For MLB, Player Harassment a Growing Concern
In comments made before the All-Star Game Tuesday, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said that player safety as it relates to gambling is a priority. The issue has been in front of regulators over the last few months since the NCAA called for legal gambling jurisdictions to ban college-player prop bets. Some regulators have suggested that the real issue isn’t betting, but harassment.
While the NCAA is focused on the safety of college players, regulators on a panel at the National Council for Problem Gambling said that the issue extends beyond college athletes. And Wyoming’s regulatory commission earlier this month said that banning bets may not be the solution, but commissioners were unsure how to deal with harassment. Manfred didn’t offer a solution, though he did say he’s a “believer that penalties and demonstration of your ability to figure what’s going on serves as a deterrent.”
Manfred also said that he’s heard from players who have been threatened.
“If a player receives a threat from any source, on any topic, it is a matter of concern to us that we take really seriously,” Manfred stated. “I’ve had players in the last month mention this issue to me as one of concern and we’re discussing what we should do to be more proactive in this area.”
Judge Denies Porter a Shot at Playing Pro Ball in Greece
A federal court judge in New York Wednesday denied banned NBA player Jontay Porter’s motion to travel to Europe and play basketball in Greece. Porter earlier this month pled guilty to federal felony conspiracy to commit wire fraud charges stemming from a sports betting scandal. He is now awaiting sentencing, and is not allowed to leave the country. He’s also required to attend gambling addiction counseling.
Per iGB Wednesday, Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall denied Porter’s request to get his passport, travel in Europe, live in Greece, and play for Promitheas BC. Porter’s lawyer wrote that his client’s window to play professionally and earn a living is closing. Porter’s sentencing is set for Dec. 18.
Illegal Gambling Charges Against Patriots’ Boutte Dropped
ESPN reported Tuesday morning that the Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division had dropped gambling charges against wide receiver Kayshon Boutte. The charges stemmed from actions when Boutte played for the Louisiana State college football team.
Boutte, now with the New England Patriots, was arrested on gambling charges in January. At that time, state investigators found that Boutte bet on sports between April 6, 2022 and May 7, 2023. He was 20 at the time. Under Louisiana law, only those over the age of 21 are permitted to wager.
Will Nebraska Lawmakers Reconsider Digital Wagering in Special Session?
Nebraska lawmakers are set to convene a special session beginning July 25, and some say the state should revisit legalizing digital sports betting. KETV Omaha reported last week that Nebraska residents could get a $30 million tax break if online betting were legal.
Ho-Chunk, Inc., which operates several War Horse casinos in the state, is the main stakeholder. President and CEO Lance Morgan is encouraging the legislature to take another look at the issue. “It’s additive. It’s not a tax shift,” Morgan told KETV. “And so we think that’s a pretty viable option. And we’ve been proposing that to be part of this special session.”
Nebraska voters approved an expansion of gaming in November 2020, and lawmakers went on to interpret that to mean that in-person wagering was legal, but declined to draft rules around digital betting.
In Other News …
New Jersey gambling companies reported a 7.4 percent increase in revenue for June, although there was a 9.5 percent drop in sports betting revenue.
DraftKings remained the market leader in Massachusetts in June. The Boston-based operator took $263.7 in bets compared to No. 2 FanDuel, which took $141.4 in bets.
