The highest court in the land will convene on the 13th of June to discuss the legal battle between West Flagler Associates (WFA) and Deb Haaland. This legal dispute could significantly alter the landscape of sports wagering in the Sunshine State. WFA petitioned the court to review their case earlier this year. The core of the dispute centers on whether the Interior Secretary Haaland should endorse an agreement struck between Florida and the Seminole Tribe in 2021.
This agreement grants the Seminole Tribe the authority to offer gambling activities in physical locations and online throughout Florida. Under the terms of this accord, wagers placed anywhere within Florida, provided they are processed by the tribe’s computing systems, are deemed to have been made on tribal territory. This arrangement is unprecedented in any other part of the nation. WFA contends that this agreement violates the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which governs gambling on tribal lands.
The Supreme Court’s online platform indicates that the verdict will be unveiled at 9:30 AM Eastern Standard Time on the 17th of June.
Sports betting in physical locations remains prohibited in the state of Maine.
The Maine Gaming Oversight Agency (MGOA) declared that overall wagers reached $239 million (£188 million/€221 million) in the initial six months of authorized digital gambling operations. DraftKings secured the largest portion at $197 million, while Caesars Sportsbook garnered $42 million. The state collected $2.5 million in levies from these wagers.
Sports wagering officially commenced in November 2023, and under the new legislation, the state’s four indigenous groups are also permitted to operate in-person betting. However, no physical sportsbooks have opened as of yet. According to the Maine News Center, Senator Joe Baldacci stated that the law might require modification for this to occur. Baldacci, who represents the district encompassing Hollywood Casino, criticized the MGOA. The new law excluded existing retail casinos from the sports betting industry.
“There’s no parallel, there’s no other place where you can find this kind of impasse,” Baldacci remarked. “Some individuals believe it’s deliberate.”
Don’t anticipate North Carolina to legalize additional forms of gambling in the near future.
House Speaker Tim Moore informed CBS 17 that gambling discussions in North Carolina might be stalled this year. The reason? Disagreement from the previous year’s session. “I believe the discourse about casinos last year cast a shadow over the discourse about updating the lottery, including VLTs and similar matters,” he stated.
In 2023, Republicans accused Democrats of negotiating in secrecy, excluding Republicans and the public from the talks. This could result in a deadlock in current discussions about legalizing video lottery terminals. These machines could generate $1 billion in income for the state.
A proposition put forth in 2023 proposed using income from video lottery terminals (VLTs) to cover the cost of loan forgiveness for community college pupils. The state’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) would also benefit from this revenue stream.
PlayPennsylvania reports that Betr has been granted permission to enter the Pennsylvania market. The business intends to offer digital sports betting in the state in collaboration with Cordish and launch its online casino product.
The platform has been launched in Ohio and Virginia, and the company has been granted licenses to operate in Colorado, Indiana, and Kentucky. Betr intends to roll out its V1 update platform in all four new states, as well as Ohio and Virginia. Betr is also in the process of applying for a sports betting license in Maryland.
Other news…
TheScore Bet and the Canadian Golf Association announced a multi-year partnership extension on Wednesday, May 29th.
TheScore Wager is making its way into Canadian golf tournaments, including the RBC Canadian Open and the CPKC Women’s Open. They’ve already crafted unique viewing experiences such as the TheScore Wager Sky Seats.
The SEC is contemplating adding injury reports for football matches, but they don’t appear too keen on discussing the NCAA’s desire for states to prohibit wagering on college athletes. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey stated on Monday that they’re still determining how to handle all these betting matters.
Alberta has enacted legislation that will allow commercial operators to obtain licenses. According to Gambling Business Canada, the province’s government terminated the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC)’s monopoly on wagering on May 24th. The AGLC presently offers betting through its PlayAlberta platform, but the province is planning to establish a competitive marketplace.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that permits have been issued to dismantle the Fantasy Island volcano. On May 20th, contractors obtained dust control permits, which were necessary for the demolition. The hotel and casino will remain open until July 17th, when Hard Rock will close it for renovations.
Multiple news sources report that the Professional League Network has secured $2.2 million in funding. Investors include Roger Ehrenberg, betting investor Chris Grove, and former NBA star Kevin Garnett. The Professional League Network is a new venture that provides wagering on unusual sports, such as paddle fighting.
International Game Technology (IGT) declared on Tuesday that they have extended their collaboration with the Rhode Island Lottery for an additional three years. The agreement will be in effect until December 1, 2029. IGT will continue to provide mobile applications, self-service terminals, and other resources to assist the lottery in operating efficiently.
Here’s some additional news from the realm of gaming:
* The impact of Caitlin Clark extends beyond the sport of basketball.
* Missouri’s sports wagering proposal would likely be rejected if it were put to a vote today.
* GiG has introduced a new social lottery platform in the United States.
* Illinois legislators have sent a progressive tax bill to the governor.
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