SportsHandle and friends deliver another round-up of the week’s big developments in US sports betting.
California’s War Over Wagering Gets Hotter
California’s war over wagering heated up Monday when opposing groups publicly announced their stance — one in support of a tribal retail-only initiative but opposed to a potential digital initiative, and one opposed to the tribal-only proposal.
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Licensed Ontario Operators Frustrated With Ongoing Black Market Operations
Ontario‘s provincial regulators are exhibiting leniency with operators currently transitioning from gray to white in the province, a stance that’s frustrating a handful of operators that went live there on April 4.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and iGaming Ontario, the two government entities responsible for the legal framework and day-to-day management of Ontario’s regulated iGaming market, are still busy processing license applications for operators looking to enter the market. They have been criticized, however, for failing to focus of some aspects of operations since the launch two weeks ago.
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While Held Up In Florida, Hard Rock Looks To Expand Its Sports Betting In Arizona
Hard Rock Digital took a measured approach to launching its Arizona mobile sportsbook app this month, going live before a brick-and-mortar casino had been built and without giving bettors access to a desktop version, but the company plans on adding both of those options in the near future. Hard Rock launched its app April 8.
Matt Primeaux, the executive managing director of Hard Rock Digital, told Sports Handle the company is discussing retail casino locations and timing with its Arizona partner Navajo Nation Gaming, and it will have a desktop version of its app available sometime this year.
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What Happens In Vegas Plays In Vegas
Prior to 2017, if there was a major sporting event in Las Vegas, it was usually a prizefight or a UNLV basketball game. The governing bodies of professional and amateur sports were wary of endorsing sports betting, and Vegas was viewed as the sort of place where it was too easy for athletes to shave points or run afoul of other guidelines governing gambling behavior.
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Ohio State University’s Recommendations To Commission Receive Support From Toledo
Ohio State University’s recommendation to the Ohio Casino Control Commission to allow sports betting on college athletics only on the outcome of football and basketball games has some other support within the state.
Kenny Schank, assistant athletic director for compliance at the University of Toledo, told OH Bets he agreed with Ohio State’s suggestions for establishing sports betting rules pertaining to college sports. OSU wants to rule out wagers on non-revenue collegiate sports such as baseball, tennis, and track.
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American Gaming Association, Sports Bettors Need To Work Together
And now, a complete list of who the American Gaming Association represents: commercial and tribal casino operators, U.S.-licensed gaming suppliers, financial institutions, and other key stakeholders in the gaming industry.
By the way, that’s not me saying the above; that’s verbatim from the AGA’s “about” section on the website.
Noticeably absent from the list: the gaming consumer.
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Strong Overall Revenue Covers Up Individual Casinos’ Downturn In Pennsylvania
March was a great month for the Keystone State’s gaming industry, as the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has touted, but just how great depends on one’s perspective.
Yes, the record $462.7 million generated by all forms of gaming easily represented a new benchmark, including a monthly high for what operators earned from online casinos ($118.1 million). Another $30.4 million in taxable revenue from sports betting last month also reflected a strong performance for that gambling sector.
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