Industry News of the Day for March 13, 2020

iDEA Growth Member News:

• SBC News, 3.13.20 – GVC Tackles US Problem Gambling With Epic Partnership
  • GVC Holdings has confirmed a new partnership with Epic Risk Management working together to tackle gambling-related harms across the US.
• EGR, 3.12.20 – GVC To Educate US Athletes On Problem Gambling (subscription paywall)
  • Roar Digital JV parent GVC Holdings is establishing a problem gambling education program for athletes in the US.

Industry News:

• ESPN, 3.13.20 – Sportsbooks Reacting To Loss Of NCAA, Other Leagues
  • Amid the coronavirus pandemic, sportsbook operators, like businesses around the world, are facing challenges they’ve never considered before, including: What if there are no games to bet?
• Associated Press, 3.12.20 – Virus-Related Sports Cancellations Leave Little To Bet On
  • The fast-spreading coronavirus has led to an unprecedented slew of cancellations or suspensions of most major professional and college sports events in the U.S., particularly within the last 48 hours.
• Legal Sports Report, 3.12.20 – Coronavirus: What You Need To Know About COVID-19 And Sports Betting
  • The effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the sports world continue to evolve rapidly.
• US Bets, 3.12.20 – A Different Kind Of March Madness: Sportsbooks Weigh Fallout Of Coronavirus Response
  • The NCAA’s unprecedented decision to limit attendance for March Madness to essential staff and family members due to concerns associated with the spread of the coronavirus produced immediate aftershocks Wednesday afternoon.

Federal News:

• Gambling Compliance, 3.13.20 – Interior Department Decision Could Be Bad Omen For Indian Gaming (subscription paywall)
  • Indian gaming tribes may find it more difficult to obtain land to expand their operations after a decision announced this week by the solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

New Jersey:

• Associated Press, 3.12.20 – Leap Day, Sport Bets Help Boost NJ Gambling Revenue In February
  • A fifth Saturday courtesy of Leap Day, and a wave of bets on the Super Bowl helped New Jersey’s gambling industry to a revenue increase of more than 19% in February compared to a year ago.
• NJ Online Gambling, 3.12.20 – A Pioneer Yet Again: NJ May Soon Launch Fixed-Odds Betting On Horse Races
  • After a modest dip into the water last summer, New Jersey is soon expected to be the first state to go “off the deep end” on fixed-odds betting in horse racing and level the playing field for horse bettors to get the same sort of opportunities that more and more American sports bettors are getting.
• Legal Sports Report, 3.12.20 – NJ Sports Betting Stays Hot In February With Nearly $500M In Handle
  • The end of the NFL season didn’t end the hot streak for NJ sports betting as handle neared $500 million in February, though hold was low.
• PlayNJ, 3.12.20 – NJ Gaming News: Empty March Madness Stadiums, NBA Suspends Play
  • It has been a week where the attempt to contain the coronavirus dominated the headlines. The result is the suspension of play (NBA), empty tournament stadiums (March Madness) and convention cancellations throughout New Jersey and the nation.

Pennsylvania:

• PlayPennsylvania, 3.12.20 – PA Sports World Rocked, NCAA Tourney Cancelled As Coronavirus Shutdowns Pile Up
  • In head-spinning rapid succession, the world, sports and sports wagering have changed due to the coronavirus. It’s gone from a time of caution to a declared global pandemic.
• PlayPennsylvania, 3.12.20 – Valley Forge First Casino In Pennsylvania To Close Per Gov. Wolf’s Orders
  • The first casino in Pennsylvania will close as a result of coronavirus concerns. According to a Boyd Gaming presser, Valley Forge Casino will close its doors at 6 a.m. Friday and plans to stay closed until Friday, March 27.
• Penn Bets, 3.12.20 – Coronavirus Fears Prompt Two-Week Shutdown Of Valley Forge Casino Resort
  • The health threat posed by the coronavirus has reached directly into Pennsylvania’s casino industry, prompting Valley Forge Casino Resort to close for two weeks beginning at 6 a.m. Friday.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer, 3.12.20 – Sportsbooks And Coronavirus Cancellations: It’s Gonna Be Ugly
  • Sports betting enthusiasts will argue that this week in the college basketball schedule is the best of the year, even better than the NCAA Tournament, which was officially canceled on Thursday in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

New Hampshire:

• Sports Handle, 3.12.20 – Ten New Hampshire Towns Vote To Allow Physical Retail Sportsbooks
  • Ten New Hampshire towns voted to permit the physical operation of retail sportsbooks on Tuesday, raising the number of communities in the Granite State to grant approval to 16 dating back to last fall.

Virginia:

• Bristol Herald-Courier, 3.12.20 – Lawmakers Approve Sports Betting Except On Virginia Colleges
  • In addition to casinos, the Virginia General Assembly approved legislation allowing sports betting, but the compromise bill forbids wagering on all Virginia college teams.

Michigan:

• Detroit Free Press, 3.12.20 – Stadiums Are Closed, But Michigan’s Sportsbooks Are Open: Inside Day 1 Of Sports Betting
  • On the same day several people were placing bets for either Michigan or Michigan State to win the NCAA tournament — not to mention other teams — both MSU and U-M announced they were going to online learning because of the coronavirus.

Kansas:

• Sports Handle, 3.12.20 – Operators Bash Kansas House Sports Betting Bill
  • A day after multiple animal-rights groups spoke against HB 2671, Kansas lawmakers continued their hearing about legal sports betting on Thursday, but the Committee on Federal and State Affairs adjourned with no vote on the issue.
• Gambling Compliance, 3.13.20 – Kansas House At Odds With Senate On Sports Betting (subscription paywall)
  • After the Kansas Senate passed a bill last month authorizing casinos to operate sports betting, a House committee discussed a far more inclusive model during several meetings this week.

Illinois:

• Chicago Sun-Times, 3.12.20 – NASCAR, Crickey, Darts Among Gamblers’ Choices As Coronavirus Crips Illinois Sports Betting Launch
  • State legislators spent months negotiating to legalize sports betting in Illinois. And now, just a few days after the legal sports betting industry launched in Illinois, not one of the major American sports is in action for gamblers to put money on.
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 3.12.20 – Legal Sports Betting In St. Louis Area Quietly Launches As Coronavirus Upends Sports Seasons
  • The Argosy Casino Alton had been planning a grand opening for the St. Louis region’s first sportsbook on Monday, with St. Louis Cardinals legend Ozzie Smith scheduled to be on hand to make a wager.

Montana:

• Associated Press, 3.12.20 – Taverns Get New Sports Betting Terminals, Little To Bet On
  • The Montana Lottery has begun installing sports betting kiosks in bars and casinos around the state. But there’s little for would-be bettors to wager on because of coronavirus concerns.
• Montana Public Radio, 3.12.20 – Sports Betting Begins In Montana Just As Coronavirus Cancels Seasons
  • The Montana State Lottery officially kicked off Sports Bet Montana this week, which will allow Montanans to place bets on games at about 180 locations around the state. But the rollout comes as many major sports and college leagues are suspending seasons and canceling events due to coronavirus.

Nevada:

• Las Vegas Review-Journal, 3.12.20 – Patrons Stunned In ‘Ghost Town’ Las Vegas Sportsbooks
  • Sportsbooks across the Las Vegas Valley were mostly empty Thursday for one simple reason: There was hardly anything to bet on.