Industry News of the Day for March 29, 2023
iDEA Growth Member News
- Legal Sports Report: DraftKings CEO Robins Now Looking Years Out On CA Sports Betting Fight
- DraftKings CEO Jason Robins said in a recent interview that legalizing CA sports betting may not happen in the next state legislative cycle. Robins said that to Joe Pompliano in a YouTube interview that aired earlier this month. An online California sports betting ballot initiative failed miserably in 2022. And the fractured relationship between the commercial operators and the tribes requires significant mending. It adds up to any compromise by 2024 being a massive longshot.
Industry News
- Gaming Today: American Gaming Association Updates Marketing Code for Sports Betting Ads, Protecting Minors
- The American Gaming Association, apparently responding to the groundswell of pushback on social media and in state houses, updated its suggested code of ethics for the gambling industry on Tuesday. It reflects a desire to protect the vulnerable, particularly college students and minors.
Connecticut
- SBC Americas: Rush Street Cuts Ties With Connecticut Lottery Online Sportsbook Partnership
- After two years of working with the Connecticut Lottery to offer online and retail sports betting in the state of Connecticut, Rush Street Interactive is throwing in the towel. The company announced Monday that the two groups have mutually agreed to wind down the partnership. Connecticut Lottery will begin a new request for proposals soon.
Michigan
- The State News: New National Sports Gambling Rules Threaten Michigan State-Caesars $9M Partnership
- The American Gaming Association adopted new rules on March 28, which would disallow partnerships between colleges and sports-betting companies, challenging Michigan State Athletics’ nearly $9 million deal with Caesars Sportsbook, according to the association’s website.
Nevada
- The Nevada Independent: Effort To Create Nevada Lottery Picks Up Steam Despite Casino Industry Opposition
- A legislative proposal allowing Nevada to operate a state lottery could slice into the revenue stream of Northern Nevada casino operator Truckee Gaming. But it wouldn’t be a large chunk of the company’s cash flow, said CEO Ferenc Szony.
New Jersey
- PlayNJ: Caesars Online Casino NJ Completes Its Rebrand To Tropicana Casino
- Better late than never, they say. Caesars Interactive finally completed its rebrand. Their iGaming sites are now under the Tropicana umbrella after merging the two NJ online casinos on March 28. Caesars Casino played second fiddle to the primary site, Caesars Sportsbook NJ. The move comes nearly a year after its initial announcement last April.
New York
- PlayNY: New York Lawmakers Make Clear That Sports Betting’s 51% Tax Rate Is Here To Stay
- For over a year, from the rulemaking process for online sports betting in New York to the Empire State becoming the top industry in the country, sportsbooks have clamored about the sky-high tax rate on the industry. While legal efforts have attempted to lower the 51% rate, each attempt fell short of passage.
North Carolina
- NC Sharp: North Carolina Sports Betting Bill Passes Second Reading In House
- North Carolina’s sports betting bill received its second reading Tuesday in the state’s House of Representatives. It also cleared its final committee hearing during the same day. At this rate, the bill could cross over to the state Senate as soon as March 29. North Carolina sports betting would become legal across the state if the bill succeeds. That includes online sports betting, plus betting at in-person locations.
Texas
- PlayTexas: Bill Introduced Could See Three Texas Tribes Enter Gaming Compact
- Rep. Mary Gonzalez, D-El Paso, recently filed a joint resolution to require Gov. Greg Abbott to establish tribal gaming compacts with the state’s three tribes, allowing them to offer Class III gaming, as defined by the National Indian Gaming Commission, at their tribal casinos.