Industry News of the Day for June 27, 2019

iDEA Growth in the News:

• Legal Sports Report, 6.26.19 – Not So Fast, Intralot: DC Sports Betting Contract Faces Questions (J. Ifrah quoted as spokesperson)
  • If you’re wondering why officials in the District of Columbia are so eager to award a nine-figure gaming contract to Intralot, you’re not alone. The DC Council Committee of the Whole held a public roundtable Wednesday to discuss the proposed $215 million deal with the struggling operator based in Greece.
• Sports Handle, 6.26.19 – C. Council Discusses Opening Sports Betting Bid Process, Timeline To Launch (J. Ifrah quoted as spokesperson)
  • During Wednesday’s D.C. Council Roundtable to discuss the city’s proposed contract with sports betting contractor Intralot, Council Members Elissa Silverman and Robert White continued to voice their displeasure with the whole process, with White saying there was no “justification” for bypassing the bid process, while Silverman questioned the involvement of fellow councilman Jack Evans, now under investigation for improper business dealings, in the process.

New Jersey:

• Legal Sports Report, 6.26.19 – NJ Sports Betting, Online Casino Markets Put At Risk By State Budget Dispute
  • An ongoing budget dispute between Gov. Phil Murphy and the state legislature could freeze NJ sports betting customer accounts. Operators, however, are fighting the potential blow and appear to have positive momentum toward a less disruptive resolution.

Pennsylvania:

• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6.25.19 – Online Sports Betting Ramps Up Risks For Problem Gamers
  • Legalized online sports betting’s arrival in Pennsylvania has brought that type of gambler a modernized, convenient world of credit card use, freedom to bet from anywhere in the state and constant chances to wager in the middle of contests.
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6.26.19 – Q-And-A: Advice, Insights About Pennsylvania’s New Online Sports Betting
  • Jason Ziernicki of Doylestown, Bucks County, has tracked the development of legalized sports betting in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. With the Rivers Casino’s BetRivers recently becoming the third option in Pennsylvania for legal online sports betting, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sought his insights about the developing industry.

Washington, D.C.:

• The Washington Post, 6.26.19 – Sports Gambling Will Earn D.C. Nearly $16 Million Less Than Projected, Officials Say
  • C. government officials have lowered by nearly $16 million the revenue they estimate legalized sports gambling will generate over the next 15 months.
• NBC Washington, 6.26.19 – DC Council Split On Mobile Betting App Contract
  • The head of the D.C. Office of Lottery and Charitable Games testified Wednesday that if the D.C. council doesn’t approve the sports betting contract next month, it could be years before D.C. could have a mobile sports betting app, which would mean the loss of millions of dollars.

Maine:

• Legal Sports Report, 6.26.19 – Why Every State Should Follow Maine’s Example For Sports Betting
  • In the waning hours of its legislative session, the Maine legislature passed a comprehensive sports betting bill that should become the model law for post-PASPA sports gambling expansion.

West Virginia:

• West Virginia Gazette, 6.26.19 – Lottery Director: Online Sports Betting Unlikely Before Football Season [subscription paywall]
  • Forget baseball season -– the director of the West Virginia Lottery said Wednesday that online sports wagering probably won’t be available until the fall.

Tennessee:

• News Channel 5, 6.26.19 – Sports Betting Won’t Be A Reality For Fans In Tennessee Until Fall 2019
  • Online sports betting will be legal on July 1, but you won’t be able to place bets until November at the earliest.

New York:

• Legal Sports Report, 6.26.19 – Why A Key Lawmaker Says Cuomo Is Making An ‘Excuse’ For Opposing Mobile NY Sports Betting
  • Governor Andrew Cuomo simply does not want to approve mobile NY sports betting, according to the lawmaker at the center of the debate. Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. disputes Cuomo’s explanation that the governor holds concern about the constitutionality of mobile sports betting in New York.

Sports League News:

• Fortune, 6.26.19 – Major League Soccer Will Allow Gambling, Liquor Sponsors For Jerseys And Stadium Rights
  • Major League Soccer unveiled sweeping changes to its commercial sponsorship guidelines Wednesday that allow its 24 clubs to secure jersey and stadium naming rights sponsorships with sports betting and liquor companies.

iDEA Growth Member News:

• NJTV, 6.26.19 – Online Betting Leads The Way For Jersey’s Burgeoning Sports Gaming Industry
  • Officials snipped the ribbon to open DraftKings’ new Hoboken headquarters — a high-rise hive of 65 technical experts devoted to promoting
  • the company’s booming sportsbook in New Jersey– where the industry’s only a year old but seeing explosive growth from Atlantic City to the Meadowlands.

Overall Industry News:

• Play USA, 6.25.19 – Anatomy Of A Merger Part 1: Caesars Will Be A Land-Based Casino Giant
  • In a deal that has far-reaching implications, Eldorado Resorts agreed to purchase and merge with Caesars Entertainment. In a new three-part series, PlayUSA will analyze how the $17.3 billion deal impacts the land-based casinos, online gambling and sports betting.
• Sports Handle, 6.27.19 – Sports Bettors Of Different Stripes: John, A New York Lawyer
  • This story marks the debut of a new Sports Handle mini-series looking at sports bettors across the country.