Take a Look at What’s New on Sportsbook Apps for Football Season
Whether it’s the ability to place a parlay bet faster or from anywhere on a site, US digital sportsbook platforms from Betr to ESPN Bet have new looks and improved user interfaces as the most lucrative season of the year is set to begin, iGB reports.
The NFL season kicked off Sept. 5 when the Baltimore Ravens played at the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. The first full Sunday of games is Sept. 8. College football season had its first full Saturday of games Aug. 31.
The SEC on ABC debuted with three college games and average viewership of 7.6 million. The tripleheader was the second-highest rated college football kickoff Saturday in ABC history, according to AwfulAnnouncing. And Sunday’s USC-LSU game drew 9.2 million viewers, including 11.1 million at the peak.
Football season is a key period for customer acquisition. Sportsbooks are running myriad promotions to draw new customers, but in addition, many are offering new features to keep customers once they log in or download an app.
Another Operator Announces Colorado Exit
Multiple media outlets reported Sept. 2 that BetSafe is shutting down its Colorado wagering platform. The company is the second in a week to announce a Colorado exit. Last week, BlueBet said it is shutting down U.S. operations to focus on its “core” Australian business. That platform is licensed in Colorado, Iowa and Louisiana.
BetSafe will cease operations Sept. 30, and the last day to place bets will be Sept. 16. The company will stop taking deposits and new accounts Sept. 6, and players will have until Sept. 27 to withdraw funds.
Owned by Betsson, BetSafe is also live in Ontario. Betsson owns 20+ gaming brands worldwide.
AGA Predicts Billions in Bets this NFL Season
The American Gaming Association (AGA) Sept. 4 shared that it projects that bettors will wager at least $35 billion during the 2024-25 NFL season. This is the first time that the AGA has made projections for the season. According to a press release from the AGA, 67 percent0 of US adults live in a live, legal betting state.
Previously, the AGA has made projections around the Super Bowl. Earlier this year, the trade association projected that $23.1 billion in bets would be made on Super Bowl LVIII.
Louisiana Ready to Say Bye-Bye to Bovada
In one of his first high-profile acts, new Louisiana Gaming Control Board chair Chris Hebert reportedly sent a cease-and-desist letter to offshore operator Bovada in August. Legal Sports Report wrote that the agency won’t have additional comment until Bovada responds. It did not report what the deadline for response is.
Bovada is no longer available in 11 U.S. legal betting jurisdictions, including Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Ohio.
Fanatics Sportsbook Opens Physical Sportsbook in NJ
Fanatics Sportsbook Sept. 5 announced that it opened its 21st brick-and-mortar sportsbook, this one at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City. The book is in a 100-foot elevated bar/lounge area in The Gallery that seats 60. It has 140 feet of LED TV walls, and patrons can wager at teller windows or kiosks throughout the property.
According to a Fanatics Sportsbook press release, the sportsbook will “cater to guests looking to enjoy the ultimate VIP sportsbook experience.” The Gallery is a 12,000 square-foot gaming and bar venue at the center of the casino.
Fanatics Sportsbook is available in 22 states and offers online gambling in four. The company is the only one to have a sportsbook inside an NFL stadium. The Commanders Field location in Maryland was the company’s first. It opened in January 2023.
FanDuel Launches RG Series Featuring Randy Livingston
FanDuel Sept. 3 announced a partnership with former NBA player and basketball coach Randy Livingston and his wife, sports agent Anita Smith, for Responsible Gaming Education Month. FanDuel will launch “Trusted Voices: Conversations About Betting,” a video series that looks at Livingston’s NBA rise while he struggled with gambling addiction.
Along with the series, FanDuel will also have a “resource hub” where those struggling with addiction can get support and others can learn the signs of an emerging problem, risks and get guidance. Resources will be available at ConversationsAboutBetting.com.
CFL’s Lemon Won’t be Back on the Field This Year
An independent arbiter late last week upheld the CFL’s decision to ban Montreal Alouettes defensive lineman Shawn Lemon for violating league gambling rules. Lemon is a three-time Grey Cup winner. He was suspended in April, two weeks after he unexpectedly announced his retirement. The CFL said at the time that it had uncovered “clear and irrefutable evidence” that Lemon bet on his team, but it also said there was no evidence of match fixing.
“We respect the arbitrator’s decision and the important precedent that has been established,” CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie said, according to CDC Gaming Reports. “The integrity of any sport is paramount. Players, fans, and anyone associated with our game must be able to believe in the league’s fairness of competition. Today’s decision upholds that standard and underscores the CFL’s position against match manipulation.”
Change Coming to Iowa Sports Betting Investigation Lawsuit?
About this time last year, more than two dozen athletes from Iowa universities, including Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers, had been suspended following an investigation that pointed to illegal gambling. Since then, it has been revealed that the investigation may have been illegal, or at least an abuse of power of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.
Earlier this year, 26 athletes filed a federal lawsuit against state agencies saying searches in the sports betting investigation were warrantless. The state’s Department of Public Safety has asked for the suit to be dismissed, but the athletes now want time to amend it. According to The Gazette, the athletes want to narrow the lawsuit and drop some defendants. The revamped petition would name Department of Criminal Investigation assistant director David Jobes and special agents Troy Nelson and Brian Sanger as the defendants. It would also include a January deposition from Sanger.
Check Out New Jamie Foxx-BetMGM Advertisements
BetMGM Sept. 3 announced that it is releasing a series of television advertisements featuring Academy Award and GRAMMY winner Jamie Foxx. As a whole, the ads leverage that BetMGM was “born in Las Vegas” and highlight its hospitality, entertainment and customer service history. The ads will air in television’s prime time and on other video platforms throughout the season. Take a look at what BetMGM at the “Anthem,” “Second Chance” and “Feel Welcome” spots.
In other news …
Caesars Sportsbook Sept. 3 announced a partnership with the Detroit Lions. Under the agreement, Caesars will be the official sports betting and iGaming partner of the team, and it has plans to launch live-dealer blackjack with custom Lions tables in Michigan. Caesars brands will be visible at Ford Field during games, the company can use Lions logos and marks for online casino games.
Statehouse News reported Sept. 3 that a University of Massachusetts School of Public Health and Health Sciences study revealed that legal betting didn’t make much of a dent in the state’s illegal market in 2022 and 2023. It did show that there were an increased number of bettors on the legal market. Massachusetts lawmakers legalized digital sports betting in 2022, and the first bets were taken in March 2023.
