Tag Archives: Legal

Plotting out the priorities for US sports betting in 2023

Plotting out the priorities for US sports betting in 2023

The year 2022 was full of highs and lows for the US sports betting market. Eric Frank, CEO and co-founder of Odds On Compliance, examines how the US sports betting market is set to play out over 2023.

Reflecting on the last year, 2022 was another year of growth at breakneck speed in the US sports betting market – particularly from a regulatory perspective.

As of December 2022, sports betting had either been fully legalised, or had approved legislation, in 36 states plus Washington DC, with Ohio kicking off 1 January 2023 with a roar. In fact, opening weekend numbers in Ohio shattered previous records held by New York and Pennsylvania, with 11.3 million geolocation transactions and 783,900 unique accounts created.

Measuring the opportunity

With that growth, we have seen an influx of companies entering the betting space – not just operators but also folks like new platform providers, unique B2B product and service providers and marketing affiliates.

eric frank, ceo and co-founder, o..

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Jake Paul’s Betr launches real money offering in Ohio

Jake Paul’s Betr launches real money offering in Ohio

Influencer Jake Paul’s microbetting start-up Betr will now begin accepting real-money deposits and withdrawals in Ohio, after a “soft launch” on 1 January.

In August 2022, Paul – alongside SimpleBet founder and CEO Joey Levy – launched Betr, a microbetting offering, designed at allowing players to place bets on fast-resolving markets. Paul is president of Betr, while Levy acts as CEO.

This was followed by the September launch of Betr’s mobile app, which nationwide launched on a free-to-play basis ahead of a real money offering.

The application has a reworked interface that simplifies betting UI by presenting the bet as a multiple choice question, as well as displaying odds as payout multiples.

betr allows users to place same game parlays on sports games

Betr entered Ohio through a 10-year market access agreement with Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company.

State-by-state expansion

Levy said he was “thrilled” to be launching Betr’s real-money betting business in Ohio. “Thi..

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Virginia bill introduced capping tax deductions for bonuses

Virginia bill introduced capping tax deductions for bonuses

A bill has been introduced in the Virginia Senate limiting tax deductions for bonuses and promotions.

Senate Bill 1142 – introduced by Democratic state senator Jeremy McPike – would amend the existing code of Virginia definition of adjusted gross revenue. Under current law, “adjusted gross revenue” means gross revenue minus four specified deductions.

The proposed amendment would change the first deduction which allows for allows for operators to deduct all bonuses and promotions from gross revenue. It would seek to impose a cap on the amount that can be claimed beginning at 2.5% of the total wagered by the player in 2023-24, lowering to 1.75% by 2026.

This would have the effect of potentially raising the tax burden on sports betting operators in Virginia, since it is adjusted gross revenue, not gross revenue which is subject to the state’s 15% gaming tax.

Read the full story on iGB North America

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Gaming bill filed as Texas gears up for 2023 legislative session

Gaming bill filed as Texas gears up for 2023 legislative session

The Texas legislature will consider a bill that would amend the state’s constitution to legalize casinos at a limited number of locations and set the stage to permit sports betting.

The proposed law – Senate Joint Resolution 17 – would devise the framework for a new body named the Texas Gaming Commission, which would supervise legalized gambling in Texas.

Casino gambling would be authorized at a “limited number of destination resorts and facilities” with the proceeds going towards tax relief and funding for education and public safety.

The amendment’s author is Houston-based state senator Carol Alvarado, a Democrat who initially pre-filed the bill on 14 November 2022.

[Read full story on iGB North America]

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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.”

Read the full story on iGB North America

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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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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.

[Read full story on iGB North America]

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ITIA bans two French tennis players for life over match-fixing

ITIA bans two French tennis players for life over match-fixing

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has issued life bans to French tennis players Jules Okala and Mick Lescure following investigations into multiple incidents of match-fixing dating back to 2014.

Okala, whose highest ATP ranking was 338, was found guilty of seven match fixing charges, while Lescure, who had an ATP ranking high of 487, was found guilty of eight charges.

The ITIA also said the players have both been part of wider law enforcement investigations in France and Belgium.

The sanctions mean both players are permanently prohibited from playing in or attending any tennis event sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis. Okala was also issued with a $15,000 (£12,220/€14,214) fine and Lescure was fined $40,000.

In the case of Okala, the player was found guilty of several breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP), including three counts of section D.2.a.i of the 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018 TACPs. These sections related to the requirement for a playe..

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Kahnawake council launches legal challenge against Ontario igaming laws

Kahnawake council launches legal challenge against Ontario igaming laws

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawàke (MCK) has launched a constitutional challenge against iGaming Ontario and the attorney-general of Ontario, arguing that the province’s regulation of gambling is unconstitutional.

The Council – which runs its own gambling licensing regime – said that the Ontario regime did not meet the requirements for gambling outlined in Canada’s constitution.

As a result, it has filed a motion in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to challenge the legality of Ontario’s igaming framework, which it said was “illegal and unconstitutional”.

Ontario igaming legal status

Commercial betting and gaming are legal in Canada only if it is “conducted and managed” by a provincial government. While in most provinces that offer online gambling, the government runs a monopoly, Ontario instead launched a licensed regime this year, with more than 30 different licensed operators so far.

While a specific definition of conducting and managing is not provided, the Mohawk Council of ..

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KSA to investigate illegal affiliate sites targeting self-excluded players

KSA to investigate illegal affiliate sites targeting self-excluded players

The Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) has announced that it has initiated an investigation into affiliate marketing sites that target vulnerable consumers.

The KSA said that its attention had been drawn to a number of affiliate sites that had been created with the seeming intent of circumventing regulated offerings and directing consumers to gambling sites that do not abide by Dutch gaming law.

The KSA provided examples of such sites with domain names including phrases such as casinozondercruks (“casino without cruks,”) and casinozondervergunning (“casino without licence”). The Centraal Register Uitsluiting Kansspelen (Cruks) is the Dutch self-exclusion platform that allows players who have experienced harm from games of chance the opportunity to put themselves on a blacklist preventing them from accessing certain sites for a pre-designed time period set by the user.

The KSA has cracked down on affiliates before, taking action against 15 sites in December 2021.

Cruks integration

Und..

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