SportsHandle and friends deliver another round-up of the week’s big developments in US sports betting.

Q&A With Kambi CCO Max Meltzer On Groundbreaking Partnership With Penn National

On the eve of releasing its second quarter financial results for the first six months of 2019, Penn National Gaming, Inc. dropped a bombshell on the final day of July that carries significant ramifications for the sports betting industry over the next several years to come.

Besides unveiling online sports betting marketing access agreements with DraftKings, PointsBet, theScore and The Stars Group, Penn National announced a partnership with Kambi Group plc as its national service provider. Of the companies partnering with Penn National, the Malta-headquartered Kambi could emerge as the deal’s top winner.

Full story here.

Is Tennessee’s Governor Dragging His Feet on Sports Betting Panel?

Some members of the Tennessee Lottery’s sports betting advisory council have been selected, but the panel is still not filled out yet despite the law becoming effective on July 1.

According to a report from the Associated Press out of Nashville, four of the nine members of the advisory council have been selected.

Former House Speaker Glen Casada, who resigned Aug. 2 amid a political scandal unrelated to sports betting, selected two of his three appointees the day before his resignation. He selected Knoxville attorney John Valliant Jr. to a three-year term and businessman/lobbyist Thomas Lee to a four-year term.

Full story here.

Caesars’ Indiana Casinos Say ‘The Book’ Will Be Opening In September

A pair of Caesars casinos in the state of Indiana this week announced that their respective sportsbooks will simply be called “The Book,” and retail betting at the casinos will begin in September.

Though no official date was given for the openings, Indiana’s sports betting law allows books to open Sept. 1, just days before Week 1 of the NFL season.

Horseshoe Southern Indiana and Horseshoe Hammond, both owned by Las Vegas-based Caesars Entertainment Corp., informed the public on Twitter about the decision to officially call the respective venues The Book. It’s pretty common for the gambling public to refer to any sportsbook as simply a “book” for brevity’s sake, so the decision by Caesars is a rather natural one.

Full story here.

New Hampshire Lottery Invites Prospective Sportsbook Operators To Submit Bids

The state of New Hampshire on Wednesday took a step toward opening its legal sports betting market when it published a request for proposal for potential vendors. The 71-page document was sent to interested parties as well as posted on the State of New Hampshire Department of Administrative Services’ Bureau of Purchase and Property website under “Current Bidding Opportunities.” Interested vendors have until Aug. 26 to reply.

Full story here.

North Carolina Lawmakers Still Chewing On Bill Calling For Sports Betting Study

A piece of legislation to establish a North Carolina Gaming Commission, a new regulatory body that would be required to conduct a study of sports wagering, was sent to a conference committee on Tuesday to hash out the final details of the nine-page proposal.

Lawmakers in the North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee met Tuesday morning to briefly talk about some lingering issues with the legislation, S 574. In May, the bill cleared the Senate by a 44-1 vote, and in mid-July it passed the House by an 86-26 vote. It’s on the cusp of heading to the governor.

Full story here.