Washington Hashes Out Sports Betting Bills
A pair of competing bills to bring sports betting to Washington are under discussion in the state Senate. The biggest difference between the two is who gets to offer wagering. SB 6394 limits betting to tribal casinos. SB 6277 includes card rooms, race tracks and tribal casinos—and permits online bets. Folks on both sides of […]
Maryland Debates Sports Betting Bills
Maryland is surrounded by states that offer sports betting. To stop Marylanders from placing their wagers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Delaware, the state legislature has introduced bills to approve the wagers at home. “These states are generating significant revenues from their sports betting franchises while Maryland sits on the sidelines,” said Senator Chris West, […]
Nevada Sets Sports Betting Record
New Jersey’s still fledgling sports betting business surpassed Nevada in handle in May, but in the end, Nevada set another record by growing its take by 6.2 percent to $5.3 billion. The results marked the tenth straight annual handle record set in the state and the second time figures eclipsed the $5 billion mark, based […]
Three More States OK Caesars-Eldorado Merger
Eldorado Resorts’ acquisition of Caesars Entertainment has won three more state regulatory approvals as the $17.3 billion mega-merger continues on track with management’s timetable to close in the first half. Reno, Nevada-based Eldorado said the deal was approved by the Louisiana Racing Commission, the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission and the Illinois Gaming Board, adding […]
Virginia Legislators File 20-Plus Gambling Bills
More than 20 gambling bills have been introduced in the Virginia General Assembly’s current 60-day session. Several have passed out of subcommittees, but none have yet made it to the House or Senate floor. Proposals include legalizing casino gambling, online lottery ticket sales and sports betting, and regulating so-called games of skill. Virginia is one […]
Kentucky’s Beshear Continues Push for Gambling
In his recently proposed budget, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear asked for increased funding for public education, a $2,000 raise for Kentucky teachers and a teachers’ scholarship program, funds for school transportation projects, fully funding the state’s Medicaid program, hiring 350 new social workers and completing the Mountain Parkway. How would these programs be funded? Beshear […]
Tribal Casino Bill Introduced in Connecticut
Two leaders of the Connecticut Senate have introduced a bill to authorize the state’s two gaming tribes, the Mohegans and the Mashantucket Pequots, a monopoly on sports betting and allow them to open a commercial casino in Bridgeport, the state’s largest city. The bill would also authorize iKeno and three entertainment zones in Hartford and […]
Rhode Island’s Twin River Continues Explosive Growth
The January 24 announcement that Rhode Island-based Twin River Worldwide Holdings (TRWH) had closed on its $50 million deal with Affinity Gaming to acquire three Colorado casinos—the Mardi Gras, Golden Gates and Golden Gulch—would be big news for any up-and-coming regional operator. But for TRWH, a public company formed last March with the reverse acquisition […]
Hard Rock’s Allen Says ‘The Fix Is In’
Reports that Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment has been awarded the right to develop an integrated resort on the site of the former Hellenikon International Airport near Athens were premature, according to Jim Allen, the chairman and CEO of Hard Rock International, the only other competitor still participating in the process. In an exclusive interview with […]
In Vegas, Success Beyond Baccarat
Nevada’s casinos overcame a flat year on the Las Vegas Strip to post $12.03 billion in gaming revenue in 2019. It was the first time in 12 years the state averaged $1 billion or more a month, and in total represented a 1 percent increase over 2018. It was also the third best revenue year […]
UK Looks at Flutter-Stars Merger
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority will investigate the proposed mega-merger between Flutter Entertainment and the Stars Group. In October last year, Flutter, the parent company of Paddy Power Betfair, agreed a deal to acquire all shares in The Stars Group and merge with the PokerStars operator to form a combined business with annual revenue […]
Super Bowl Handle Exceeds $268 Million in 10 States
The Super Bowl proved super for sports betting. With 10 states checking in, LegalSportsReport.com reported $268.6 million in legal Super Bowl handle. Arkansas, Indiana and New York haven’t reported specific Super Bowl figures. A few states ended up with a negative hold thanks to the Chiefs win. Adding illegal wagers to the mix and the […]
