N.Y. Casinos Sign Up DraftKings, Fan Duel
The fantasy sports leaders have contracted with del Lago and Tioga Downs to manage the sports betting operations at the two upstate casinos. All that’s left now is for New York to legalize it.
Bets Go Unpaid at New Jersey Meadowlands
Reports of a shortage of cash and a failure to pay some bets plagued the FanDuel Sports Book (l.) at the Meadowlands Racetrack in northern New Jersey last week. It may have just been a baseball game that went unusually long. The Meadowlands unofficially reported taking in about $3.5 million in sports bets during its first nine days of operation.
Fox Plans Sports Betting TV Show
The Fox Sports network is planning a new TV show on everything surrounding sports gambling, featuring Charissa Thompson, Brent Musburger (l.), Todd Fuhrman and Clay Travis.
DraftKings Leads in Pennsylvania DFS Play for June
DraftKings topped FanDuel for Daily fantasy sports play in June, the second month of regulated play in Pennsylvania. FanDuel had the most play in May. However, the state’s DFS revenue fell by $300,000 or the month.
Canadian Court Strikes Down Quebec’s Move to Block Unlicensed Gambling Sites
A Canadian Superior Court has blocked Quebec’s move to block unlicensed gambling sites as unconstitutional saying it infringes on federal jurisdiction.
Japanese Esports League Planned
Nippon Professional Baseball and Konami Digital Entertainment have announced they will partner to present an esports baseball tournament this fall. The eBaseball Pawapuro Pro League will be contested by 36 participants, who will be selected mainly through online elimination tournaments by the end of September.
Pennsylvania Mini-Casino Plans Heat Up
In the first formal mini-casino plan submitted to Pennsylvania regulators, Stadium Casino outlined plans for a mini-casino in a shuttered store at Westmoreland Mall. Mount Airy Casino Resort (l.) has been granted a two-month extension on its deadline to provide an exact location and property plan or its Category 4 satellite casino in Lawrence County. A suit filed by Penn National Gaming is no more.
Rhode Island’s Twin River to Buy Dover Downs
Rhode Island casino operator Twin River Worldwide Holdings will acquire Delaware’s Dover Downs Gaming and Entertainment in a stock-swap deal that will take Twin River public. Twin River owns and operates two casinos in Rhode Island and owns the Hard Rock Biloxi in Mississippi and a racetrack in Colorado. Dover Downs (l.), which sits alongside a harness racing track and a NASCAR track, is the only casino owned by a public company in Delaware.
NCAA Officials Talk Sports Betting
The commissioners of two of NCAA Division 1 conferences offered reactions to the coming of legalized sports betting in respective Media Day comments. The chief legal officer of the National Collegiate Athletic Association said the organization must “evolve and expand” to meet the challenges posed by legal sports betting.
MGM Springfield Opens in a Month
The $960 million MGM Springfield (l.) will open August 24. The casino is in high gear to complete hiring the 3,000 staff members it will need, to meet its diversity hiring goals, and to gin up an expensive ad campaign. The casino will be aiming “to roar” as it goes after players within a 150 mile radius.
Ohio Sports Betting Bills Introduced
Ohio’s lawmakers are looking at legalizing sports betting in the Buckeye state. Ohio state Senator Bill Coley (l.), president of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States, predicts passage within six months.
MSG, LVS Seal Arena Deal
The Sphere (l.), as it’s called, will seat 18,000-plus in a futuristic dome-like setting on the Las Vegas Strip rippling with immersive lighting and special effects. If all goes to plan it will open in late 2020.
