October 3, 2019 Fantasy Sports / Gambling / NFL / Sponsorships / Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

NFL Officially Partners With DraftKings for Daily Fantasy

On September 26, 2019, the NFL announced that it has selected DraftKings to be its first official daily fantasy partner. Notably, this partnership deal does not include sports betting.

In a joint statement, the companies stated that their partnership includes “exclusive sponsorship of the daily fantasy sports category with access to NFL branding and more.” NFL Chief Revenue Officer Renie Anderson said, “[d]aily fantasy football has been a tremendous vehicle for fans of all types to deepen their engagement with the NFL.” Over 11 …

September 27, 2019 Contract / Fraud / Gambling / Litigation / Sports Betting

$29.5 Million Sports Betting Scheme Unraveled by SEC

On August 30, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court of Nevada against John Thomas, 74, and Thomas Becker, 72. The SEC alleges Thomas and Becker ran a fraudulent $29.5 million sports betting investment scheme. The two men raised the funds from 600 investors across 40 states by “offering investors pooled investment contracts whereby [the investors] obtain the opportunity to share in the purported profits” from Thomas’ and Becker’s “proprietary sports betting system.”

Thomas and Becker communicated …

September 26, 2019 NFL / Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

NFL Partners with Australian Sports Bookmaker, Signals Future Cooperation in America

With the emergence of widespread sports betting in the USA, we’ve seen the vast majority of the major sports leagues – including the NBA, MLB, and NHL – join forces with sports books, allowing the bookmakers to use live statistics and official licensing on their platforms.

Notably absent from these deals, however, has been the NFL. While ESPNews recently rebranded to show live odds and statistics concurrently with its primary programming, nothing official from the NFL may be shown—the sport is listed as Professional Football, …

June 19, 2019 Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

Bills to Permit Sports Wagers at NYC Arenas Being Discussed

Legislation is on the New York Assembly floor that would allow betting at sporting venues like Madison Square Garden, Yankee Stadium, and The Barclays Center. Assembly Bill A06113 was amended on June 6, 2019 to allow a sports stadium or arena in a county without a horse track or casino to offer sports betting. The bill is sponsored by Gary Pretlow, the chairman of the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee.

The amendment would revise Bill S 17, which dealt with mobile sports gambling, …

June 17, 2019 Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

New York Gaming Commission Approves Rules for Licensing and Operating Sports Wagering Facilities

The New York Gaming Commission (Commission) unanimously approved rules for licensing and operating sports wagering facilities across upstate New York on Monday, June 11. This is a major step toward the allowance of sports betting in New York, which is now the fourteenth state to legalize some form of sports betting following the May 2018 Supreme Court ruling that struck a law federally banning sports betting in the United States.

Legal experts estimate that New York sports books will be fully operational by the beginning …

June 5, 2019 Gambling / Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

Status of Online Sports Betting in New York

New York’s legislature approved back in April 2019 the 2019-20 state budget of $175 billion. Notably, while provisions had been considered for inclusion into the budget regarding online sports betting, lawmakers ultimately nixed the issue from the final version of the budget.

Background

To date, the most obtrusive hurdle to overcome in the eyes of the legislators is the New York State Constitution. While Governor Andrew Cuomo has no opposition to limited, on-site sports betting at particular upstate casinos, he has consistently maintained that a …

May 22, 2019 Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

Caesars, ESPN Reach Media Partnership Deal

On May 14, 2019, ESPN announced a media content partnership with Caesars Entertainment. Similar to Caesars’ deal with Bleacher Report, its LINQ Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas will host a brand new ESPN-branded studio, where they will produce sports-betting-themed content and contribute to ESPN’s Daily Wager show.

In addition to the studio, Caesars will serve as ESPN’s official odds data supplier throughout its platform. Per ESPN’s Vice President of Business Development Mike Morrison, “[w]e are poised to expand our coverage in a big way …

February 26, 2019 Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

Drawing the Line: Disney CEO Bob Iger Distances ESPN from Sports Betting

Earlier this month, Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger dismissed any notion that ESPN has plans to fully engulf itself in the sports betting arena.

On Disney’s first-quarter earnings call, Iger was asked whether sports gambling is something that can co-exist within the typically family-friendly Disney Brand. In a somewhat unexpected response, Iger explained that “I don’t see The Walt Disney Company, certainly in the near term, getting involved in the business of gambling, in effect, by facilitating gambling in any way. I do think …

February 8, 2019 Gambling / Legislation / Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

NYS Gaming Commission Approves of Regulation which Permit Sports Betting at State Casinos

On February 4, 2019, the New York State Gaming Commission approved a proposed set of regulations, which would allow four New York State casinos to operate, and permit, in-person sports betting. According to one a member of the New York State Gaming Commission, “[t]he proposed regulations seek to protect the integrity of wagering and ensure the sports wagering remains within the scope of activity the legislature authorize.”

Aside from the typical standards for operating sports betting, the proposed regulations layout a framework for how …

January 29, 2019 Gambling / Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

Washington D.C. Mayor Signs Sports Betting Legislation

On Wednesday, January 23, Washington D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser signed the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act, bringing the nation’s capital one step closer to becoming the next American jurisdiction to legalize sports betting.

Back in December, the D.C. Council voted 11-2 to legalize sports betting within the city’s stadiums, private businesses, and on a mobile app. Uniquely, this authorization made D.C. the first American jurisdiction without casinos to authorize sports books.

With Major Bowser’s signature, the bill now enters a 60-day review period by the …