Industry News of the Day for March 25, 2019

Industry News:

• Legal Sports Report, 3.25.19 – Sports Betting Legislative Lasso: Major-Market Movement In New York, Illinois
  • Hello ladies and gents, and welcome back inside the lasso. Here we try to shed light on the conversations state lawmakers are having as they consider bills to legalize sports betting.
• Sports Handle, 3.22.19 – Get A Grip: The Week In Sports And Sports Betting: New Hampshire, Montana, And More
  • The New Hampshire House got the ball rolling on sports betting on Tuesday, when it approved HB 480, which would legalize sports betting, allow for 10 sports betting licenses and state-wide mobile, and would prohibit betting on New Hampshire collegiate teams.

New Jersey:

• New Jersey Record, 3.22.19 – Can Jersey online sports gambling surpass Nevada? March Madness may tell
  • As New Jersey sportsbooks start their first March Madness, thousands of state-based bettors are expected to make deposits with a cashier at their casino of choice.
• Press of Atlantic City, 3.25.19 – Casino expansion unlikely despite sports betting, internet gaming success
  • The success of sports betting and internet gambling has not yet revived the idea of expanding casino gaming outside of Atlantic City.

Maine:

• Bangor Daily News, 3.24.19 – Maine should bet on sports gambling, eventually
  • March Madness is one of the most exciting times of the year for many sports fans, providing weeks of heroics and heartbreak on the college basketball court. But that’s not all the tournament brings to the table.

Rhode Island:

• AP, 3.23.19 – Rhode Island casinos use self-service kiosks for sports bets
  • Two Rhode Island casinos now have self-service kiosks for sports betting. Rhode Island is the only New England state that allows betting on sports.

Virginia:

• Online Poker Report, 3.25.19 – Governor’s Signature Sows Seeds For Virginia Online Gambling, Sports Betting
  • The Virginia legislature has passed a sweeping gambling expansion bill containing mechanisms that could bring casinos, sports betting, and online gambling to the Commonwealth.
• EGR, 3.25.19 – Virginia to legalize online gambling and sports betting
  • The legalization of online gambling and sports betting in Virginia is less than a day away after regulators approved a bill to make both verticals legal in the state.

Montana:

• KPAX, 3.24.19 – Bill to legalize sports betting in Montana advances in the Legislature
  • A bill to legalize sports betting in Montana has passed out of a Senate committee. The Senate Business and Labor Committee voted 8-to-2 on Friday to send the bill to the Senate floor.

Indiana:

• Legal Sports Report, 3.22.19 – Official League Data Mandate Faces Opposition at Indiana Sports Betting Hearing
  • Mobile wagering and the use of official data dominated the Indiana sports betting discussion Wednesday at a House Public Policy Committee hearing on S 552, the omnibus gambling expansion bill passed by the Senate in February.
• Sports Business Daily (subscription), 3.22.19 – Leagues Pushing For Indiana Sports Betting To Require Official Data
  • Professional sports leagues are pushing Indiana lawmakers to “require that official data be used to determine the outcome of all sports betting if it is legalized” in the state

West Virginia:

• Play WV, 3.22.19 – BetLucky And Two WV Sportsbooks Contribute To Massive Drop In Handle
  • West Virginia sports betting had a lousy week, overall. With the news that Wheeling Island Sportsbook, Mardi Gras Casino Sportsbook, and the BetLucky mobile sports betting app shut down, the betting figures within the state declined for the week ending March 9.

Illinois:

• Capitol News Illinois, 3.23.19 – First plans to legalize sports betting in Illinois released
  • An Illinois lawmaker leading the charge to bring sports betting to the state has laid out the first concrete details on how that might happen.
• Illinois Public Media, 3.22.19 – Illinois Lawmakers Set On Legalizing Sports Betting
  • Illinois Democrats are offering several options on how legal sports gambling could work in the state. There are four different scenarios on the table: one would allow for an unlimited online betting platform, while another would license the state’s 10 casinos and three race tracks.

Colorado:

• CBS 4 Denver, 3.22.19 – Colorado Considers Allowing Sports Betting Through Apps
  • If the plan passes the state legislature, it would be up to voters to decide whether to legalize sports betting in Colorado.

Florida:

• Orlando Sentinel, 3.22.19 – Looks like legal sports betting isn’t coming to Florida anytime soon — and that’s too bad | Commentary
  • An estimated 40 million people filled out NCAA Tournament brackets this year, with hopes of bringing home office pool victory trophies, bragging rights and — of course — cash.

Iowa:

• KIWA, 3.24.19 – Would Bets On Iowa College Games Be Allowed As Part Of Sports Betting In Iowa?
  • It appears a bill that would legalize and tax sports betting in Iowa may ban bets on games involving college and university teams FROM IOWA. Representative Vicki Lensing of Iowa City says there were concerns some athletes might be pressured to miss a free throw or drop a pass in order to secure a certain outcome.

New York:

• CBS 2 New York, 3.21.19 – Legal Sports Betting Is Likely Coming To New York, But Not To Residents’ Smartphones
  • The New York State Gaming Commission is expected to allow legal sports betting before the start of summer. But it won’t be like New Jersey, where betting on a game is as easy as launching an app on your smartphone, CBS2’s Tony Aiello reported Thursday.
• WSKG, 3.22.19 – Casino Companies See Opportunity In New York’s Budget Shortfall
  • Gambling casino companies are pressing Governor Cuomo and the legislature to allow them to open gaming centers in New York City as part of the new state budget. There are a number of obstacles to overcome, but the proposal may seem tempting to lawmakers, who are strapped for cash this year.

Louisiana:

• The News Star, 3.23.19 – Democratic Party chair reveals gambling addiction, illegally entering casino
  • Louisiana Democratic Party chair and state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, who also holds a leadership position with the Democratic National Committee, revealed having a gambling addiction and being issued a summons recently for illegally entering a casino.

Kansas:

• Hutch News, 3.22.19 – Low-key meeting exposes Kansas’ challenge making a deal on sports gambling
  • Fans intrigued by the idea of wagering on the Wildcats and Jayhawks have a vested interest in an under-the-radar meeting of lobbyists, politicians and regulators with a stake in potentially legalizing sports betting in Kansas.

New Hampshire:

• Concord Monitor, 3.24.19 – Sports betting in New Hampshire inches closer to legalization
  • While many across the nation filled out their brackets for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament last week, lawmakers in the New Hampshire House took another step toward legalizing sports betting in the Granite State.
• WMUR, 3.22.19 – NH Senate passes casino gambling bill 13 to 11
  • Casino gambling is one step closer to coming to the Granite State. The New Hampshire Senate passed casino gambling Thursday by a 13 to 11 vote.
• New Hampshire Union Leader, 3.22.19 – Senate revives bill to allow casino gambling in New Hampshire in surprise turn
  • Hope springs eternal, as does the perennial effort by Sen. Lou D’Allesandro to see a casino gambling bill become law in New Hampshire. The Manchester Democrat has for years brought casino gambling bills to the Senate only to see them die in the House.
• New Hampshire Public Radio, 3.21.19 – In Unexpected Vote, N.H. Senate Backs Casino Gambling
  • The state Senate narrowly voted Thursday to allow two casinos to operate in New Hampshire. The surprise move by a well-known gambling advocates follows the New Hampshire House voting to allow up to 10 sports betting facilities.

Sports League News:

• Legal Sports Report, 3.25.19 – Hurts So Good? Pro Leagues Vary On Consistency, Transparency In Injury Report Policies
  • Last year’s NBA Finals caught the attention of casual fans and bettors alike when injury news surfaced following the Cleveland Cavaliers loss to the Golden State Warriors. We learned later that LeBron James’ hand was more injured than the Cavaliers and the NBA were reporting via the league’s injury report.

Overall Industry News:

• CBS News, 3.24.19 – Will legalized sports betting curtail corruption or encourage it?
  • That’s because last year the Supreme Court overturned a federal law and ruled that it is up to the states to decide whether they want to legalize sports gambling. New Jersey led the way, many more followed and more are planning to soon.
• Play NJ, 3.22.19 – Eldorado And Caesars Are Courting, But Is It A Match Made In Heaven?
  • Caesars Entertainment has been looking for a deal. The problem is it doesn’t want just any deal. That is why it is interesting to learn that another New Jersey casino owner, Eldorado Resorts, and Caesars are in discussions to become one giant gaming enterprise.