SportsHandle and friends deliver another round-up of the week’s big developments in US sports betting.
Kansas Sports Betting Moves Forward Amid Controversy
Kansas could become the first midwestern state this year to legalize sports betting — and despite controversy, the bill that is currently moving forward in the state Senate should appeal to sportsbook operators. On Wednesday, after a new amendment was added and one senator tried to rewrite the bill on the floor, the full Senate passed SB 283, 23-15. The bill will now move onto the House, likely the week after next. Kansas’ legislative session ends on May 31.
Full story here.
‘X’ Factor: XFL Keeping Football Bettors Engaged, ‘Exceeding Expectations’ For Sportsbooks
Three weeks into the league’s first season — well, actually, its second season, but its first since 17 years before the fall of PASPA — the answer seems to be yes. Since kicking off one week after the Super Bowl, the rebooted XFL has kept the tangible and virtual ticket windows busier than bookmakers anticipated, especially in comparison to its immediate predecessor, the ill-fated AAF, in presenting a pro football alternative to the NFL.
Full story here.
Missouri Sports Betting Bills Bat Around Data Provisions As Consensus Remains Elusive
With three states on the verge of implementing data mandates on licensed sportsbook operators and other states continuing to see pitches about an off-the-top “royalty” payment to sports leagues, the controversial provision on official league data took center stage Tuesday at a hearing in Missouri.
Full story here.
Georgia Following Tennessee’s Lead In Legislation For Online Sports Betting
The Peach State has thrown its hat into the sports betting ring under a very similar policy proposal to what neighboring Tennessee passed in mid-2019.
Legislation filed Feb. 20 would legalize and regulate online/mobile sports wagering under the regulation of the Georgia Lottery Corporation, which already offers products via the internet. The legislation comes from state Sen. Burt Jones, a Republican. It would codify sports gaming as a lottery offering and establish a Georgia Mobile Sports Wagering Integrity Commission under the Georgia Lottery.
Full story here.
FanDuel Casino Winning With The Crossover Appeal Of Table Games For Sports Bettors
FanDuel knew a lot of customers would be drawn to its Pennsylvania sportsbook site in the week prior to the Super Bowl.
It also knew, based on experience in New Jersey, that a lot of those sports bettors have interest in playing online table games, especially blackjack.
So even though it didn’t have a desktop casino version ready for online play, even though it had a very limited menu of games overall compared its New Jersey version or Pennsylvania counterparts, it launched its iCasino by phone/tablet app on Jan. 24.
Full story here.
Sports Leagues Wise To Bypass Courts In Seeking ‘Integrity Fees,’ Legal Experts Say
Professional sports leagues have spent the past 18 months lobbying state legislators all over the U.S. to mandate compensation from sports betting operators for the use of statistics generated from their games.
After striking out in numerous jurisdictions, the leagues have rallied – with Tennessee, Michigan, and Illinois all creating sports betting laws with the leagues guaranteed a piece of the pie.
Why can’t the leagues elect to just sue a sports betting operator who utilizes those statistics, rather than seeking mandatory “integrity fees,” “royalties,” or “official league data” fees?
Full story here.
