SportsHandle and friends deliver another round-up of the week’s big developments in US sports betting.
Campus Efforts Tied To Florida Sports Betting Allegedly Lead To Harassment Of Students
According to an article in Florida International University student-run publication Panther NOW, petitioners in busy parts of campus have verbally harassed and coerced students while gathering signatures for efforts connected to the future of sports betting in Florida.
“These petitioners are legitimately harassing students, meaning they are going to them, insisting and calling them different names and curse words,” David Luis, a Student Government Association senator at FIU, said in an article published Tuesday quoting various students.
Full story here.
New Debate: Is ‘Responsible’ A Safer Gambling Word Than ‘Safer’?
Is the “responsible gambling” community turning into the “safer gambling” community?
While there appears to be a trend of the latter term gaining steam, not everyone is happy about it.
Alan Feldman, chairman of the International Center for Responsible Gaming, conceded in Las Vegas on Tuesday that the industry has “done an absolutely horrific job of defining ‘responsible gambling’ to the public.” Feldman spoke during a panel at the American Gaming Association’s Global Gaming Expo, or G2E.
“But to just walk away from it is to do a terrible disservice to the public,” Feldman added.
Full story here.
And They’re Off: First Louisiana Sportsbook Set To Debut At Tribal Casino In Marksville
Add Louisiana to the ranks of the legal sports betting states, as on Wednesday bettors will plunk down the first licensed wagers at the sportsbook located at Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville starting at 3 p.m. CST.
Located in central Louisiana, Paragon will unveil its sportsbook dubbed The Draft Room, which contains traditional theater seating, a custom video wall, betting counters, and kiosks, per a news release. It also has a restaurant with 112 TVs and table and bar seating, plus three “VIP fan caves” for private gatherings.
Full story here.
Amended California Wagering Proposal Could Get Tribes On Board
While no one in Indian Country has stood up in support of a proposal by commercial operators to put the question of legal statewide mobile sports betting to California voters, changes to a proposed ballot initiative filed Tuesday suggest talks are occurring between the tribes and the seven sports wagering companies backing the measure.
In August, the consortium made up of Bally’s, BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, Penn National/Barstool Sportsbook, and WynnBET filed the” California Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support Act,” which would bring statewide mobile wagering to the biggest state in the U.S. The proposed ballot initiative requires that commercial operators gain market access through existing tribal casinos, and it does not address retail sports betting. The proposal is considered “complementary” to a tribal initiative that would allow retail wagering at tribal casinos and horse racetracks. Should the two initiatives get on the ballot, voters could approve both.
Full story here.
G2E Notebook: Popular Gaming Conference Returns To Vegas After One-Year Hiatus
Forced to migrate onto a virtual platform in 2020 due to COVID-19, G2E is back on the Las Vegas Strip this week for four days of networking, keynote presentations, and hobnobbing.
Each year, the American Gaming Association’s Global Gaming Expo, more commonly known as G2E, brings together the top industry stakeholders throughout the world. This year, attendance at the popular conference is limited somewhat by restrictions that prevent some foreign executives from traveling to the U.S. Since the historic PASPA decision in 2018, sports betting has played an integral role in the prominent expo, with appearances from top C-level executives, regulators, and analysts, among others.
Full story here.
Online NFL Betting Is Shattering Records, According To GeoComply Data
The amount of money online sports bettors have wagered on the NFL through the first four weeks of the season has shattered records, with 330 million geolocation transactions across the nation in the first month of action, according to data released by GeoComply Solutions Monday.
That 330 million compares to 149 million geolocation transactions during the same time period last year. And while new states coming online surely are helping to juice the number, there are more bets being made in mature markets as well.
Full story here.
