Top stories around our network this week
Headlined by movement in Georgia, which appears to be the state most likely to legalize sports wagering in 2023, state legislatures and regulators across the country have been busy considering and tweaking what legal betting will look like in multiple states.
Georgia lawmakers considered multiple bills this week, including one that would legalize only mobile betting and another that would put the decision to legalize before voters. One proposal would legalize via an expansion of gaming through the lottery, and HB 380 would allow professional sports teams or venues to get licensed for sports betting.
New Jersey may become one of a handful of states to allow legal wagering on esports. Its Assembly's State and Local Government Committee moved forward a bill that would allow for wagering on esports and would also allow casinos two esports-only betting platforms — to keep costs down — in addition to full-fledged wagering platforms.
In Nebraska, Hall of Fame football coach Tom Osborne testified against a bill that would lift the ban on betting on college teams playing in the state. Current law allows for wagering on college sports with the exception of local teams playing at home. Osborne has consistently opposed legal wagering of any kind, while Lynne McNally of WarHorse Casino testified that “the only thing the current law accomplishes is it pushes bets to Iowa,” according to the .
In Oklahoma, a bill that would give Indian Country exclusivity while allowing for statewide digital and retail betting advanced this week. HB 1027, which would require that at least four tribes re-compact with the state for wagering, got the nod from the Appropriations and Budget Select Agencies Subcommittee and will be considered next by the full House Appropriations Committee. The tribes would pay the state an annual fee based on a sliding scale of revenue.
In other legislative news, Vermont lawmakers this week discussed how best to regulate operators and provide consumers with responsible gambling tools, according to , and the Montana House Business and Labor Committee held a hearing on a bill that would require lottery sports betting partners to hold an “appropriate” liquor license.
Coming next week, Illinois lawmakers will consider a bill which would require that after every 10 wagers on a digital platform, a pop-up message around responsible gaming must appear. Maryland lawmakers will discuss whether to prohibit sports betting operators from partnering with colleges or universities in some situations, and a Missouri Senate committee will take its first crack at a statewide digital wagering bill backed by casinos and professional sports teams. A mirror bill in the House had broad support earlier this month, but was not put to a vote.
The week that was saw and its sister sites unpack several pieces of legislation, as well as cover topics as varied as streaming latency and the color of Rihanna’s dress.
That was some Super Bowl, eh?
GeoComply logs over 100 million Super Bowl geolocation checks
Nevada Super Bowl handle slips to $153 million
Rihanna’s Super Bowl outfit creates a wild sports betting tale
Pre-destined: FanDuel’s $10 million Gronk Super Bowl promo misses mark
Super Bowl betting of the future is here
The future of Super Bowl betting could depend on faster streams
Micro- and macro-level analysis of Super Bowl LVII microbetting
Gaming money goes up, up, up
AGA reports record $60.4 billion in total gaming revenue for 2022
How we doin’ on Wall Street?
Monthly stock watch: Strong start to ’23 as books guide to profitability in second half
DraftKings delivers Q4 earnings beat as questions remain on profitability
You’ve been very bad boys
DraftKings, PENN agree to pay hefty fines tied to promoting Ohio launch
Monarch Casino fined $400,000 in Colorado for proxy betting