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Gambling in the USA

American pro sports leagues hedge their bets on legal gambling

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American pro sports leagues hedge their bets on legal gambling
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In court, all four major U.S. sports leagues are fighting New Jersey’s challenge to the federal ban on sports gambling, which the Supreme Court will hear next month.

 

Outside of court, leaders of three of the four leagues have made public comments that suggest they wouldn’t mind losing the case. Only the NFL has been steadfast in its opposition to gambling, a stance that critics see as hypocritical, especially as the Raiders plan a move to a billion-dollar stadium just off the Las Vegas Strip.

As the Supreme Court prepares to hear a case that could lead to the federal ban on sports betting being struck down, the leagues are hedging their bets — preparing for a future of expanded gambling and hoping to have a say in how legalization takes effect.

The NBA and Major League Baseball see gambling as something that could enhance fan interest and open up new revenue opportunities. However, the leagues insist that appropriate regulations should be put in place to prevent corruption — something that a court ruling in New Jersey’s favor wouldn’t do, at least not right way.

Much has changed since 2012, when the leagues and the NCAA sued New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to stop him from legalizing sports betting at the casinos and racetracks in his state. At the time, MLB and the NBA were led by old-school commissioners who bore the scars of gambling scandals in their leagues, including Pete Rose in baseball and referee Tim Donaghy in basketball. Baseball’s Bud Selig said in a deposition that gambling was “evil, creates doubt and destroys your sport.”

Selig and the NBA’s David Stern have since been replaced, respectively, by Rob Manfred and Adam Silver, both of whom have taken a fresh look at gambling.

Silver argued three years ago in a New York Times op-ed that sports gambling should be legalized. Manfred said earlier this year that gambling “can be a form of fan engagement, it can fuel the popularity of a sport” — and he raised the prospect of people betting during games on whether the next pitch will be a strike. He’s also said MLB wants a seat at the table if Congress considers legalization.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said gambling isn’t a major concern because so little money is wagered on hockey compared to other sports. The NHL this season became the first major U.S. league to place a franchise in Las Vegas, where sports gambling is legal, and the NFL will follow in 2019. For the past several years, the NFL has also played games in London, where people can bet on sports online. Commissioner Roger Goodell has conceded that his position on the issue has “evolved.”

I think there are multiple signs of the sports leagues, including the NFL, taking a fresh look at this issue. You don’t place a team in Nevada, in Las Vegas, without an understanding that the issue is changing. Frankly, you don’t play games in Wembley Stadium, where most of the people in the stands are betting on their phones during the game, without an understanding that things are changing,” Geoff Freeman, CEO of the American Gaming Association, told The Associated Press. “For those that want to see sports betting, the trajectory is in their favor.

The NFL teams have invested in daily fantasy sports even though the NFL itself hasn’t. It’s just so inconsistent,” Pallone said. “How do you make the case and say that’s not gambling?”

New Jersey is challenging the constitutionality of the federal ban on sports betting that Congress approved in 1992. The ban only allowed sports betting in the four states that had previously authorized it, and only Nevada’s law at the time allowed bets on individual games. In Delaware, casinos offer parlay bets on NFL games.

I go through Delaware and they allow it, and I come to my own state and they’re not allowed to do it. It’s just ridiculous,” Pallone told AP. “I think there’s a good chance that the court is going to say you can’t say to one state they can have sports betting and another state that they can’t, and then dictate what state has what.

Opponents maintain that state-sponsored gambling preys on vulnerable people and creates a variety of social ills. A coalition of anti-gambling and religious groups argued in a brief that legalized gambling would open the door for casino companies to further “target and exploit the financially desperate, exacerbate crime, cultivate addiction, and force even those citizens who rarely or never gamble to foot the bill for the enormous social costs and state budget problems they leave behind.”

While legal sports books could entice more people to place bets, the practice is already widespread. The AGA estimates that Americans bet $150 billion on sports annually, and only 3 percent of those bets are made legally.

The technology that allows more people to place bets has also enabled data collection that makes game-fixing more difficult because suspicious betting patterns can be seen in real time. With most pro players making millions, it’s unlikely they would risk careers and jail by throwing games.

Game-fixing is much easier to stop and prosecute in countries with legal betting than in places without it, said Andreas Krannich, an executive at Sportradar, a London-based gambling security firm.

“In a well-regulated market, the risk of manipulation is less,” Krannich said, because bookmakers “participate in the detection and the follow-up of criminal cases.

The leagues are concerned that the Supreme Court could allow sports gambling to become legal without those protections in place. NBA spokesman Mike Bass said the league “prefers a comprehensive federal approach to legalized sports betting, as opposed to a hodgepodge of state-by-state laws.

If the court rules against the leagues, it would be up to the states to regulate gambling themselves until Congress steps in.

The integrity of the games — and I know from my discussions — is the No. 1 priority of the leagues,” Freeman said. “We share that desire for integrity. I think increasingly, people recognize that the surest way to guarantee integrity is in a regulated market.

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Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – October 28-November 3

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Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Elray Resources Inc. has announced a significant milestone in the company’s growth strategy. The company has completed the sale of proprietary technology to 180 Life Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ:ATNF), a NASDAQ-listed company in exchange for preferred stock convertible into a 40% stake in ATNF and warrants to purchase 3 million shares of ATNF common stock, the conversion/exercise of which is subject to stockholder approval. The technology stack contained within Elray’s technology package will assist ATNF in launching an iGaming Blockchain casino.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, has announced that it has been awarded Daily Fantasy Sports Operator Licenses in Delaware and Missouri. The company will launch Arena, its innovative peer-to-peer fantasy sports contest, in both states. With these new state launches, Arena will now be available in 15 states across the US.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (Board) unanimously voted to renew the Category 2 stand-alone casino license of Wind Creek Bethlehem LLC, operator of Wind Creek Bethlehem casino in Northampton County. In making the decision, the Board determined that Wind Creek Bethlehem LLC had fulfilled the obligations under its previously approved casino operator’s license and therefore qualified to have its license renewed for an additional five-year period.

Aristocrat announced that the company was the first international slot and online technology company to be granted a Gaming-Related Vendor license by The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), the federal entity overseeing commercial gaming activities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This announcement grants Aristocrat the ability to provide the company’s land-based electronic gaming machines (EGMs) and online games and technology solutions to commercial gaming operators licensed by the GCGRA.

Partnerships

SCCG Management, a leading global advisory and consulting firm in the gambling industry, has entered into a strategic partnership with Slot Machines Unlimited, a premier provider of refurbished slot machines and gaming equipment. The partnership between SCCG Management and Slot Machines Unlimited leverages both companies’ strengths: Slot Machines Unlimited’s expertise in refurbished gaming equipment and SCCG’s deep industry insight, global network and strategic growth capabilities. The collaboration will enhance Slot Machines Unlimited’s international sales and service operations, ensuring gaming establishments worldwide have access to high-quality slot machines and support.

Galaxy Gaming Inc. has announced that the Galaxy Operating System (GOS) is now live on over 50 ships worldwide with Carnival Corporation & PLC, the world’s largest leisure travel company. Since the installation, tables powered by GOS have awarded over $5 million in jackpot payouts to players. GOS is the jackpot progressive system for all Carnival Corporation ships, including Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises. Launched in 2024, GOS is the next-generation game management system developed by the industry’s leading table game experts.

The hottest new game from Aristocrat Gaming, Phoenix Link, is now live on casino floors, with Yaamava’ Resort & Casino being the first in North America to offer the highly-anticipated game. As the next evolution of the international hit game, Dragon Link, Phoenix Link features player-favourite mechanics from top games with all-new themes, features and bonuses.

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Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – October 21-27

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Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Bally’s Interactive, the digital and sports betting division of Bally’s Corporation, announced the official launch of the Bally Bet Sportsbook app in Tennessee, marking its expansion into the tenth state. This milestone comes on the heels of recent successful Bally Bet launches in Massachusetts and Maryland. Sports enthusiasts across the Volunteer State can now revel in the comprehensive offerings of the Bally Bet sportsbook app. With a wide array of betting options, including spread, money line and total bets, as well as in-game betting and same game parlays, Tennessee sports fans will have an unparalleled wagering experience.

ESE Entertainment Inc., a gaming company that provides a range of services to leading video game developers and publishers, has announced that it has acquired Bombee Global Entertainment (Bombee Americas), the North American arm of Bombee Event Production AB, (Bombee), a global production company specialised in live production, special effects, broadcast and event management for the gaming sector. Bombee has successfully collaborated with ESE to bring its premier event production services and world class customer service to North America and beyond. The North American arm of Bombee, Bombee Americas, will continue to grow and scale in this new organisational structure under ESE, while maintaining its entire team and global support.

Matthew Wantman has become the overall champion of the PokerGO Tour PLO Series II presented by PLO Mastermind. Wantman secured the prestigious honor after an impressive showing at PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas, outperforming a talented field of the best PLO players in the world to earn the $10,000 PGT Passport bonus. The PGT PLO Series II featured a series of high-stakes pot-limit Omaha tournaments. Wantman’s consistent performance set him apart from the competition and solidified his spot atop the leaderboard.

Partnerships

SYNOT Games has announced its further expansion into the Colombian market through a partnership with BetPlay. This alliance highlights SYNOT Games’ commitment to increasing its presence in Latin America and providing its engaging and innovative games to a wider audience. Through this partnership, BetPlay’s online platform will feature a curated selection of SYNOTGames’ top-performing titles, including fan favourites like Aztec Jaguar, Diamond Fever, Realm of Lions.

Internet Sports International, a global provider of turnkey race and sportsbook software solutions, announced its partnership with the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort in Fort McDowell, Arizona. Through this consultancy, ISI is powering the casino’s sportsbook and retail sports wagering operations on its gaming floor with its award-winning system. WKP Sportsbook is currently operating, allowing patrons to elevate their excitement by wagering on their preferred sporting events with up-to-the-minute odds and live action. The automated sportsbook kiosks provide access to a wide range of sports propositions for both the beginner and expert bettor.

Aristocrat Gaming, a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of regulated slot games, announced it is now a promotional partner for Princess Cruises, one of the world’s most iconic cruise lines. Through this exciting collaboration, Aristocrat Gaming will design innovative gaming experiences for guests onboard Princess ships as well as create promotions with land-based casinos that offer Princess cruises as rewards.

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Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – October 14-20

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Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Konami Gaming’s President & Chief Executive Officer Steve Sutherland has received the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers’ (AGEM) 2024 Jens Halle Memorial Award during the official awards ceremony at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Las Vegas. He was selected for excellence in commercial gaming professionalism, as the embodiment of business success, attention to detail, evident humanity, willingness to “go the extra mile” and long-lasting dedication to the health of the industry as a whole. Investing more than three decades of his career in the gaming supplier sector, Steve Sutherland is a central figure and longtime advocate in responsible gaming industry advancement.

RotoUnderworld, a technology company that analyzes statistical data for fantasy sports, announced that it has raised $1.5 million in a pre-seed funding round to build the next-generation fantasy gaming platform. The round was led by iGaming mavens and technology investors recognising the company’s hyperactive user base and mobile development capabilities. RotoUnderworld’s new FastDraft app is revolutionising the iGaming sector with high-engagement fantasy contests that appeal to both low and high-volume customers.

Scientific Games announced the appointment of Patrick Homm as Vice President, Systems Engineering for the company’s international lottery systems technology. Patrick Homm brings over a decade of experience in innovative gaming systems, software engineering, technology leadership and large-scale systems architecture to his new role.

FanDuel, North America’s premier online gaming company and an Official Sports Betting Partner of the National Basketball Association (NBA), is tipping off the NBA season by bringing back a promotion to provide fans with a three-month subscription to NBA League Pass. Fans who opt-in can also view an enhanced broadcast experience featuring live odds from FanDuel during NBA League Pass games.

Partnerships

Community Gaming, the leading esports platform for automated tournament payouts and sponsor of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s professional league for the Latin America Region, MPL LATAM, now supports developing esports communities in Latin America in collaboration with Moonton. This partnership is a significant boost to CG’s existing advantages associated with its grant programme, a partner-backed initiative to provide organisers with economic resources based on the performance and growth of their local gaming communities.

WPT Global has partnered with Triton Poker Series as the official sponsor of the renowned Triton Poker Super High Roller Series. This partnership ushers in a new era of growth for the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series, as it continues its journey as a leader in high-stakes tournament poker. WPT Global – now offers players the exclusive opportunity to qualify for Triton Poker Super High Roller Series events, expanding accessibility to one of the poker world’s most prestigious tournament circuits.

SCCG Management, a global leader in Tribal gaming advisory and management services, has announced a strategic partnership with Steelhead Compliance Solutions, a leader in tribal gaming compliance and regulatory affairs. This partnership aims to create significant opportunities for tribal nations by connecting them with SCCG’s expansive network of over 200 affiliated gaming companies and service providers. Together, SCCG and Steelhead will work to strengthen tribal gaming operations, enhance regulatory compliance and uphold tribal sovereignty.

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