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
Sunday marks the fifth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that changed everything about America’s relationship with sports betting. Nothing has been the same since May 14, 2018, whether for gaming operators, state governments, sports leagues, broadcasters and other media, or Joe Q. Bettor.
Sports Handle Editor-in-Chief Brett Smiley took note of the quinquennial (yep, that’s a word, apparently) through a series of in-depth interviews with stakeholders of different stripes, combining them into an oral history of the post-PASPA universe more enlightening than you will find anywhere else. The American Gaming Association observed the anniversary in its own way, by releasing a national survey showing heavy support for legalized wagering and suggesting 85% of Americans believe the high court was right to overturn PASPA.
It’s a little hard to predict how different the landscape will be after another five years. The past week’s stories from Sports Handle and sister sites show how states big (e.g., Texas), medium (e.g., Missouri) and small (e.g., Vermont) have been at the edge of the pool, deliberating whether to jump in, with the Green Mountain State the latest to take the plunge. At the same time, operators of various sizes — most notably now Fanatics and PointsBet — discuss the whole mergers-and-acquisitions thing in ways that could shake up the industry.
Count on the Sports Handle staff to be tracking all this for the next five years and, hopefully, much longer. To be further informed on the broad gambling industry, be sure to check out US Bets and its weekly column feature, Double Down, as well as the Gamble On podcast.
Listen to what they said at SBC
SBC kicks off with poignant responsible gambling discussions
SBC 2023: Packed house for Meadowlands microbetting panel
Gambling company executives bullish on future of online casino
SBC 2023: Suggested bets, esports, and Free 2 Play round out the day
Iowa in an unfortunate spotlight
Iowa, Iowa State athletic departments both dealing with sports betting controversies
No criminal charges filed in Iowa, Iowa State betting situations
Missouri’s as tough as ever
For fifth straight session, Missouri fails to legalize sports betting
Missouri lawmaker, pro teams working last-ditch options to legalize wagering
Inside the illegal machines that are holding up Missouri sports betting
A glimmer in Texas, if only slight
Texas House sends sports betting resolution to Senate
Whenever you’re ready, Carolina
When will North Carolina’s Senate discuss mobile sports wagering bill?
Fun while it lasted? Hmm …
PointsBet, University of Maryland end their marketing partnership
The tricky issue of pro athletes’ betting
‘You can’t just give out Tom Brady’s personal information’
Safety first, but speed counts, too
Prove Identity out to streamline FanDuel’s mobile sign-up
More complying on top of complying
GeoComply acquires compliance platform provider OneComply
A million or a billion numbers, it seems
New York closes in on $1 billion in sports betting tax revenue
Illinois ekes out new state sports wagering handle record in March
Bet365 continues to make inroads in Virginia
Arizona’s Super Bowl bounce pushes handle over $600 million
Indiana reaches $1 billion in total sports wagering revenue
FanDuel routs Maryland online bettors once more in April
MotorCity Casino absorbs historic retail sportsbook loss in April
Movement in Minnesota
A Minnesota Senate committee this week moved forward a legal sports betting bill, but state horse tracks say they want more than is being promised to them by bill sponsor Matt Klein. Minnesota’s 11 tribes want exclusivity for wagering, so Klein has suggested a workaround where the two tracks won’t be able to get sports betting but would get a cut of the profits.
So far, the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association hasn’t come out against the bill. MIGA backs a separate House bill that gives its tribes exclusivity, but that bill is stalled in committee.
Over the last several sessions, lawmakers have tried and failed to broker a deal between tribes and the racetracks, with the House traditionally backing a tribal-only bill and the Senate amending it or pitching its own bill that includes the tracks in some fashion. State lawmakers have until May 22 to reach consensus and pass a bill in both chambers.
— Jill R. Dorson
Dim outlook for Oklahoma wagering bill
The likelihood of Oklahoma legalizing sports betting this year is dwindling with two weeks remaining in the session. In a state where there is longstanding distrust between Indian Country and the governor’s office, a bill that would give the tribes exclusivity passed the House in March, but it has languished in the Senate. Despite the exclusivity included in the bill, tribes do not uniformly support it.
“With the current state of leadership, I don’t see it happening anytime soon with all the tribes,” former Quapaw Tribe Chairman JR Matthews said in a recent webinar. “It’s pretty much dead this year. I’m sure it will come back next year.”
The rub in Oklahoma has long been that the tribes believe that Gov. Kevin Stitt will continue to try to increase the amount of gaming revenue that the tribes send to the state. HB 1027 was referred to the Rules Committee March 30. The Oklahoma legislative session ends May 26.
— Jill R. Dorson
Tweet of the week
No games to bet on for another 7hrs😕
You know what that means?
We’re betting on the weather 🤝 pic.twitter.com/rSsJC696Fe
— Betfred Sportsbook (@BetfredSports) May 12, 2023
More of the most important, interesting stories
HOW TO FIGURE THE POST-PASPA ERA: Five years into sports betting legalization: Breaking down the numbers [ESPN.com]
MANY BILLIONS BET, AND STILL COUNTING: Americans bet $220B on sports in five years since legalization [Associated Press]
LET’S HAVE SOME FUN WITH ALL THIS: Sports betting to focus on “fun,” become more sophisticated over next five years [JohnWallStreet]
SAY IT AIN’T SO, MAX: MLS suspends player in connection with investigation into “unlawful sports gambling” [Fox News]
Innocent til proven but 1) no pro player is immune from lure of gambling and 2) all risk factors for gambling participation & gambling problems among elite athletes magnified for young, immature, competitive, unpaid college student athletes. MLS details: https://t.co/WIZIkauaH9
— TheKeithWhyte (@TheKeithWhyte1) May 11, 2023
ET TU, TENNIS? French tennis player banned for match fixing [iGaming Business]
WANNA MAKE AN OFFER? Rush Street CEO Schwartz says company “open-minded” about interest from potential buyers [CDC Gaming Reports]
TRIBAL LESSONS LEARNED THE HARD WAY: Richard Schuetz: A stupid, college-educated white boy [GGB News]
WE TOLD YOU IT WAS COMING: Betr officially launches real money gaming in Massachusetts [Betr]
