SportsHandle and friends deliver another round-up of the week’s big developments in US sports betting.
Nevada Passed By New Jersey In Post-PASPA Sports Betting Handle
The inevitable became official Thursday when Nevada was overtaken by New Jersey for the No. 1 spot in total sports betting handle in the post-PASPA era.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board released its April revenue figures, and the $457.8 million wagered in Las Vegas and elsewhere in the state during the month was not enough to keep the Silver State ahead of New Jersey. It marks the first time since PASPA was struck down in May 2018, allowing regulated sports wagering on a state-by-state basis, that a state other than Nevada is atop the leaderboard.
Full story here.
FanDuel Let Underage Players In Indiana Create Accounts, But System Stopped Them From Betting
A serious issue on the FanDuel Sportsbook platform in Indiana allowed underage people to register for online gambling accounts, according to the Indiana Gaming Commission, but the good news is that FanDuel’s platform worked to prevent them from wagering.
According to a settlement agreement with the IGC dated May 25, FanDuel was fined $1,500 for allowing 32 underaged individuals to register for an account, a mistake which also led to them receiving direct marketing materials. The legal age for casino gambling and sports betting in Indiana is 21.
Full story here.
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts Inks Law To Legalize In-Person Sports Betting
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts on Wednesday signed LB 561, a bill that creates a regulatory framework for sports betting at in-person locations. Lawmakers sent Ricketts the bill, which also allows for casino gaming and includes some changes to the availability of keno, on May 20 and Ricketts had until Wednesday to sign or veto it.
Nebraska voters legalized “all games of chance” on the November 2020 ballot, but it wasn’t until earlier this year that lawmakers made it clear they believed sports betting was included under that definition. In some states, sports wagering is defined as a “game of skill.”
Full story here.
William Hill Opens Sportsbook In Capital One Arena In Washington D.C.
Caesars-owned William Hill officially opened the first sportsbook at a United States sporting venue Wednesday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
William Hill has been taking wagers at Capital One Arena since last August, setting up a temporary location near the will call ticket area. Now, bettors will be able to make their picks in a two-story, 18,000-square-foot venue dedicated to sports betting, complete with 17 windows and 12 self-serve kiosks at the 20,356-seat arena.
Full story here.
New Jersey Lawmakers Not Envious Of Pennsylvania’s Gambling Tax Windfall
New Jersey took in $302.7 million in tax revenue in 2020 off $2.88 billion in gross operating revenue from casino brick-and-mortar, online casino, and sports betting operations.
That might sound like a lot, but neighboring Pennsylvania collected $1.1 billion in taxes — well more than triple New Jersey’s take — on a slightly lower $2.65 billion from the same revenue sources for the Keystone State’s casinos (plus a small amount from truck stop video gaming terminals and fantasy sports).
Full story here.
Dept. of the Interior Approves Arizona Gaming Compacts; Countdown To Sports Betting Launch Begins
The Department of the Interior announced on Monday that it has signed off on the tribal-state gaming compacts that will allow for statewide mobile betting in Arizona for both the tribes and commercial interests. The compacts were published in the Federal Register and are now in effect, according to the entry.
Arizona Department of Gaming Public Information Officer Max Hartgraves told Sports Handle the plan is to roll out rules in mid-June and green-light approved sports betting operators sometime in the fall. When lawmakers legalized sports wagering last month, they added an emergency clause to their legislation, which allowed the Department of Gaming to begin shaping regulations and the application process immediately.
Full story here.
Connecticut Senate Sends Sports Betting Bill To Governor
There was plenty of drama swirling around the Connecticut General Assembly late into the night on Tuesday, but fortunately, it was only tangentially related to the bill that gives legislative approval to a state-tribal gaming compact that will allow for statewide mobile sports betting and iGaming.
Sen. Dennis Bradley was arrested earlier in the day on federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges involving campaign finance violations, delaying debate on the bill, which had been approved by the House on May 20. After the Senate approved the bill, 28-6, it was immediately sent to Gov. Ned Lamont’s office, and he has said he will sign it. Lamont has been in favor of expanding gaming — the bill would also give the state’s tribes the ability to offer more table games and online casinos.
Full story here.
