Industry News of the Day for November 22, 2022

iDEA Growth Member News

  • US Bets: Entain Debuts Esports Mental Health Campaign For High-Schoolers
    • While esports has yet to live up to its billing as the next big thing in American sports betting, it is undeniably popular among the nation’s youth. And during the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the interactive gaming that esports offers provided a critical social lifeline to many kids whose face-to-face engagement with peers was severely limited.

Georgia

  • PlayGeorgia: Georiga Gambling Legislation A Possibility In 2023
    • With Stacey Abrams’ loss in the gubernatorial race, the state lost its most vocal advocate for Georgia gambling legalization. Abrams made the topic a pillar of her economic plan for the state. Georgians will have a more tepid governor in Brian Kemp, who is against sports gambling. However, Kemp has stated that he will not stand in the way should legislation land on his desk.

Louisiana

  • iGB North America: Louisiana online sports betting handle hits record $219.0m in October
    • Players in Louisiana spent a record $219.0m betting on sports online during October, while the state also reported a nine-month high for retail wagering. October’s online handle was 3.8% higher than the previous record of $211.0m, which was set in February of this year – the first full month of legal online betting in the state – and also 24.4% above the $176.0m spent by consumers in September.

 Massachusetts

  • Legal Sports Report: Fifteen Sportsbooks Apply For Massachusetts Licenses At Deadline
    • The Massachusetts sports betting picture is becoming clearer. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission received 15 total sports betting operator applications by Monday’s 2 p.m. deadline. The state can have up to 15 online sports betting operators. There were six applicants for the untethered online sports betting licenses. The current timetable calls for Massachusetts to launch retail sports betting in late January. Online sports betting in early March.
  • SBC Americas: Raynham Park partners with bet365 for Massachusetts online sportsbook
    • Raynham Park has partnered with bet365 as it seeks to offer mobile sports betting in the state of Massachusetts. Bet365 has applied for a tethered category three online gaming license in the Bay State, which was confirmed by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission earlier this week.

New Jersey

  • NJ Gambling Sites: Evolution Adds a Second New Jersey Live Dealer Studio at Ocean Casino Resort
    • Evolution is expanding its New Jersey live dealer presence for online gambling operators. New Jersey was the first state to authorize live dealer casino studios, which by law must be located at Atlantic City casinos. Documents from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) show that this second studio is located at the Ocean Casino Resort. The original one is in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City.

New York

  • Bloomberg: New York City – Billionaire 9 West Owner eyes casino bid in reshaped empire
    • Stefan Soloviev has been an apartment landlord, farmer and railroad operator, with an empire stretching from the unforgiving croplands of the American West to the gladiatorial arenas of global finance.  Now, he wants to add gaming mogul to his dizzying resume. Soloviev, 47, intends to apply for a license to operate a casino just south of the United Nations in New York.

Virginia

  • PlayVirginia: Virginia Casino Industry Just Getting Started As Numbers Boom Nationally
    • At a time when gaming revenue is at an all-time high nationally, theVirginia casino industry is just getting started. Even with a few months still left in the calendar year, the numbers point to 2022 surpassing 2021’s stature as the highest-grossing commercial gaming revenue year to date. So far, 2022’s revenue tracks 14.7% higher than the year before, according to the AGA.