Online sports betting Archives

December 6, 2023

Amendments submitted for California sports betting ballot

Eagle1 Acquisitions Corp, the group of backers for a proposition to legalise sports betting in California, has made several amendments to its ballot initiative in an effort to gain further tribal support.

Tabled in October, the Sports Wagering Regulation and Tribal Gaming Protection Act, would allow for legal betting. If approved, the ballot would amend Article IV, section 19 of the California constitution. This will grant tribes exclusive rights to offer retail and online betting.

The initial version of the ballot set out several measures. These included tribes submitting 15% of adjusted sports betting gross gaming revenue into a tribal wagering revenue sharing trust fund.

Tribes would also contribute 10% of their adjusted sports wagering GGR into the California homelessness and mental health fund. It was also stated that tribes would need to partner sports betting operators, which would operate as vendors. These will require approval from both the Tribal Gaming Agency and Califor..

December 5, 2023

ESPN Bet to debut in North Carolina with PGA sponsorship deal

ESPN Bet signs major PGA Tour deal as official betting operator of the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina.

ESPN Bet is expected to launch in North Carolina after agreeing a deal to become the Quail Hollow Golf Club’s official betting operator.

After launching across 17 states on 14 November to coincide with Thanksgiving week, Tuesday’s (5 December) announcement sets up ESPN Bet to be one of the 12 operators licensed in North Carolina.

This follows the North Carolina State Lottery Commission announcing that it is now starting the application process for sports betting licences from 1 December. The state is expected to open in the first half of 2024.

ESPN Bet’s agreement with Quail Hollow Club, a golf course in North Carolina, will see the company become the official betting operator of the Wells Fargo Championship.

The PGA Tour event has been previously won by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy and is held at Quail Hollow Club.

In a press release on Tuesday, Benjie Levy, head ..

December 5, 2023

Fanatics takes over from PointsBet in Colorado

The Fanatics Betting and Gaming (FBG) arm of Fanatics Holdings has taken a step closer to completing its acquisition of PointsBet US after launching its sportsbook in Colorado.

Players in Colorado can now download the Fanatics Sportsbook and begin placing bets on a range of sports and events.

Existing PointsBet customers in Colorado can log in to the Fanatics Sportsbook using their existing credentials. Any open bets, balances and responsible gambling settings will also be moved across to the Fanatics Sportsbook.

Colorado marks the eighth US state in which FBG has rolled out the Fanatics Sportsbook. It follows launches in Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia. The latter two took place towards the end of last month.

Fanatics edging closer to completion

FBG in June agreed to acquire the US operations of PointsBet in a deal valued at $225.0m (£178.4m/€208.1m).

This was around $75.0m more than the $150.0m it agreed to pay in May, primarily d..

December 5, 2023

BetMGM expects to reach $500m EBITDA by 2026

BetMGM aims to reach 25% market share in the US by 2026, as well as delivering $500.0m (£396.1m/€462.2m) in positive EBITDA.

BetMGM set the 2026 goal after revealing it expects to be at the higher end guidance for 2023. In the current financial year, revenue should be between $1.80bn and $2.00bn, according to CEO Adam Greenblatt.

At an investor presentation yesterday (4 December), Greenblatt detailed how BetMGM, a joint-venture by Entain and MGM Resorts International, was expecting to be self-funding from 2024 onwards.

The business sees next year as an investment period, having already proved profitability in 2023. While it expects to achieve a profitable H2 2023, BetMGM expects negative EBITDA for 2024 in what it bills as an “investment year”.

Investment plans

When pressed on how much cash was available to invest, Greenblatt and CFO Gary Deutsch would not disclose the exact amount. However, the pair said plenty of money is available to “compete and invest for growth at the hi..

December 4, 2023

ESPN Bet: The view from the top

Hot off the launch of ESPN Bet, Mike Morrison, vice-president of sports betting at ESPN, explains how sports betting’s biggest launch is set to upend the market – and what he thinks makes it the premier choice for sports fans.

When we first spoke with Morrison in August, he was adamant about ESPN Bet’s potential to be the best sportsbook on the market. At the time it had only been weeks since ESPN had clinched its $1.5bn (£1.18bn/€1.37bn) deal with Penn Entertainment, officially choosing the operator to manage the ESPN Bet sportsbook.

Just over three months later, ESPN Bet has burst onto the scene. With the launch being so highly anticipated, the best place to start is by establishing how it went.

“Really smooth,” according to Morrison. “We’re thrilled. Everything is working very well. Some of the early reviews we’ve seen are really good. Teams are energised and excited on both sides.”

ESPN Bet launched in 17 US states on 14 November

The whirlwind saw ESPN Bet hit 17 US states on ..

December 4, 2023

Rhode Island betting handle and revenue reach 10-month high in October

Sports betting handle and revenue in Rhode Island hit a 10-month high in October, although the Ocean State reported year-on-year declines across both.

Rhode Island players spent a total of $45.8m (£36.1m/€42.2m) betting on sports in October. This was down 25.2% from $61.2m in October 2022 but 21.8% more than September this year.

It was also the highest monthly total since a record $62.3m was bet in January 2023.

Of this total, $36.4m was wagered online and $9.5m at retail sportsbooks. This includes $6.3m at Twin River and $3.2m at Tiverton Casino.

Rhode Island revenue slips year-on-year

Turning to revenue and it was a similar year-on-year story for Rhode Island. The $4.5m posted in October was 8.2% less than $4.9m in the same month last year but 28.6% more than $3.5m in September.

It was also noted that the October figure was the second highest of the calendar year. The $5.2m generated in January is the only higher monthly figure so far in 2023.

Mobile betting accounted for $3..

December 4, 2023

Maine sports wagers surpass $37.0m in opening month

Consumers in Maine spent more than $37.0m (£29.1m/€34.0m) betting on sports during the first month of legal wagering in the Pine Tree State.

Total handle in the month amounted to $37.6m. Maine launched its market on 3 November, with the reporting period covering the 27 days to the end of November.

Players won $32.7m from wagering during the month. After discounting $137,112 in voided bets and $82,342 in federal excise tax, this left adjusted gross receipts of $4.6m.

In addition, the State of Maine Gambling Control Unit says $464,152 was collected in other tax. Operators pay at a rate of 10% of adjusted gross receipts.

DraftKings ahead of Caesars in Maine

Looking at operators active in the opening month, only DraftKings and Caesars were live in November. Both launched in Maine on the market’s opening day on 3 November.

DraftKings performed the better of the two, posting $4.3m in adjusted gross receipts from a $30.5m handle. The operator is working with the Passamaquoddy tribe to o..

December 1, 2023

Connecticut Lottery names Fanatics as sports betting partner

The Connecticut Lottery Corporation has named Fanatics Betting and Gaming (FBG), a subsidiary of Fanatics, as its new sports betting partner in Connecticut.

As part of the deal, the Fanatics Sportsbook will become the Connecticut Lottery’s exclusive sports betting partner, covering both mobile and retail betting. The transition is expected to occur in mid-December.

The Fanatics Sportsbook will be available across ten retail betting locations in Connecticut, as well as on mobile.

Greg Smith, president and CEO of the Connecticut Lottery, said it expects growth in market share as a result of the partnership.

“Fanatics is the only true sports brand in the gaming space and has established itself as an innovator in the industry,” said Smith.

“We have been impressed with the Fanatics team, their aggressive entry into the US sports betting market and we are excited to see how they redefine the sports betting customer experience here in Connecticut.

“CLC anticipates notable market share ..

December 1, 2023

North Carolina approves online sports betting licence applications

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission has approved applications for sports betting licensure, with operators able to begin applying for licences in the state.

Online sports betting operators, as well as associated sports betting suppliers and providers, can now submit applications. The North Carolina State Lottery Commission will review any applications put forward.

The approval takes North Carolina a step closer to launching its legal sports betting market. Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 347 into law in June, officially legalising wagering.

However, a launch date for the market has not yet been confirmed. Commission chair Ripley Rand said this will depend on a number of factors, primarily how long the application process takes.

Rand said the Commission will need to review all applications and supporting information. It will also need to complete background checks and analyse all internal control details before it can set a launch date.

The Commission has 60 days to r..

November 28, 2023

New Hampshire sports betting handle hits seven-month high in October

Consumer spending on sports wagering in New Hampshire reached its highest level in seven months in October, while monthly revenue was its highest since January.

Handle for October reached $77.8m (£61.7m/€71.1m). This was 14.8% lower than $91.3m in October of 2022 but 16.5% ahead of $66.8m in September of this year. It was also the largest monthly spend in New Hampshire since a record $103.4m was bet in March 2023.

Of this total, $65.9m was bet on mobile and $12.0m at retail sportsbooks located across New Hampshire. This is according to figures published by the New Hampshire Lottery.

DraftKings remains the only operator offering online sports wagering in New Hampshire. It secured exclusive rights for the state in November 2019.

Betting revenue reaches $8.8m in October

Turning to gross gaming revenue, this amounted to $8.8m during October. This was down 3.3% from $9.1m in October last year but 41.9% higher than the $6.2m that was posted in September this year.

The lottery noted the..

November 27, 2023

Brazil’s upcoming vote: Everything you need to know

Brazil's Senate plenary could vote to legalise sports betting and online casino on Wednesday (29 November). Ahead of the vote, we bring you all you need to know about the journey so far.

Before we delve into the complex legal history of sports betting in Brazil, let’s start off with last week’s key step.

Last Tuesday (21 November), the industry was waiting eagerly for Brazil’s Economic Affairs Committee (CAE) to vote on whether to greenlight sports betting and igaming through Bill 3,626/2023. This was delayed by one day on the request of senators, according to Senado Noticias.

The bill will now head to the Senate Plenary this Wednesday (29 November)

The CAE’s eventual approval on Wednesday 22 November gave the thumbs-up for the bill to move to the Senate plenary. This session will now take place this Wednesday (29 November). If the plenary vote goes in the bill’s favour, sports betting and igaming will officially be legal in Brazil.

Importantly, the outcome at the CAE confirm..

November 23, 2023

Wyoming smashes online sports betting records in October

Bettors in Wyoming wagered $21.2m (£16.9m/€19.5m) on sports online during October, the highest monthly amount since the Equality State opened its legal market, while revenue also reached an all-time high.

The October total exceeds the previous record of $19.2m set in Wyoming in September this year. It was also 23.4% higher than October of last year.

Gross gaming revenue for the month amounted to $2.3m, another new record for the state. This is up 15.0% from last year and 53.3% more than $1.5m in September 2023.

There was also an all-time monthly high for taxable gaming revenue of $1.4m. This increased 21.7% from October 2022 and 172.6% from $517,523 in September.

Wyoming players won a total of $19.0m from online sports betting, while tax hit a record $141,087.

DraftKings led the market with $1.4m in revenue from $12.5m. FanDuel placed second in Wyoming with revenue of $402,961 and a $4.9m handle.

Meanwhile, BetMGM posted $378,344 in revenue from $3.5m in online sports bets. Caesa..

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Tag: Online sports betting