Gambling in the USA
Sports Betting Kicks Off in Several States as Football Season Gets Underway
UNLV gaming law expert weighs in on the current landscape of legal sports wagering and what the future holds.
September’s arrival coincides with the beginning of a major pastime in the lives of Americans: football.
‘Tis the season for fans to not only cheer for and cry over their favorite teams, but to make wagers on them, too.
The opportunity to bet on football teams has expanded dramatically in the past year, with more and more states legalizing and launching sports wagering markets. It’s the result of a U.S. Supreme Court decision in May 2018 to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), also known as the Bradley Act.
Since then, several states have joined Nevada — the only state that previously operated full-scale, legal sports betting — in allowing their residents to bet on sporting events. But there’s even more to come.
Jennifer Roberts, associate director of the International Center for Gaming Regulation at UNLV, gives a snapshot of where Americans can legally place wagers, and what the future holds for an industry that’s nascent in much of the country.
What does the current sports betting landscape look like?
There are 12 states with active, legally regulated sports betting, and several other states, along with Washington D.C., that have made sports betting legal, but haven’t yet launched their programs.
I estimate that within five to 10 years of PASPA being struck down, sports betting will be legalized in at least 30 states. I wouldn’t be surprised to see nearly every state — perhaps with the exception of Utah — eventually adopt some version of sports wagering.
Massachusetts and Michigan are currently talking about it, and Louisiana nearly passed legislation this year. There are several states that I expect to propose legislation in upcoming legislative cycles. Prior to the Supreme Court decision, Nevada was the only state that had full-scale, legal sports betting.
What’s the reason that a state might want to jump in? What should states take into consideration before making sports betting a legal enterprise?
I think generating revenues is a piece of it. Employment is another aspect, and of course, fighting the illegal market. It’s better to have it open and transparent than maintain it in an illegal market.
Before states consider taking the plunge, they need to understand how sports betting works. That’s the key. Many states approach this new enterprise thinking that it’s going to solve budget woes, but that’s likely not the case.
In Rhode Island, for example, lawmakers there projected sports betting revenues of $11.5 million, but only about $150,000 came in over the first several months. In Nevada, sports wagering makes up 2.5 percent of gaming revenues — a very small portion. That’s because, while we might have a large amount of money being wagered, operators also have to pay out winning wagers. Sports betting is all about managing risk — you don’t want to take wagers on things where you’re going to lose a lot of money. The New England Patriots’ Super Bowl victory, for example, cost Rhode Island nearly $1.2 million in payouts. In Nevada, sports books lose $10 million on Sunday NFL games, but they win quite a bit of money on college basketball. States, overall, need to have a realistic understanding and approach to sports betting.
It’s also important for states to keep in mind that fighting the illegal market is not easy. It’s always going to be a battle over convenience, pricing, and access to credit. But the advantages of a legal market outweigh those of an illegal market. In a legal market, patron funds are safe and secure, and there are greater consumer protections. In a regulated system, sports wagering is more likely to be done honestly and fairly, and you can also provide problem gambling messaging.
If I want to open a sports book within a state that allows legal sports betting, what should I know?
Sports betting looks a little bit different in each state. Some states, for example, do not allow wagering on college games within their boundaries. Some states are going to focus on mobile platforms, and other states are not going to allow mobile betting at all. Some states operate sports betting through a lottery system, and others operate it through a casino. So, it’s really varied across the U.S.
Working within the boundaries that each state sets up can be especially challenging if you’re an operator with locations in multiple jurisdictions. In that case, you’re going to have to operate differently in each state, and pay attention to how the tax rates differ.
It’s also important for operators to communicate and share information between states. In Nevada, our legal sports books have an interest in protecting against betting corruption, and will notify our regulators if they see anything suspicious. It’s important to avoid silos so that the integrity of the market is protected everywhere.
How will the sports betting market change and grow over the next few years?
There is likely going to be a push to include more and more non-traditional sporting events in the legal betting market. One major example of this is minor league baseball. Earlier this year, Nevada sports books began taking wagers on the Las Vegas Aviators after the Nevada Gaming Commission repealed a rule that prohibited betting on professional baseball games. Sports betting is also expanding to tennis, golf, international hockey, WNBA, Australian rugby, cricket, cycling, and even college lacrosse.
Betting on non-sporting, international and esports events is also growing in the U.S. New Jersey, for example, offered wagering on the Academy Awards for the first time this year, and Nevada allows people to make wagers on the World Series of Poker and has approved wagering on Golden Tee tournaments. New Jersey was also approached about doing the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, but they declined to do it.
In the future, it’s also possible that the location of sports books will expand. Washington D.C. will likely allow sports betting in sports arenas and the NBA recently announced a virtual sports betting platform. It will be very interesting to see how this all plays out, especially as global markets are seeing more restrictions and compliance penalties.
About the Expert:
Jennifer Roberts is an expert in sports betting, gaming regulation and law, gaming compliance, and casino operations. She serves as the associate director of UNLV’s International Center for Gaming Regulation, which conducts cutting-edge research and regulatory evaluation in order to promote international best practices in gaming regulation. Roberts also teaches courses in gaming law at the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV.
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
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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.
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
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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.
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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