Gambling in the USA

Lobbyists push Albany to pass sports gambling law

Published

6 years ago

June 1, 2018

Reading Time: 4 minutes

As expected after the recent US Supreme Court order that allows individual states to make decision on gambling legislation, lobbyists are pushing hard in Albany, to legalise sports gambling in New York.

Lobbyists, from casino companies to former Yankees manager Joe Girardi, flew down on the state Capitol Wednesday in an effort to push for legalising betting on pro and collegiate games. They want a law before the current legislature session ends in mid-June.

“I think the law is coming so I think it’s important for New York to be on the forefront and get something passed … this session,” Girardi said after he and lobbyists for Major League Baseball left a closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans. Girardi then headed down to take photographs with a line of lawmakers from the Assembly.

The sports star power comes as the push intensifies to legalise sports gambling before the session ends on June 20 and, for some advocates, to ensure the form of wagering is in place in time for this year’s NFL season.

“It depends on what the members want to do,” Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said a couple of hours before he joined Girardi outside his office for a photograph and brief chat.

As part of a casino expansion effort in 2013, New York already agreed to permit sports wagering at four new commercial casinos if the federal ban was ever lifted either by Congress or the federal courts. A number of states are already considering how they might legalise and regulate sports betting. Sports wagering at those casinos cannot happen until the state Gaming Commission issues regulations, and the Cuomo administration has not offered a timetable for that to occur.

The lobbying fight in New York includes a debate on whether to expand the 2013 authority beyond the four casinos – located in Seneca, Schenectady, Tioga and Sullivan counties – to other locations, such as off-track betting parlours and racetrack-based casinos. Mostly, though, advocates for the effort want to enable online sports wagering within the geographic boundaries of New York State, allowing gamblers to bet from their couch, office or even from the seats of a live pro or college game.

A bill has been introduced in the Senate to expand sports wagering to online platforms and to permit the state to regulate and tax the industry. Pro sports leagues, once sharply opposed to gambling on their products, are now working the halls of the state Capitol to ensure they get a slice of the revenues.

Sen. John Bonacic, a Republican who is sponsor of the Senate bill, said he believes the Legislature can pass a sports gambling bill before session ends on June 20. “The problem I see, if any, is the governor’s behaviour if the Legislature passes a sports betting bill,’’ said Bonacic, who is chairman of the Senate racing and wagering committee.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has sought to slow down efforts to enact a law in June, saying the issue needs to be studied more and that there isn’t enough time before lawmakers end their session. “I know there’s enough time,” Bonacic said, noting the state enacted major gun control laws several years ago with about two days’ worth of talks.

Heastie said the issue has not yet been put before Assembly Democrats for a decision on whether to proceed with a sports gambling deal. Asked for his personal views, he said, “I’m not a big fan of gambling.’’ He did, however, vote for the 2013 casino bill, one of the state’s biggest-ever gambling expansion efforts.

Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, chairman of the Assembly racing and wagering committee, said he expects to introduce a sports gambling legalisation bill by sometime Wednesday. He said its language will be close to the Bonacic bill and with no major differences.

“Members keep telling me they want to do it,” Pretlow said of his fellow Assembly Democrats who control the 150-member chamber. “The Speaker may not be happy, but it’s for the good of the state,” he added.

Pretlow said his bill, like the Senate one, will permit online sports gambling in New York. “That’s where life is now,’’ he said of online betting authorisation as opposed to requiring gamblers to travel to a specific facility to wager on a sports contest.

One issue he said still needs to be resolved is how to put some sort of time restriction on what are called “in-game” wagers done via the internet. Besides betting on a game’s outcome, there is a vast array of potential sports gambling wagers, such as whether a certain player will hit a home run or make a touchdown reception at a certain point in a contest. Pretlow said he wants a provision to cut off bets, for instance, five minutes before the outcome of a certain kind of in-game wager.

“The time is definitely now. If we don’t get this done now, we won’t be able to do it until next year. It’s a six-month loss of revenue. As my old grammar school proverb says, ‘strike while the iron is hot,’ and this is the time to do it,’’ Pretlow said.

Girardi said he was in Albany to encourage the Legislature to pass a law “that basically protects the integrity of the game.”

How might that be done specifically in a sports gambling bill, he was asked. “I wouldn’t know where to begin … It’s for them to work it out,’’ he said of the pro sports leagues, casinos and lawmakers.

After this week, the Legislature has two weeks left in its session. Speculation of an early departure by lawmakers was rejected by leaders in both houses on Wednesday. The odds of a sports gambling bill passing before June 20 were uncertain Tuesday, though at this point two years ago many insiders were predicting a non-start to another gambling expansion effort: legalisation of daily fantasy sports. The measure passed well after midnight in the closing hours of the 2016 session.

Source: Buffalonews.com

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 4-10

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 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

PENN Entertainment and ESPN announced that account linking between ESPN BET and ESPN is now available for customers, creating an even more deeply integrated media and betting experience. By linking accounts, fans now have the ability to seamlessly track upcoming, live and settled bets within the ESPN app and on ESPN.com. With this product enhancement, ESPN BET will soon bring fans more personalised bets and timely promotions based on their favourite sports, teams, players and fantasy rosters.

Accel Entertainment Inc. has announced that it has completed the acquisition of 85% of the ownership interests of Toucan Gaming LLC and LSM Gaming LLC, two Louisiana-based route operators and owners of multiple licensed video poker establishments (collectively, “Toucan”), for approximately $40 million. The combined business will operate as Toucan Gaming throughout Louisiana and will be led by Stan Guidroz, an industry-leading gaming executive and current CEO of Toucan Gaming. Mr. Guidroz owns the remaining 15% of Toucan’s ownership interests and will lead the Accel team supporting Toucan’s continued growth.

INTRALOT S.A. has announced the undertaking of a new project between the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), the sole lottery operator for the Government of British Columbia in Canada, and INTRALOT, its US subsidiary, for the provision of an online lottery platform. The project also includes the digitalisation of the existing land-based network. The solution will be based on the Player X platform, part of the Lotos X ecosystem, and adds to the company’s overall partnership with BCLC, which has been extended until 2028.

BetMGM Poker has become the third US operator to offer multi-state online poker. The company has merged its player pools in Michigan and New Jersey. Both states are a part of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, which allows online poker networks to share liquidity and players in participating markets. The two-state network went live Wednesday afternoon after morning maintenance.

Betsson Group has celebrated its success at the SBC Awards Latinoamérica 2024, winning two prestigious awards: Sportsbook Operator of the Year and Leader of the Year, which was awarded to Kevin Saliba, Commercial Director (Business Development) for Latin America. This marks the second consecutive year Betsson has earned the Leader of the Year accolade, following Andrea Rossi’s win in 2023 – an achievement that underscores Betsson’s consistent leadership in the region.

Partnerships

Play’n GO has announced a new operator partnership with renowned gaming brand Hard Rock Digital for their top-rated Hard Rock Bet online casino platform in New Jersey. The Hard Rock brand is synonymous with entertainment worldwide, and this partnership will see Hard Rock Bet players in New Jersey gain access to hit Play’n GO titles such as Piggy Blitz, Book of Dead and Rise of Olympus 100.

SCCG Management, a global leader in gaming innovation and advisory, has announced a strategic partnership with Chata.AI, a technology provider specialising in self-service, proactive analytics that enables businesses to access real-time insights without requiring extensive technical expertise. This partnership introduces Chata.AI’s technology to the gaming industry, providing operators with powerful tools to streamline decision-making and increase operational efficiency.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – October 28-November 3

Published

2 weeks ago

November 4, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – October 21-27

Published

3 weeks ago

October 28, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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.