Gambling in the USA

Gambling expansion in Illinois no sure bet

Published

6 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 – April 8-14

Published

2 days ago

April 15, 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

FanDuel Group, the premier online gaming company in North America and an Official Partner of Churchill Downs Inc., announced five time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan and Grammy award-winning R&B singer Ne-Yo as the headlining performers at FanDuel’s inaugural Kentucky Derby Party. The exclusive, invite-only event will take place on Friday, May 3 at Paristown Arts and Entertainment District in Louisville, Kentucky from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM.

TPI, a leading provider of innovative player communication solutions for the casino industry, has appointed Joe Tingson as its new Vice President of Customer Success. With his unparalleled dedication to his customers, Joe will play a pivotal role as a leader for our digital Customer Success and Product teams.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, has announced plans for its new 33,000 square foot Atlanta Headquarters, which will be located in the Star Metals Building in Midtown Atlanta. The company plans to grow its workforce by 1000 new jobs over the next seven years, the economic impact of which will be $25M to the state of Georgia.

Century Casinos Inc. has announced that it opened its hotel in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, The Riverview. The Riverview is a 69 room, six-story building with 68,000 square feet that is adjacent to and connected with Century Casino Cape Girardeau. The project cost $30.5 million and was financed with cash on hand.

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has announced the opening of Terre Haute Casino Resort in Terre Haute, Indiana. The $290 million investment includes a casino floor with 1000 slot machines, 36 table games, and a state-of-the-art sportsbook. The 400,000-square-foot entertainment venue also features regionally inspired bars and restaurants including: Four Cornered Steakhouse, Rockwood Bar & Grill, The Soda Shoppe, Crossroads Center Bar and High Limit Bar.

Bragg Gaming Group Inc., a global B2B gaming technology and content provider, announced that Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Ronen Kannor, has notified Bragg’s board of directors (Board) that he will resign from his position to pursue other career opportunities, effective June 3, 2024. The Company confirms that the search for a replacement CFO has commenced.

Partnerships

EQL Games has partnered with global aggregation leader and NeoGames company, Pariplay, to provide the Virginia Lottery, through an agreement with NeoPollard Interactive, with a series of eInstant iLottery games for their industry-leading digital platform.

JACK Entertainment LLC announced the selection of Konami Gaming Inc.’s SYNKROS to power industry-leading systems technology across its 1.5 million square feet of casino entertainment space. The Ohio-based gaming operator’s portfolio includes a combined 2600+ gaming machines and 85 table games at JACK Cleveland Casino in downtown Cleveland, and at JACK Thistledown Racino, located approximately 10 miles to the southeast.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, announced that the company has reunited with the Atlanta Braves as the club’s Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner for the 2024 season. The partnership extends a longstanding relationship that dates back to 2020, with the two Atlanta-based companies continuing to work together on unique opportunities for their dedicated fans.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 1-7

Published

1 week ago

April 8, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

International Game Technology PLC (IGT) announced that it will showcase its performance-focused portfolio of games and solutions for tribal casinos at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention (IGA) 2024, April 9-11 in Anaheim, Calif. Under the theme “We’ve Got Game,” IGT’s booth #536 will feature a compelling array of gaming solutions designed to engage players and drive growth.

Caesars Sportsbook announced its receipt of the prestigious RG Check accreditation from the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC). The certification includes an assessment of Caesars Sportsbook’s commitment to Responsible Gaming, including areas such as player and Team Member education, public awareness advertisements and funding for organisations dedicated to Responsible Gaming research, awareness and education.

Veriff, a global identity verification (IDV) provider, announced the appointment of Jeffrey Guy as President and COO. Jeffrey brings a wealth of leadership experience at technology companies in driving profitable growth and expanding product portfolio. Before Veriff, he was Chief Operating Officer at DigitalOcean, a publicly traded cloud computing platform provider.

GAN Limited announced that Mr. Brian Chang has recently been named the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Chang had previously been serving in an interim capacity. Mr. Chang will be focused on guiding the Company towards a timely closing with Sega Sammy Creation Inc. (Sega Sammy).

Partnerships

The Commerce Casino & Hotel, home to the largest poker room in the world, has announced an exciting partnership with the richest, most prestigious and longest-running poker series – the World Series of Poker (WSOP). This collaboration signifies a pivotal moment for the poker community, bringing together two powerhouses to elevate the poker experience for players and fans worldwide.

BetRivers, powered by Rush Street Interactive, a leading US-based online betting and gaming company, has announced its partnership as the title sponsor for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race at Dover Motor Speedway. The BetRivers 200, set for Saturday, April 27, is being undertaken with the Delaware Lottery and marks the beginning of a thrilling new chapter in NASCAR history, as RSI commits to the long-term support of this top tier sporting event.

Elys BMG Group Inc., an interactive gaming and sports betting technology company, announced the completion of its sportsbook installation at The Ugly Mug restaurant and bar situated at 723 8th St SE, in Washington, DC. This collaboration underscores Elys’ commitment to providing unparalleled sports wagering experiences for small and local businesses across America.

SCCG Management has announced a strategic partnership with mkodo, a leading technology provider in the iGaming space. This collaboration is set to distribute mkodo’s innovative geolocation product, GeoLocs and other leading solutions across the US and key global markets, including Brazil, leveraging SCCG’s robust market presence and industry expertise.

Prove Identity Inc. announced a strategic partnership with BetMGM, a sports betting and iGaming leader, to enhance the security and user experience for BetMGM customers through the cutting-edge Prove Pre-Fill identity solution. Prove Pre-Fill accelerates digital consumer onboarding by up to 79% and is used by more than 1000 businesses globally across diversified industries, including 9 of the top 10 banks.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – March 25-31

Published

2 weeks ago

April 1, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

Bragg Gaming Group is now registered as an approved service provider by the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, allowing for the distribution of online casino games, including Bragg’s proprietary and exclusive games portfolio, via the Bragg HUB aggregation platform to operators in the soon-to-be-launched LatAm iGaming market.

PENN Entertainment announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Anuj Dhanda to the Board, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Mr. Dhanda’s appointment expands the size of the Board to ten members, nine of whom satisfy the standards for director independence under the current Listing Rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

SlotsCalendar has launched its tailor-made platform for American users: https://www.slotscalendar.us. The brand’s clear aim is to provide a digital environment where impartial and informative content is optimised specifically for the American market.

MGM Resorts International announced that it proposes to offer $750,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2032. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the notes to repay existing indebtedness, including its outstanding 6.750% senior notes due 2025. Pending such use, the Company may invest the net proceeds in short-term interest-bearing accounts, securities, or similar investments.

Genius Sports Limited, the official data, technology and commercial partner that powers the ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media, announced that it has been certified by the State of Wisconsin Division of Gaming as a gaming-related contractor with immediate effect.

Win Systems is going to participate in the next edition of GAT with its exclusive distributor in Colombia, Comercializadora Selan S.A.S. The event will be held in Cartagena de India on April 10–11, and the company’s booth will be A11.

Pragmatic Play is set to make another appearance at a Latin American exhibition, at GAT Expo in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The gaming provider will be on stand A31 and A32 to showcase its diverse portfolio, including Slots, Live Casino, Virtual Sports and Bingo content, alongside its new Sportsbook offering.

Partnerships

DraftKings announced an expanded relationship with Kindbridge Behavioural Health to provide access to therapy and treatment for problem gaming in every jurisdiction where DraftKings operates its online sportsbook and iGaming products. DraftKings and Kindbridge originally joined forces in September 2023 to launch a pilot programme to deliver personalised support for sports bettors in Colorado.

The Connecticut Lottery, in partnership with Fanatics Betting and Gaming, the online and retail sports betting subsidiary of Fanatics Holdings, has opened a new retail sportsbook location at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport. The exciting new location is more than 2300 square feet and features betting windows, self-service betting kiosks from Suzohapp and high-definition TVs situated all around the sportsbook.

The Texas Lottery and Texas Motor Speedway have joined together again to rev up luck for lottery players and racing fans through the new LUCKY 7s scratch ticket game. The new $5 game features chances to win a $100,000 top prize and integrates a series of promotional second-chance drawings. The drawings give players with non-winning tickets a chance to win exclusive Texas Motor Speedway prizes.