Industry News of the Day for March 11, 2021

iDEA Growth Member News

• Legal Sports Report, 3.10.21 – Why Have US Sports Bettors Been So Sticky Thus Far?
  • BetMGM co-owner Entain became the latest firm to talk up the loyalty of US sportsbook customers last week.
• Online Poker Report, 3.10.21 – DraftKings Is First Out Of The Gates In The Newly Permissive Google Play Store
  • Legal and licensed gambling apps have been allowed in Google’s Play Store since Mar. 1. However, it took about a week for the first one to make its appearance.
• Forbes, 3.10.21 – Soaring DraftKings Stock Makes CEO Jason Robins A Billionaire
  • DraftKings stock took off on Wednesday after a rosy forecast that wowed Wall Street and made a billionaire out of cofounder and CEO Jason Robins, according to Forbes.

Overall Industry News:

• US Bets, 3.10.21 – Retired Clark County Judge Is On A Mission To Spread Gambling Court Concept To Other States
  • Cheryl Moss in January ceased running the nation’s only court dedicated to rehabilitating criminal offenders who were caught up in gambling addiction, but her work on the issue hasn’t stopped.
• Legal Sports Report, 3.11.21 – Why Bally’s Sports Betting M&A Spree Might Just Be Getting Started
  • Bally’s is “just getting started” on its plan to remake itself into a technology company, according to company chairman Soo Kim.
• MI Bets, 3.10.21 – Three-In-Four ‘Young’ Sports Bettors See It As A Side Hustle, Survey Found
  • Sports betting for an income? Don’t bet on it, but a strong majority of younger bettors think it’s possible.

Ohio:

• Hannah News Service, 3.10.21 – Ohio Pro Teams, Bowling Alleys Seek To Profit From Sports Gambling
  • Professional sports teams should be allowed to financially benefit directly from a legalized sports betting system in Ohio, representatives from the Cincinnati Reds and FC Cincinnati told the Senate Select Committee on Gaming on Wednesday.
• Gongwer News Service, 3.10.21 – Pro Teams Throw Weight Behind Legalized Sports Gaming Effort
  • Ohio’s professional sports teams and the Memorial Tournament on Wednesday announced their support for legalizing sports gambling in the state.
• Sports Handle, 3.10.21 – Pro Leagues, Bowling Alleys Make Pitches For Slice Of Ohio’s Sports Betting Pie
  • Bowling alleys and ballclubs are the latest entities to make their pitch to be included in any Ohio sports betting legislation, as representatives from both businesses spoke in front of the Ohio Senate Select Committee on Gaming Wednesday afternoon.
• PlayOhio, 3.10.21 – Ohio Pro Teams Argue They Need Sportsbook Licenses To Be Competitive
  • Add professional sports teams to the growing list of entities that want in on Ohio sports betting.

Illinois:

• Sports Handle, 3.10.21 – Sports Betting Handle In Illinois Climbs To $581.5 Million In January
  • The Illinois Gaming Board on Wednesday reported another record handle month for sports betting in the state, with operators accepting more than $581.5 million in bets for January.
• Legal Sports Report, 3.10.21 – Illinois Sports Betting Handle Nears New Heights In January
  • Illinois sports betting reached another record in January with $581.6 million in wagers.
• PlayIllinois, 3.10.21 – Illinois Easily Blows Past $500 Million Handle In January Sports Betting
  • Illinois posted $581.6 million in January sports betting handle, setting yet another monthly record.
• Chicago Sun-Times, 3.10.21 – From Church Bingo To Illegal Dogfighting, Addiction Researchers Want To Hear From Illinois Gamblers
  • Addiction treatment specialists are asking for gamblers’ two cents as they try to get a handle on how big an issue problem gambling is across Illinois.

Michigan:

• PlayMichigan, 3.10.21 – Michigan Sports Betting Looking At A Do-Over After Tough First Year
  • A former state representative put a wager on Michigan State to win the NCAA Tournament in March 2020 at the opening of one of Detroit’s sportsbooks.

New York:

• The Action Network, 3.10.21 – New York Online Sports Betting Hopefuls Wait As Budget Nears Deadline
  • New York online sports betting remains in a holding pattern weeks before a crucial deadline that could determine when — or if — the nation’s would-be largest market legalizes mobile wagering.
• Elite Sports NY, 3.10.21 – Why Is NY Online Sports Betting Following The Rhode Island Model?
  • NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plan for online sports betting seems to mirror the current lottery-run systems in New Hampshire or Rhode Island. Why?
• Gambling.com, 3.10.21 – Consensus Of New York Sports Betting Panel: Do Something
  • New York needs to do something was the overall consensus during Wednesday’s The Future of Sports Wagering in New York virtual webinar presented by the Government Law Center at Albany Law School.

Maryland:

• Legal Sports Report, 3.10.21 – Maryland Sports Betting Hopefuls Get More Licenses As Requested
  • The Maryland House Ways and Means Committee clearly heard the calls for additional sports betting licenses from hopeful operators.
• Gambling.com, 3.10.21 – Maryland House Close To Sending Sports Betting Bill To Senate
  • In an incremental legislative development in Maryland’s efforts to craft a sports wagering bill, the House of Delegates passed a House bill on second reading Wednesday.

New Jersey:

• NJ Online Gambling, 3.10.21 – FuboTV Proving New Jersey Is Still A Prime Target For Sports Betting
  • The presence of nearly two dozen competitors is not scaring away additional rivals from the New Jersey mobile sports betting scene.

Georgia:

• Northwest Georgia News, 3.10.21 – Sports Betting Supporters OK With Constitutional Amendment Approach (subscription paywall)
  • A constitutional amendment to legalize online sports betting in Georgia is the only game in town after the state House of Representatives shelved a bill that would not require a constitutional change.

Alabama:

• SBC Americas, 3.11.21 – Sports Betting On Ice As Alabama Senate Rejects Lottery And Casino Bill
  • The Alabama Senate has narrowly rejected a proposal to start a lottery and allow up to 10 casinos plus sports betting in the state, ending the latest push to put the gambling issue before voters for the first time in over 20 years.

Texas:

• Yogonet, 3.11.21 – Texas Bipartisan Set Of Bills Filed To Legalize Sports Betting, Up To 4 Casinos
  • John Kuempel and Sen. Carol Alvarado submitted Joint Resolution 133 in the House and Joint Resolution 49 in the Senate, which state that slot machines would be taxed at a rate of 25% and table games at 10%.

Colorado:

• PlayColorado, 3.10.21 – Laila Mintas Aims To Make Waves In The Sports Betting Boys Club With PlayUp
  • Now that PlayUp is live in its first state, PlayColorado did a Q&A with Mintas to discuss what bettors in Colorado should expect from the app, how its success in Australia will help in America, and what is possible for this growing market.

Wyoming:

• Sports Handle, 3.10.21 – Wyoming Lawmakers Reverse Course As House Approves Sports Betting Bill
  • One day after voting down legal sports betting — possibly due to a behind-the-scenes miscommunication — the Wyoming House on Wednesday morning reversed itself and approved a mobile-only bill, 32-28.
• KGAB, 3.10.21 – Wyoming House Reverses Itself, Votes For Online Sports Betting
  • The Wyoming House of Representatives on Wednesday reversed a Tuesday decision against a proposal to allow online sports betting in Wyoming, voting in favor of the measure and sending it on to the state Senate.

Nevada:

• PlayNevada, 3.10.21 – Nevada Could Soon Have An Esports Czar Overseeing Competition
  • Nevada could be home to the first-ever US governmental regulatory body for esports. Reno Sen. Ben Kieckhefer (R) recently proposed Senate Bill 165, a piece of legislation that would do just that.