Industry News of the Day for March 8, 2019
iDEA Growth in the News:
- iGaming Business, 3.7.19 – State of the union: DoJ extends Wire act deadline and more (iDEA Growth included in article)
- This week’s State of the Union focuses on the DoJ’s decision to extend its deadline for gaming companies to comply with its revised stance on the Wire Act.
Industry News:
- Online Gambling, 3.6.19 – Sports Betting Expansion Gains Momentum as Lawmakers in Several States Consider Legalization
- The push to legalize sports betting across the United States shows no signs of slowing down, with lawmakers in several states pushing to pass bills before the end of 2019. While most of the bills currently bouncing around state legislatures are far from passing into law just yet, many enjoy significant support, suggesting that there could be a lot more places in the USA where gamblers can legally place their bets this time next year.
Michigan:
- Online Poker Report, 3.7.19 – Michigan Online Gambling Bills Back On File Following Former Governor’s Veto
- Proponents of legalized online gambling are bellying back up to the table in Michigan. A pair of bills reappeared on the record on Thursday, one in each chamber of the state legislature. The matching proposals would expressly authorize online poker and casino gambling, and both contain a one-line provision for online sports betting, too.
- Betting US, 3.8.19 – Online gambling and sports betting bills resurface in Michigan
- Two near-identical bills that would legalize sports betting in Michigan resurfaced on Thursday. SB 186 was introduced by the Senate while HB 4311 was introduced by the House. Both bills appear to mirror the bills that sought to expand Michigan’s gambling industry in 2018 and if successful would create the 2019 Lawful Internet Gaming Act.
- Gambling News, 3.8.19 – Michigan Poised to Expand into Online Poker Once Again
- Michigan has been actively seeking to expand its casino & poker industries online since at least 2016. Numerous efforts have been made, but none have come to fruition.
- iGaming Business, 3.8.19 – Michigan lawmakers resume iGaming push
- Lawmakers in the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives have launched new bids to legalize online gaming in the state, following the eleventh-hour veto of legislation by former Governor Rick Snyder in late 2018.
Pennsylvania:
- Play Pennsylvania, 3.7.19 – FanDuel To Open Its PA Sportsbook At Valley Forge Before March Madness Hits
- FanDuel Sportsbook will be ready for business come March Madness. A FanDuel spokesperson confirmed with PlayPennsylvania on Thursday that its retail sportsbook at Valley Forge Casino will launch in time for Selection Sunday on March 17.
Minnesota:
- Sports Handle, 3.7.19 – Minnesota Sports Betting Bill Out of Senate Tax Committee
- And so it went Thursday morning as the committee voted, 5-2 (with one pass and two absent) to move forward SB 1894, a bill that would legalize sports betting on tribal lands as well as two horse racing tracks in the state. The bill will now go to the Senate’s State Government Committee as it begins its march to the Senate floor.
- Fox 9, 3.7.19 – Legalized sports betting advances at Capitol as tribes object
- A bill allowing Minnesotans to legally bet on sporting events passed a Senate committee Thursday despite objections from Native American tribes that say it will eventually doom their casinos.
- AP, 3.7.19 – Bill To Legalize Sports Betting In Minnesota Clears 1st Hurdle
- A bill to legalize sports betting in Minnesota cleared its first test at the Legislature on Thursday but faces an uncertain future amid tribal opposition.
- MPR News, 3.7.19 – Sports betting bill clears first committee, but odds still against it
- The Senate tax committee voted 5-2 Thursday to send a bill that would legalize sports betting to the state government committee — but the bill still faces long odds to becoming law. It would allow sports betting at Minnesota’s tribal casinos and at the state’s two horse-racing tracks. It would also allow betting through mobile devices, which would be linked to accounts with the authorized sites.
West Virginia:
- Legal Sports Report, 3.7.19 – Wheeling Island And Mardi Gras Casinos Abruptly Suspend Sports Betting Operations
- Two West Virginia casinos have suspended retail and online sports betting operations with no additional explanation. Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras casinos, both operated by Delaware North, have ceased activity at both their physical sportsbooks and their shared online home at BetLucky.com.
- Wheeling News-Register, 3.8.19 – Wheeling Island, Mardi Gras Casinos Suspend Sports Betting
- An unknown issue with the sports book at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack and Mardi Gras Casino & Resort has led to the temporary suspension of all sports betting activity at the two tracks, including all bets placed through the BetLucky app.
Kentucky:
- Daily Independent, 3.7.19 – Sports wagering still being debated in Frankfort
- A bill that would expand sports wagering in Kentucky in an attempt to help pay down the public pension unfunded liability has stalled in the House.
New Jersey:
- AP, 3.7.19 – New Jersey eyes stiffer penalties for prohibited sports bets
- New Jersey lawmakers want to increase the penalties on casinos and sports books that take bets on prohibited events including games involving college teams from the state.
Rhode Island:
- WPRI, 3.7.19 – With House set to vote on mobile sports betting, GOP threatens to sue
- With House lawmakers expected to vote next week on whether to allow online sports betting in Rhode Island, the state’s Republican Party is considering suing over the proposal.
- Providence Journal, 3.7.19 – Rhode Island GOP considers suing to stop sports betting
- Rhode Island Republicans are thrusting gambling into the charged fight over abortion rights and threatening a constitutional challenge to the state’s new sports betting operation.
- WJAR, 3.7.19 – RI GOP is considering lawsuit to stop sports gambling
- The Rhode Island Republican Party announced it is considering a lawsuit to stop sports gambling. In a statement released on Thursday the state GOP addressed both issues while casting doubt on the legality of sports gambling in Rhode Island.
South Dakota:
- KOTA TV, 3.8.19 – Deadwood vows to press ahead with effort to land sports betting
- It’s back to work for Deadwood on sports wagering. The South Dakota House decided not to take a vote on the town’s effort to put sports betting on the ballot but that’s not the end of the line say Deadwood boosters.
Federal News:
- Legal Sports Report, 3.7.19 – A Look Inside How Courts Have Applied The Wire Act To Gambling
- The biggest news in the gaming industry over the past several months has undoubtedly been the Department of Justice’s updated opinion regarding its interpretation of the Wire Act.
Sports League News:
- Sports Handle, 3.7.19 – MLB’s New Gambling-Minded Lineup, Umpire Policy Raise Questions
- Major League Baseball on Wednesday announced a new policy regarding the way it will collect and share information about team lineups and umpire assignments. The goal, MLB says, is enhancing integrity, however the net effect of the changes, the actual intent and how it might impact sports bettors, sportsbooks and fantasy players alike, is as yet not completely clear (to this author, at least).
Overall Industry News:
- The Lines, 3.7.19 – ESPN Announces The Daily Wager, Adds To Growing List Of Sports Betting Content
- On Monday, ESPN announced yet another entrant into the sports betting content pool: The Daily Wager. The one-hour program will start airing Monday, March 11, on ESPNEWS at 6 pm EST (It will also be available via live stream on the ESPN app.). The show aims to educate mainstream sports fans about sports betting and provide a deeper dive of analysis for hardcore fans.