Industry News of the Day for May 14, 2021

iDEA Growth Member News: 

• Play Indiana, 5.13.21: DraftKings Gives All Users A Free Bet To Celebrate Third Annual ‘Free To Bet Day’ 
  • It’s “May Madness” as the NBA races to conclude its regular season and MLB is in full swing. Adding to the excitement is DraftKings Sportsbook’s annual “Free to Bet Day”, which is a celebration of the repeal of PASPA. 
• Play Illinois, 5.13.21: Celebrate Being Free To Bet With DraftKings ‘Free To Bet Day’ Promo 
  • For the third consecutive year, DraftKings will celebrate “Free To Bet Day” on May 14. 
• Play NJ, 5.13.21: There’s No Better Place To Celebrate DraftKings’ Free To Bet Day Than New Jersey 
  • Where is the perfect place to celebrate the anniversary of the repeal of PASPA? Why, the state responsible for its fall, of course! New Jerseyans again have cause to celebrate Free to Bet Day this year and for more reason than just Gov. Phil Murphy’s victory at the Supreme Court in 2018. 
• Play Colorado, 5.13.21: Fri-yah! DraftKings Celebrating US Betting Milestone With Free Bet Day 
  • To celebrate the three-year anniversary of that ruling, DraftKings Colorado sportsbook has a “Free to Bet Day.” As part of the promotion, the sportsbook is offering a $5.14 credit. Friday’s date is 5/14. 
• Online Poker Report, 5.13.21: DraftKings Social To Roll Out Over Coming Weeks, Providing Interaction For DFS And Sportsbook Users 
  • Social network users already use platforms for specific purposes, and DraftKings‘ leaders expect users of its app’s new social features to be no different. Within the next few weeks, they believe online sports bettors and daily fantasy sports players will be chatting about their plays on “DraftKings Social.” 

Overall Industry News: 

• Legal Sports Report, 5.13.21: Opinion: Where US Sports Betting Stands Three Years After The Fall Of PASPA 
  • In the coming years, we will likely see upward of 40 states with sports betting in some form. The speed of the expansion has been truly remarkable, but there remains work to be done. 
• Sports Handle, 5.13.21: Sportsbook Advertising Is A Total Game-Changer For Radio Stations 
  • The Nielsen Corporation recently detailed how huge the  online sports betting advertising market had become, with nearly $200 million in ad spend in Q1 this year alone, and over $153 million of that spent in the local television ad space. 

Ohio: 

• IGB, 5.14.21: Ohio Problem Gambling Charity Raises “Underregulated” Electronic Bingo Concerns 
  • The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio warned of the number of electronic bingo machines – which it said were effectively “underregulated slot machines” – that could be installed across the state if Senate Bill 176 is enacted. 
• Play Ohio, 5.13.21: Substitute OH Betting Bill Still Leaves Questions, Like If Ford Can Have a Sportsbook 
  • Ohio lawmakers discussed changes to their just-introduced Senate sports betting bill Wednesday at a Select Committee on Gaming meeting. 
• Legal Sports Report, 5.14.21: Ohio Casinos Fight Back Against Sports Betting, Gaming Expansion Bill 
  • It did not take long for the majority of casino owners in Ohio to fight back against the Senate’s expanded gaming bill, which includes sports betting. 

Nebraska: 

• IGB, 5.14.21: Nebraska Betting Bill Advances After College Sports Amendment 
  • Legislative Bill 561 – which would legalize sports wagering at Nebraska’s licensed racetracks – has advanced to a final vote in the unicameral Nebraska state legislature after a new amendment was added to prevent betting on in-state college sports. 
• Legal Sports Report, 5.14.21: What Legislators Added To Nebraska Sports Betting Bill To Increase Its Chances [iDEA Growth Mentioned] 
  • Lawmakers added an in-state college wagering ban to a bill allowing Nebraska sports betting with the hope of ensuring passage. 
• Sports Handle, 5.13.21: Mobile Sports Betting, Betting On Local College Teams Stripped From Nebraska Sports Betting Bill  
  • A half-page amendment that would ban mobile sports wagering and prohibit betting on in-state college teams created a firestorm on the floor of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature Thursday morning, complete with name calling and finger pointing. 

Delaware: 

• IGB, 5.13.21: Delaware Online Gaming Revenue Edges Up in April 
  • The Delaware Lottery has reported a 2.1% year-on-year increase in online gaming revenue in April, despite players staking 24.6% less during the month. 

Connecticut: 

• Legal Sports Report, 5.13.21: Lottery Narrows CT Sports Betting Partner Search To 4 Operators 
  • It appears four sportsbook operators have the inside track to the final CT sports betting skin. 

Tennessee: 

• TN Bets, 5.13.21: TN Online Sportsbook Owner Says Compliance ‘Matter Is Coming To A Close’ 
  • TN Action 24/7, one of seven sportsbooks in the state, said in an email Thursday that the compliance issue between it and regulators with the Tennessee Education Lottery is “coming to a close.” 

Texas: 

• Legal Sports Report, 5.14.21: Texas Sports Betting Stalls But Public Might Get To Vote On Expansion 
  • Texas sports betting looks dead for this session, but proponents still hope to put gambling expansion to a referendum next year. 

Florida: 

• Tampa Bay Times, 5.14.21: DeSantis And Lawmakers Near Deal On Florida Gambling: Hello Sports Betting. 
  • Gov. Ron DeSantis, a nationally ascendant Republican, is close to nailing down a long-sought gaming deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida that would expand gaming in tribal facilities and usher online sports betting into the state for the first time.