Category: News

Instead, Minnesota’s session has been marred by the arrest of a state senator and mired in partisan politics. Although the house voted to convene on Monday (20 May) at 10am, the senate is adjourned for the session. In the final days, the DFL and Republicans called each other names, had shouting matches on the floor,and filibustered. Both chambers met in extended sessions – some going as late as 5am – beginning last week.

Over the weekend, an omnibus bill was created and included many key issues in an effort to get a vote on some issues. Sports betting is not believed to be in the bill, although lawmakers were unsure.

“Why don’t you go through it?” asked Minority Leader Mark Johnson during end-of-session media availability. “Why don’t you look?”

HHR machines were banned

Both parties live streamed post-session media availability.

Lawmakers did ban historic horse racing machines at the state’s race tracks Sunday morning. But the chance for a 39th legal US wagering market evaporated.

This year will be the first since the US Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018 during which no state legalised through a legislature.

Stakeholders enthusiastically pointed to Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota and Missouri as states that could pass legislation in 2024. None did. In Alabama, sports betting was stripped from a comprehensive wagering bill. Lawmakers did not pass the gutted version, which would have created a state lottery and allowed electronic games of chance at certain venues.

In Georgia, a bill passed the senate, but didn’t get out of the house. Legislators in the lower chamber never even debated a bill. In Missouri, the idea to tie legal wagering to video lottery terminals – which has failed repeatedly – persisted. That proposed marriage ultimately killed hope of legislative approval. Missouri’s sports teams are tired of the wait and will likely send the decision to the voters in November.

Minnesota lawmakers plagued by distractions

Minnesota State Representative Zack Stephenson once again carried sports betting in the house. Matt Klein was the champion in the senate. However long-standing issues remained a challenge.

Minnesota’s 11 tribal nations would have exclusivity for retail and digital wagering under Stephenson’s bill. But the state’s two race tracks are opposed and continued to push for a piece of the pie or a bigger payout than the $625,000 annually in Stephenson’s bill. By federal law, the tribes already have exclusivity to gambling and operator land-based casinos.

Stephenson was able to solve one issue that arose from a new law in Minnesota last year. The state’s charitable gaming groups make money from pull-tab machines. In the current setup, the state is the biggest winner in terms of pull-tab revenue. Allied Charities of Minnesota was looking to change the way the games are played to increase revenue.

The tribes balked, saying the change would make the pull-tabs too similar to slot machines. Stephenson brokered an agreement that would send $40m to charitable gaming. Because the bill didn’t pass, those groups won’t get the money this year.

Missouri initiative, DC bill last hopes

The road to the final day of the session also included multiple lawsuits between the tracks and tribes. In addition, the Minnesota Racing Commission decided to allow HHR machines at the tracks. In response, Stephenson moved a bill that would ban the machines. All of the distractions have taken time away from focusing on legal sports betting.

In the bigger picture, Missouri and Washington, DC are the only two US jurisdictions with hopes of opening up. Lawmakers in Mississippi tried to expand their market to include digital betting, but failed.

In DC, FanDuel in April took over the lottery’s GambetDC platform, giving bettors an improved option for wagering. But a DC Council bill could further open the market.

Both M&A deals were announced late last week. Greenlite did not disclose financial details of the No Limit agreement nor did Clairvest of the Wyoming Downs purchase.

Starting with Greenlite, the company expects its acquisition of No Limit (NLTH) to complete after a 30-45-day due diligence period. NLTH specialises in sports betting, primarily its “No Limit Betting Exchange”. 

NLTH also runs a daily fantasy sports platform and allows customers to use cryptocurrency, including its own NoLimitCoin offering.

Should the deal proceed as expected, NLTH founder Rafael Groswirt will become CEO of the merged entities. 

In addition, Greenlite and NLTH are working on synergies to support the enlarged business moving forward. This includes securing strategic media partnerships, podcast initiatives and celebrity collaborations

“The timing of this alliance couldn’t be better,” Greenlite chairman Russell Elbaum said. “With the launch of our new Sports Podcast Network led by Defo’s ‘Bury Your Bookie’ show, we’re primed to drive significant daily traffic to No Limit’s exchanges and platforms.”

Groswirt added: “Greenlite provides No Limit with the resources and platforms necessary to make our mark among the industry giants. The extensive sports and media connections of Greenlite’s top management and largest shareholders position us to partner and white-label with some of the biggest players in the game. 

“Together, we’re committed to seizing the myriad of opportunities that lie ahead.”

Clairvest and ECL close in on Wyoming Downs

Meanwhile, investment group Clairvest is partnering with ECL Entertainment to purchase Wyoming Downs, a live horse racing and off-track betting (OTB) operator. 

Wyoming Downs began live racing operations in the 1980s. The group expanded in 2013 to also begin running OTB. It now has 19 locations live across the state, offering over 1,100 gaming terminals.

ECL, meanwhile, is an owner-operator of historical horse racing (HHR) gaming assets across Kentucky. The Wyoming Downs purchase represents Clairvest’s second partnership with ECL in the HHR space.

“Wyoming Downs is a compelling entertainment option,” Clairvest president and managing director Michael Wagman said. “We believe it will simultaneously support the local community and equine industry positively.”

Marc Falcone and Ron Winchell, co-managing partners of ECL, added: “We look forward to building upon Wyoming Downs’ success to date and will continue enhancing the offering across the state over the next few years with the Clairvest team. 

“The horse racing and HHR gaming operations in Wyoming have great potential and we are excited to bring our collective horse racing and HHR experience to the Cowboy State.”

Agreed with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (Austrac), the proposal is now with the Federal Court of Australia. SkyCity and Austrac have put forward separate submissions for approval at a hearing on 7 June.

The penalty relates to a case that came to light in December 2022. At the time, Austrac said SkyCity Adelaide demonstrated a pattern of “serious and systemic non-compliance” with national AML and CTF laws.

While Austrac launched civil penalty proceedings in December 2022, the case actually dates back several years. An industry-wide compliance campaign began in September 2019, with SkyCity notified of alleged wrongdoing in June 2021.

Key issues include SkyCity failing to appropriately assess the money laundering and terrorism financing risks it faced. SkyCity also did not include risk-based systems and controls in AML and CTF programmes, nor did it establish a proper framework for board and senior staff oversight for these projects.

Other concerns include not creating an appropriate monitoring programme for transactions and identifying suspicious activity. Austrac also said SkyCity lacked an appropriate enhanced customer due diligence programme to carry out additional checks on higher risk customers.

In August last year, SkyCity said it had set aside $45.0m in anticipation of a civil penalty over the matter. However, the final amount agreed with Austrac is substantially more than this figure.

SkyCity executive chair apologises over failings

“We acknowledge that, as a casino operator, we play a key role in combatting money laundering and terrorism financing and safeguarding the community against these risks,” SkyCity executive chair Julian Cook said. 

“While we take this responsibility seriously, we accept we have failed to live up to the standard required of us and for this, on behalf of the SkyCity and SkyCity Adelaide boards and management teams, I apologise. 

“We know we need to do better to meet the expectations of our regulators, customers and our shareholders. This is a process that is already underway.”

Austrac CEO Brendan Thomas also commented on the matter. He said the action serves as an important reminder to casinos and the gaming sector to take their AML/CTF obligations seriously and be vigilant to money laundering and terrorism financing risks.

“Austrac took this action out of concern that SkyCity’s conduct meant that a range of high-risk practices, behaviours and customer relationships were allowed to continue unchecked for many years,” Thomas said.

SkyCity takes action over failings

In reaching the agreement, SkyCity notes how it has worked to address the failings at its Adelaide casino.

This includes appointing an independent expert to review SkyCity Adelaide’s AML/CTF programme and broader functions to identify areas for improvement. This took place in July 2021 and has led to changes at the venue.

On the back of this, SkyCity developed a comprehensive AML enhancement programme for the Adelaide casino. This, it says, takes into account failings listed in the initial case raised against the casino.

SkyCity Adelaide has also made numerous governance changes and expanded its financial crime and legal and compliance teams. Other changes include new investment in internal AML and CTF resourcing and capability, as well as strengthening its relationships with law enforcement agencies.

“Our enhancement activities remain ongoing,” Cook said. “We have further important work to do in New Zealand and Australia… which will take time to complete. 

“We remain committed to ensuring that we provide safe and responsible experiences and environments for our people and customers. SkyCity will continue to engage cooperatively and constructively with regulators.”

Wider concerns for SkyCity

As referenced by Cook, SkyCity also has work to do in terms of addressing similar issues in New Zealand. 

In February, it was confirmed SkyCity will face civil penalty proceedings in the country. New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs is filing proceedings in the high court against the operator and its SkyCity Casino Management (SCML) subsidiary.

This relates to SCML’s alleged non-compliance with the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 in New Zealand. If the claim is accepted, either in whole or partly, SCML could face a penalty of up to NZ$8.0m.

Draft pleadings set out five causes of action seen as “significant” compliance issues related to the Act. However, according to SkyCity, these mainly refer to historical matters, some of which were previously self-reported to the department.

Alongside this, SkyCity has made several changes to its senior management team. Just last month, SkyCity announced experienced gambling executive Jason Walbridge as its new CEO. 

Walbridge is set to begin his new role at SkyCity in July this year. He is replacing Michael Ahearne, who exited the business last month. SkyCity first announced Ahearne would be leaving in October of last year. 

Other recent changes include Julie Amey resigning from her position as chief financial officer. Amey will continue as CFO at SkyCity for a further six months, officially stepping down on 25 September.

In addition, SkyCity in March named Andrew McPherson as chief information officer on a full-time basis. He had been serving in the role on an interim basis since November. 

PointsBet’s normalised EBITDA loss for FY24 is now expected to be between AU$4m (£2.1m/€2.4m/US$2.6m) and $6m. Previously, the normalised EBITDA loss was estimated between $9m and $14m for the year. In FY23, the normalised EBITDA loss was $49m for continuing operations.

PointsBet attributed this to ongoing, improved year-to-date trading in the second half of the year. It also highlighted its improved operations and productivity.

Sam Swanell, managing director and CEO of PointsBet, said the positive outlook was particularly impressive due to the sale of PointsBet’s US business in August last year.

“Today’s guidance upgrade is a result of the company’s continued strong trading performance together with improved efficiency and productivity,” said Swanell.

“It is particularly notable to see that the company has been able to continue to deliver such impressive results, while simultaneously undertaking a complex technical and operational migration, separation and re-organisation, with the recent completion of the sale of the US business.”

Fanatics Betting and Gaming (FBG) ultimately acquired PointsBet US for $225.0m, successfully fending off proposals from DraftKings.

FBG initially agreed to acquire PointsBet US for $150.0m in June 2023 – however, DraftKings then submitted an offer worth $195.0m. PointsBet said that it would engage with DraftKings on the proposal, which it dubbed as “superior”.

Further growth

Swanell added that PointsBet is focusing on investing in its core technology offerings and products.

“We continue to invest for further growth, in particular in our core technology and product capabilities and our outsized marketing investment,” he continued. “This is driving our market share growth and setting the company up for further success in FY25 and beyond.”

The sale of PointsBet US has had an ongoing positive impact on PointsBet’s operations. It was lauded as a driver for success for PointsBet’s H1 results. Over H1, net loss was reduced by 79.6% to $36.4m. Statutory revenue for the first half of the year was $117.9m, an increase of 6.7% from H1 2023.

The first half of the year also represented the first EBITDA-positive half for PointsBet, hitting $900,000. This was a significant improvement from the $20.2m loss year-on-year.

Since the deal, FBG has slowly seized control in states PointsBet was already active in. This was completed with a launch in New Jersey earlier this month. The launch means that the Fanatics Sportsbook is now available to 95% of the US online market.

The sportsbook was already available in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

The Federal Court of Justice of Germany (BGH) was due to hear whether unregulated operators should have to refund player losses earlier this month. However, the hearing was cancelled because the defendant, an Austria-based sports betting operator, withdrew its appeal.

A decision last week at a regional court on player reimbursement lawsuits has mandated that all German civil courts will be obliged to suspend or submit, including the BGH. The proceeding was led by German law firm Hambach & Hambach.

As a result, online sports betting and online casinos problems relating to EU law will be heard by the ECJ. The European court will then make the final decision on such cases.

The BGH, meanwhile, has been criticised for what some have seen as hesitation to submit a referral to the ECJ. This is because it neither suspended nor submitted during a March ruling in a sports betting case. This risked further future legal confusion as an overarching EU law decision would remain absent until the regional courts’ involvement.

Reimbursement could set dangerous precedent

Hambach & Hambach partner Claus Hambach and senior associate Phillip Beumer believe a ruling to reimburse players could set a troubling precedent in Germany.

“Mass media reports have already picked up on the above note by the Federal Court of Justice,” Hambach & Hambach states. “According to representatives of the ‘player claim industry’, this might now result in a deluge of complaints and court cases.

“This could indeed be possible due to massive advertising and media reports. This reflects that financers seem to be ready to continue financing such claims now even for sports betting losses and not only casino losses.”

Hambach & Hambach is concerned that if players are refunded, it will only serve to further increase black market popularity.

“Germany’s massive black market will even grow further. If players are reimbursed for losses with unlicensed operators, this will only incentivise them to bet with unlicensed operators as the case law basically established betting without a risk of loss.”

Black market problems in Germany

A 2023 University of Leipzig study revealed nearly half of all online gambling in Germany occurs with offshore operators.

The channelisation rate in Germany was found to be just 50.7% in the online space. The study approximated that three-quarters of online revenue is accumulated by the black market. As a result, hundreds of millions in tax is missed out upon by the state.

In response, the German Online Casino Association (DOCV) and the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) both called on the German gambling regulator (GGL) to encourage players towards onshore operators by making them more attractive to bettors.

The licence for Entain was approved unanimously by the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) on 1 May. The licence was then issued on Thursday 16 May in a second hearing with presentations from Entain’s senior leadership.

This included company chairman, Barry Gibson, interim CEO Stella David and general counsel Simon Zinger.

Nevada is considered one of the US’ most lucrative states for operators. Gambling revenue for 2023 hit an all-time high of $15.52bn, surpassing the previous annual record by 4.6%.

Full licensing approval from Nevada Gaming Commission

Entain, which has a joint partnership with MGM Resorts under the BetMGM brand, previously operated under a two-year licence and, more recently, a three-year licence that expired this month.

Its temporary licences reflected concerns from the NGC in regards to its operations in unregulated markets. This, the NGC, believes is now in the past.

“The company has taken great strides not only to move past some of the historical issues, but to accept responsibility for them and find ways to learn and grow,” said Entain attorney Erica Okerberg.

Entain was first granted its two-year licence in 2019. This was while Entain was still GVC, under its previous leadership. BetMGM initially went live in Nevada in March 2020. Entain was then granted a three-year licence in 2021. The company is now registered with the NGC as a publicly traded corporation without limitation to operate.

During the hearing in May 2024, Entain highlighted its withdrawal from unregulated markets around the world. This totals 140 markets where it previously operated.

“That came at a big price. We lost $100 million in profit by pulling out, but you can’t judge profit against doing the right thing,” Gibson commented.

“My board colleagues supported the proposal. If we’re going to say we have to do the right thing, we have to do the right thing. That meant exiting profitable markets and we’ve done that.”

During its presentation to the NGC, Gibson highlighted that 95% of the group’s operating revenue now comes from regulated markets.

“This is a casebook study on how to put on governance and compliance and ethics issues,” Commissioner Brian Krolicki said during the hearing. “It’s really impressive. I know the opportunities lost are significant.”

Where does Entain operate in the US?

Entain currently operates in the US as BetMGM, a joint venture between Entain and MGM Resorts. The joint-venture began in July 2018. The company generated close to $2.00bn (£1.59bn/€1.86bn) in revenue in 2023. In total, BetMGM is now active in 28 states across the United States.

New launches in 2023 included Ohio, Massachusetts and Kentucky, all of which were online and retail, while it also rolled out online in Puerto Rico. 

Its Q1 2024 figures issued in April 2024, further highlighted its growth. Net gaming revenue in Q1 increased 2%, while the group also reported “strong” growth in customer acquisition, helped by successful Super Bowl and March Madness engagement. It also noted the impact of improving app and product capabilities.

Looking ahead, Entain that said an improved player experience means BetMGM is well positioned to invest for future growth.

In March, the Good Law Project submitted a complaint to the Charity Commission over how GambleAware spreads information. The Good Law Project accuses GambleAware trustees of not meeting the charity’s objectives to offer adequate gambling harm education.

The complaint asserted that GambleAware’s poor performance was down to its connections with the industry and its “reliance on industry funding”.

At the time, Osmond responded in a statement issued to iGB stressing GambleAware was “robustly independent” from the industry.

Now, Osmond has again defended GambleAware and is confident the complaint will not be upheld. It is understood that the Commission’s assessment of whether it needs to intervene is still ongoing.

Osmond said: “Our robust governance and commissioning practices ensure that the industry has no influence over our operations. GambleAware’s independence has been widely recognised by a range of stakeholders including the Government, as evidenced in the Gambling White Paper.

“The complaint lodged to the Charity Commission by the Good Law Project is based on misleading and outdated information. While we are confident that this complaint will not be upheld, we are deeply concerned that inaccurate headlines and misleading newspaper articles may have a damaging impact on our services and the people that rely on them.”

GambleAware concerned over effects of complaint on vulnerable players

While GambleAware has accused the Good Law Project of basing its complaint on inaccurate information, the charity is also apprehensive over the impacts of such claims on at-risk players who may need its services.

“The deeply stigmatised nature of gambling harms often makes it difficult for individuals to reach out for help,” Osmond continued. “Maintaining the credibility and reputation of essential support services is crucial to reaching people before their gambling issues become catastrophic.

“Undermining these services, and the dedicated workers and experts who operate them, risks not only those directly relying on them but also the many indirectly affected by a loved one’s gambling problems.”

GambleAware defends effectiveness of its treatment

GambleAware pointed to the annual National Gambling Support Network statistics to defend its work. The data showed that nine out of 10 vulnerable players who complete their treatment see an “improvement in their condition”.

For those who don’t see their condition improve, 69% of the time it is because they did not complete their treatment.

Additionally, GambleAware pointed to the reach of its website, which has 6.5 million visits a year, as well as its national stigma public health campaign, which reached over 95% of the population.

Svensson has been leading Raketech as acting CEO since Oskar Mühlbach stepped down as CEO in January.

A co-founder of Raketech, Svensson was previously CEO of the group before stepping aside in 2017. After this, he became chief commercial officer with responsibility for partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and business integrations.

“I am excited to return to the role of CEO at Raketech,” Svensson said. “I look forward to working with our talented team to build on our strong foundation and drive further innovation and growth. 

“Our focus will remain on delivering exceptional value to our customers, employees, and shareholders.”

Raketech chairman Ulrik Bengtsson also welcomed Svensson’s return as CEO. He said: “We are excited to officially name Johan as our permanent CEO. His deep connection and commitment to Raketech and proven leadership abilities make him the ideal choice to steer the company into its next phase of growth.”

Raketech misses Q1 targets

The appointment comes off the back of Raketech last week publishing its financial results for Q1. Figures show that despite a 20.1% rise in revenue to €19.0m (£16.3m/$20.6m), adjusted EBITDA and net profit fell.

Revenue from sub-affiliation, the part of the business that includes Raketech Network and AffiliationCloud, increased 149.8% to €9.0m. However, affiliation marketing revenue fell 18.5% to €8.8m and revenue from betting tips and subscription income dropped 14.9% to €1.2m.

Total sports betting revenue hit €3.5m, down 7.5% year-on-year and accounting for 18.4% of all Q1 revenue. However, this was more than offset by casino growth, with revenue up 28.8% to €15.5m, or 81.6% of total revenue.

However, revenue growth was more than offset by an increase in costs, with total operating expenses up 47.5% higher year-on-year at €17.7m. When also including finance-related costs and tax, bottom-line net profit dropped 93.8% to €174,000.

Adjusted EBITDA, meanwhile, fell 17.2% to €5.1m.

But ESPN Friday (17 May) linked former Angels infielder David Fletcher and ex-minor leaguer Cody Shultz to the Southern California illegal betting ring. Monday morning, ESPN reported that MLB is opening a betting investigation into Fletcher, now in the Atlanta Braves farm system.

Fletcher reportedly bet with Mathew Bowyer, the same illegal bookmaker Mizuhara used. Fletcher did not bet on baseball, according to ESPN.

His high school friend, Shultz, reportedly did, though, including on Angels games in which Fletcher played. According to ESPN, Schultz is the person identified as “Bookmaker 3” in the Mizuhara complaint.

Major League Baseball has not officially acknowledged an investigation. It previously declined to open one on Ohtani, after the federal government referred to Ohtani as a ‘victim’. The league previously said the federal government had more resources available, so it would wait to see what was uncovered.

MLB: Betting OK, just not on baseball

MLB rules allow players to bet on sports, just not baseball. Sports betting is illegal in California, which means if Fletcher or Schultz did bet with Bowyer, they broke the law. If Fletcher or Schultz bet on baseball, either would face a lifetime ban, per league rules.

MLB’s gambling policy requires a minimum one-year suspension for a player who “operates or works for” an illegal bookmaker. The penalty for betting with an illegal bookie is at the commissioner’s discretion.

Fletcher and Ohtani were teammates from 2018-23, and Fletcher told ESPN that he and Ohtani were “good friends”. During that span, the Angels did not have a winning season, and did not break .500. In 2021, Fletcher signed a $26 million five-extension, but the Angels then traded him to the Braves.

Mizuhara to change plea in June

Fletcher previously told ESPN that he was at the poker game where Mizuhara met Bowyer but denied introducing the two. Mizuhara plans to plead guilty for stealing nearly $17m from Ohtani to pay off gambling debts incurred with Bowyer.

He pled “not guilty” last week, but a change-of-plea hearing is set for 4 June. Mizuhara is charged with bank fraud and signing a fraudulent tax return. The maximum penalties for his crimes are 33 years in prison and $1.25m in fines.

The federal betting investigation stemming from the Nix gambling ring is wide reaching. Former Dodger Yaiel Puig and ex-Chicago Bull Scottie Pippen have been in ensnared. LeBron James’ manager also bet with the Nix ring.

Fletcher and Schultz grew up in Orange County, the same county Bowyer and Mizuhara live in. He played college baseball at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, and the Angels drafted him in the sixth round in 2015. He made his MLB debut 13 June 2018.

Fletcher played five games for the Braves this season, 16 April-25 April. He went 2-for-8 and was sent back to Triple A Gwinnet.

NY casino process: Let’s get a move on!

New York state Senator Joe Addabbo and Assemblyman Gary Pretlow dropped a bill that would speed up the current NY casino timeline. Regulators earlier this year said they would award licenses for three downstate casinos by 31 December 2025. The bill would require bids to be filed by 31 July and the New York State Gaming Commission to award licenses by 31 March 2025. The bill outlines 17 areas applicants must address from capital expenditure to proposed partnerships to workforce training, demographic plan, and “harmony.”

The New York Post reported that a shortened timeline could help out certain parties and hurt others. Addabbo’s district borders Aqueduct, which is the location for the Resorts World bid. Pretlow’s district is near the Yonkers race track.

On the flip side, Steve Cohen’s Citi Field NY casino proposal would benefit from a longer runway. That project needs legislative action to move forward. Any project would mean new jobs and a new revenue stream for the state.

“I’ve been trying to get the process moving,” Pretlow told the Post. “It’s taking too long. We’re leaving $2bn on the table.”

NCAA: 1 in 3 high-profile athletes harassed over betting

An NCAA report released Friday (17 May) revealed that one in three high-profile athletes received abusive messages from someone with a betting interest. Of 54,000 flagged “online abuse and threats,” 1% were betting related and directed at men’s and women’s basketball players. The NCAA contracted with Signify Group for the study during March Madness. The company examined 1,000 student-athletes, 280 coaches, 120 officials and 64 teams.

According to the study, in “sports with a high volume of betting,” 15-25% of abuse is betting related. In addition, women’s basketball players are three times more likely to be threatened than their male counterparts.

New in New Mexico

Caesars Sportsbook opened three locations in New Mexico for in-person betting, the company announced Monday (20 May). Bets are now being accepted at Route 66 Casino Hotel and Casino Xpress west of Albuquerque and Dancing Eagle Casino east of Grants. Caesars gained market access through Laguna Development, the commercial arm of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe.

New Mexico does not allow digital sports betting, and its tribes have exclusivity for gaming.

Virginia governor says no to games of skill

A bill that would have legalized games of skill was among 48 vetoed by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin Friday (17 May). The games, which are not regulated in the state, have been garnering attention in Pennsylvania and other states. Youngkin wrote that the state must “proceed with a robust set of safeguards.” He added that it was “regrettable” that the legislature did not adopt his suggestions, and that he’s open to continued discussion.

The American Gaming Association released a statement in favor of Youngkin’s veto. The move “will protect communities from illegal gambling machines and uphold not only the original ban passed by the General Assembly in 2020 but subsequent judicial determinations in Virginia’s courts,” CEO Bill Miller said.

In other news …

The Chicago Tribune made its final press run at the Freedom Center. The newspaper will move its print runs to a suburban location as construction of the Bally’s Casino Complex is set to begin.

Iowa’s Q Casino and Resort will debut its renovated casino floor beginning 24 May. Grand opening ceremonies will last through Memorial Day weekend, and will feature live music and giveaways.

Wisconsin’s Potawatomi Tribe is developing an on-site mobile app that should be ready for use in early 2025. The tribe opened its retail sportsbook earlier this month.