SportsHandle and friends deliver another round-up of the week’s big developments in US sports betting.
Illinois Sports Betting Hearing: Jersey Spirit And Knocking The Competition
In an effort to leave no stone unturned, Illinois lawmakers heard testimony on Thursday from stakeholders ranging from professional leagues to horseman’s groups and racetracks to the state’s lottery vendor during a House Revenue and Finance, Sales, Amusement, and Other Tax Subcommittee hearing on sports betting. The two-plus hour hearing run by Rep. Bob Rita (D-28th District) was mainly for informational purposes, however some testimony was heated, particularly in relation to an amendment that wasn’t even on the agenda.
Full story here.
No Sports Betting On Sundays? Tennessee Considers Bizarre Rule
A hearing on Tuesday in Nashville featured the most advanced discussion yet of Tennessee’s sports betting efforts, but some tall hurdles remain ahead of a potential committee vote in the coming weeks. The legislation, House Bill 1, originally was written for statewide mobile and brick-and-mortar sports betting locations sprinkled around the state. Tennessee doesn’t have any casinos or racinos, so the activity would have been regulated under a new state gaming commission.
Full story here.
Mass Madness: Bay State Governor Eager For Legal Sports Betting
A day after Rhode Island legalized mobile sports betting, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker on Tuesday tried once again to light a fire under the Massachusetts General Court. A dozen bills relating to sports betting have been assigned to the legislature’s Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. Not one of them has a hearing date, and according to committee staff, no sports betting hearings are on the horizon.
Full story here.
’60 Minutes,’ Showtime Both Tackle Sports Betting Legalization, With Different Scopes
Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door last May for any state to offer Las Vegas-style legal sports betting, the industry has grown exponentially — and also grown to expect a national general-interest spotlight to shine on it. And so it was that on Sunday night both CBS and Showtime offered features on the phenomenon.
Full story here.
March Madness At The Sportsbook: Winners, Losers, And Memorable One-Liners
The opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament is over. Sports bettors must now recover from wagering on college basketball in four consecutive 12-hour shifts. There were winners and losers and we had front row seats in Atlantic City, New Jersey to cover it all. From Yale’s last second cover to Wofford’s crushing defeat, we recap the experience of people-watching, sipping beers, sweating and soaking in Atlantic City’s sportsbooks during the first three days of the NCAA Tournament.
Full story here.
