Gambling in the USA

Potential Carolina Panthers sale puts NFL’s gambling problem in spotlight

Published

6 years ago

February 21, 2018

George Miller

Potential Carolina Panthers sale puts NFL’s gambling problem in spotlight

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The NFL may now have another reason to take a look at its existing policies on gambling.

The CEO of Station Casinos and former UFC owner Frank Fertitta III is reportedly part of a group interested in buying the Carolina Panthers. The initial reason the NFL needs to re-examine its policy on gambling is the fact team owners approved the Oakland Raiders relocation to the US gambling mecca of Las Vegas, Nevada last year.

The Las Vegas Raiders will likely to start calling Las Vegas home in 2020. Construction of the new stadium just west the of the south end of the Strip should be finished by then.

IF YOU BUILD IT, THE RAIDERS WILL COME

It’s no secret the stadium and $750 million in public funding helping build it is why the Raiders are moving. They’re leaving Oakland because efforts to renovate or replace the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum failed. However, it’s a little less widely known how connected this new facility is to Las Vegas’ gambling industry.

A hotel room tax will fund the $750 million in public money that will pay for the project. That’s gambling money in Las Vegas.

It’s not directly coming from gambling. However, gamblers are the ones paying the tax when they pay for rooms at hotels in the city. Plus, gambling resort executives must have supported the tax from the outset. Otherwise, it never would have moved forward in a city, and an entire state, pretty much dependent on gambling.

A committee including executives from six local casino companies initially recommended the stadium project to state lawmakers. This includes:

Caesars Entertainment
Boyd Gaming
MGM Resorts International
Wynn Resorts
Las Vegas Sands Corp.
Station Casinos

Plus, Las Vegas Stadium Authority is the stadium’s owner. This group is managed by a board including executives from casino corporations Caesars and MGM.

NFL ANTI-GAMBLING POLICIES

The NFL allows teams to accept limited advertising from casinos. However, its anti-gambling policies require those casinos do not have sportsbooks. That means the companies that pushed for the stadium, helped fund it, and sit on the ownership board can’tadvertise there.

The National Hockey League‘s expansion Golden Knights became the first major pro sports team to play in Las Vegas, kicking off its inaugural season at the end of 2017. MGM co-owns the team’s arena. And while the NHL previously had a policy restricting advertising from casinos with sports books similar to the NFL, it has since dropped it.

The NFL might want to consider doing the same before it turns it’s back on millions of advertising dollars coming from one of the only industries in its new home that has those dollars to spend.

CORPORATE PARTNERS WANTED?

The NFL’s anti-gambling policy also prohibits players from participating in promotions, activities, or events held at casinos. This policy will have the Raiders and its players left out of the majority of everything going on in Las Vegas. Plus, they’ll be ignoring what would otherwise be it’s home city’s biggest corporate partner. It’s a situation that simply wouldn’t work in any other city or any other industry outside of gambling.

It’s one that’s not likely to last in Las Vegas. Either the Raiders will be on the move again or the league will change the way it looks at the casino business.

LEGAL AND REGULATED SPORTS BETTING

The latter is more likely, considering that while this is a Raiders and a Las Vegas problem now, its headed to other NFL markets fast. The US Supreme Court is a few months away from a ruling in New Jersey’s case against the federal ban on sports betting. Should New Jersey win, all signs point to sports betting spreading across the US over the next couple of years.

Legal and regulated sports betting is headed to just about every market the NFL currently calls home. The NFL is going to need to address it.

When the league approved the move, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said it had no reason to change its anti-gambling policies. The truth is, the league is probably just taking a long, hard look them. They’re just figuring out precisely how to change these policies before the move actually occurs. Unless they think the Raiders can somehow survive in the market without corporate partners. Or that the team wants to turn its back on an industry that was a big part of bringing it there in the first place.

ANOTHER SIDE OF THE SAME COIN

Of course, Station Casinos and Fertitta’s interest in the Panthers is just another side to the same issue.

It has been suggested Fertitta would have to divest his casino holdings to buy the Panthers. That idea seems consistent with league’s current anti-gambling stance. Goodell has also been quoted saying casino ownership of an NFL team or stadium isn’t consistent with league policy.

Something has got to give here. It’s more likely the league’s policies will be bent before casino interest in the NFL breaks.

Considering the situation with the Raiders, and sports betting across the US, the league’s anti-gambling policies might be in need of a tune-up. Any way you look at it, Fertitta might want to wait and see just what changes are in store before he sells Stations. The NFL could soon cozy up to casinos in more ways than one.

Source: playusa.com

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 27-December 3

Published

1 day ago

December 4, 2023

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 appointments. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Rush Street Interactive announced that a woman from Cumberland County, NJ hit the IGT MegaJackpot at BetRivers.com. The 33-year-old woman hit the jackpot with a $0.60 bet, winning $662,000 while playing at home on her mobile phone.

betJACK has received a top ranking among the nation’s largest online sports betting brands. In a comprehensive evaluation conducted by research firm Eilers and Krejcik, betJACK emerged as a top performer, securing its place alongside the nation’s best online sports betting products.

On 26 June 2024, the starting pistol will be fired in São Paulo for the first gamescom latam, the new gamescom satellite event for all of South America. This was announced at an event in Brazil by the involved partners: game – The German Games Industry Association, Koelnmesse, BIG Festival and Omelete Company.

The Global Esports Federation’s pro-series – Global Esports Tour (GET) – will kick off its next season in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in April 2024. Staged by the Brazilian Confederation of Games and Esports (CBGE) and strongly supported by Brazil’s National, State and Local partners. The event promises intense competition and a boost for economic and tourism development in the vibrant city.

As part of its strategic review, Kindred Group will exit the North American market with the expectations to have fully exited operations in the market by the end of Q2 2024, subject to the regulatory process. The Group also announced decisive actions to drive growth on core markets and dedicated cost reduction initiatives, which includes a reduction of over 300 employees and consultants during 2024.

Golden Nugget Casino Biloxi was one of several Coast casinos where the buffet didn’t return after the pandemic, and now that space is about to be repurposed. Golden Nugget and DraftKings announced last Tuesday the addition of a high-tech retail sportsbook area that will open in January.

iGaming Ontario (iGO)’s vision is to lead the world’s best gaming market, which includes building a safer and more enjoyable experience for all igaming players in Ontario. To support players who decide to stop or take a break from gambling, iGO is going to issue a request for proposals (RFP) in early 2024 for a centralised self-exclusion solution that will enable a player to self-exclude from all Ontario regulated igaming operators in a single registration process.

Jackpot Digital announced that it has received licensing approval from the Jackson Rancheria Tribal Gaming Agency, the regulator for Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort located in Jackson, California.

New Appointments

Aruze Gaming Global has appointed Betty Zhao as its SVP of International Operations. Formerly the Chief Operating Officer at LT Game since 2007, Betty Zhao demonstrated a unique blend of strategic vision and operational excellence in overseeing LT Game’s operations, including marketing, sales, product development and casino operations.

Betsul has appointed Fernando Garita as its new CEO. With more than two decades of expertise in the gaming industry sector, Garita served as regional director and director of business development at Betcris, in addition to having an extensive portfolio of projects throughout Latin America, as well as Asia.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 20-26

Published

1 week ago

November 27, 2023

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

Juicy Stakes Casino has announced Thanksgiving-themed promotions, offering various incentives to its players during the festive season. The online platform aims to engage its audience through a series of offers centred around the Thanksgiving holiday. One of the main features of their promotional campaign is the Thanksgiving Dinner Lucky Pick. This offering aims to provide players with a chance to uncover surprises and exclusive deals by selecting from four Thanksgiving platters. These selections may yield Free Spins, Deposit Bonuses and Poker Promotions.

Bet365 has announced its official launch into the state of Louisiana. With this news, the Pelican State becomes the seventh state of bet365’s expansion in the US, which already includes Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio and Virginia.

New York State’s Responsible Play Partnership, consisting of New York Council on Problem Gambling (NYCPG), New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) and New York State Gaming Commission, continues to improve the voluntary self-exclusion (VSE) process at gaming facilities across the state. The NYCPG has launched a new free VSE Support Programme to help individuals who recognise they may have a gambling problem quickly find the resources they need to exclude themselves from gambling activities in New York.

Partnerships

Bet365 have extended their support of the US Darts Masters with a new sponsorship agreement for the World Series of Darts event in New York. The leading online betting sportsbook has enjoyed two successful years as the title sponsor of the US Darts Masters since the event moved to The Theatre at Madison Square Garden. The bet365 US Darts Masters is one of the World Series’ most popular events, with eight top PDC stars facing off against eight North American contenders across two days.

Hornets Sports & Entertainment and bet365 announced an exclusive long-term partnership under which bet365 becomes an Official Partner of the Charlotte Hornets and will become the Official Mobile Sports Betting Partner of the Charlotte Hornets subject to bet365 becoming licensed to operate in North Carolina. The partnership provides bet365 with significant branding and signage at Spectrum Centre, as well as on hornets.com, Hornets social media platforms, the Hornets App and the team’s TV and radio game broadcasts.

BetMGM has collaborated once again with actress and singer Vanessa Hudgens for its latest online casino campaign, “Library of Games”. The campaign premiered on Monday, Nov. 20. It is a 30-second fresh spot featuring Vanessa Hudgens in an iGame library, and it comes to life using the BetMGM app on her smartphone.

Pragmatic Play is achieving further expansion in Paraguay and Brazil after signing a multi-vertical deal with Giro Win. The deal encompasses the supplier’s Slots, Live Casino and Virtual Sports products, bringing its portfolio to an even greater LatAm audience. Pragmatic Play’s Slots portfolio has seen numerous player-favourite additions in recent weeks that will soon be available for Giro Win’s costumers, including new titles in the iconic Big Bass franchise as well as the renowned John Hunter series. The agreement also includes award-winning staples such as Sugar Rush and Gates of Olympus.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 13-19

Published

2 weeks ago

November 20, 2023

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

Spatial announced its first season of in-house games; Punch Hero, Racing Empire, Infinite Ascent, Shooty Shooty, Mostly Only Up, Buddy Blitz, & Cyber Punk: Neon Ghost, as well a host of externally built games from leading gaming studios, IzyPlay and Zaibatsu. This marks the first of several releases for Spatial in time for the holidays, with more Spatial-built and external games to be announced, giving developers the power to build the most beautiful games for the browser straight out of Unity – redefining the boundaries of web-based gaming.

Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto announced that its brand-new, state-of-the-art poker room is now fully open with all 30 tables operating around the clock, seven days a week and the introduction of its “Bad Beat” Jackpot. Located on a private floor, this exciting addition to Canada’s largest and newest casino resort caters to the vibrant poker community’s growing demand.

Bragg Gaming Group Inc. announced that President and Chief Operating Officer, Lara Falzon, has provided notice that she will resign from her positions, effective December 31, 2023. Ms. Falzon will remain actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the Company until this date.

Everi Holdings Inc., a premier provider of land-based and digital casino gaming content and products, financial technology, player loyalty solutions and bingo, announced the deployment of Entegrity, Everi’s fourth-generation Anti-Money Laundering (AML) solution, at Prairie’s Edge Casino Resort in Granite Falls, Minn.

The Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued PointsBet Canada Operations 1 Inc., a registered internet gaming operator, a Notice of Monetary Penalty totaling $150,000 for failing to meet Ontario’s responsible gambling requirements.

International Game Technology (IGT) announced that it recently installed its Floor Manager systems technology at Casino of Mendoza in Godoy Cruz, in the province of Mendoza, Argentina, marking the solution’s first deployment in the region.

Partnerships

International Game Technology PLC announced that it is growing its sports betting presence in Puerto Rico via a multi-year IGT PlaySports technology and services agreement with Ponce Plaza Hotel & Casino. Located in Ponce, Puerto Rico, the casino will leverage IGT PlaySports’ award-winning technology and experienced trading advisory services team to power Puerto Rico’s first casino brand-led retail and mobile sportsbook, PlayBets by Ponce Plaza.

Paysafe, a leading payments platform, announced a new partnership with Fanatics Betting and Gaming, the subsidiary of global digital sports platform Fanatics Holdings Inc. Under the deal, Fanatics Sportsbook has integrated with Paysafe to offer its customers traditional card payments and other alternative payment methods (APMs).

Elys Game Technology Corp., an interactive gaming and sports betting technology company, announced a market access agreement with Caesars Entertainment that unlocks immediate access to the lucrative Colorado sports betting market. This strategic agreement signals Elys’ first entry into the North American mobile sports betting landscape.

emerchantpay, a leading global payment service provider and acquirer, announced that it will further support well-established gambling operator Pinnacle in the Ontario market. The announcement comes as the two businesses celebrate the one-year milestone of this strategic partnership facilitating the operator’s expansion in Ontario.