Welcome to the Weekend Report, where iGB looks at the news that you may have missed over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This week, we cover Caesars launching in-person betting in Maine, reports of a new casino in Newfoundland and the start of SkyCity’s temporary closure in Auckland.
Caesars first to launch retail sports betting in Maine
First off, Caesars has become the first to operator to roll out retail sports betting in the state of Maine. The Portland-based Oddfellahs sportsbook officially opened on 13 September and is operating in partnership with First Tracks Investments.
Portland mayor Mark Dion placed the first ceremonial first bet at the site, which features self-service betting kiosks and a ticket window on-site. Cash deposits and withdrawals for Caesars Sportsbook mobile accounts is also available.
Online sports wagering with Caesars has been available in Maine since November of 2023.
Local mayor proposes new casino in Newfoundland
North of the border, reports of a potential new land-based casino in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador have emerged. Steady Brook mayor Bill Dawson last week said he is keen for a private investor to buy the Marble Mountain ski resort and establish a casino at the location.
While nothing is set in stone, Dawson said such a move would help generate more revenue in the local region and allow for year-round tourism outside of the snowy, winter months.
“We would not object to seeing, like we see in other places in every other province, a casino at the bottom of the hill,” Dawson said, according to CBC. “Why would we not have a casino? I mean, we are talking about making money. Casinos are money-makers. Why would we not do that?”
SkyCity Auckland closes for five days
Switching attention to the southern hemisphere, in New Zealand, the five-day shuttering of SkyCity’s Auckland casino has begun. The closure period runs from today (16 September) to 20 September.
In July, SkyCity reached an agreement with New Zealand’s department of internal affairs (DIA) to settle the case related to its Auckland facility. It was agreed the gaming area of the venue would close for five consecutive days.
This period was confirmed in August. However, it only applies to the gaming area and food and beverage outlets in this section. All other areas of SkyCity precinct will remain open.
Mumbai police raid illegal gambling den
Police in Mumbai have arrested 34 people during a raid on an illegal gambling den. The high-profile location focused on the card game Teen Patti, with police also seizing cash, according to The Hindustan Times.
Reports suggest the den was attended by businessmen, while one customer claimed it was associated with a political party. It is also reported that “significant” sums of money were being gambled.
Of those that were arrested, four were owners of the den and eight people worked at the facility. In addition, three were identified as jockeys and the other 19 were customers.
Kansas City player banned for breaching gambling policies
Finally, back in the US, Major League Soccer (MLS) has terminated the contract of Sporting Kansas City player Felipe Hernández. This comes after he breached the league’s gambling policies for the second time.
Hernández, who was suspended in 2021, will not be eligible for reinstatement until January 2026. MLS found no evidence that inside information was shared or that the integrity of any match was compromised.
