“The next big growth category” is how Brad Cummings, founder and CEO at EquiLottery, has described the potential development of live sports lotteries on the back of the recent ruling by the Supreme Court on the Murphy vs. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) case which could result in the legalisation of sports betting in all the 50 remaining states across the USA. In light of the recent decision, GiGse, the networking and knowledge exchange event for C-Level US facing gaming professionals, will provide a key focus for the industry to explore sports betting, its wider possibilities and the future of betting in North America as a whole.
Commenting on why the industry should take this opportunity to ensure legislation works across all relevant gaming verticals, Cummings said: “Lotteries should look into creating new categories that are available to them now or in the near future, specifically sports gaming, which would have the chance of competing with other gaming entities. Every time a state legislature is looking at the issue of sports gaming, the lottery should ensure language is included to allow for a live sports lottery option.
“Some states allow at least live horse racing to be a basis for a lottery game – some states prohibit any live sports integration with lottery and most are silent on the issue. We advise that regardless of their situation, state lotteries should fight to be included and expand their product offerings into the sports gaming market. While these will be games of chance that don’t directly compete with the skill versions that are sure to be offered by others, the lotteries have some unique advantages that allow them to solve problems that traditional sports gaming cannot; a big one being the licensing fee leagues are demanding for their product to be utilised. Since the margins are much larger on lottery games, especially draw games which I think are the most analogous to a live sports lottery category, the fee won’t be cost prohibitive like it can be if taken out of a vig.”
Cummings, who will be discussing the impact of state lotteries on the US gaming industry, feels the framework for the integration of lotteries and sports betting already exists in many states. He explained: “For us, the West Virginia model is the one that other states should emulate. Lotteries already handle gaming issues for their states and so there is a natural fit to include sports gaming as part of their regulatory mission. We also believe that there is an opportunity for live sports lotteries in the US, creating sports gaming for game of chance players. This is the next big growth category in lottery and we look forward to playing a large role in its development.”
