Industry News of the Day for March 20, 2023
iDEA Growth Member News
- 2023 Ifrah Pitch Competition
- EGR North America and Ifrah Law invite start-ups across all verticals of online gaming to submit a short video or presentation exhibiting their products, services, or new technologies. Whether you are offering a new online casino product or safer gambling tool, we want to see how you plan to disrupt the U.S. online gaming market.
- Interested? The deadline to enter is March 31, 2023. Click here to enter.
Industry News
- Legal Sports Report: Will Congressional Effort To Kill Federal Sports Betting Tax Work This Time?
- It is not the first time ending the federal excise tax on sports betting has been suggested, but two co-sponsors of a new bill certainly hope it is the last. US Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) again introduced a bill this week that would end the 0.25% tax placed on all legal sports betting handle.
Iowa
- PlayUSA: Late Introduction Of Iowa Online Casino Bill Is Merely To Raise Awareness
- An Iowa lawmaker refiled his Iowa online casino bill last week. But Iowans hoping to bet from the farm won’t have access to online slots and blackjack anytime soon. In texts with PlayUSA, Rep. Bobby Kaufmann confirmed that he has no intention of trying to pass HSB 227 this session. He merely refiled his previous online casino legislation to keep the conversation going.
Maine
- Sports Handle: Will Maine’s proposed sports wagering regulations scare operators away?
- Less than a year after Maine Gov. Janet Mills’ sports betting peace offering to the state’s four Indian tribes, the first round of proposed regulations include the most stringent advertising guidelines in the country, would force operators to pass at least 60% of revenue to tribes or the state, and could keep top operators from considering entry into the ninth-smallest state in the U.S.
Massachusetts
- CNHI News: Massachusetts weighs affiliate rules for third-party sports betting
- From TV ads and billboards to social media posts, the advent of sports betting in Massachusetts has unleashed a tidal wave of advertising aimed at drawing bettors to place wagers on games. FanDuel, DraftKings and other sportsbooks have been hyping the new multi-billion industry with a barrage of ads featuring celebrities and athletes such as former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski and former Red Sox great David Ortiz, offering sign-up bonuses and other benefits to lure players.
New Jersey
- PlayNJ: NJ Sports Betting Misses Expected Super Bowl Boost In February
- New Jersey sports bettors laid down more than $847 million in legal wagers in February, most of which was gambled online. More than $801 million, or 95%, of the total bet on sports last month in NJ was via mobile apps or online. February’s sports betting returns broke a four-month stretch of the handle (total amount bet) exceeding $1 billion.
New York
- PlayNY: Now Over $20 Billion In Handle, NY Sports Betting Sets Sights On More Benchmarks
- It took just over a year for online sports betting in New York to exceed $20 billion in accepted bets. According to data released by the New York State Gaming Commission, NY sports betting operators combined for $442.7 million in handle for the week ending March 12. With that, New York made history by reaching $20.2 billion in accepted wagers since the industry launched in January 2022.
North Dakota
- Gambling News: North Dakota Senate Votes Against Removal of Schools from Sports Betting Resolution
- According to KX News, an amendment created by Sen. Larry Luick to remove universities, colleges, and high schools from House Concurrent Resolution 3002 failed by one vote of 24 to 23 earlier this week. This means that the text of the resolution as it was originally presented will be subject to voting by the Senate.
Ohio
- PlayOhio: Ohio Sports Betting Kiosks See Nearly $1 Million In February Handle
- Ohio sports bettors faced less friction placing bets at kiosks in February, and a sharp increase in kiosk handle, revenue and winnings followed during the second month of kiosk operation in the state. The technology roll-out issues that plagued Ohio sports betting kiosks in January were mostly remedied, and over 100 licensed locations have been added.
- SBC Americas: AGA: Ohio Launch Pushes Sports Betting GGR Over $1bn For The First Time In January
- The American Gaming Association (AGA) has recorded the 23rd consecutive month of gaming revenue growth as January 2023 sets another record for the industry. Publishing its Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker for January, the AGA declared total gaming GGR of $5.5bn, up 21.1% year-over-year as new sports betting launches and the increased take-up of gaming continue to push up operators’ fortunes.
Pennsylvania
- PlayPennsylvania: PA Online Casinos Top $162 Million In Revenue For Second-Best Month Ever
- According to figures released by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, online casino operators in the state recorded $162.3 million in gross revenue in February. That figure isn’t far from the record for PA online casinos. Pennsylvania set a revenue record for three straight months to end 2022. Now, February becomes the second-largest revenue month ever.
Texas
- PlayUSA: Texas Lawmaker ‘Very Confident’ About Texas Sports Betting Passage In House
- When Rep. Jeff Leach decided to take over sponsorship of Texas sports betting legislation, he took on a Texas-sized challenge. But he seems up to the task. In his first extensive interview on Texas sports betting since filing HB 1942/HJR 102, Leach told PlayUSA that he filed the legislative package with the intention of getting it passed this session.
- PlayTexas: Handicapping How Texas House Committee Could Vote On Casino, Sports Betting Proposal
- House Joint Resolution 97, which seeks to legalize casino and retail sports betting in Texas through a constitutional amendment, appears to have a favorable chance of advancing from the House State Affairs Committee. The 13-member State Affairs Committee comprises eight Republicans and five Democrats, many of whom have shown support for legal gambling efforts in the past.
West Virginia
- Sports Handle: West Virginia Bill To Audit Betting Touts Fails; Maryland Effort Still Alive
- A West Virginia bill (HB 3232) that would have created a system to evaluate sports betting handicappers and touts failed to pass through the Senate before the end of the state’s 2023 legislative session. A West Virginia bill (HB 3232) that would have created a system to evaluate sports betting handicappers and touts failed to pass through the Senate before the end of the state’s 2023 legislative session.