Industry News of the Day for October 14, 2020

iDEA Growth Member News:

• iGB North America, 10.14.20 – BetMGM Expands iGaming Offering With SG And BetGenius Deals
  • BetMGM, the betting joint venture between MGM Resorts and GVC Holdings, is to expand its igaming and sports betting offering after extending partnerships with Scientific Games and BetGenius.

Industry News:

• PlayUSA, 10.13.20 – PlayUSA Rewind: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa Sports Betting All Take Off Thanks To Football Season
  • Here’s some not-so-breaking news: Legalized sports betting has gone bananas during football season.
• US Bets, 10.13.20 – $3 Billion In National Sports Betting Handle Within Reach As September Figures Come In
  • Three states with legal, regulated online/mobile sports betting — Indiana, Iowa, and West Virginia — have reported their September sports betting handle figures already, and the two leading mobile betting states — New Jersey and Pennsylvania — are due to share their numbers toward the end of the week.
• US Bets, 10.14.20 – In-Play Betting More Dangerous For Problem Gambling, Expert Warns
  • Betting during a sports contest is a major area of concern on the problem gambling front, an expert on the topic said during a webinar Tuesday hosted by the National Council on Problem Gambling.
• US Bets, 10.13.20 – The Future Of Sports Entwined With Betting, Says TV Exec
  • Fromer Turner television executive David Levy sees a complete integration of TV with gambling so that a fan who also wants to have a monetary interest in the result does not have to switch over to a different website to find odds and place a wager.

Overall Industry News:

• Online Poker Report, 10.13.20 – Twin River To Take On Bally’s Identity Following AC Casino Purchase
  • Twin River Worldwide Holdings announced today that it has struck a deal with Caesars Entertainment to acquire the iconic Bally’s brand.
• Gambling Compliance, 10.14.20 – Twin River Acquires Bally’s Brand From Caesars (subscription paywall)
  • Twin River Worldwide Holdings on Tuesday acquired the Bally’s brand previously owned by Caesars Entertainment, in a deal at least one gaming analyst believes could lead to Caesars selling its Bally’s casino in Las Vegas.

Sports League News:

• PlayNevada, 10.13.20 – What Are The Odds? PGA Tour Will Feature BetMGM Lines During CJ Cup Broadcast
  • The PGA Tour will feature live betting odds from BetMGM during coverage of the CJ Cup this week. This will be the first televised PGA Tour event featuring betting odds on the screen.

West Virginia:

• PlayWV, 10.13.20 – West Virginia Online Poker: When Will The Mountain State Go All-In?
  • Minus the lack of complimentary drinks, online gambling apps in West Virginia do a solid job of replicating the in-house experience. But there is something other than a watered-down well vodka tonic that you can only get in person.

Virginia:

• PlayVirginia, 10.13.20 – ‘Dude, I Have No Idea’: Will Virginia Sports Bettors Embrace Legal Sportsbooks?
  • For Virginia sports bettors, these are no doubt exciting times as the commonwealth prepares for its first fully legal VA sportsbooks to come online.

Washington, D.C.:

• Gaming Intelligence, 10.14.20 – Washington DC Online Sports Betting Posts Strong Growth (subscription paywall)
  • Washington, D.C.’s regulated sports betting market posted a new monthly high in September as total wagers increased to $3.3m.

Michigan:

• PlayMichigan, 10.13.20 – So Close: Michigan Online Gambling Rules Inch Toward The Finish Line
  • With the launch of online gambling set for as early as next month, time is precious in Michigan.
• iGB North America, 10.14.20 – SG Extends Software License Deal With Michigan Lottery
  • Scientific Games has extended its existing software license agreement with the Michigan Lottery.

Nebraska:

• Sports Handle, 10.13.20 – Nebraska The Latest State To Send Gambling, Sports Betting Question To Voters
  • Nebraskans are the latest U.S. citizens who will get a chance to have their say when it comes to legal sports betting after the state Supreme Court last month ordered a trio of gaming-related initiatives be put on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Iowa:

• Radio Iowa, 10.14.20 – Iowa Sports Betting Sets A Record In September
  • The coronavirus pandemic has slowed the state’s traditional gambling industry — but it has been a boom time in the past few months for the burgeoning sports betting side.

Tennessee:

• Gambling.Com, 10.13.20 – Q&A With Tennessee Action 24/7 CEO & Founder Tina Hodges
  • Tina Hodges is the CEO of Nashville-based Tennessee Action 24/7, a sports wagering company that plans to enter Tennessee’s online-only sports betting market.

Florida:

• Gambling Compliance, 10.14.20 – Florida At Gambling Crossroads Amid Budget Crisis (subscription paywall)
  • A long-running dispute between the Seminole Tribe and Florida is not expected to be resolved anytime soon as at least one gaming attorney believes the relationship between the two sides is diminished due to a soaring state budget deficit.

Arizona:

• Cronkite News, 10.13.20 – Legal Sports Betting In Arizona Still On The Back Burner In 2020
  • More than two years after the federal ban on sports betting was lifted, Arizona is one of 28 states that have not passed legislation to legalize gambling on sports in-person or online.