Analysts divided on potential value of FanDuel IPO after court ruling

Analysts are divided on the value that may come from a potential FanDuel IPO, after a court ruling left the hopes of a potential spin-off for the US market leader up in the air.

The reactions come following a New York court ruling that media giant Fox must pay $4.16bn if it wishes to acquire a 18.6% stake in FanDuel, which is owned by Flutter Entertainment

While the court ruling settled the question of the value of the stake that Fox had the option to buy, it left the question of a FanDuel spin-off up in the air until next year. The tribunal will determine early next year the conditions under which Fox may be able to participate in a FanDuel IPO, which Flutter had raised the prospect of before the legal dispute began.

Analysts at Barclays said that this factor was “dampening the enthusiasm” of the main ruling.

“The path to a FanDuel IPO is not yet clear with Fox stating that ‘Flutter cannot pursue an IPO for FanDuel without Fox’s consent or approval from the arbitrator’,” Barclays ..

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Singapore Pools outlines digital plans as revenue beats pre-pandemic total

State-owned gaming monopoly Singapore Pools’ 2021-22 revenue levels rebounded to 20% above the pre-pandemic total, growing to S$10.1bn ($7.2bn/£6.3bn/€7.2bn) from S$8.4bn for the 2018-19 period, the last pre-Covid data set.

According to the operator, growth in sports betting primarily drove the revenue increases. Singapore Pools added five new South American football leagues to its offering, and the resumption of delayed events – notably 2021’s UEFA Euro 2020 – led to a one-time boost in revenue.

Lottery revenue also rebounded past its pre-pandemic level, but horse race betting remained below trend as a result of the continuance of Covid-19 prevention measures in the betting venues.

The money raised via betting duties and taxes amounted to S$2.1bn, which was a 30% increase from the S$1.6bn raised the previous year, but has not yet significantly increased past the pre-pandemic norm.

The surplus paid to the Tote Board was a record S$464m compared to S$456 in 2019-20 and S$455m in 20..

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Betr secures market access in Indiana

Betr, the new micro-betting business founded by Simplebet co-founder Joey Levy and social media personality Jake Paul, has secured market access in Indiana via a partnership with the Caesars Southern Indiana land-based casino.

Subject to regulatory approval, the new arrangement, which also includes EBCI Holdings, the gaming entity of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians that operates the casino, will allow Betr to launch real-money micro-betting in the state.

Upon Betr securing the relevant licence, consumers in Indiana will be able to place wagers on a range of in-game plays or events such as the number of strikes thrown in a baseball game or how many touchdowns will be in a football game.

The deal will predominantly be equity-based and forms part of a wider partnership between Betr and EBCI Holdings that could lead to further launches in other states.

“Market access is one of the primary expenses that comes with launching a regulated sports betting business in the US, so we have ..

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So what went wrong with California sports betting?

iGB Op-Ed: Both Prop 27 and 26 look like they are headed to defeat in next week’s vote; Zak Thomas-Akoo asks what went wrong, and how can the industry learn to better sell itself to the electorate?

With 39.2 million people, California is the most populous state in the union. If it was an independent country, it would have the fifth largest economy on earth. The state is home to the jewel of the global modern economy, Silicon Valley; has one of the most potent network of colleges on the planet and is the site of America’s second city, Los Angeles. But it’s looking like none of that wealth will be flowing into sports betting any time soon, as the state’s duelling sports betting proposals are both likely heading for defeat.

According to polling by the Berkeley Institute of Government Studies (IGS), both ballot initiatives are underwater: The tribe-led Proposition 26, for retail betting only, sees numbers of 31% for and 42% against, while the commercial-led effort – which would permit o..

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World Series of Politics episode 7: Election preview special

The World Series of Politics returns just in time for the 2022 US midterm elections, with analysis of a number of key races across the US.

Ahead of the elections, Brendan and Brandt take a look across the US, including a final examination of whether there’s any hope of the people of California voting to legalise sports betting.

In Texas, there may be less clarity as the industry may have to consider whether to prioritise betting or casinos, while Brandt is “optimistic” that sports betting legislation could be passed in Georgia once a new legislature is elected.

There’s also a look at Washington DC’s efforts to fix what has been a struggling sports wagering regime, and at efforts to get legal betting up and running in Massachusetts.

The pair look further afield as well, pondering the impact of Lula da Silva defeating Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil’s presidential election while, in the UK, Brandt throws his name into the ring as a prime ministerial candidate, but Brendan has other ideas.
..

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HOFV among latest to secure sports betting approval in Ohio

Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (HOFV) has become one of the latest operators to secure conditional approval for new online and retail sports betting licences in Ohio.

HOFV will operate in the state through its partnerships with Rush Street Interactive (RSI) and Betr, the new micro-betting business founded by Simplebet co-founder Joey Levy and social media personality Jake Paul.

The HOFV/Betr mobile sportsbook will allow consumers in Ohio to wager on sports online. The app will feature a new micro-betting option, whereby users can bet on a wide range of actions in a live sporting event such as pitches in baseball and shots in soccer.

The new HOFV/RSI retail sportsbook, operating as BetRivers Sportsbook, will open at the Hall of Fame Village’s Fan Engagement Zone in Canton, Ohio.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission approved both licences ahead of the state opening its legal sports wagering market on 1 January 2023.

“The legalisation of sports betting in Ohio, opens up a ..

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Austrac orders SportsBet and Bet365 to conduct money laundering audits

The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (Austrac) has ordered an audit of both Bet365 and Flutter-owned SportsBet, to determine if the operators have broken money laundering rules.

If SportsBet or Bet365 is found to be non-compliant with the rules, Austrac may then take further action, such as a court-ordered fine.

Austrac, a government body focused on money laundering, noted the action was “the result of an extensive supervisory campaign that assessed entities within the corporate bookmaker sector and follows the recent commencement of an investigation into Entain”.

The auditors will examine compliance with four areas of money laundering laws.

The first is whether the two operators adopted and maintained “an AML/CTF programme that has risk-based systems and controls in place to effectively identify, mitigate and manage money laundering and terrorism financing risks”.

They will next look at whether the operators conducted proper money laundering risk assessments.

..

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EU ups money laundering risk from online gambling to highest level

The European Commission has raised the threat level for money laundering in online gambling to its highest possible rating, and called for lower thresholds for due diligence checks to prevent criminal activity.

The European Commission carries out periodic supra-national risk assessments, determining the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing across the European Union in various sectors. The 2022 edition is the third such risk assessment, after previous versions in 2017 and 2019.

“As with the previous reports, this third edition analyses the present ML/TF risks and proposes comprehensive action to address them,” the European Commission said. “It also assesses the degree to which the Commission’s recommendations for mitigating measures in the 2019 report have been implemented and evaluates the remaining risks.”

One area of particular focus in the report was gambling, with each gambling vertical receiving its own risk assessment.

Online gambling was found to be especially vu..

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William Hill scores in-stadium betting partnership with Celtic

Bookmaker William Hill has entered an in-stadium retail betting partnership with Scottish Premiership football club Celtic.

Under the deal, William Hill will become the team’s official in-stadium betting partner and operate retail betting facilities inside the club’s Celtic Park home.

The arrangement will run for two years, with fans able to place a range of bets and also take advantage of exclusive offers and promotions on Celtic home matchdays.

“We are delighted to partner up with Celtic at their iconic home and deliver our unrivalled retail betting experience to the Celtic faithful,” William Hill’s director of media, sponsorships and UK creative, Liam McKee, said. It promises to be another exciting season at Paradise, and we are thrilled to be along for the journey.”

Celtic’s commercial director Adrian Filby added: “We are very pleased to be partnering with an industry leader in William Hill. We are certain that supporters who use this service will benefit from an enhanced stad..

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BetDex launches first regulated blockchain betting exchange

The BetDex Exchange – created by FanDuel founder Nigel Eccles – has announced that it has been licensed and regulated by the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission, making it the first regulated blockchain betting exchange.

The operator has received licensed approval for all kinds of online gaming, including online sports betting, under the Isle of Man Online Gambling Regulation Act.

Former FanDuel executives Varun Sudhakar, Stuart Tonner and Nigel Eccles serve as CEO, CTO and chairman of the new business, which they founded just over a year ago. Soon after founding, BetDex announced an initial investment round, raising $21m.

Varun Sudhakar, CEO and co-founder of BetDex said: “Today’s news is an exciting step forward for the BetDex Exchange. With the licensing and regulatory approval, BetDex now boasts the first fully-regulated sports betting platform in the Web3 space, and we’re excited to welcome bettors from approved regions.”

Abby Kimber, head of egaming with the Isle of M..

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UK gaming tax intake rises in H1 of 2022-23, but remote duty down

UK provisional betting and gaming tax intake for the six months to 30 September has risen 11.0% from £1.46bn to £1.62bn ($1.85bn/ €1.88bn) compared to the same period the previous year.

The largest contributors to this figure is the Lottery Duty, which represents 30% of the total, and the Remote Gaming Duty which contributes 28% of the total. However, both the duties declined both in absolute terms and percentage of the total from same period the previous year.

The 2022 figures had a high degree of variability month to month, demonstrating both seasonal variation and a decreased month-to-month stability in the figures post-pandemic – as commented on by HRMC.

“Since the 2020-21 financial year, monthly receipts have been more unpredictable and, instead, receipts across each quarter are now more representative,” it said.

As a result, the figures had a large range. At the high end, almost £500m of the total was gathered in April alone – while in September, just £93m was received by th..

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888’s Howard Mittman on Betting 2.0

Sports betting 1.0 was all about acquisition and, as it moves into sports betting 2.0, product is the key differentiator for sportsbook operators, according to 888 Holdings’ US president Howard Mittman. Robin Harrison hears how Mittman is developing a media-led, content-driven offering that leverages the power of the Sports Illustrated brand.

888 Holdings’ Howard Mittman sees sports betting as a “cultural phenomenon” in the US, sitting at the centre of sports, media technology and betting.

For Mittman, this makes his role at the operator, where he has served as president of US operations since April, a perfect fit.

“Throughout my career, the experiences I have enjoyed the most are ones where I found myself at interesting cross-sections,” he says. “Whether it was technology and culture, fashion and culture, or sports and culture.

Howard Mittman has served as president, US for 888 Holdings since April 2022

“This creates an interesting opportunity to have a perch and a purview tha..

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