North American Sports Betting Landscape
## A Look at the North American Sports Betting Landscape
Greetings from iGB’s weekly roundup, where we review the most significant developments in North American sports betting and explore other noteworthy stories.
**Bally Bet Sets June Launch in Massachusetts**
Bally Bet representatives informed the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Thursday (April 11) that they intend to debut in the Bay State by late June. Bally previously pledged a launch by “the end of the second quarter” but refrained from providing a precise date. The company has held a provisional sports betting license in the state since early 2023. Upon its launch, Bally Bet will increase the total number of accessible digital platforms in the state to seven, following the departure of Betr and WynnBet earlier this year.
“It’s encouraging to witness a company that has already navigated the licensing process, a team stepping in and actively commencing operations,” remarked MGC Acting Chair Jordan Maynard during the meeting.
**Supreme Court Grants Additional Time to Review Florida Sports Betting Case**
The Supreme Court will grant the federal government until May 13 to submit its response to the case initiated by West Flagler Associates.
The Seminole Native American group in Florida introduced the Hard Rock Bet platform last fall, which could alter the scene of sports wagering in Florida. On the fourth of April, the government asked for a postponement citing an excessive workload. While the court appeared to respond within a day, the case files were not updated until this week.
Porter might face a NBA suspension
NBA Chief Adam Silver told reporters on the tenth of April that Toronto’s Jontay Porter could be prohibited from playing by the league. This comes from claims of betting on his own performance.
According to the Associated Press, Silver stated, “I have a wide range of disciplinary choices. What he did in the NBA is unforgivable. The most severe penalty I have is to remove him from the league. That’s within my authority, because there’s nothing more serious.”
As of Wednesday, Porter has missed ten consecutive games. He left the game briefly on the twenty-sixth of January and the twentieth of March, and didn’t reach the numbers for prop wagers in both games. Porter would be the first NBA player to be prohibited since PASPA was overturned. So far, the NFL has penalized ten players for breaking betting regulations, and the NHL has prohibited one player.
ESPN BET releases playoff advertisement
Before the start of the NBA and NHL playoffs, ESPN Bet released its newest video ad on the tenth of April, featuring Scott Van Pelt:
ESPN also declared this week that it will extend its partnership with Peyton Manning’s Omaha production company until 2034.
Based on the terms of the contract, “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” will continue, and ESPN will gain access to additional original content.
Will the Delaware market open?
According to WBOC, two legislators have introduced a piece of legislation in Delaware to increase the number of sports betting platforms in the state. Currently, the only option in the state is BetRivers, but the new legislation would allow other operators to partner with local gambling establishments. The new bill, HB 365, originates from an internet sports lottery legislative working group that was authorized by legislation in 2023.
The legislation would impose an 18% tax rate on adjusted gross revenue and a $500,000 licensing fee. Licenses would be valid for five years.
Richmond will not have a gambling establishment.
Late last week, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed a series of bills that removed the city of Richmond from the list of cities in the state that could apply for a casino license. In 2020, Virginia lawmakers legalized sports betting and, along with it, designated five potential statewide brick-and-mortar casino locations.
Since 2020, casinos have opened in Bristol, Danville, and Portsmouth, and Norfolk is also planning to open a gambling establishment. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Youngkin also put Petersburg on the “fast track” for the state’s fifth casino location.
The casino hotel in New Orleans is progressing as planned.
The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that the newly constructed Caesars New Orleans lodging establishment will commence operations in the autumn, just prior to the Super Bowl in February of 2025. The hotel is situated adjacent to the sole gambling establishment in the state. The casino, which has been known as Harrah’s since the 1990s, is also undergoing a comprehensive renovation. The newly constructed hotel tower will encompass 15 levels and 340 guest rooms.
Astonishing news from the realm of athletics: Ohtani’s interpreter embezzled $16 million, but the baseball luminary is regarded as a “victim.”
Maryland’s legislative representatives were unable to reach a consensus regarding online gambling. What will transpire in 2024?
Maine’s online casino legislation is on the verge of being shelved.
FanDuel’s Amy Howe asserts that Native American tribes will assume a leadership role in California’s gambling marketplace.
California’s tribal communities are proclaiming that sports wagering will be their chosen path.
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