preliminary step, however.
- WSIL TV, 6.12.20 – Gaming Board Approves Sports Betting For 7 Illinois Casinos, Mobile Gambling Still On Hold
- The Illinois Gaming Board held their first meeting in over four months to approve sports wagering licenses for seven casinos.
Ohio:
- PlayIndiana, 6.12.20 – Ohio Senate May Hear About Not One But Two Sports Betting Bills In July
- Ohio is finally ready to make some progress towards legal sports betting.
Louisiana:
- iGB North America, 6.15.20 – Louisiana Governor Signs Off On Sports Betting Referendum Bill
- Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has signed into a law a bill to arrange a parish-by-parish referendum on whether to legalise sports betting in the state.
Colorado:
- Gambling Compliance, 6.15.20 – Colorado Tribe Pushes Legal Boundary With New Sports-Betting App (subscription paywall)
- Although it remains to be seen if the first Native American casino sports-betting app will face legal challenges, the launching of the app by the Sky Ute Casino Resort in Colorado shows that the Indian gaming industry is gravitating toward the mobile sports wagering market.
- PlayColorado, 6.12.20 – No Longer Waiting To Exhale: Colorado Casinos Get Go-Ahead To Reopen
- It was announced earlier this week that Gilpin and Teller counties finally had their variance requests approved; essentially, an exemption from the state’s “safer-at-home” policy. That gives Cripple Creek casinos the green light to open on Monday (June 15) and Black Hawk and Central City casinos on Wednesday (June 17).