In Missouri, Don’t Believe Everything You Read/See
Just as proponents of the Missouri legal sports betting initiative are beefing up television airtime, opponents are pulling back to focus on “grassroots” efforts and calling proponents’ promise of $100 million for education “dishonest.”
Per iGB, the initiative, Amendment 2, will go before the voters on the U.S. presidential election ballot Nov. 5. Proponents DraftKings and FanDuel have funded the richest campaign in Missouri history, according to the Missouri Independent. The two companies have funded “Winning for Missouri Education” with more than $35 million. DraftKings contributed another $4.6 million Oct. 17.
Caesars, the only operator to fund the opposition campaign, “Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment,” has contributed more than $14 million. Combined, both sides have contributed a record sum of nearly $50 million. And that’s for an initiative that is on the same ballot as an abortion initiative.
Brooke Foster, spokesperson for the opposition campaign, told “Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air” that proponents are “making promises for Missouri education. They’re promising to fund in the millions of dollars, and even the auditor’s own fiscal note shows that just isn’t true.”
Fantasy Sports Companies Sued in Massachusetts
A lawsuit filed in Massachusetts calls out fantasy sports operators and the blurred lines between sports betting and fantasy sports, reports iGB.
Joseph Curran of Gloucester, a suburb of Boston, is suing PrizePicks, Underdog Fantasy and Yahoo! Fantasy Sports. He claims that the companies “intentionally refrained from registering with Massachusetts” to offer the kinds of wagers he placed. Curran is asking that all his bets be refunded.
The lawsuit was filed Oct. 17 in Essex Superior Court.
Digital and retail sports betting are legal in Massachusetts after the state legislature approved it in August 2022. In-person sports betting went live in January 2023, and digital betting launched in March of that year. With sports betting, consumers can bet on game results or proposition bets. The operators are regulated and taxed by the state.
Virginia Tech Player Dismissed Over Temple Gambling Investigation
Temple transfer Hysier Miller has been dismissed from the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team amid a sports betting investigation of Temple, Sports Illustrated reported Oct. 23. Last spring, Temple’s game against UAB was flagged for “suspicious activity” by U.S. Integrity. The line for the game opened with UAB as a 1.5-point favorite, but moved to as high as eight. Miller scored eight points and committed three turnovers. His season average was 16 points per game.
That game was the second in which Temple did not cover a point spread – UAB won, 100-72. Despite having a losing regular season, Temple advanced to the ACC championship game and Miller averaged 27.8 points per game during the conference tournament. He announced he was entering the transfer portal after the tournament.
Sports Illustrated did not report exactly why Miller was removed from the team.
“Temple transfer point guard Hysier Miller has been permanently released from the Virginia Tech men’s basketball program due to circumstances prior to his enrollment at Virginia Tech,” the Hokies said in a statement Oct. 23. “There will be no further comment by the university on this matter.”
Virginia Tech opens its season Nov. 4 when it hosts Delaware State.
Sporttrade Launches in Virginia
Sporttrade added a fifth state Oct. 24, when it launched via iOS app in Virginia. The company offers a “differentiated experience,” has high limits, and offers exchange wagering in some markets. The launch is the second in two months – Sporttrade went live in Arizona in September.
“Sporttrade is becoming the home of in-game betting, where players are able to place and cash out of bets, frictionlessly, as the probabilities change,” founder Alex Kane said via press release. “We are incredibly proud to keep the Fall 2024 momentum going with our launch in the Commonwealth. There is an appetite for premium betting in Virginia, for significantly better prices at higher limits, for instant in-play betting and a mobile experience that is sleek and intuitive.”
Illinois, Michigan Report Revenue Numbers
The Illinois Gaming Board late last week reported a rise in handle but a decline in hold and revenue for August. Handle was up against the same month last year year, but down compared to July. August was the second month in which operators paid a higher tax rate after a new law went into effect in July. DraftKings reported the highest handle and revenue among individual operators.
In Michigan, operators were short of records for revenue in iGaming and sports betting in September. The $202.6 million in iGaming revenue was second only to $215.5 million in March of this year. The $58.4 million in wagering revenue was second only to $61.1 million in December 2023. Sports betting operators reported a sixth consecutive month of double-digit hold (11.68 percent) on gross gaming revenue.
For a look at results from Connecticut, Louisiana, Mississippi and Wyoming, click here.
Dave Rebuck has a New Gig
Former New Jersey gambling regulator Dave Rebuck joined IC360 as an advisor, the company announced Oct. 22. Rebuck retired from public service earlier this year after spending a decade as the Director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE). The agency is known to be among the toughest in the U.S., and Rebuck is considered by many to be the dean of gambling regulators. Rebuck oversaw the launch of internet gambling in New Jersey in 2013 and the 2018 launch of legal digital and retail sports betting.
“The Director’s efforts in transforming New Jersey’s gaming industry, especially in internet gaming and sports wagering, makes him an invaluable resource for the company and our clients,” IC360 President Eric Frank said via press release. “His deep regulatory expertise and forward-thinking approach will help IC360 continue to navigate the evolving landscape of gaming compliance.”
IC360 provides integrity and compliance solutions for digital gambling companies.
In Other News …
XLMedia announced it is selling its North American business to Sportradar. In the Oct. 21 announcement, the company said it is selling for $30 million in cash, with $20 million at the close of the deal and $10 million due in 2025. XLMedia is a sports wagering media company.
