Gambling in the USA

Gambling expansion in Illinois no sure bet

Published

7 years ago

January 16, 2018

Gambling expansion in Illinois no sure bet

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Proponents of gambling expansion in Illinois are split on whether major legislation will get signed into law in 2018, with some going as far as saying there’s a better-than-even chance.

But, as in past years, others are betting efforts will come up short.

Those who follow gambling issues closely at the Capitol say expansion is no sure thing in 2018, but some lawmakers say a newfound urgency to compete with surrounding states and stay up to date with new technology will be enough to get all kinds of gambling legislation through.

“I think there’s enough critical mass and opportunity in the General Assembly to get something done,” said state Rep. Michael Zalewski, D-Riverside.

Zalewski, long a proponent of gaming, is sponsoring legislation, House Bill 479, which would legalize and regulate online daily fantasy sports sites such as DraftKings and FanDuel.

Such websites have operated in a legal gray area the past few years as state attorneys generals, including Lisa Madigan, have deemed such activities illegal gambling under current law. Zalewski said “it makes no sense to operate in a regulatory vacuum.”

The measure passed the Senate overwhelmingly last May but stalled in the House.

Many bills under consideration, from Zalewski’s to one that calls for a massive expansion of riverboat casinos, have been proposed before. But perhaps altering the landscape this year is a U.S. Supreme Court decision expected this spring that could legalize state-sanctioned sports betting.

The pending case, Christie v. NCAA, will address the constitutionality of a federal law that prohibits sports betting in most places outside Nevada. Should it be overturned, states like Illinois could try to cash in on the windfall.

Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, a research firm that tracks the gambling sector, said in a report that Illinois is one of 11 states likely to move sports betting legislation this year, hoping to take advantage of an industry previously relegated to a handful of states and offshore websites.

“It would be wrong to not study this and see if it would be beneficial for the state should sports betting be legalized in the United States,” said state Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie. “If this is going to be a viable legal business, we don’t want to be behind 30 other states who have legalized it.”

Lang, though careful not to stake out a position, said the legislature will likely hold committee hearings on the topic in the upcoming session.

“If the Supreme Court does overturn Christie v. NCAA, it would be smart to have some enabling legislation in place,” said Steve Brubaker, a lobbyist for the horse racing industry.

Gambling legislation comes up nearly every session as lawmakers seek to fill the state’s coffers with desperately needed tax revenue, while giving an economic boost to the industries and communities they serve.

With the lottery, riverboats, horse racing and video gambling, Illinois received more than $1.3 billion in tax revenue from the industry in 2017, a nearly 8 percent increase from the prior year, a Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability report found.

But the report and industry experts say Illinois could be close to a saturation point, brought on by the meteoric rise of video gambling across the state.

“What’s happened is states have sort of maxed out their capacity to expand gaming,” said Clyde Barrow, a gaming expert and professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. “Sports betting is really one of the last frontiers of expanding gaming.”

Barrow said a lot of variables play into the amount of tax revenue states could receive from sports betting, but the nationwide market right now “is in the billions of dollars,” despite the federal ban.

Senate Bill 7, another bill that passed the Illinois Senate, would allow for the creation of new casinos in Chicago, south suburban Cook County, Danville, northern Lake County, Rockford and Williamson County in southern Illinois. The legislation would also permit slots at racetracks to help prop up the state’s struggling horse racing industry.

Though the legislation is similar to the framework of previous gambling expansion bills that have failed, including two vetoes from former Gov. Pat Quinn, state Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, said they cannot wait any longer.

“We’re hoping the House would take up the gaming bill and pass it and save northern Illinois from what would be a really big blow,” Syverson said. “Even if they hold it up for another year, we’ll be too late.”

Syverson said a proposed Indian casino, hotel and convention center just a few feet north of the Wisconsin state line threatens to devastate Rockford’s convention and tourism industry. Leaders in other areas near state borders have expressed similar frustrations.

“Some would say that Chicago has a casino, and that casino is in Indiana,” Lang said, referring to the multiple gambling locations just over the state line.

Lawmakers and lobbyists say gaming legislation can happen this year, but the big lift will be holding together an industry that’s often at odds with one another. This may mean a “Christmas tree” bill where everyone gets something.

“It would make sense to pull everyone in,” said Donna More, a lobbyist who previously served as general counsel to the Illinois Gaming Board. She adds that there’s an ‘arms race’ for gaming revenue, so, for example, “unless you tie additional casinos with slots at the tracks, it doesn’t work.”

But not all are convinced additional casinos are coming down the pike soon. Illinois Casino Gaming Association President Tom Swoik said he would be surprised to see gaming expansion pass this year.

Brubaker was even more blunt. “We won’t see any gambling expansion of any kind become law in 2018,” he said, citing election-year politics, the relatively short legislative session and competing gaming interests.

But Lang was more optimistic.

“It will happen, whether it’s this year or next or the year after,” Lang said.

Source: sj-r.com

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – December 2-8

Published

5 days ago

December 10, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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

The National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) has published a draft of its Model Internet Gaming Act. The proposal provides a model regulatory framework for US states considering the legalisation of online gaming. The document is open for public comment until December 31. The proposal suggests various policies for state legislators, regulators and other stakeholders to consider.

Bally’s Chicago Casino has won a 2024 Torch Award for Ethics from the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois. The award recognises Bally’s Chicago’s commitment to fair, honest and ethical business practices. The BBB’s Torch Award honours companies that demonstrate the highest level of ethical standards and trust with customers, business partners, shareholders and the communities in which they do business. This year, the award was presented to only seven businesses in the Chicago region. An independent panel of reviewers assessed applicants in four areas: character, culture, customer and community.

International Game Technology PLC announced that its new Powerbucks Blackjack game is now available to online players in multiple jurisdictions in Canada. The theme links to IGT’s Powerbucks omnichannel wide-area progressive jackpot prize pool, Canada’s largest jackpot connecting land-based, online and mobile games. Launched in 2016, IGT Powerbucks slots is the world’s first omnichannel WAP game that links the jackpot prize pool between gaming machines found in land-based casinos with digital-based games in Canada.

Partnerships

FanDuel announced a new partnership with the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) becoming an Official Sportsbook Partner and exclusive In-app Streaming Partner in the US. This collaboration offers hockey fans unmatched access to the PWHL, with FanDuel streaming up to 90 regular season PWHL games and playoffs live on the FanDuel app.

NGX announced a strategic partnership with StarSport. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for NGX in its expansion into Latin America and the Caribbean. With over 200 physical points of sale in the Dominican Republic, StarSport is recognised for its robust operations and strict compliance with local regulations. StarSport’s selection of NGX as its platform provider highlights the company’s ability to offer certified and flexible technology tailored precisely to the dynamic needs of the Dominican market.

Scientific Games signed a new technology contract with the North Dakota Lottery to implement the company’s most advanced omnichannel system solutions. The Lottery selected Scientific Games’ integrated solution to power retail and digital sales following a competitive process, awarding the global lottery company a new six-year contract with a two-year extension option. As the industry’s fastest-growing systems provider, SG has successfully executed nearly 40 lottery systems implementations and conversions since 2016.

BetMGM announced a new partnership with Push Gaming. The first phase of the partnership brings some of Push Gaming’s top slot titles to BetMGM Casino in Ontario. In 2025, pending regulatory approval, BetMGM will be the exclusive partner for Push Gaming in the US. Some of Push Gaming’s most popular slots, including Retro Tapes, Big Bamboo, Razor Returns and Wild Swarm 2 are now available at BetMGM Casino and Wheel of Fortune Casino in Ontario, with more top titles arriving soon.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 25-December 1

Published

2 weeks ago

December 3, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

In honour of its fourth anniversary, Live! Casino Pittsburgh has officially unveiled a $3 million capital investment project designed to enhance its gaming and entertainment offerings. Now officially open to the public are the new Live! Poker Room, a High-Limit Table Games Room and The Social Club, a private meeting and event space. Live! Casino team members were joined by government and business leaders for a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony in the new Poker Room, where legendary Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup champion Phil Bourque played the ceremonial first poker hand.

The newly reimagined Rio Hotel & Casino has officially joined the Destination by Hyatt brand, following the completion of the resort’s first phase of its $340 million property-wide transformation. As part of the Destination by Hyatt brand and award-winning World of Hyatt loyalty program, Rio connects guests and members to both the people and place of Las Vegas – offering guests a sense of belonging and the immersive experiences they crave. Rio is owned and managed by Dreamscape Companies.

The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board announced that it has recently adopted an updated sports betting policy for all licensees, officials and employees. Effective immediately, the policy prohibits unethical betting practices and reinforces the commitment to maintaining fairness and public trust in combative sports, including boxing, wrestling, extreme wrestling, kick boxing and combative sports exhibitions, events, performances and contests.

Superbet Brasil has become the first betting house to pay the R$30 million (US$5.2m) concession required by the government to become a regulated company. To be able to make the transaction, the “Bet” (as the operators are called in Brazil) had to meet all the requirements of the Ministry of Finance in the document evaluation phase.

Alex Dixon, president and CEO of Q Casino & Resort and the Dubuque Racing Association has resigned his position, effective in January. Dixon has held the position at Q Casino in Iowa, US, for three years, taking over from Jesus Aviles in 2021. He has overseen the complete interior remodel of the venue which included the addition of an all-ages arcade.

BetMGM announced a major enhancement to its customer experience by consolidating BetMGM Reward Points (BRPs) into a single account. In addition to users’ cash balance, this feature enables BetMGM Rewards Points to travel with them across jurisdictions.

Partnerships

Jackpot.com announced an exclusive collaboration with 7-Eleven Inc., the largest convenience store chain in the world, to serve as their official lottery courier service. As part of the collaboration, 7-Eleven customers in Ohio and Massachusetts will be able to sign up and play lottery games and scratchers on the Jackpot.com app or website.

Nuvei Corporation announced that it has been selected by Delaware North’s interactive gaming division to power deposits and payouts for Betly, its online real-money casino and sports betting brand. Delaware North operates Betly in West Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee and Ohio in the US. This partnership enhances the player experience at the checkout, streamlining both the deposit and payout processes for Betly customers across their online casino and sports betting profile.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 18-24

Published

3 weeks ago

November 26, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

Two of Alabama’s leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry — Wind Creek Hospitality, owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and the McGregor family, owners of Birmingham Racecourse and Casino and Victoryland Casino — announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Wind Creek will acquire the Birmingham Racecourse. The sale is expected to be finalised by early 2025.

Kaizen Gaming Colombia, owner of the Betano.co brand, was authorised by Coljuegos to operate online betting in the country. With this new operator, there are now 16 web platforms that have the approval of the entity to market games of chance online. The entity is also in the process of authorising an additional operator called Bingo Casino, which is expected to begin offering bets in the coming weeks.

Gaming Laboratories International has become the first laboratory to achieve accreditation in Maranhão, Brazil. The accreditation allows GLI to perform tests and certification for the gambling and lottery industry interested in working with lottery and fixed-odds betting operators in the state of Maranhão. The milestone is the latest in a series of regulatory achievements for GLI in Brazil.

BetConstruct has announced their participation at this year’s GAT Caribbean Cancún that takes place in Mexico from November 26-28. Taking place at the Cancún International Centre, the GAT Caribe Cancú is a prestigious event that gathers manufacturers, operators and marketers to broaden the horizons of the online and land-based markets in Mexico, the Caribbean region and Central America.

Legendz Social Casino & Sportsbook announced its highly anticipated launch, offering players an unparalleled social gaming experience across 43 states in English and Spanish language. With a vast array of games, innovative features and a player-first philosophy, Legendz is set to redefine the online social and sweepstakes gaming landscape.

Partnerships

International Game Technology PLC has announced that it has launched its first wide-area progressive (WAP) compatible game in Colombia with the all-new Condor Link. Players across the country now have the opportunity to spin for large-scale WAP jackpots at nine properties operated by Winner Group Cirsa, one of Colombia’s largest gaming operators. Delivering a highly engaging entertainment experience to the gaming floor, IGT’s Condor Link game features four jackpot levels and a reset value of 75,000,000 Colombian Pesos (COP).

Cisco and MGM Resorts International announced that the companies have signed a Whole Portfolio Agreement (WPA), empowering MGM Resorts with the majority of Cisco’s software portfolio. This includes cybersecurity, software defined networking, software defined-WAN, digital experience assurance, full-stack observability, data centre and services. This agreement spans 5.5 years, benefiting guests and employees across all of MGM Resorts’ properties.

Endorphina has entered into a partnership with Luckia, a leading company in the gaming sector. Combining Endorphina’s passion for slots with Luckia’s innovative spirit, this partnership is set to provide incredible gaming experiences to all iGaming enthusiasts. Luckia is a commercial brand of Luckia Gaming Group that combines offline and online gaming, including traditional businesses such as gaming machines in bars and restaurants and gaming arcades, new online gaming activities and land-based sports betting.