Industry News of the Day for March 27, 2020

iDEA Growth Member News:

• Bloomberg, 3.26.20 – Ping-Pong And Larry David Are Pretty, Pretty Good For DraftKings
  • What are U.S. gamblers turning to when most sports are dark? Eastern European table tennis.
• Online Poker Report, 3.26.20 – PokerStars Releases 2020 New Jersey Spring Championship Of Online Poker Schedule
  • On Thursday, PokerStars announced the schedule for its upcoming New Jersey Spring Championship of Online Poker (NJSCOOP).

Industry News:

• Legal Sports Report, 3.27.20 – Could Nevada Approval Lead To More eSports Betting In US?
  • Nevada‘s gaming regulators approved what seemed inevitable in the betting world given the current state of sports: esports betting.
• Gambling Compliance, 3.27.20 – Let The Games Begin – As Soon As It’s Safe, Says William Hill USA Chief (subscription paywall)
  • Resuming sporting events as quickly as safety permits is the key to recovery for a sports-betting industry that has been clobbered by the coronavirus pandemic, according to William Hill US CEO Joe Asher.

Overall Industry News:

• iGB, 3.27.20 – A New Challenge And An Ongoing Threat
  • The impact of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) on operators’ businesses is being revised daily, and whilst the ever-present financial threat of corruption remains, there are reasons to be optimistic, writes International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) chief executive Khalid Ali.

Federal News:

• Sports Handle, 3.26.20 – As Coronavirus Disrupts Economy, Debate On Casino Bailout Intensifies
  • As the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the nation, a bailout to distressed casinos has been hotly debated.

Sports League News:

• Los Angeles Times, 3.26.20 – Horse Racing Doesn’t Get Betting Windfall Amid COVID-19 Sports Shutdowns
  • As legalized ways of gambling have almost come to a stop, horse racing remains the only sport still open for business. Despite that unique position, it hasn’t led to a surge in popularity or revenue to the few tracks still operating.

New Jersey:

• Gambling Compliance, 3.27.20 – New Jersey Approves New Bet Types Amid Global Sporting Shutdown (subscription paywall)
  • New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) is temporarily allowing online sportsbooks to offer bets on table tennis, Eastern European basketball and various other less obvious sports amid the unprecedent shutdown of mainstream sporting events across North America and Western Europe.
• PlayNJ, 3.26.20 – NJ Gaming News: AC Casinos Show Support, Monmouth Linked To Horse Doping
  • It is Day 10, and Atlantic City casinos remain closed. It is already two times the longest closure in the history of gambling in New Jersey and there is no end in sight.
• NJ Online Gambling, 3.26.20 – New Jersey Online Poker Operators See Spike With Players Staying At Home
  • It’s a tough time for the legalized sports betting industry of New Jersey, there’s no doubt about it.’
• EGR Global, 3.27.20 – Q&A: Brining Fixed-Odds Racing To New Jersey (subscription paywall)
  • In an announcement that was buried among the usual US betting noise released each week, Australian supplier BetMakers revealed it was partnering with New Jersey’s Monmouth Park racetrack to provide fixed-odds bets on horseracing in the state, and eventually the rest of the legal betting landscape in the US.

Pennsylvania:

• PlayPennsylvania, 3.26.20 – Could eSports Betting Soon Be A Reality In The US? Not In PA, Sources Say
  • With almost all sports and sports wagering at a standstill due to coronavirus-related restrictions, it seems the time to move ahead with esports betting in Pennsylvania has finally come.

Rhode Island:

• Providence Journal, 3.27.20 – RI Casinos To Stay Closed Indefinitely
  • The Twin River casinos in Tiverton and Lincoln will stay closed until further notice because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Kentucky:

• Legal Sports Report, 3.26.20 – How Kentucky Sports Betting Bill Failed In 2020 Despite Having The Votes
  • The state legislative session will end next week without a bill passed to legalize Kentucky sports betting. That doesn’t necessarily mean Kentuckians will have to wait two years to bet legally in their state.

Nevada:

• ESPN, 3.27.20 – Nevada Approves CS:GO eSports Bets For The First Time In Landmark Decision
  • In a landmark decision, the state of Nevada has approved sports betting operators to take on esports bets for CS:GO.
• Sports Handle, 3.26.20 – Nevada Gaming Control Board Approves Betting On Counter-Strike
  • Looking to add betting options as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to shutter markets for U.S. professional and college sports, the Nevada Gaming Control Board on Wednesday approved wagering for the eSports game “Counter-Strike: Global Operations” being conducted by the ESL Pro League.
• Legal Sports Report, 3.26.20 – February Growth In Nevada Sports Betting Handle Could Be The Last For A While
  • Nevada sports betting handle rose over last February but likely will tumble next month amid coronavirus-related casino closures.
• US Bets, 3.26.20 – Sports Betting Handle Up In Last Rosy Nevada Gaming Win Report We’ll See For A While
  • Gambling came to an abrupt halt in Las Vegas last week by order of Gov. Steve Sisolak. The stunning but anticipated announcement followed a strong February for the Silver State casino industry.

Washington:

• Longview Daily News, 3.27.20 – Gov. Inslee Signs Bill Allowing Sports Betting In Washington’s Tribal Casinos
  • Native American tribal casinos, now closed statewide and losing millions of dollars daily due to coronavirus fears, got a boost Wednesday when Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law a bill authorizing sports betting within those venues.

Colorado:

• iGB North America, 3.27.20 – Wildwood Casino Scores Sports Betting Deal With ISI
  • American Gaming Group, (AGG), operator of Wildwood Casino in Cripple Creek, Colorado, has entered into a sports betting technology partnership with ISI Race & Sports (ISI).