Betting News – Page 32

June 11, 2024

How senate redistricting could make Alabama more gambling friendly

A seemingly unrelated legal battle playing out in a federal courtroom could have an impact on the future of gambling in Alabama. The case, centred on the potential redrawing of state senate districts in Montgomery and Huntsville, may hold the key to whether the state legalises casinos, sports betting, or lottery in 2025.

The backdrop for this potential shift lies in the narrow defeat of gambling legislation in the Alabama senate in April. The bill fell short of passage by a single vote.

Proponents of the legislation, which included both Democrats and Republicans, argued that casinos would generate significant tax revenue for the state, create jobs and boost tourism. The Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama previously reported analysis that showed that gambling could lead to $749m in annual state revenue. Other reports put the total at as much as $1.2 bn.

On the other hand, opponents, primarily on moral grounds, expressed concerns about the potential social ills associated with..

June 11, 2024

ITIA issues sanctions over tennis betting offences

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has sanctioned a former professional player and official for betting-related offences.

David Gorsic, a Slovenian former player, and Steven Nguyen, an inactive Australian national-level official, have been charged. Both admitted to betting on tennis while covered by the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP).

Gorsic, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 1,399 back in 2015, admitted to betting between 2017 and 2018.

He faces a six-month ban, three months of which are suspended. This means he will not be eligible between 21 May and 20 August. He has also been fined $5,000 (£3,926/€4,660), with $3,500 of that figure suspended.

Nguyen, who has officiated at ITF junior, wheelchair and W25 events, was found to have bet on tennis between 2021 and 2023. He will serve a three-month sanction – from 23 May to 22 August – and pay a $2,000 fine, with $1,400 of that suspended.

The ITIA did not disclose any further information on th..

June 11, 2024

US May round-up: Year-on-year growth in Iowa, Maryland and Tennessee

Analysing the latest monthly state sports betting reports in the US, iGB takes a look at year-on-year growth across Iowa, Maryland and Tennessee during May.

Player spending was higher in each state in May. Revenue also increased in both Iowa and Maryland during the month, although Tennessee no longer reports this data.

Beginning the monthly analysis in Maryland, player spending on sports betting in May hit $431.5m (£338.9m/€400.7m). This is 34.8% ahead of last year but 11.3% behind April’s total spend of $486.3m.

Of this total, $419.5m, was bet online, while consumers wagered a further $12.0m at retail facilities.

As for revenue, after deducting prizes, promotional wagers and other amounts, this stood at $46.6m. The monthly total is 50.3% higher than last year and 22.6% more than April, despite a lower handle.

Some $45.7m of all taxable win came from online betting, with retail contributing $875,290.

It was also noted Maryland was able to collect $7.0m in tax, including $6.9m fro..

June 11, 2024

Former Inspired CCO launches Playbook Fusion B2B games studio

Steve Rogers, the former, long-time chief commercial officer of Inspired Entertainment, has launched Playbook Fusion, a new B2B games studio aiming to deliver a new genre of betting products.

Playbook Fusion will seek to combine gambling and video games to develop a new genre of sports-themed betting products. This content will be made available to operators in markets around the world.

Each title, Playbook Fusion says, will offer a deeper and more persistent experience than the games currently available. This, it adds, will require players to use skills and optimise their strategy to impact the outcome of each game.

“Recognising how players of video games enjoy the feeling of ownership and pitting their skills against other players in the global community, Playbook Fusion takes that same desire for connection and community into the sphere of gambling,” Playbook Fusion said.

Playbook Fusion targets immersive experiences

Rogers worked with Santiago Jaramillo to develop and launch..

June 10, 2024

Weekend Report: Rhode Island credit limit potentially on the rise

Welcome to the Weekend Report, where iGB updates you with the stories you may have missed over the last few days.

Rhode Island credit limit potentially doubling

On Thursday (6 June), the Rhode Island senate voted to increase the outstanding credit per player to $100,000 (£78,697/€92,973). The house is now expected to review the bill this week.

The amended bill passed with a vote of 28-5 to raise the limit from the previous $50,000 which had been in place since 2014.

Igaming launched in Rhode Island in March. Bally’s Corporation essentially has a monopoly on igaming in Rhode Island following state legislators’ 2021 approval of a 20-year contract for Bally’s and supplier IGT.

The bill was introduced by Senator Frank Ciccone III and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio. The bill’s text states that the aim of the rising credits is to “increase Rhode Island’s competitiveness in the gaming industry”.

However, the bill is also facing opposition. As reported by the Rhode Island Current, Se..

June 10, 2024

New York sports betting revenue tops $200m in May

In May New York saw mobile sports gross gaming revenue (GGR) top the $200m (€185.6m/£157.2m) mark for the first time in more than a year.

According to figures released by the New York State Gaming Commission, the total figure was $203.3m in May. This was only the second time GGR was above $200m in a month, and the first since the $211.5m achieved in January 2024. The GGR figure was also up by 33.8% compared to May 2023.

New York mobile sports betting handle was $1.97bn during the month. This was up 45.9% year-on-year and the biggest amount since the record month of November 2023.

Net revenue to platform provider was $99.6m. This was also the second highest figure since New York’s legal sports betting market was introduced at the start of 2022.

FanDuel still top in New York sports betting

FanDuel remained the biggest winner in New York during May, achieving GGR of $88.0m. This was from handle of $747.5m. While second placed DraftKings took in handle of $812.3m, GGR was $84.2m.

Cae..

June 7, 2024

Arizona Department of Gaming opens new event wagering application window

The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) will accept event wagering applications between 8 July and 19 July, the agency announced on Friday (7 June). The application window will close at 5pm local time on the 19 July. There are currently 17 operators live in the state and state law allows for up to 20 digital platforms.

The ADG will consider a minimum of one event wagering application each for a tribal casino and professional sports franchise.

In Arizona, event wagering operators must be tethered to a professional sports franchise or Indian tribe. The law allows for 10 licences each for pro sports venues and tribes. Nine tribal licences are spoken for, and eight of the pro-franchise licences have been issued. That means there is one tribal licence and two pro-franchise licences available.

A key question is whether or not there are anymore professional sports venues that could even qualify for a licence under the law.

Will anyone apply for pro-franchise licence?

The NFL Arizona C..

June 7, 2024

Fourth suspect in NBA gambling scandal turns himself in

On Friday (7 June) the US Attorney's office for the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York announced that the fourth, and last, suspect in the NBA sports betting scandal has turned himself in. Ammar Awawdeh is scheduled to be arraigned in Brooklyn Federal Court later today.

Awawdeh, Timothy McCormack, Mahmud Mollah and Long Phi Pham all allegedly conspired with former NBA player Jontay Porter. According to the complaint, the NBA gambling scandal revolved around Porter twice removing himself from games so that “under” bets made by the defendants would pay.

The four defendants bet on Toronto Raptors games which were played on 26 January and 20 March. They wagered with legal operators DraftKings and FanDuel, who ultimately reported suspicious activity to the NBA and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA).

In April NBA commissioner Adam Silver banned Porter from the league for life. Porter isn’t directly named in the complaint, but is referred to ..

June 7, 2024

State of the Union: A look back at the week that was in North America

Welcome to iGB's State of the Union, a look at the biggest North American sports betting stories we've covered over the week and briefs on others we found interesting.

NY to require gambling hotline number on ads

New York is poised to become the next state to tighten gambling advertising guidelines after the senate passed a bill that would require any ads to have warnings about “harmful and addictive behaviour”.

AB 1118 originated in the house, passed the senate and was sent back to the house for final consideration. It’s now headed for the governor’s desk. The key requirement is that a problem gambling hotline number be posted on every advertisement. .

Another bill – that would have required that all applications for three downstate casino licences be submitted by 31 August – did not get a final vote before adjournment on Thursday (6 June). The bill, SO 9673, would also have required final approval for the licences by 31 December 2025.

Still waiting…

Illinois Govern..

June 7, 2024

North Carolina betting revenue drops 40.1% in second full month

North Carolina reported gross gaming revenue (GGR) of $63.1m (£49.6m/€58.4m) in May in what was the second full month of wagering in the Tarheel State.

The $63.1m figure fell 40.1% short of April’s total of $105.3m. April was the first full month of betting in North Carolina after operators went live on 11 March.

The May revenue was also 5.1% behind the $66.5m generated in March despite the market only launching 11 days into the month. However, that three-week period included March Madness, with all three North Carolina teams – UNC, NC State and Duke – playing in the tournament.

Handle, meanwhile, stood at $525.5m, again the lowest total yet. The figure was 19.0% short of April’s $648.9m and 20.3% behind March’s $659.3m.

A total of $458.7m was paid out in winnings in May, a hold percentage of 12.3%. In April, operators reported a hold of 17%.

The state didn’t disclose how much tax revenue had been received. Digital operators are taxed at 18% of GGR in North Carolina.

Promos again..

June 7, 2024

Maine sports betting revenue dips despite handle recovery in May

Sports betting revenue in Maine declined 19.5% month-on-month during May despite the Pine Tree State reporting an increase in handle.

Adjusted gross receipts from sports betting in May amounted to $3.3m (£2.6m/€3.0m). This is less than the $4.1m posted in Maine during April.

Maine calculates adjusted gross receipts by subtracting voided and cancelled bets, federal excise tax and player winnings from handle.

On the subject of player spending, total handle for May amounted to $39.9m. In contrast to the revenue decline, total wagers were up 4.2% month-on-month from $38.3m in April.

Consumers won a total of $36.3m from sports betting during May while Maine collected some $331,279 in tax.

DraftKings the clear leader in Maine

At present, Maine is home to just two approved online sports betting operators in the form of DraftKings and Caesars. The former has led the market by some distance since it opened in November last year.

For May, DraftKings posted $2.9m in adjusted gross receip..

June 6, 2024

Two more arrested in NBA betting scandal

Two more people were arrested and arraigned in the NBA sports betting scandal on Thursday (6 June) morning, the US Attorney's office for the Eastern District of New York announced. That brings to three the number of conspirators arrested. One still remains at large.

Timothy McCormack and Mahmud Mollah were both released on $50,000 bond on Thursday morning. They were questioned by federal investigators as early as 30 May, according to the complaint.

Both allegedly bet on games in which then-Toronto Raptor Jontay Porter removed himself early so certain prop bets would pay. Porter is not directly named in the complaint, but the complaint refers to an NBA player who was banned for life. NBA commissioner Adam Silver issued Porter with a lifetime ban in April. He is the only player in the league to have been banned for betting thus far.

Porter was found to have bet on Raptors games and shared personal health information with his co-conspirators.

Two suspects won more than $1m tota..

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