The 21st century has brought substantial changes to the manners in which people gamble and the types of things on which people gamble. These changes are particularly stark in the United States, where, over the past five years, sports betting has gone from being legal in only one location to being legal throughout the majority…
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough has become the first law firm to join the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).
The firm has a Gaming Industry Group (GIG), comprised of nearly 40 attorneys, which represents gaming operators and service providers across the U.S. The GIG also has a subcommittee focused on responsible gambling and led by Senior Associate Joshua Kirschner, who is a former VP of legal affairs at daily fantasy sports giant PrizePicks.
According to the chair of the GIG, Katherine Baker, the partnership will enhance the firm’s ability to “advise on best practices for responsible gaming” and strengthen its “clients’ positions and future outlooks” in the gaming industry.
“Our Gaming Group at Nelson Mullins prides itself on being a market leader across all aspects of gaming,” added Baker. “With the proliferation of gambling across the United States, it is more important than ever to have a seat at the table and connect with other members on the most pressing issues o..
Operators surprised disappointed and, in their own words, even angered the five commissioners of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) when they bowed out of a scheduled public roundtable on the topic of limiting bettors.
Bally’s lone operator to appear on MGC roundtable
Bally’s was the only operator to take part in the debate, sending Director of Compliance Justin Black as a representative. He was unable to comment on the practices of the company’s platform provider, Kambi, when it came to pricing, but did assure the commissioners that any regulation limiting the pricing options of operators would result in a more negative overall experience for all of the operator’s customers when Bally Bet does launch in the state later this year.
The other panelists who did attend included industry consultants Dustin Gouker and Brianne Doura-Schawol as well as professional bettor Captain Jack Andrews (pseudonym) and the MGC’s own Director of Research and Responsible Gambling Mark Vander Lind..
At SBC Summit North America, Cordish Gaming Group President Rob Norton spoke with Sue Schneider, VP of Growth and Strategy for the Americas at SBC, during a fireside chat about several topics, including the relationship between igaming and land-based casinos. Written by Jessica Welman, this article was first published on SBC Americas.
To some in the industry, Rob Norton is an obstructionist. The president of Cordish Gaming’s stance against igaming legislation in states like Maryland has some in the business, like BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt, taking swipes at him.
During a fireside chat with SBC’s VP of Growth and Strategy for the Americas Sue Schneider, Norton elaborated on his gaming stance, including how it has changed over the years.
In favour of igaming at one point
“I was very pro igaming at one point in my career, and not so long ago honestly. But as as time has gone on and we’ve started to see the results of states that have brought on casino, and even as mobile sports bettin..
The Illinois House Gaming Committee is taking legislative action in response to Dave & Buster’s recent decision to begin offering social wagering through its rewards app.
The committee has approved Amendment 1 to House Bill 394, which aims to make changes to the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975. The proposed amendment, sponsored by Rep. Daniel Didech, establishes the Family Amusement Wagering Prohibition Act.
“The state of Illinois closely regulates our robust gaming industry to ensure that businesses are operating in a manner that is fair for players and safe for families,” said Didech. “We do not need gambling to irresponsibly expand into family-friendly environments.”
Earlier this month, Didech introduced House Bill 5832, which aims to ban “family amusement establishments” from offering or promoting real-money wagering on their games. The measure explicitly states that video gaming terminals are not included.
Illinois allows brick-and-mortar establishments to offer VGTs but onl..
Although she could not attend in person, Congresswoman Dina Titus still made her presence felt at last week’s SBC Summit North America.
In a 15-minute video message played at the event, Titus reiterated her support for repealing the federal excise tax on sports betting and also laid out five recommendations for sports organizations to combat sports betting issues within professional sports.
Federal excise tax on betting handle
Titus, who co-chairs the Congressional Gaming Caucus, has been an opponent of the federal excise tax on sports wagers for over a decade. Currently, a sports betting operator is required to pay a 0.25% tax on its total sports betting handle.
In her video message, she said that the tax “serves no dedicated purpose” and instead “penalizes” the regulated industry. She added the tax “empowers illegal operators” as they can attract customers by offering better odds due to not paying the tax.
Titus has put forth numerous bills over the past decade to repeal the fe..
Optimove has added Enteractive’s outbound calling to its CRM marketing platform’s Multichannel Marketing Hub.
The feature will sit alongside its existing suite of marketing channels such as email, mobile, and SMS, and can be used to aid player retention and identify problematic gambling issues.
“Sometimes you need a bit of human touch,” said Dan De Souza, director of igaming partnerships at Optimove. “We’re thrilled to kick off this strategic partnership with Enteractive. This new marketing channel represents a significant addition, offering operators an impactful avenue to rekindle connections with inactive players and bolster their efforts in addressing problematic gambling issues more effectively.”
According to Enteractive, the personalization of outbound calls can help to reengage with previous players but also identify signs of problematic gambling behavior.
“Addressing player churn is a pivotal marketing challenge within the iGaming industry, and this partnership marks a sign..
Investors in Boyd Gaming have voted against commissioning a study to evaluate the implementation of a smoke-free policy at the company’s gaming facilities.
Boyd shareholders voted on Monday to reject a proposal that required company management to generate a report on potential cost savings from implementing a smoke-free policy. Boyd, which operates 28 properties in 10 states, reported more than 63.6 million votes against the study with 18.5 million in favor, according to a filing with the SEC.
“The proposal asks for a report on implementing a smoke-free policy, but we believe this proposal is the first step toward forcing our company to unilaterally adopt such a policy, regardless of the actions of our competitors,” said Boyd in an April letter to shareholders.
Boyd shareholders have rejected the proposal despite efforts to ban smoking by nonprofit healthcare system Trinity Health and Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR).
The Nevada Tobacco Control and Smoke-free Coalition has al..
In Massachusetts, like in many states, things are changing fast in gaming.
The state launched digital sports betting in March 2023 and experienced an immediate influx of sports betting products, services and advertising. To say Bay Staters took to online sports wagering enthusiastically would be an understatement.
“It’s been a shock to the system, for sure,” Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health (MCGH) CEO Marlene Warner told SBC Americasat the SBC Summit North America Player Protection Symposium. “Everyone had high expectations for online sports wagering in Massachusetts and the numbers have far, far, far exceeded those expectations.”
With more than 1.6 million sportsbook accounts active in Massachusetts since March 2023, the state has emerged as one of America’s fastest-growing gaming markets. It generated $594.9 million in gross gaming revenue in its first full year, with total tax revenue reaching $118.5 million. That latter figure is double what the state had expected pr..
Following the announcement of ESPN Bet as the official betting partner of the PGA Championship, the PGA of America has confirmed that it has partnered with the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) ‘Have a Game Plan. Bet Responsibly’ campaign.
The partnership will feature co-branded responsible gaming content, educational materials, and strategic activations across the PGA of America’s digital and social platforms throughout next week’s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, KY.
“As the PGA of America welcomes ESPN BET as the Official Sports Betting Sponsor of the 106th PGA Championship, it is core to our values to ensure golf fans have the right tools in their bag to bet responsibly,” said PGA of America Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Price. “Activating AGA’s Have A Game Plan campaign during this year’s PGA Championship and beyond will be an integral part of our strategy as interest in golf wagering grows.”
Introduced by the AGA in 2019, the Have a Game Plan campaign ai..