Happy Monday and happy holidays to all of our readers from the LSR team. There has been plenty of sports betting news all throughout this tumultuous 2020, including last week.
The team took a look at some of the biggest stories on the latest edition of the LSR Podcast.
As always, follow us on Twitter @LSPReport for all of our breaking news coverage.
Top sports betting news: Cuomo gives NY mobile betting a lifeline
Any story about sports betting in New York will be the biggest news of the week nine out of ten times, and this is no exception.
A quick line from Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a televised briefing suggests his office is open to legalizing mobile sports betting, which marks a significant change in tune:
“Are there other ways to get revenue? How about marijuana? How about sports betting?”
Cuomo had previously been against expanding sports betting to mobile devices as he thought it would take a constitutional amendment.
Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. told LSR it’s unlikely something happens this year. He is optimistic, however, about getting mobile betting legalized next year. He’ll push for a bill shortly after the legislature returns instead of waiting for April‘s budget.
NFL, Nickelodeon toe the line with kids football site
The NFL has been involved with some questionable marketing to children in the past. Its latest partnership with Nickelodeon might be another instance.
The two launched NFLNickPlay.com, a website that intends to engage with kids and inform them about football, prior to Nickelodeon broadcasting an NFL Wild Card game Jan. 10.
But NFLNickPlay.com does more than educate. It also introduces kids to prediction games and other elements that have a gambling feel, including rewards for returning each week and a printable Pick’em card that looks a lot like what you’d find at legal sportsbooks.
In a brief comment, the NFL told LSR “there is nothing gambling-related or intended” on the site.
Illinois now the fourth-largest US sports betting market
Illinois is shamefully slow at reporting sports betting results, but we now know it was the fourth-largest US sports betting market in October.
Handle hit $434 million, up 42% from September. Sports betting revenue was $42.2 million with $6.3 million collected in taxes.
The IL sports betting market would be nowhere near this size if Gov. JB Pritzker hadn’t suspended Illinois’ in-person registration requirement.
DC, NJ, PA report November results
We saw more of the same dominant strength from New Jersey sports betting in November as monthly handle broke the $900 million mark for the first time ever in the United States.
It’s the fourth straight month NJ sports betting broke the US record for monthly handle.
Sports betting in Pennsylvania didn’t follow suit, however. Handle dipped 6.4% to $491.9 million last month, likely because of the NFL schedule. The Philadelphia Eagles had a bye week while the much-anticipated Thanksgiving night matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens was delayed into December.
Washington DC sports betting handle also dipped, but the bigger story is still how a retail sportsbook is dominating the DC Lottery‘s mobile platform.
The temporary William Hill sportsbook at Capital One Arena took $13.7 million in bets last month. That’s compared to just $3.9 million bet on the GambetDC platform operated by Intralot.
BetMGM, Verizon launching VR sports betting?
As if there wasn’t enough lingo thrown around concerning partnerships, BetMGM parent company Entain and Verizon are starting an “innovation alliance” to create sports betting experiences with the latest technology.
“Along with betting on the Entain platforms on live streaming sports events, the goal is to create realistic, immersive experiences for sports fans, such as being in the stadium, participating in play, competing and betting on outcomes on the Entain platforms,” the company said in a statement.
This is another step in an existing partnership between the two. Verizon also owns Yahoo Sports, which integrated BetMGM odds into its platform.
Penn National buys casino for MD sports betting access
The Barstool Sportsbook brand officially has access to the Maryland sports betting market, whenever that should launch.
Penn National bought Hollywood Casino Perryville from Gaming & Leisure Properties for $31.1 million. GLPI is a REIT that typically only owns the property for casinos, leaving operations to actually casino operators.
Sports betting in MD is on its way after voters approved a yes/no referendum last month. It’s now up to the legislature to agree on a bill in order to get betting launched in 2021.
