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
As the ever-evolving North American legal sports betting landscape matures, players are going to enter and they are going to exit.
Everyone seems to be waiting for the moment Fanatics enters the sports betting sphere, and WynnBET is looking to get into the Illinois market. It was also determined this week that Jan. 1 will be the start date for Ohio sports betting, and Caesars launched its white-label horse racing ADW in Ohio and Florida.
On the other side, theScore Bet is scheduled to discontinue operations in the U.S. on July 1 and shift its focus to Canada.
Which new players will arrive in the coming months and years, and which will head out the door? Stay tuned to find out.
The waiting is the hardest part
North Carolina mobile wagering bill yet to be discussed by House
Online sportsbooks might not launch in Maryland until late 2022 or early 2023
Change ahead?
D.C. Lottery promises GambetDC interface improvements coming soon
What’s better, a sharp bet or a fun bet?
In defense of the single-game parlay
Plenty of casino news
First “normal” summer in three years may produce big bucks for NJ casinos
Bally’s can exhale as the downtown Chicago casino chess game begins its reset
With Golden Nugget purchase, DraftKings doubles down in casino war
Will vocal opposition to proposed Centre County mini-casino matter in the end?
River Casino’s bad beat jackpot could become highest in U.S. casino history this month
Revenue reports
New York sportsbooks’ hold rate dipped last week, amid a trend of lower weekly volumes
Virginia narrowly misses $400 million in sports wagering handle for April
Ontario iGaming revenue reports wait until after provincial election
Didn’t see this one coming
Nicki Minaj named MaximBet strategic advisor, ambassador
Tribal updates from Washington state
The Snoqualmie Tribe, the first in Washington state to launch a retail sportsbook and onsite mobile app, announced plans Tuesday to construct a hotel and convention center, adjacent to its casino, by the end of 2024.
Snoqualmie Casino CEO Stanford Le told Sports Handle that the suburban Seattle property’s onsite sports betting app — still the only one to go live in the state — was close to eclipsing 1,000 signups. Per state law, all mobile wagering must be conducted on premises at a tribal gaming facility.
On the same day the Snoqualmies announced their hotel addition, the Washington Indian Gaming Association released a study by Taylor Policy Group, which showed the state’s tribes were responsible for contributing $6.6 billion in gross state product in 2019 (and $5.6 billion in pandemic-affected 2020), while generating nearly 55,000 jobs across the state — up from $2 billion in economic impact and 13,000 jobs in 2004.
– Mike Seely
More of the most important, interesting stories
UP FOR A VOTE: Richmond casino redo can go on ballot, budget would delay licensing [Times-Dispatch]
BIG PLAN: Backers unveil plans for $250M casino complex in Cedar Rapids, Iowa [CDC]
PROGRESS: Rhode Island senators propose legislation to address gambling addiction [KPVI]
WOOF: Yardbarker launches sports betting-focused email newsletter “Bark Bets” [Business Wire]
Gambling could be wild card in Texas governor’s race as Governor Greg Abbott (R) not expected to block gambling expansion, while Democratic gubernatorial nominee Beto O’Rourke. supports sports betting, casinos @GamblingComp https://t.co/3Ix8YARbDi pic.twitter.com/Z1vZkjVa6l
— Chris Sieroty (@sierotyfeatures) June 2, 2022
UH-OH: Massachusetts sports betting bills complicate horse racing extension [Worcester Business Journal]
NEW BLOOD: Nevada Gaming Control Board announces two appointments [CDC]
CHEERS: Former UK minister for sport joins Genius Sports’ business advisory council [Yahoo!]
SO SAD: Scarborough Downs OTB to close, ending 72-year era [WMTW]
