Industry News of the Day for September 9, 2020

iDEA Growth Power Lunch Summit:

Starting today at 12 PM EST! We don’t have to tell you that the coronavirus pandemic has changed the internet betting landscape. Today’s session brings together leading lawmakers and industry advocates who have successfully navigated the choppy political waters of legalization before COVID and remain in the trenches to expedite and expand in the COVID-era. Register Now!

 

iDEA Growth Member News:

• Legal Sports Report, 9.8.20 – The Week In Sports Betting News: DraftKings Dominates Pre-NFL Chatter
  • Sports betting news is about to turn much more positive this week with the long-awaited return of the NFL season this Thursday.
• Sports Handle, 9.8.20 – Unibet To Enter Illinois Sports Betting Market Via PNG, Kindred Deal
  • The Kindred Group entered into an agreement with Penn National Gaming on Tuesday that will expand its U.S. sports betting footprint into Illinois — via the Unibet Sportsbook — and its online gaming and sports betting presence into Ohio, provided that the state legislature passes bills legalizing both.
• PlayIllinois, 9.8.20 – Unibet Sportsbook Comes To Illinois After Securing Market Access With Penn
  • Unibet sportsbook is coming to Illinois, Kindred announced on Tuesday.
• Gambling Compliance, 9.9.20 – Bookmakers Grapple With ‘New Normal’ Pandemic World (Sportradar; subscription paywall)
  • “Emergency content” like table tennis, the virtual Grand National and kung volleyball got sports betting companies through COVID-19’s sports shutdown, and now bookmakers are grappling with what comes next.

Industry News:

• Sports Handle, 9.9.20 – AGA: 33 Million Americans Will Bet On NFL This Season, But Overall Excitement Is Down
  • An estimated 33 million American adults plan to wager on the NFL this season, according to a survey released from the American Gaming Association Wednesday morning.
• Legal Sports Report, 9.9.20 – AGA: Fewer Americans Betting On NFL This Season
  • Despite more legal sportsbooks, about 5 million fewer Americans will be betting on the NFL this season, according to the American Gaming Association.
• Associated Press, 9.8.30 – Colorado Signs Sponsorship Deal With Sports Betting Operator
  • The University of Colorado has signed a partnership deal with a Denver-based sports betting operator.
• Sportico, 9.8.20 – University Of Colorado Signs PointsBet To Official Sponsorship Deal
  • The University of Colorado has signed a deal with PointsBet to serve as an official sports betting partner in a major step to dismantling college sports’ decades-long aversion to gambling.
• Legal Sports Report, 9.8.20 – Colleges Can Now Sign Sports Betting Deals? University Of Colorado Partners With PointsBet
  • PointsBet is the first sportsbook operator to sign a gambling agreement with a US college, the University of Colorado.
• Gambling Compliance, 9.9.20 – Esports Betting Needs Regulatory Reset, CEO Says (subscription paywall)
  • Esports betting in the U.S. has been growing in popularity as more states legalize wagers on video game competitions, but for that momentum to continue, Blaine Graboyes of GameCo believes all states must treat esports the same as wagering on traditional sports.
• SBC Americas, 9.9.20 – AGA Commercial Revenue Tracker Reports Encouraging July Revenues
  • The American Gaming Association (AGA) has published its July Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker report, which provides state-by-state and cumulative insight into the US commercial gaming industry’s financial performance.
• iGB North America, 9.9.20 – Betting & iGaming Contribution To US Gambling Grows In July
  • US commercial gross gambling revenue (GGR) continued to recover in July as more casinos and other venues reopened following the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) shutdown.

Sports League News:

• Legal Sports Report, 9.8.30 – NFL Names BetCris As First Latin American Sports Betting Partner Ahead Of New Season
  • The NFL has named BetCris as its first official betting partner for Latin America.

Pennsylvania:

• Legal Sports Report, 9.8.20 – Barstool Sportsbook Is Soft Launching Next Week In Pennsylvania
  • The long-awaited Barstool Sportsbook finally has a launch date for its debut in Pennsylvania.
• PlayPennsylvania, 9.8.20 – Coming Soon: Penn National Barstool App In PA Will Miss NFL Season Start
  • Penn National Gaming‘s slightly delayed rollout of its Barstool Sportsbook app, debuting exclusively in Pennsylvania, will miss the NFL season kickoff and the first weekend of games, including the two PA team’s openers.

Washington, D.C.:

• WUSA 9, 9.8.20 – Sports Betting In DC: A Second Sportsbook Could Be Coming To DC Soon
  • In July, DC’s first legal sportsbook opened inside the Capital One Arena Box Office. Now, another sportsbook could be put in Southeast DC nearly two years after the DC Council voted to legalize online and in-person sports gambling.
• NBC Washington, 9.8.20 – Sports Betting Could Be Coming To Southeast DC
  • Southeast D.C.’s first sports betting location could be coming to Capitol Hill.

West Virginia:

• PlayWV, 9.8.20 – Online Gambling Continues To Grow In A Busy West Virginia Market
  • It’s a very exciting time for gamblers in the state of West Virginia. After patiently waiting for online casinos to launch, the Mountain State now features several mobile betting platforms.
• Gambling.Com, 9.8.20 – West Virginia August Sports Betting Handle Tops $40 Million
  • West Virginia had its biggest week of sports betting ever in the week ending Aug. 29 with $13.6 million wagered, helping propel the state to $40.4 million in total handle for August.

Tennessee:

• WJHL, 9.8.20 – Online Sports Betting Could Happen In Tennessee As Soon As Nov. 1, Possibly Sooner
  • An official with the Tennessee Lottery confirmed with News Channel 11 Tuesday that Tennesseans could begin betting on sports online as soon as November 1, possibly sooner.

Michigan:

• iGB North America, 9.7.20 – Interview: Michigan Representative Brandt Iden
  • On 11 March, Representative Brandt Iden placed the first legal sports wager in the state of Michigan. Iden talks to Daniel O’Boyle about the start of legal betting in the state.

Colorado:

• PlayUSA, 9.8.20 – Relief Could Soon Come To Colorado Casinos Thanks To New Initiative
  • A measure to help hoist Colorado casinos from a pandemic-sized hole will have its fate decided in the November general election.
• The Denver Post, 9.8.20 – Another Major Sports Betting Giant Introduces Gambling App In Colorado
  • As the Denver Nuggets battle in the second round of the playoffs and with the Broncos set to kick off their season Monday night, Colorado gamblers will now have America’s largest sports betting app at their fingertips to lay down cash on their favorite teams.

Nevada:

• iGB North America, 9.9.20 – Boyd Launches New Mobile Sportsbook In Nevada
  • Casino operator Boyd Gaming has announced the launch of a new mobile sports wagering app in the state of Nevada.

California:

• PlayCA, 9.8.20 – After Over A Decade Of Legal Battles, North Fork Casino Project Given Green Light
  • Nearly two decades ago, a joint venture between a casino developer and a California indigenous peoples tribe was put on hold by a legal squabble.