Golf is Back!
When the PGA Players Championship was abruptly cancelled one day into the tournament last March, professional golf joined all the other major sports in dropping off the radar and losing some of its most prestigious contests. But this week, that dry spell ends when the Charles Schwab Challenge. For the first time since the Arnold […]
NHL Plan to Resume Moves Betting Lines
The NHL has yet to resume play after a shutdown in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman unveiled the league’s plan on May 26. Just talking about a return to action plan is enough to change the betting lines, according to TheLines.com, which tracks odds in the U.S. But the Boston […]
Sports Betting Giants Strike Deals for Early Illinois Entry
When Illinois adopted rules for sports betting, the state included one that requires mobile-only sportsbooks to wait until the first brick and mortar location obtained a license before applying for its own license. The idea was to keep FanDuel and DraftKings from going live before the mandated waiting period, using their daily fantasy sports database […]
California Sports Betting Compromise?
The grand prize for the sport betting community would be legal bets in the huge state of California. But until now, disputes between gaming tribes, racetracks and card rooms prevented any progress in legalization of sports betting. Last year, the tribes and racetracks finally buried the hatchet and were proposing a bill that would allow […]
U.K. Betting Shops Get Reopening Date
During a coronavirus briefing May 25, Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled provisional plans to reopen betting shops, along with most retail businesses on June 15 after battling Covid-19. With almost every major sport across the globe postponing events due to the virus, sportsbook operators, took a hit. The U.K. gambling industry has losses up to […]
Swedish iGaming Operators: Government Favors Special Interests
In May, Swedish Minister of Health Ardalan Shekarabi submitted proposals to the government for a weekly gambling deposit limit of 5000 SEK (US$526.50) as well as a €100 limit (US$110.80) on welcome bonuses. The directive drew sharp criticism from gaming industry officials, especially in light of newer proposals that would exclude horseracing and sports betting […]
Virginia Council Endorses Hard Rock
The Bristol, Virginia city council unanimously endorsed Hard Rock International as the preferred casino gaming operator. Hard Rock was the only casino operator to submit a proposal for a casino in Bristol, one of five cities allowed by the Virginia legislature to build a casino. The developers made a presentation at a public hearing about […]
Lawmakers Pass Chicago Casino Bill
In a major victory for Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Illinois Senators in a special session voted 42-14 to authorize a casino in Chicago. Earlier, the House voted 77-32 for the casino bill; representatives moved from the Capitol to a nearby convention center to assure social distancing, and masks and temperature checks were required. The bill […]
Survey: Macau High-End Still Gambling Big
Covid-19 may have seriously curtailed the ability of the Chinese to get to Macau, but it hasn’t dampened the gambling spirit among those who manage it. A new survey conducted by the Macau Research Centre, a privately owned think tank, appears to spell good news for a market in desperate need of some, indicating that […]
West Virginia Expects iGaming By July
West Virginia is on the brink of legalized online gaming, with the recent approval of emergency rules by the West Virginia Lottery Commission. Director John Myers said operators could be up and running as soon as June or July. The rules were filed at the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office, which has 42 days […]
DOJ Tells iLotteries No Wire Act Prosecutions, Promise!
The U.S. Justice Department has assured online state lotteries it will not prosecute them for selling tickets online under the Wire Act of 1961, which unambiguously forbade such transactions, but predated the internet by 35 years. But state lotteries, starting with New Hampshire’s, seem to regard this assurance with the confidence of the frog expecting […]
More Casinos Open Across the U.S.
The shutdown has finally ended for some U.S. casinos. For now, all of them will operate under extraordinary restrictions, with capacity limits, social distancing requirements, and other safety measures. Here is a look at some returning markets and how operators are handling the crisis. Alabama In Alabama, Wind Creek Hospitality CEO Jay Dorris said small […]
