Weekly News – 07/09/2021

Joseph Beguiristain Sports Betting Expert

6 minute read

THIS WEEK IN SPORTS BETTING

July 9th, 2021 Weekly Report

This week in legal sports betting news, New Jersey voters indicate that they probably won’t support betting on in-state college events or teams, a local city council in Massachusetts throws their support behind sports betting, Arizona’s draft rules for betting are good news for bettors (but complicated for everyone else), and North Carolina betting bills are getting attention.

If you want to find out more on some major topics not covered in this article you can check out the rest of VegasInsider with our exclusive BetMGM bonus code, FanDuel promo code or DraftKings promo code for example!

CONTENTS

• New Jersey Voters Not Likely to Support College Bets
• Everett, MA City Council Says “Yes” to Sports Betting
• Questions About Arizona Draft Rules and Definitions
• North Carolina Betting Gets Their Day in Court

NEW JERSEY VOTERS NOT LIKELY TO SUPPORT COLLEGE BETS

In a new poll taken by Fairleigh Dickinson University, only 25% of respondents said that they’d vote “Yes” to remove a ban on wagering on in-state colleges or events. 49% of respondents outright opposed the question, indicating there is not only a lack of support for the change, but in fact many are against the idea.

In November 2021, a ballot question will ask voters whether or not they would support an amendment to the ban on in-state college sports bets. As it stands, New Jersey bettors are unable to place bets on events taking place in the state or bets on NJ-based teams (so that means no wagers on Seton Hall or Rider). That means lawmakers aiming to rein in revenues going to Pennsylvania and elsewhere by legalizing these bets will have a lot of convincing to do in the coming months.

The NJ legislature has until August 24th to decide whether or not to add this ballot question to the November ballot. Currently, the question regarding in-state college bets is the only ballot question slated for a vote, so there’s always the outside chance that lawmakers will simply give up the fight and try again next year.

EVERETT, MA CITY COUNCIL SAYS “YES” TO SPORTS BETTING

Encore Boston Harbor, a casino hotel overlooking the Massachusetts Bay, is located in Everett, a suburb of the capitol city. Everett’s city council recently issued a vote on whether or not sports betting should be allowed at the venue, to which all council members responded “yes” in a unanimous vote.

There are nineteen sports betting bills on the table in the Bay State, with industry giants making appearances at numerous public hearings to advocate for a safe, competitive online and in-person betting market. DraftKings is headquartered in Boston, and CEO Jason Robins appeared at a hearing before the Joint Economic and Emerging Technologies Committee in tandem with VPs of FanDuel and BetMGM.

Even Republican Governor Charlie Baker is behind the idea, but it’s up to lawmakers and the Massachusetts public to make the final call. At least one city council with a betting venue is strongly in support of regulated, legal betting, and it’s expected that sports betting in MA will have no trouble hitting the ground and running. That is, once lawmakers figure out the finer details. Any way you look at it, MA sports betting is likely to become a reality. The legislative session lasts all year in the state, so lawmakers have ample time to choose and finalize an appropriate bill for signature (after summer recess).

EXPERTS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ARIZONA DRAFT RULES AND DEFINITIONS

Arizona ended public comment periods regarding the Department of Gaming’s draft on sports betting rules on the 7th, and details have been released. There are numerous concerned parties vying for their place in the desert sun, as AZ proposes some of the lowest mobile betting tax rates in the country. There’s money to be made, and naturally, industry giants and other concerned parties wanted an opportunity to have their say.

There were numerous aspects of the sports betting law in AZ that were questioned by professionals. For example, Andrew Dias of the Arizona Coyotes asked the ADG (AZ Department of Gaming) if there could be two “skins” (also known as platforms or brands, like BetMGM) for a given operator. The ADG’s response was that it was “potentially” something an operator could do, effectively doubling the number of available platforms in the state.

This came as a surprise to regulators, whom will effectively have double the work to do, as clarifications indicate that there might be twice as many operators to regulate. However, twice as many platforms means twice as much revenue, which is good news for the state. Arizona hasn’t had any kind of sports betting or DFS, but now that both are to be available by this fall, the workload only increases.

All of this is great news for the Arizona bettor, however, because they’ll have access to one of the most competitive markets in the country. Also, since Arizona hasn’t had the same exposure to sports betting or DFS as other states, there’s an open playing field, with many industry big names having the same recognition in AZ as the smaller platforms.

Additionally, more competition with less name recognition means that every operator will lean heavily on welcome promotions, competitive offers, and boosts, giving players more bang for their buck. It’s an exciting time in the Grand Canyon State, and it might be a good idea to take a trip to the picturesque American Southwest for the start of NFL season.

NORTH CAROLINA BETTING BILLS GET THEIR DAY IN COURT

Legislators took their July 4th break in North Carolina this week, but not before indicating that sports betting would get consideration this session. Senate President Phil Berger (R) said in no certain terms that a sports betting bill is “one of those things that, as we’re trying to plan for the next couple of weeks, it’s one of the things that’s in the mix”.

Senate Bill 688 is the bill that would legalize and regulate sports betting outside of two Cherokee casinos in the Tar Heel State, and its companion in the House is Bill 631. Both bills have provisions for mobile betting, setting license fees, and a low tax rate of 8%.

A typically conservative state with a strong background in historic horse racing, passing sports betting in North Carolina will not be without its difficulties. The proposed package would allow for 12 mobile licenses, but we’re still waiting to hear major comment from lawmakers and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who only recently just got the green light to offer sports betting at their two casino locations. When lawmakers come back from their break, it’s hopeful that SB 688 and/or HB 631 will get some movement happening in NC’s proposed sports betting package.

Written by Chris Altman, our US Sports Betting Industry Expert.

Chris Altman is a traveling writer and content expert with almost a decade of experience. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, tinkering, and occasionally writes short stories about dogs and space. On a good day, you’ll find him slung over a laptop keyboard in whatever establishment has the best chicken wings.

Joseph Beguiristain

Joseph Beguiristain is a South Florida native with 10-plus years of sports media experience. Before joining VegasInsider in July 2021, he wrote for the Sun-Sentinel and Miami Heat. More from Joseph Beguiristain