Industry News of the Day for May 22, 2020

iDEA Growth in the News:

• Forbes, 5.22.20 – Sports Bettors’ Habits Change During Quarantine, And The Industry Adapts (iDEA Growth, GVC Holdings)
  • Even as sports like UFC, NASCAR, and the German Bundesliga start to reappear, the prevailing theme in the sports wagering industry during the COVID-19 pandemic has been reduced options for consumers who like to wager on sports.

iDEA Growth Member News:

• Sports Handle, 5.21.20 – DraftKings Seeking Early Entry Into Illinois Sports Betting Market
  • According to the latest update on the Illinois Gaming Board website, DraftKings (Crown IL Gaming LLC) applied for a management services license for sports betting on April 28, which may indicate that the company is seeking a quicker way into the Illinois market rather than enduring the waiting period for online-only sports betting platforms.

Industry News:

• Legal Sports Report, 5.22.20 – Analysis: Will The NCAA Ever Embrace College Sports Betting?
  • The NCAA is the last major holdout in the growing set of relationships between the sports betting industry and US sports leagues.
• Penn Bets, 5.21.20 – Soccer Making Strides Among Online Bettors In Absence Of Traditional US Sports
  • Soccer has never attracted American interest anything close to its popularity elsewhere in the world, but the return of the top-flight version of the sport from Europe shows it can make betting inroads during the shutdown of popular U.S. sports.
• Affiliate Insider, 5.22.20 – Post-COVID Sports Betting Trends
  • For sports betting affiliates and operators, one big question looms large – how will player behaviours change in the coming weeks and months?

Overall Industry News:

• Gambling Compliance, 5.22.20 – Coronavirus Pandemic Piquing Interest In Cashless Payments
  • Rising interest in cashless payments in land-based casinos prompts questions about how new technologies can be used to enhance responsible gambling, according to problem gambling advocates.
• SBC Americas, 5.22.20 – Miller: Media Must Distinguish Between Legal And Illegal Markets
  • American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Bill Miller has penned a powerful missive to the media focusing on eradicating the illegal sports betting market.
• SBC Americas, 5.22.20 – IBIA Calls For Cohesive Approach To Global Best Practice Standards
  • The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has issued a fresh call to all parties engaged in the supply of sports event data for betting to adhere to global best practice standards.
• SBC Americas, 5.22.20 – Poker Proves Once More It Is The Comeback Specialist
  • While the land-based sector is stuck with no operations, companies are instead turning to their online verticals to mitigate negative impacts.

Sports League News:

• ESPN, 5.21.20 – How Close Are We To Live Sports? Where The World’s Biggest Leagues Stand Right Now
  • Leagues are moving from concerns over public perception due to the sheer volume of tests they’ll require to the hopeful development of processes and guidelines.
• PlayUSA, 5.21.20 – How And When Will US Sports Return To The Safe Zone?
  • The job was always going to require immunologists. Developing a plan to safely relaunch college and professional sports is requiring foot doctors, too. Or at least one.
• PlayUSA, 5.21.20 – When Will MLB Betting Return? It’s A Mystery For Now
  • At this moment, if anyone says they know definitively when Major League Baseball is returning, take it with a grain of salt.
• PlayIllinois, 5.21.20 – When Will MLB Return, And Assuming It Does, What Will It Look Like?
  • Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association are currently in negotiations to start the season on July 4, but there are various hurdles that must be overcome and details that need to be ironed out in order for that to happen.

New Jersey:

• PlayNJ, 5.21.20 – New Jersey Gaming News: Sports Are Back, More AC Casino Opening Plans
  • Earlier this month, there was excitement in the air at the possibility of Atlantic City casinos opening by Memorial Day.
• NJ.Com, 5.21.20 – Reopen Atlantic City Casinos? ‘We’re Just Not There Yet,’ Murphy Says
  • Atlantic City’s casinos, which recently saw an uptick in business after years of losses, have suffered historic drops in revenue and laid off tens of thousands of workers since being ordered to close their gambling floors two months ago because of the coronavirus pandemic.

New York:

• New York Post, 5.21.20 – NY Lawmakers Push To Legalize Pot, Sports Betting To Fill Coronavirus Budget Gaps
  • State lawmakers are making a fresh push to legalize pot and expand sports betting, saying tax income from the vices can help fill a gaping budget hole widened by the coronavirus.

Maine:

• WABI, 5.21.20 – Maine Gambling Control Board Has Approved Online Betting On Horse Racing
  • Maine Gambling Control Board has approved online betting on horse races.

Virginia:

• Sports Handle, 5.21.20 – Caesars Entertainment’s Bid To Build Casino, Sportsbook In Virginia Is A Winner
  • While still miles from crystallization, Virginia’s nascent casino and sports betting market took some additional shape this week with the city of Danville’s announcement that it had selected Caesars Entertainment to be its “preferred casino gaming operator.”

Michigan:

• The Action Network, 5.21.20 – Michigan Takes Another Step Forward For Potential 2020 Online Betting
  • Michigan originally planned on launching online sports betting in 2021. Now, there’s a chance it may be coming sooner.
• PlayMichigan, 5.21.20 – Michigan Casinos Donated Nearly 60,000 Pounds Of Food During COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Michigan casinos are starting to reopen their doors after nearly two full months of closure because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Iowa:

• PlayIA, 5.21.20 – Where Do My Gambling Tax Dollars Go When I Bet On Sports In Iowa?
  • The Hawkeye State matches Nevada for the lowest tax rate on sports betting handle in the country. That’s just part of the information that bettors may want on gambling tax dollars in Iowa, however.
• CBS 2 Iowa, 5.21.20 – Iowa Casinos Stay Closed As Other Businesses Start Reopening Statewide
  • As more and more types of businesses across Iowa reopen, very few are being told to keep their doors close – but that’s the spot that 19 casinos statewide are still in.

Indiana:

• PlayIndiana, 5.21.20 – Caesars Sportsbook Online Betting App Now Live In Indiana
  • Hoosier State residents, you’ve got another choice for legal wagering on sports in Indiana. Caesars Sportsbook Indiana is now live and accepting bets on a wide array of events.

Tennessee:

• TN Bets, 5.21.20 – Tennessee Sports Betting-Related Bills On Next Week’s Legislative Calendar
  • The state of Tennessee is moving full steam ahead to launch online/mobile sports betting later this year, but it looks like it will also consider legislation to make minor tweaks to the 2019 Sports Gaming Act.

Colorado:

• PlayColorado, 5.22.20 – CLGCC Unanimously Rejects Colorado Tax Proposal Change
  • The impact of COVID-19 on Colorado casinos and the communities they’re in is no doubt massive.

Oklahoma:

• US Bets, 5.21.20 – Oklahoma Leads Way As More Than 130 Casinos Reopened Across The US
  • As of Thursday morning, more than 130 casinos have reopened across the U.S., according to tracking from the American Gaming Association. That’s about 13% of the nearly 1,000 properties nationwide.