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 headlines, highlighting some fresh news, and rounding up key stories.
Top stories around our network this week
Ohio arrived as a major market in legal U.S. sports betting this week, accompanied by both fanfare and flubs from leading sportsbooks.
A combination of more than 25 digital and brick-and-mortal operations took advantage of the Ohio Casino Control Commission’s Jan. 1 start date with an array of ribbon cuttings, VIP bets, bonus offers, and more. It marked a massive simultaneous launch by operators who are counting on Ohio to join New York, New Jersey, Nevada, Illinois, and Pennsylvania among the top betting handle and revenue-producing states.
GeoComply found that Ohio recorded more than 11 million online betting transactions on Sunday and Monday, a higher number than any other state. The nearly 167,000 mobile sportsbook app downloads nationally on New Year’s Day were among the most ever, JMP Securities reported, with Ohio’s entry into the industry undoubtedly the key factor.
But the buoyancy over that robust start was tempered by missteps by the operators, particularly when it comes to issues of marketing, responsible gambling concerns, and risks posed to underage gamblers. Before legal betting even started, the casino commission had already issued notices of large fines against Barstool Sportsbook and DraftKings. Then, the regulator this week announced new $150,000 fines pending against BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, and DraftKings (again).
That announcement came soon after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued a public warning stressing that the operators were being closely watched for inappropriate behavior that would put the state’s residents at risk of gambling problems. In announcing the fines, the commission said failures such as insufficient publicizing of how to get problem gambling help and inaccurately promoting bets as “risk-free” left the regulator “no choice but to pursue administration action to bring operators into compliance.”
For several years, operators were largely spared such quick and aggressive enforcement actions by regulators in new states implementing sports betting. It’s clear from the tone of officials during hearings in Massachusetts, however, that sportsbooks should be prepared for the same type of scrutiny there as they approach their retail launch this month and digital debut slated for March.
Sports Handle and its network of sites and staff will closely monitor such trends, just as in paying close attention to the rest of the gambling industry’s developments, as these stories of the past week show.
Three is better than one or two, but …
Three states legalized sports betting in 2022, while several others tried and failed
Glad that year is over
Monthly stock watch: Sportsbook operators close worst year since PASPA on down note
An unprecedented and tragic MNF event
Sportsbooks in holding pattern after life-threatening Monday Night Football injury
Media notebook: Damar Hamlin emergency raises questions about engagement
Ask a Bookmaker with Jay Kornegay: The Bills-Bengals aftermath
Let me tell you how I got screwed, really
Sorry, not every losing bet is a bad beat
Big new kid coming to the block
Fanatics confirms sportsbook launch plan, with Maryland, Ohio possible in January
Massachusetts getting ready
Massachusetts Gaming Commission bumps Fanatics decision to next week
Barstool Sportsbook gets initial approval for digital platform in Massachusetts
Pennsylvania sees big things ahead
PA gaming industry looks this year to grow beyond $5.2 billion revenue
More money coming in Colorado
Colorado expects sports betting taxes to double this fiscal year
NBA betting carries Colorado to second-highest month of handle
New Jersey, ever the trendsetter
Prophet becomes first U.S. betting exchange to appoint external auditor
Mojo accepts first six-figure deposits as bettors back college and backup quarterbacks
Dart betting stalled despite incredible video
The sport of darts received unprecedented attention this week when footage of Michael Smith nailing what’s being called the greatest nine-dart leg of all time went viral on Twitter.
Smith’s “nine-darter” propelled him to the PDC World Darts Championship title over three-time winner Michael van Gerwen. The accomplishment was filmed before a raucous crowd at London’s Alexandra Palace that made each and every one of Smith’s hyper-accurate tosses feel like a game-winning buzzer beater to cap March Madness.
THE BEST LEG OF ALL TIME! 🤯🔥
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN MISSES D12 FOR A NINE-DARTER, AND THEN SMITH PINS A PERFECT LEG HIMSELF!
ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS YOU'LL EVER SEE IN SPORT. pic.twitter.com/WyKWFcxq5V
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 3, 2023
But did this excitement translate into increased darts handle across the pond at America’s mobile sportsbooks? In a word, no. BetMGM, BetRivers and Caesars reported they saw no noticeable uptick. A BetMGM spokesperson said that while darts handle picked up during the height of COVID, when most major sports were on hiatus, betting on it remains dwarfed by the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and major college athletics.
— Mike Seely
More of the most important, interesting stories
WE’D LIKE TO DEAL YOU IN, KENTUCKY: Kentucky sports betting bill filed with online poker and DFS included [SBC Americas]
SOME PARTS OF TEXAS MORE SUITABLE THAN OTHERS: State senator files bill for casino resorts, sports betting in select Texas cities including San Antonio [KSAT]
STITT NOT STUTTERING ABOUT GAMBLING: Gov. Kevin Stitt: ‘I support sports betting in Oklahoma’ [KOKH]
PUT A SOCK IN IT, PUTTS: Jordan Spieth calls out chatty fan for gambling during his putt at Tournament of Champions [SI.com]
This is AWESOME! @JordanSpieth with the fist bump but asking to keep the gambling down. 🤣@it_ding pic.twitter.com/ktWqj7Dolw
— Fox Sports PHL Gambler (@foxphlgambler) January 6, 2023
MID-SOUTH MODERATION: Virginia lawmakers want to create new state committee on gambling addiction [Virginia Mercury]
POKER THE BEARS: Louisiana to be among first to deploy IGT’s video poker/sports betting combo [CDC Gaming Reports]
STONED OUT OF THEIR MINDS: Few choices for betting on Canada’s second-most-popular winter sport [CDC Gaming Reports]
GOOD THINKIN’, LINCOLN: Report: Illinois to consider online casino gambling for tax revenue source [The Center Square]
