This week’s State of the Union, in partnership with Segev LLP, includes New York’s sports betting launch, a legal battle over tribal exclusivity in Washington and record betting revenue in Illinois.
New York launches mobile sports betting
New York officially launched its legal mobile sports wagering market on 8 January, with all four of the state’s approved operators going live on opening day.
The New York Gaming Commission last week cleared Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Rush Street Interactive to accept mobile sports bets, having determined they “satisfied all statutory and regulatory requirements necessary to accept and process mobile sports wagering activity”.
Maverick launches legal challenge over tribal gaming monopoly in Washington
Gaming and entertainment business Maverick Gaming has filed litigation challenging what it said is an “erroneous” application of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), granting tribes in the state exclusive rights to certain types of gaming.
Filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, the legal challenge said the state is using the IGRA “inappropriately” to give tribes exclusivity to gaming such as sports betting, which are currently not allowed in non-tribal gaming properties in Washington.
Delaware igaming revenue climbs 26.2% to $10.6m in 2021
The Delaware Lottery has reported a 26.2% year-on-year increase in igaming revenue for the 2021 calendar year, while player spending also jumped 35.0%.
Revenue for the full year amounted to $10.6m, up from $8.4m in the previous 12 months and a new annual record for the state.
Seminoles accuse LVS-backed group of fraud over gaming expansion petition
The Seminole Tribe of Florida has gone on the offensive over a Las Vegas Sands-backed political committee’s push to gather public support for commercial casinos in the state.
The Tribe argues Florida Voters in Charge “brazenly violated” electoral law and committed fraud in its signature-gathering process to allow commercial casinos in the state.
Play Globally adds regulatory veteran Hensel to advisory board
Free-to-play gaming content provider Play Globally has added gaming regulatory veteran Susan Hensel to its advisory board.
Hensel spent 15 years with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, being appointed as its first director of licensing in 2005.
Indiana falls marginally short of new betting handle record in December
Indiana fell just short of setting a new sports betting handle record in December, though the US state was able to report year-on-year growth across player wagering and adjusted gross revenue.
Consumers spent a total of $463.0m on sports betting in December, up 47.9% from $313.0m in the same month in 2020, but just 0.1% lower than the record $463.7m set in the state in November of 2021.
Washington bills challenge cardroom and racetrack sports betting exclusion
Two bills have been reintroduced in Washington that could allow sports wagering at racetracks and cardrooms in the state, amid a legal challenge filed by Maverick Gaming against the state’s tribal sports betting monopoly.
Both bills – one in the state Senate and the other in the House – were introduced last year but have made a new start with the launch of the 2022 legislative session.
Sportradar hands North America integrity role to former NCAA executive Brown
Sportradar has appointed former National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) executive Jim Brown as head of integrity services and harm prevention in North America.
Based in the US, Brown will report directly to Andreas Krannich, managing director of integrity services at Sportradar, and support the business with its growth plans in the region.
Penn National Gaming commits to AGA’s responsible gambling campaign
Penn National Gaming (PNG) has become the latest operator to declare its support for the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) ‘Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly’ public service campaign.
Launched in September 2021, the initiative is an extension of the Have A Game Plan project that went live in late 2019 to educate sports fans about responsible sports betting.