It’s information overload everywhere, and there’s not time enough to sleep and eat and stay fully apprised of what’s happening on this crazy blue dot of ours (two out of three ain’t bad). Here’s the weekend Sports Handle item, “Get a Grip,” recapping the week’s top U.S. sports betting stories, highlighting some fresh news, and rounding up key stories.
Top stories around our network this week
The happenings this week may not end up being a bellwether for the sports betting industry, but it sure feels like there is a shift in enthusiasm in our sphere of the world. Maybe that will all change when the next state opens up and the euphoria will be extended, but the realities and repercussions of the sports betting business aren’t going away.
Caesars plans to reduce sports betting marketing expenses significantly
Why are DraftKings execs not buying their own stock at bargain-basement prices?
TwinSpires to discontinue online sports betting, iGaming
A big week for Churchill Downs
KHRC disqualifies Medina Spirit from Kentucky Derby, suspends Baffert
CDI to purchase Colonial Downs, Virginia HHR facilities, New York casino
Wooo pig
Arkansas mobile sports betting poised to launch in early March
Still work to do…
Another attempt to legalize sports betting introduced in Kentucky Senate
Alabama lawmaker proposes legal sports betting in one county
Missouri House committee debates sports betting bills
PA governor still opposed on third try to divert slots funds from horse racing
… and much to learn
New study suggests Canadians need sports betting education
Expansion plans
Online casino games viewed as possible New York gambling expansion
Sporttrade extends its exchange reach into Indiana and Louisiana
Least shocking news of the week
Hockey, curling most popular Olympic events at Canadian online sportsbooks
Come together, right now
Arizona legislation could roll three agencies into a new state gaming commission
Second Arizona bill seeks to consolidate gambling regulators
You win some, you lose some
FanDuel, BetMGM, and Barstool are dominating the Michigan market
BetMGM reports two months of net revenue loss in Pennsylvania
Revenue reports
New Yorkers continue robust online sports betting in Super Bowl’s wake
Nevada posts record $1.1 billion sports betting handle for January
Louisiana generates $40 million in mobile handle from first four days
Illinois casino and VGT revenue drops sharply to start 2022
Dispatches from fantasy land
Dave Portnoy: DraftKings and Penn National should merge sportsbooks
Enough, already
The most annoying, overused types of sportsbook tweets
PointsBet’s tactics are angering bettors
New Hampshire joins $1 billion club
New Hampshire has become the 15th state to surpass $1 billion in all-time sports wagering handle in the post-PASPA era, with the state lottery reporting a record $99.5 million in wagers for January.
The Granite State reached the milestone in just more than 25 months of wagering, having taken its first bets shortly before the start of 2020. It also set an all-time monthly record for operator revenue in January, as the DraftKings-powered sportsbook claimed more than $8 million to open 2022. Overall, New Hampshire is just shy of $1.1 billion handle, with DraftKings claiming nearly $74.9 million in revenue and the state receiving close to $35 million in tax receipts.
— Chris Altruda
Baffert denied stay of suspension
Four days after the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission disqualified Medina Spirit and suspended Bob Baffert for 90 days for a positive drug test for the corticosteroid betamethasone, a request from the trainer to stay the suspension was denied Friday, according to the Louisville Courier Journal.
KHRC Executive Director Marc Guilfoil, according to the Courier Journal report, denied the request because he could not find “good cause” to delay the suspension, which is set to begin March 8.
According to one of Baffert’s attorneys, a pursuit of a remedy in court could be the next step.
“We will appeal and file a motion with the court if necessary,” Baffert’s attorney, Craig Robertson, told the Courier Journal. “The KHRC denial of the request for a stay is unprecedented in my experience. Stays are routinely granted pending an appeal. This is because it is manifestly unfair to force a trainer to serve a suspension now when the penalty imposing that suspension is subject to being reversed.”
More of the most important, interesting stories
LEGALIZE IT: Majority of California voters support legalizing sports betting [Los Angeles Times]
PROGRESS: Oklahoma sports betting bill advances out of House committee [FOX23]
ALASKA HEATS UP: Alaska bill seeks to legalize mobile gaming [Law360]
KEEP YOUR HEAD UP: A note to DraftKings CEO Jason Robbins [GGB News]
STEP BACK: Sports wagering still restricted to Deadwood, as SD kills ballot proposal [Argus Leader]
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ATTENTION TO DETAIL: Sports betting brings more attention to NBA stat corrections [ESPN]
CALL FOR HELP: Michigan gambling helpline calls tripled in 2021 [Newsweek]
LONE STAR CASH: Las Vegas Sands launches $2 million PAC to legalize casinos in Texas [Texas Tribune]
PARTNERS: Buffalo Sabres, FanDuel reach partnership deal [PR Newswire]
