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Ohio fines BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings $150k for ad violations

Ohio fines BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings $150k for ad violations

The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) announced it is seeking a $150,000 (£126,000/€143,000) fine each from BetMGM, Caesars and DraftKings for advertising violations.

According to the regulator, the three operators, or their affiliates, all ran sports betting ads on multiple platforms that were in violation of both Ohio law and administrative rules relating to advertising and promotions.

“The sports gaming industry has received multiple reminders of the rules and standards for advertising and promotions, yet continues to disregard Ohio law,” said OCCC executive director Matthew Schuler. “These repeated violations leave the Commission no choice but to pursue administrative action to bring operators into compliance. The Commission takes responsible gambling seriously – and expects the industry to value the same.”

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Kentucky bill for online betting, poker and fantasy introduced

Kentucky bill for online betting, poker and fantasy introduced

A bill that would permit online sports, poker and paid fantasy competitions in Kentucky has been introduced in the State House in the current legislative session.

House Bill 106 was introduced on 5 January 2023 and sponsored by representatives Derrick Graham, Cherlynn Stevenson and Rachel Roberts.

If passed, the bill would add 26 amendments to the current law and enact 13 new sections related to online sports, poker and fantasy gambling.

The bill would enable sports betting to be provided by online operators as well as allowing racing tracks to partner with online brands.

A licensed track can only partner up with one online operator, which can provide systems for gambling both on track and online.

Tracks may also offer sportsbooks at two separate locations that it owns or leases within 60 miles of the racing grounds that are not attached to the land of the track.

Sports that would be allowed to be gambled on include the NFL, NBA, MLB, PGA, NASCAR, MLS, NCAA, NAIA and other nation..

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Fanatics confirms Amelco will power its sportsbook

Fanatics confirms Amelco will power its sportsbook

Sports apparel giant Fanatics will use Amelco’s source code to power its sports betting product, the business announced in a Massachusetts licensing meeting.

Fanatics had long made its intentions to enter the world of sports betting known. The business was part of an application for a licence in New York back in 2021, while last year it created a betting and gaming arm and made a number of major hires within this division.

The business has also applied for a number of licences. Besides Massachusetts, it also received a retail betting licence in Maryland and is approved in Ohio.

Amelco source code for Fanatics

However, the technology it intended to use had remained unknown. Reports claimed that Fanatics would use Amelco’s source code as far back as April 2022, but at the time the operator said that there was no deal in place with the supplier.

Later reports alleged that Fanatics would acquire German sportsbook operator Tipico and use its platform, but Fanatics opted not to comment ..

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ICE London partners Gambling Business Group for High Street Gaming Hub

ICE London partners Gambling Business Group for High Street Gaming Hub

Clarion Gaming has entered into a partnership with strategic body the Gambling Business Group to run a new show floor feature at this year’s edition of ICE London.

Dedicated exclusively to licensed street gaming, the GBG High Street Hub will feature both contributions and insight from leading brands including Novomatic UK, Entain, Buzz Bingo, Merkur UK and GameNation.

The new hub will be situated adjacent to the Pillar Hall Casino, a networking space and bar for the land-based industry, and allow visitors to explore the latest developments in the street gaming sector.

ICE London 2023 will take place from 7-9 February at the ExCeL London,

“ICE London 2023 will be the biggest edition on record and I am delighted that this will include a section of the show floor dedicated to the street gaming sector of the business,” Clarion Gaming managing director Stuart Hunter said.

“Our strategy and remit is to work in partnership with the industry that we serve and our collaboration with the Ga..

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Bill proposed in Connecticut to ban greyhound racing

Bill proposed in Connecticut to ban greyhound racing

A bill has been proposed in the Connecticut General Assembly that would ban both greyhound racing within the state, as well as stop operators simulcasting racing from out-of-state locations.

Proposed H.B. No. 5042 – put forward by two Republican and one Democratic legislators – currently has been referred to the committee of public safety and security.

The individuals who proposed the bill are Rep. Klarides-Ditria from the 105st district, Rep. D’Agostino from the 91st district and Sen. Somers from the 18th district.

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Tab NZ misses profit budget again in November

Tab NZ misses profit budget again in November

Tab NZ again fell short of its monthly profit budget in November despite surpassing its gross betting revenue (GBR) target for the month.

Tab NZ, New Zealand’s sports betting monopoly, said while major events such as football’s 2022 Fifa World Cup, horse racing’s Melbourne Cup and the NZ Trotting Cup helped it to surpass turnover and GBR levels, gross betting margin and profit missed budget.

Retail traffic continued to hold strong following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions and the overall field size across all three codes was up on the year-to-date average, other factors such as continued competitive pressure from unregulated offshore operators, reduced betting margin and lower average bet size in key customer segments impacted the figures.

Tab NZ had already warned in early December that due to it missing budgets a number of times in recent months, it would have to reduce distributions to racing codes across New Zealand by 9% for the 2022-23 financial year ending 31 July 2023.
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BGC highlights World Cup ad decline as Gambling Act review looms

BGC highlights World Cup ad decline as Gambling Act review looms

UK trade body the Betting and Gaming Council noted that the number of betting ads fell from 167 to 110 in the 2022 Fifa World Cup compared to the previous tournament, as the Gambling Act review approaches.

According to new data referred to by the BGC, there has been a 34% decline in the number of ads being shown on ITV from 2018 to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This year’s average comes out to 4.5 ads per live match, while 2018’s average is almost double that at 8.35.

The BGC notes that this reduction is due to the voluntary “whistle-to-whistle” ad ban that prohibits television betting ads from being shown from five minutes before the match begins to five minutes after it completes, before the 9pm watershed.

According to a report cited by the Betting and Gaming Council, this ban, introduced in 2019, “had led to a 97% reduction in the number of such ads being seen by children at that time”.

The BGC also highlighted the commitment to safer gambling practices within its members’ advert..

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Nevada gambling revenue slips to $1.22bn in November

Nevada gambling revenue slips to $1.22bn in November

The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) reported a 7.6% year-on-year decline in gambling revenue for November, though statewide revenue exceeded $1.00bn (£833.8m/€946.8m) for the 21st consecutive month.

Revenue for the month amounted to $1.22bn, which was down from $1.32bn in November of 2021 and also 4.7% lower than $1.28bn in October 2022.

Slots remained the primary source of revenue in Nevada, with revenue from the machines amounting to $871.1m, up 1.3% year-on-year. Multi-denomination slot machines generated for $460.8m in revenue, with penny slots at $300.6m.

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Delaware igaming slips to nine-month low in November

Delaware igaming slips to nine-month low in November

Online gambling revenue in Delaware fell to a nine-month low in November, while sports betting revenue also declined month-on-month.

Revenue from igaming in November amounted to $987,423, down 0.9% from $987,423 last year and 17.6% behind $1.2m in October. The monthly figure was also the lowest since the $843,247 generated in February this year.

Of this total, $803,671 came from video lottery games, with $149,443 generated by internet table games and the remaining $34,319 from poker rake and fees.

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2022 World Cup breaks betting records, thanks in part to US growth

2022 World Cup breaks betting records, thanks in part to US growth

Betting across the 2022 Fifa World Cup increased by 13% from 2018’s tournament according to OpenBet, while GeoComply noted the final was surpassed only by the Super Bowl in the US.

OpenBet said its performance among European players broke a record, with an engagement level increase of 22%. Canada, a joint host for the 2026 World Cup, recorded a 21% increase for the same metric, also setting a record.

Canada will share hosting duties with the US and Mexico, where the tournament will return to being played over the summer. The Qatar World Cup was organised for November and December due to inhospitable temperatures in June and July.

In North America, OpenBet said World Cup betting was more than double the size of the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments.

It also found that more 12 million bets were placed on the US team during the World Cup, garnering more than $100m (£82.3m/€94.1m) in stakes.

“Alongside a strong performance in Europe, the growth we have seen in North Ameri..

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