Industry News of the Day for June 20, 2019

Maine:

  • Legal Sports Report, 6.19.19 – Sports Betting To Become The Maine Event After House, Senate Approval
    • Lawmakers are poised to pass a bill that will legalize Maine sports betting throughout the state. LD 553 stormed through the legislature Tuesday, stopping just short of full approval in each chamber. Members in both houses plan to cast the final votes needed to send the bill to Gov. Janet Mills this week.
  • Sports Handle, 6.19.19 – Maine Legislature Passes Bill To Legalize Sports Wagering With ‘Free Market’ Model
    • Both chambers of Maine’s legislature on Tuesday took steps to advance a bill that would legalize sports wagering at retail locations including existing casinos and via online/mobile platforms. Wednesday is the final day of the session, and lawmakers plan to burn some late night oil if necessity compels, according to the Associated Press.
  • AP, 6.19.19 – Pot, Guns, Sports Betting On Agenda For Lawmakers’ Last Day
    • Maine lawmakers were hoping to finish their work on marijuana sales, renewable energy and online sports betting during the last scheduled day of this session Wednesday.
  • Portland Press Herald, 6.19.19 – Bill To Legalize Sports Betting Advances In Maine Legislature
    • Lawmakers gave initial approval Tuesday night to legislation that would add Maine to the growing list of states that have legalized betting on athletic events. The Senate voted 19-15 and the House voted unanimously to approve a bill that would allow individuals 21 or older to gamble on professional and most collegiate sports in Maine.
  • WGME, 6.19.19 – Bill To Allow Sports Betting In Maine Awaiting Governor’s Signature
    • A bill being considered Wednesday night would allow online sports betting in Maine. Bill sponsors say if signed by the governor, sports betting would be legal both online, as well as at establishments that already do some form of gambling, like a casino or racing track.

New Jersey:

  • Play NJ, 6.19.19 – Wire Act Enforcement Delay Means New Jersey Can Breathe Easy For Now
    • Most New Jersey online gambling operators are breathing a little easier this week. That’s because last week the US Department of Justice decided to delay enforcement of its latest Wire Act opinion. In fact, the DOJ has announced it will not act on the opinion until at least next year.
  • NJ Gambling Sites, 6.19.19 – NJ Governor Remains Optimistic On Atlantic City’s Future With Sports Betting
    • New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy owned up to his bad bets. Nearly a year to the day after he placed the first legal bets in New Jersey at Monmouth Park, he gave the keynote speech at the 23rd annual East Coast Gaming Congress at Harrah’s Waterfront Conference Center.

Pennsylvania:

  • Sports Business Daily (subscription paywall), 6.19.19 – Pennsylvania Sports Betting Down, But Early Mobile Numbers Strong
    • Sports betting handle in Pennsylvania in May was “down for the second consecutive month” since hitting a peak of $44.5M in March, though the first four days of online sports betting action “suggested a broader audience was just a few clicks away from joining in,” according to Andrew Maykuth.

West Virginia:

  • Play WV, 6.19.19 – New Revenue Leader Emerges As WV Sportsbooks See A Rare Uptick In Action
    • West Virginia sports betting had its best showing in six weeks as the betting handle for the state nearly topped $2.3 million for the week ending June 8. WV sportsbooks have been struggling to accept a high volume of wagers for a while now, and there is still no online sportsbook in the Mountain State to help.

New York:

  • Democrat & Chronicle, 6.19.19 – Sports Betting In New York: Don’t Expect Wagering On Your Phone Anytime Soon
    • If you want to bet legally on sports in New York, your only chance may be to soon go to one of four upstate casinos. Efforts in the state Legislature to allow for mobile sports betting appears stalled in the Assembly after the measure passed the Senate earlier this week. The legislative session was to end for the year Wednesday.
  • WRVO, 6.20.19 – Sports Betting Now Legal At Upstate New York Casinos
    • The New York Gaming Commission voted this month to allow wagers on sports games to take place at any of the four commercial casinos and tribal facilities in upstate. The gambling is restricted to in-person bets at a casino’s designated sports lounge, as opposed to online or through mobile devices.

Sports League News:

  • ESPN, 6.19.19 – NBA To Launch Virtual Sports Betting Game
    • A virtual sports betting game featuring NBA highlights and footage will debut next season in U.S. and European gaming and lottery markets, the league and NBPA announced Wednesday.
  • Bleacher Report, 6.19.19 – NBA to Create Virtual Sports-Betting Game Called ‘NBA Last 90’
    • The NBA is launching a new virtual game that will allow fans to bet on various props in simulated games, the league and National Basketball Players Association announced Wednesday.
  • US Bets, 6.20.19 – NBA Announces New Product, Wants Gamblers To Bet On Fake Basketball Games
    • The NBA is diving even deeper into the world of gambling. The league, along with the National Basketball Players Association and gaming supplier Highlight Games, announced Wednesday a partnership for a simulated, real-money sports gambling product using NBA highlights and footage. The product will be called “NBA Last 90.”

iDEA Growth Member News:

  • Boston Business Journal (subscription paywall), 6.19.19 – In ‘Hypergrowth’ Mode, DraftKings Is Expanding Again In Boston
    • The online fantasy sports betting company just moved to a new headquarters in March.
  • NJ Gambling Sites, 6.19.19 – NJ Legislation Would Allow NBA Owner’s Sportsbook To Take NBA Bets (Golden Nugget)
    • A piece of legislation filed Monday in the state of New Jersey would relax part of a law pertaining to sports wagering that is hindering one Atlantic City casino. The bill, A 5463, would pave the way for Golden Nugget owner Tilman Fertitta, a billionaire who also owns the Houston Rockets NBA franchise, to see his struggling sportsbook accept action on NBA games.