iGaming

iGaming

• Sports Betting Goes Live in New Mexico – Santa Ana Star opened its betting windows, with operations powered by USBookmaking.
• Wynn and BetBull Join Forces in US Sports Betting Venture – Out of left field, the Wynn acquires a minority stake in little known sports betting company BetBull to pursue US sports betting.
• William Hill Links Up With Neo Games For PAM Deal – 4 year deal will have Neo serving William Hill with technology to support its online partners.
• NJ iGaming Does Nearly $40m in September – All online activity accounted for $38m, with $12.6m coming from online sports betting.
• Kentucky Sports Betting Hearing Highlights Need for Mobile Wagering, Competitive Tax Rate – The discussion in KY took a leap forward on Friday with testimony from many.
• Exec Says Slow Pace of MLB Play Makes it Perfect for In-Game Betting – Joe Asher opines.
• NJ Regulators Serve Notice to Illegal iGaming Operators, Promoters – Could this be the first step in enforcement?
• SugarHouse Links With Monmouth Park for Sports Betting – Moves off of the Golden Nugget license in order to take NBA bets. They also released that 80% of their bets are coming on mobile, and that revenue is climbing significantly due to sports betting.
• PointsBet Opens With Allen Iverson – The NJ underdog links up with Iverson for a marketing campaign.
• Land Based Casinos in PA Will Not Allow iGaming Inside – Another head scratcher out of Pennsylvania. The question remains about whether or not high tax rates will drive away PA’s sports betting business.
• Saturation in the Land-Based Casino Industry? – Good overview about the changing landscape of gaming in the USA.
• Who is Going To Run All Of These Sportsbook Operations? – With sports betting frenzy gripping America, and the complete lack of qualified talent, who will step up?
• Stars Group Launches Online Sports Betting in NJ – Latest entrant to the online market.
• Feds, California Urge 9th Circuit Not to Revisit Tribal Bingo Suit – The federal government and California jointly urged the Ninth circuit to reject the Santa Ysabel request to revisit the lower court ruling.
• MGM Exec Envisions Sports Betting at Stadiums – This is definitely where things are trending…
• The Stars Group Restructures Sky Bet Management as CMA Clears Acquisition – It’s official, Sky Bet now belongs to TSG. 
• NASCAR Ponders Gaming at Tracks – It would make sense…
• VSIN Plants Flag at Ocean Resort – The broadcaster has an east coast hub now, expanding its reach to Atlantic City.
• Sports Betting The Hot Topic at G2E – A short overview of what happened.
• Will CT’s Gubernatorial Candidates Legalize Sports Betting? – A look into their positions.
• MGM-GVC Inks Sports Betting Deal With California Tribe – The group forms a sports betting partnership with the United Auburn Indian Community (Thunder Valley Casino Resort)
• NJ Sportsbooks Must Find Faster Deposit Options – Growth will occur when it’s easy to deposit.
• NJ Regulator Takes Blame for Fanduel Error – Issues warning to other sportsbooks.
• NJ iGaming Revenue Complementing Casinos – Not cannibalizing revenue.
• Scientific Games Acquires Don Best – A smart acquisition for SG as they pick up sports data.
• Rotogrinders Merge Pocketfives to Launch RG Network – The major DFS affiliate is rolling up to make a bigger play.
• Jackpocket Aims to Begin Selling Ohio Lottery Tickets in 2019 – Aim to launch next year.
• Paddy Power Betfair Fined 2.2M GBP – For social responsibility and money laundering failures.
• Nevada Casinos Pitch For Remote Account Registration – Sports betting registration in Nevada can only occur within casinos… for now. Tides look to be turning.

Esports

• Cloud9 Raises $50m in Series B Funding – Big VC’s join the fray as the major esports organization takes in some serious dough.
• Melco Envisions Esports as Big Draw for Japan Resort – Hong Kong player to use Chinese ties to pull in customers.
• Twitch’s NFL Live Stream Shows Potential Future of Live Sports Online – The NFL is using Twitch to test new gamification features alongside its broadcast.
• Chris Bosh Steps Into Esports – Joins Gen.G team as a player management advisor.

iGaming

• Delaware North and Miomni Link Up For Sports Betting – The joint venture between the two companies will involve DN properties, with plans to expand together domestically.
• NJ is About to Get a Boost From NHL and NBA Betting – If initial NFL results were positive, two more professional leagues are about to start their season. Onward and upward!
• Parx and Hollywood Casinos Get Green Light For PA Sports Betting – The PGCB approved the two operators, but the real news is that the Sands Bethlehem has submitted an application for an interactive gaming license (soon to be owned by PCI). In a funny twist of fate, the Sands rep explained their opposition to iGaming, but still requesting a license in representation of Wind Creek.
• West Virginia Moves Ahead Without Integrity Fees – The leagues strike out again.
• Nektan Primed For Growth, Eyes US – The public European company is positioning for sports betting and iGaming in the US.
• Novomatic Names Sports Betting Head For US Push – Felipe Ludena joins Novomatic from the Codere group.
• Fanduel Integrates With Amazon Alexa – Create a pick 6 game for Sunday and Monday NFL night games.
• NBA and MGM Launch Free to Play Game – The first signs of life in the partnership.
• Delaware Sees $17m in Handle For First Month of NFL – Hold is TBD.

 

iGaming

• Eldorado Fires Tropicana Online Casino Staff Immediately After Taking Over – The in-house staff at the Trop is out. GameSys will be running operators for the moment. Some insiders think this is a show of no-confidence for the staff that was employed there, and for online gaming. However, I am betting that this is a signal of the broader partnership emerging between ERI, William Hill, and William Hill’s technology partners.
• William Hill and Golden Entertainment Expand Partnership – The company has done an incredible job in business development, gaining market access in key states across the USA.
• NJ Legislature Posts Bills To Offer Subsidy to Horse Tracks – $20m annually would subsidize the racing industry if a bill passes.
• Penn National to Invest Heavily in Pennsylvania Sports Betting – In a hearing, Penn National noted that they would make a $10+ million investment in the vertical, partnering with William Hill. They’re unsure, however, if mobile will be a part of their plans given PA’s market structure.
• Sports Betting Letters to House of Representatives Are Revealing – Letters sent in for the September 27th hearing have been made public, with a number of groups imploring Congress to leave sports betting to the states. Among these groups was the American Conservative Union, leading the coalition. Interesting stuff.
• Breakdown of New England Casino Revenue – Good overview from Steve Ruddock.
• Which NJ Online Sportsbook Has The Best Customer Service? – One reporter tested the waters and the results are interesting.
• Ahead of Kentucky Sports Betting Hearing, Lawmakers Make One Thing Clear – There will be no payout to the pro leagues.
• No Skins! US Players Must Deliver Full Entertainment Packages – In the latest Betting on Sports conference, iGaming executives from Hard Rock, SG Digital, and other groups opined on what it takes for a platform/technology provider to make deals in the USA, and how the market might evolve.

 

 

iGaming

• NHL Could Yield $216M in Additional Revenue From Sports Betting – The AGA and Nielsen Sports estimate the uplift for the league is significant.
• Vegas Legend Johnny Avello Joins Draftkings – Another major hire for Draftkings, as Avello follows Frank Kunovic to the company. It is also rumored that longtime bookmaker Ed Malinowski is hot on Avello’s heels and will be joining Draftkings shortly.
• Council Aims to Bring DC Sports Betting to Nation’s Capital By 2019 – The district could get sports betting next year, though Congress is unlikely to act on sports betting and iGaming, despite a recent hearing.
• Big Expansion Plans For The Stars Group – They’re gearing up for the US…
• Betinvest Sets Sights on US – Another company looking at how it can crack the market.
• Congress Already Ruined Sports Betting Once; Don’t Let Them Do It Again – Michelle Minton preaches.
• Loot Boxes Not Gambling, Says Ireland – Irish regulators say loot boxes fall outside of their remit.

iGaming

• Inside False Testimony in Congress For Sports Betting – The September 27th hearing was filled with testimony that has, at this point, been completely debunked with actual fact.
• WSOP’s Seth Palansky in Hot Water? – Poker player John Mehaffey trades blows with the WSOP executive over responsible gaming lapses and “meritless thuggery”.
• Sports Streaming Service Could Be On The Block After Company Splits – Perform Group separates out DAZN streaming business, in a signal that DAZN could be for sale.
• PAGCOR Raids Over 170 Online Gambling Firms – The Philippines has long been home to gray and black market operators, but it looks like the government is beginning a serious crackdown. 
• Nevada Sports Betting Wins Again – August revenue of $12.6m on $247.6m in handle.
• NFL Doesn’t Want Consumer Protection, It Wants Its Piece of the Pie – Lobbying for a federal framework, use of official league data, and other things.
• LeoVegas Seeks to Broaden Tech Talent Pool – Launches Regulus Program.
• Sport Groups Lobbying Kentucky Lawmakers For Royalty Fees – NFL, MLB, NBA, and PGA Tour have registered as lobbyists.
• Metric Gaming Gets $10m Injection to Take on Sports Betting – It’s going to be tough…
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iGaming

• Oregon Lottery Projects $100m in Annual Revenue From Legal Sports Betting – No surprise, the Oregon lottery is looking to step into the market.
• Shakeup in Illinois Politics Could Open The Door For Gambling Expansion – With the potential for a new governor, new Chicago mayor, and shakeup in the legislature, the politics might align for a gambling bill to pass.
• Lottoland Jackpot Win Is Biggest in History – A cleaning lady from Berlin won a record 79m GBP lottery betting jackpot.
• Sugarhouse Lines Up For PA Sports Betting Approval – That makes #4 in the market.
• FanDuel Sportsbook Warns Partners: Don’t Promote Offshore Sports Betting – FanDuel looking to avoid problems over in Europe with affiliates. In the meantime, Draftkings processed its two millionth sports bet.
• Gaming Innovation Group Signs First Poker Client – Will provide GiG product to OneTimePoker in Q12019. This may potentially signal Hard Rock’s intentions for poker.
• Newgioco Looks For New US President For Push – The Italian operator is considering its entry to market after 90% YoY growth.
• NFL Pushes Congress For Federal Betting Framework – The federal hearing on September 27th, overshadowed by the Supreme Court hearings, was interesting.
• Stephen Crosby Resigns As Chair of MGC – Shakeup in Massachusetts as the Wynn investigation continues to unfold, and the regulators are also opening up for comment regarding a new southeastern casino.
• Hard Rock and Sci Games Link Up For Lottery Scratcher – New SG Digital games will feature the Hard Rock brand.
• IGT and William Hill US Form Strategic Partnership For US Lotteries – In a significant deal, IGT will leverage William Hill’s trading/back-office team to service lottery clients.
• FunFair Launches CasinoFair – New ethereum based gambling platform launches from FunFair after a large fundraise nearly a year ago.
• GVC Buys Spread Betting Broker – GVC subsidiary Intertrader Limited picks up the forex/spread betting firm.
• Metric Gaming Raises $10m to Drive US Growth – The sportsbook platform and data services provider raised $10m from RDA Ventures LLC.
• Vegas Golden Knights Partner With AGS – AGS beginning to brand with sports, and they’re looking at expanding into iGaming with their recent acquisition of Gameiom.
• New Hampshire iLottery Platform Launches – Becomes the 6th state to offer some semblance of online gambling.
• GVC and Oryx Link Up On Content Deal – Video slots and casino games will be deployed on GVC.
• 5 Major Takeaways From The Congressional Sports Betting Hearing – Article runs down what happened in DC.
• William Hill Launches Online in NJ – After a SNAFU with the Apple policies, William Hill is set to deploy online.
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iGaming

• Meridian Gaming Wins Colombia License – 15th license issued for the fast growing MeridianBet.
• Congressional Hearing on Federal Sports Betting Oversight Confirmed For Next Week – A house subcommittee will meet on Thursday the 27th to discuss legal sports betting.
• First Numbers From Mississippi Sports Betting Are In – Total handle was $6.3m, $644k in revenue, and $77k in tax revenue for the state. The numbers jumped in the first few days of September, though, with the launch of college football.
• Fanduel Sportsbook Pays Erroneous Tickets At Full Value – After NFL betting glitch, Fanduel has turned their negative into a positive, paying out all erroneous tickets and running a promotion around the negative PR.
• Western Australia Claps Down on Lottoland and Its Customers – Will fine lottery betting customers $2,500 for patronizing lottery betting sites. This is a similar deterrent used by the state of Washington with regard to online poker.
• Peru Considers iGaming Legislation – Peruvian legislators have put forward a bill that would legalize online gambling in the country.
• GVC to Fund Major US Problem Gambling Report – Part of their long-term commitment to the US National Council on Problem Gambling. This will likely effect the development of regulation.

iGaming

• New Hampshire Lottery Goes Live Online – Contains e-games and draw tickets, powered by NeoPollard interactive, a JV between Neo Games and Pollard Banknote.
• Pokerstars Launches VR Online Poker – It appears to be a much more advanced version of the PKR.com vision. Looks really interesting, and Pokerstars has been creating incredible new poker variants recently.
• UK Advertising Watchdog Fines William Hill, Greentube – Ads for the two groups appeared within apps that were determined to be geared towards children, so the ASA concluded that the ads were inappropriately targeted. This is likely entirely subjective, and potentially run through a third party agency, but c’est la vie.
• Scientific Games, Washington Lottery Extend Instant Games Deal – Deal extended to 2024.
• What’s Going On at Fanduel Sportsbook? – Major hiccup sees punter win a 750:1 longshot on an odds error, Fanduel refuses to pay, DGE is investigating. This is an interesting read.
• NetEnt Announces Entry Into Pennsylvania – Aims to license its portfolio of games, and operate as an affiliate. 
• Zion Market Research: Online Gambling to Reach $94.4B By 2024 – The global online gaming market is expanding in a big way.
• Mastercard Enters Esports Space With New Partnership – Partners with Riot Games’ League of Legends in a global sponsorship deal.
• Formula One Signs Sponsorship and Data Rights Deal – Will add in-race betting and gambling partners through a partnership with the sports marketing company Interregional Sports Group (ISG).

 

iGaming

• New Bill in Washington D.C. Would Legalize Sports Betting – The DC lottery is getting into the game, looking to legalize sports betting within the district.
• Skillz Hits $400m in Revenue – Mobile esports platform that turns any mobile game on iOS or Android into a game that you can play with others for cash is growing… quickly.
• PA DFS Revenue Under $1m in August – September should see revenue pick up, but it’s representative of the stagnating DFS space.
• Draftkings CEO Explains Their Approach to Sports Betting – Interview with The Street.
• Is SugarHouse Sour on PA Sports Betting License? – Despite operating in NJ, the group still hasn’t applied for a PA license.
• Vegas Golden Knights Link Up With William Hill – Becomes the first NHL gambling partnership.
• NJ Devils Weigh in On Financial Opportunity in Legal Betting Markets – Devils President Hugh Weber said he expects the team to make an extra $5m in the 2018-19 season through sponsorship deals with local sportsbooks.
• Must See G2E Panels – Rundown of some interesting G2E panels this year, focused on sports/interactive.

iGaming

• Easier Gambling Has Sports Worried About Fighting The Fix – Alternative headline: Leagues not fighting match fixing in the black market.
• West Virginia Sports Betting Shakeup Disturbing Lawmakers – There are some major conflicts of interest floating around in West Virginia, and those in power are short on answers. Interesting read.
• Global Daily Fantasy Sports Lists on Frankfurt Stock Exchange – Will access European investors more easily for the cash intensive business.
• Frank Pallone (D-NJ) Retracts GAME ACT in Congress – In the newest revelation in political posturing, the federal sports betting bill has been retracted by the New Jersey congressman.
• Nevada Gubernatorial Candidate Could Kill Nevada iPoker – Adam Laxalt is not a fan of the business.
• Choctaw’s Choose IGT For Sports Betting in Mississippi – Sportsbook opened September 2nd, IGT will power it.
• Santa Ysabel Bingo Case Not Dead Yet – The Tribe asked the Ninth Circuit to rethink its affirmation of a lower court’s ruling, claiming the decision did not adequately consider how tribes can use remote access technology under IGRA.
• Where is the Midwest on Sports Betting Legislation? – A look in…