Tropicana, Spawn Point Host Largest Regional Esports Tournament
Esports specialists at Spawn Point, in conjunction with the Tropicana Atlantic City, will host Royal Flush—a weekend-long Melee/Smash4 tournament—on May 12 – 14.
Q&A: Pala Builds Momentum in New Jersey
Through a partnership with Borgata, PalaCasino.com, PalaBingoUSA.com and the new PalaPoker.com have become a major iGaming force in New Jersey. We spoke to Jim Ryan, CEO of Pala Interactive, about the action.
Kentucky Derby Offers Clues to Best Preakness Bets
The second leg of thoroughbred racing’s triple crown on May 20 attracts a strong, but reduced field compared to the Kentucky Derby. There are fewer handicapping variables in exchange for a smaller payout.
4 Tips to Consider Before Hitting the Virtual Felt
The world of online gambling can be overwhelming, but doing your homework will lead you to your ultimate favorite site. Here are some tips to help.
IGT to Sell Double Down
IGT will sell Double Down Interactive LLC, its social casino subsidiary, to South Korea’s DoubleU Games as part of a new strategic partnership in social gaming. The South Korean company will pay $825 million for Double Down, which IGT paid $500 million for five years ago. The sale price, however, falls far short of the $4.4 billion Caesars got when selling Playtika last year.
Pennsylvania Senators Propose Prohibitive iGaming Tax
A group of Pennsylvania state senators led by Tommy Tomlinson (l.) is proposing a 25 percent tax on revenues from online gaming in the state, a rate which many say will sink the prospects of iGaming in the state.
Sessions’ Stance Against Online Gambling Causing Fears of a Ban
Statements by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions (l.) over intra-state online gambling have set off a wave of concern. Sessions said during his confirmation hearings that the Department of Justice might revisit a 2011 opinion that allowed for states to offer online gambling. Though there is little evidence that President Donald Trump would support a ban, online gambling advocates have launched a new round of lobbying efforts. The National Governor’s Association has also come out against a ban.
Arkansas Passes, Illinois Considers DFS
Arkansas recently became the 11th state and the first this year to legalize daily fantasy sports betting. In Illinois, a bill designed to protect daily fantasy sports players was introduced by state Rep. Michael Zalewski (l.). The measure would supersede state Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s 2015 opinion that DFS is illegal under Illinois law.
NBA Inks Global DFS Deal
The league is partnering with UK-based operator PlayON to bring its games to fantasy sports fans in Europe, Latin America, parts of Asia and Australia. PlayON has customers in more than 100 countries but only takes real-money play in the UK, Ireland and Australia.
One Defendant Settles in Amaya Insider Trading Case
A former Aston Hill national sales manager has settled his case with Canadian regulators stemming from insider trading charges over Amaya Inc.’s purchase of PokerStars. John David Rothstein received a two-year trading ban and agreed to cooperate with the Ontario Securities Commission in their investigation. Former Amaya CEO David Baazov (l.) also faces charges in the investigation.
GAN Gets New Jersey License
Online gaming technology provider GAN has received an online gambling license from New Jersey regulators. CEO Dermot Smurfit (l.) cited the “guaranteed integrity” of his company.
DFS Action Hot & Heavy in U.S. States
As legislative sessions across the country begin to wind down, action on the legalization/regulation of daily fantasy sports begins to get serious. Alabama, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts and Mississippi were hard at work last week. Iowa’s Rep. Matt Windschitl (l.), the sponsor of the DFS bill, is fearful that opponents will consider it an expansion of gaming in the state.
