## Current Affairs: Florida Court Case, Betr Gains Pennsylvania Market Access
Welcome to iGB’s Current Affairs, where we summarize the most significant developments in North American sports wagering this week and briefly discuss other news we found intriguing.
**Current Affairs: Summary of this Week’s Events in North America**
**High Court Schedules Date for Florida Gambling Case**
The US High Court will convene on June 13th to deliberate on the case of West Flagler Associates (WFA) LLC v. Deb Haaland. This legal battle could alter the trajectory of legal sports betting in Florida. WFA submitted a certiorari petition earlier this year. The case revolves around whether US Secretary of the Interior Haaland should approve a 2021 agreement between Florida and the Seminole Tribe.
The agreement permits the Seminole Tribe to offer both physical and digital gambling throughout Florida. Under the terms of the agreement, any wager placed in Florida, as long as it is processed through the tribe’s servers, is deemed to have been placed on tribal land. This arrangement is not employed anywhere else in the US. WFA contends that the agreement violates the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which governs gambling on tribal territories.
According to the High Court website, the outcomes of the meeting will be announced on June 17th at 9:30 AM EST.
**Maine Retail Betting Remains Non-Existent**
Maines gaming overseers, the MGCU, have disclosed that authorized online wagering produced a total of $239 million (188 million pounds/221 million euros) in the initial six months. DraftKings secured the most significant portion, at $197 million, while Caesar’s Sportsbook came in at $42 million. The state collected $2.5 million in levies from these gambling activities.
Sports betting officially commenced in Maine in November 2023. Under the new legislation, the state’s four indigenous groups were also granted permits for in-person betting. However, no physical sportsbooks have opened yet. According to the Maine News Center, Senator Joe Baldacci stated that the law might require modification for physical sportsbooks to open. Baldacci, who represents the area encompassing Hollywood Casino, has criticized the MGCU’s actions. Existing retail casinos were excluded from sports betting under the new legislation.
“There’s no comparison, there’s no other location where you encounter this kind of standstill,” Baldacci remarked. “Some individuals believe it might be deliberate.”
North Carolina is improbable to legalize additional forms of gambling in the near future.
House Speaker Tim Moore informed CBS 17 that discussions concerning gambling in North Carolina will likely be delayed this year due to disagreements from last year’s session. “I believe that the discourse about casinos last year cast a shadow over the discourse about modernizing the lottery, including video lottery terminals and similar items,” he stated.
In 2023, Republicans accused Democrats of holding clandestine discussions, excluding Republicans and the public. This could result in a deadlock on current discussions regarding the legalization of video lottery terminals. These machines have the potential to generate $1 billion in revenue for the state.
A 2023 proposition suggests using income from video lottery machines to cover loan forgiveness for community college enrollees. This income would also be allocated to the state’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Betr has been granted permission to operate in Pennsylvania. PlayPennsylvania reported that the micro-betting platform has been given access to the Pennsylvania market. The company is working with Cordish Companies. Betr plans to offer digital sports wagering in the state and launch its online gambling product.
The platform has gone live in Ohio and Virginia, but it has also secured market entry in Colorado, Indiana, and Kentucky. The company intends to launch its V1 updated platform in all four new states, as well as Ohio and Virginia. Betr is also in the process of applying for sports betting authorization in Maryland.
A twister struck Will Rogers Downs, the Cherokee Casino in Oklahoma, killing one equine and injuring others, as well as causing damage to the casino. According to Tulsa’s News Channel 8, the tornado struck the casino, killing one horse and injuring others, as well as causing damage to the casino. The casino lost power and water, and there was some damage to the exterior. There were 200 horses stabled on the track, and 10 out of 14 were “seriously” injured.
Furthermore, the property has an RV park that also sustained damage, but “no serious injuries” were reported. Campers were displaced and their belongings scattered, but the park was evacuated before the tornado hit.
Other news…
TheScore Bet and the Canadian Golf Association announced a multi-year partnership extension on Wednesday (May 29).
TheScore Wager is set to be a major player in Canadian golf tournaments, including the RBC Canadian Open and the CPKC Women’s Open. They’ve already implemented innovative features like TheScore Wager Sky Seats.
The SEC is contemplating the implementation of injury reports for football matches, but they appear to be unconcerned with the NCAA’s stance on state-level prohibitions on wagers involving collegiate athletes. The SEC commissioner, Greg Sankey, stated that they are still deliberating on how to address these gambling-related matters.
Alberta is streamlining the licensing process for businesses seeking to operate gambling ventures. A publication known as Canadian Gaming Business reports that the government has ceased the AGLC’s monopoly on gambling activities. The AGLC operates a website called PlayAlberta, but the province is now aiming to foster competition among numerous companies.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that they have granted permission for the demolition of the Mirage volcano. On May 20th, demolition crews obtained permits to mitigate dust dispersal. The hotel and casino will remain operational until July 17th, when Hard Rock will shut it down for renovations.
Numerous news outlets are reporting that the Professional League Network has secured $2.2 million in funding from investors. Notable investors include Roger Ehrenberg, Chris Grove (a gambling investor), and Kevin Garnett, a former NBA basketball player. The Professional League Network is a nascent company that facilitates wagering on unconventional sports, such as slap fighting.
A top-tier gaming technology firm, IGT, declared on Tuesday, the 28th of May, that they have prolonged their collaboration with the Rhode Island Lottery for an additional three years. This extension will keep them working in tandem until the 1st of December, 2029. IGT will continue to furnish mobile applications, self-service terminals, and other instruments to aid the lottery in its smooth operation.
Here’s some additional news from the realm of iGaming:
* The widespread popularity of Caitlin Clark, a standout basketball player, is propelling interest in sports wagering beyond the confines of the game itself.
* A recent survey suggests that Missouri’s proposed legal sports betting would not be successful if an election were held at this juncture.
* GiG, a company specializing in online gaming, has introduced a novel social sweepstakes platform in the United States.
* The Illinois legislative body has forwarded a bill to the governor that would establish a progressive tax structure, with those earning higher incomes contributing a larger share.
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