Final tally: Slim win in Missouri
Missouri voters passed a legal sports betting initiative 5 November, but the vote count wasn’t official until yesterday (5 December). And it turns out that the proposal won by the slimmest of margins — .05%, according to the Missouri secretary of state’s (SOS) office. The SOS certified the results, which show that Amendment 2 won by 2,961 votes. A total of 2,954,343 ballots were cast on the initiative question.
The initiative was the richest in Missouri history, with proponents and opponents spending a combined $57 million. DraftKings and FanDuel were the biggest proponents, though Missouri’s professional sports teams took the lead on the getting the initiative on the ballot.
Kansans have gone all-in on sports betting. But soon, Missouri residents will be able to roll the dice, too. https://t.co/rrWsZrvLLP
— WIBW (@wibw) December 6, 2024
From here, the Missouri Gaming Commission must promulgate rules and issue licences. The new law requires that the state launch legal betting by 1 December 2025. Missouri professional sports venues and casinos can apply for retail and digital licences. There will also be two stand-alone mobile licences available.
Missouri is the only state in the US that legalised sports betting 2024.
MGC fines FanDuel $10,000
After allowing three bets for a total of $11 on the Boston College (BC) men’s basketball team in March, FanDuel yesterday (5 December) was fined $10,000 (£7,843.44/€9,456.50) by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Betting on local college sports teams is prohibited in the state, unless the teams are in a tournament of more than four teams. The BC men’s basketball team ultimately made the NIT post-season tournament, but the bets were placed prior to the announcement that it was in.
FanDuel isn’t the first operator to be fined for violating the Bay State’s unique college betting rule. In 2023, BetMGM, Penn and Wynn all erroneously took bets on Massachusetts college sports teams and were ultimately fined between $10,000-$20,000.
Robinhood getting into sports betting
During its inaugural investor day on 4 December, Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev shook up the sports betting world when he told attendees, “We’re keenly looking into that space.” On Wall Street, the comments had an immediate effect, as shares of DraftKings, Flutter and Penn Entertainment were down for the day.
This is a disaster in the making. I have way more in my Robinhood than I do my sports betting account. Imagine a regular guy waking up one morning a deciding to bet $10,000 on the Lions. https://t.co/4n3oBAG549
— Nick Walker (@nw3) December 5, 2024
According to CNBC, Tenev suggested that his company may be interested in entering the gambling landscape with a product similar to Kalshi or Polymarket. Both of those companies offered betting on the latest presidential election. Those companies do not offer traditional sports betting, but rather, customers buy and sell contracts from each other.
“Nothing to announce just yet, but it’s so important to our customers and in culture that we’re excited about it,” Tenev said.
Robinhood stock rose 3.5% 4 December.
Mathew Bowyer sentencing postponed
According to the docket for the US District Court for the Central District of California, sentencing for accused illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer has been postponed from 7 February to 4 April 2025. Bowyer in August pled guilty to three federal charges, including running an illegal sportsbook and money laundering. Bowyer faces up to 18 years in prison. At the height of his business, Bowyer had more than 700 customers, none more infamous than former Shohei Ohtani Japanese-language interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.
Mizuhara lost of tens of millions of dollars gambling with Bowyer, and stole $17 million (£13.3 million/€16.1 million) from Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star pitcher and slugger. Mizuhara, who pled guilty to bank fraud and subscribing to a fraudulent tax return in June, is set to be sentenced 20 December. He faces up to 33 years in prison.
‘Redskins’ logo revival?
A Washington, D.C-area newspaper 30 November reported that the senate energy and natural resources committee approved legislation that would fund a renovation of RFK Stadium – the NFL team’s former home – and would also allow for discussions around reviving the old Redskins logo. The team, now the Washington Commanders, abandoned the Redskins name and logo in 2020.
According to the story, Commanders owner Josh Harris said the team doesn’t want the name back. But lawmakers say they are interested in bringing the logo back for other purposes.
“We’ve had good discussions with the NFL and with the Commanders,” Montana senator Steve Daines said. “There’s good faith negotiations going forward that’s going to allow this logo to be used again; perhaps revenues going to a foundation that could help Native Americans in sport and so forth. We’re making good progress, and based on the good-faith negotiations, I made the decision support this bill.”
Bovada now out of Arizona after cease-and-desist
Arizona became the latest state for offshore operator Bovada to exit after the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADoG) 8 November issued a cease-and-desist letter to parent company Harp Media BV. The regulator announced 3 December via press release that it sent the letter.
The Bovada website now lists Arizona on its “restricted” US states lists, which includes 16 other US jurisdictions. The letter is one in a string that regulators across the U.S. have sent to the company this year.
According to ADoG, Harp Media is violating three laws by operating in the state. The regulator referred to Bovada as a “felony criminal enterprise.”
AGA says ‘Keep Your Cool’ is newest RG tenet
The American Gaming Association (AGA) 5 December released an update to its “Have a Game Plan” public service campaign. “Keep Your Cool” becomes the fifth pillar of the group’s responsible gambling campaign, it said via release. The newest pillar is in response to athlete harassment, and guides bettors that harassment is not acceptable.
According to the press release, “Keep Your Cool” also means to “respect the game” and “stay focused on having fun.” The existing four pillars, put into place when the AGA rolled out “Have a Game Plan” in 2019 are:
Set a budget
Keep it social
Know the odds
Play legally
What’s behind the AGCO, IGO split?
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario (iGO) are set to become separate agencies in 2025. Steve McAllister of Gaming News Canada explained why. McAllister said that after reaching out to Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General, he learned that there is some concern about a conflict of interest with both iGO and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation reporting to the same agency (AGCO) as iGO, which represents commercial sports betting and online gaming operators.
The attorney general’s office shared with McAllister that the move will “strengthen iGO’s governance and accountability structure and contribute to the continued success of Ontario’s thriving igaming market by positioning the agency as a competitive employer and addressing a conflict-of-interest concern raised by the auditor general.”
McAllister went on to posit that the move could make iGO more nimble and implement change more quickly.
Fight is on over Bay Area tribal casino
The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria 27 November filed a lawsuit saying that a proposed tribal casino in Sonoma County would “irreparably harm” its sovereign rights, according to SF Gate. The tribe also claims that a casino proposed by the Koi Nation could disturb “sacred objects” from Graton Rancheria’s past on the construction site.
At issue is a proposed off-reservation casino that would encroach on Graton Rancheria’s current customer base. The Graton Resort and Casino is located south of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County. The Koi Nation is proposing the Shiloh Casino and Resort in Windsor, north of Santa Rosa. The two locations are about 15 miles apart. In its lawsuit Graton Rancheria argues that the Koi Nation has no ancestral claim to the land. Graton Rancheria is suing the US Department of the Interior, which it claims did not do its due diligence before approving the Koi Nation’s request.
The Koi Nation paid $12 million for a 68-acre parcel. But Graton Rancheria alleges that the tribe has no claim to the land as an “aboriginal homeland.” The Koi Nation’s reservation is 50 miles north.
The Koi Nation made an agreement in 2022 with Oklahoma’s Chickasaw Nation, which would build and operate the casino resort.
Non-smoking bills introduced in Kansas, Missouri
Bills looking to ban smoking in casinos have been prefiled in Missouri and Kansas, and lawmakers will debate the issue once the states begin their legislative sessions on 8 January and 13 January, respectively.
The advocacy group Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE), which has argued on behalf of smoking bans for years in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and elsewhere, has a Kansas and Missouri chapter that will support the movement.
“85% of Kansans and Missourians do not smoke,” CEASE Kansas and Missouri founder Joe Hafley told KCTV. “We have lots and lots of support from different groups, American Heart, American Lung, Americans for Non-Smokers’ Rights.”
In other news …
Fanatics will hold its FanFest 20-22 June 2025 at the Javits Center in New York, the company announced 4 December. Presales for those who attended the 2024 event are available through 8 December. General-public tickets go on sale 13 December. Find tickets and more information here.
Accel Entertainment completed its acquisition of Fairmount Holdings, Fairmount Park, Inc., more commonly known as FanDuel Sportsbook & Racetrack in Illinois. In the deal, Accel got a casino licence and will partner with FanDuel to offer digital wagering in the state.
ICYMI on iGB
NCLGS igaming model legislation has some good, and not-so-good
Nevada regulator grants Resorts World extension for violation response
Sports betting graveyard: Small wagering platforms exited US in ’24
Fernandez resigns from Aristocrat to head up IGT/Everi
LVS gets key approval in NY; public-comment period open
