Online Gambling Regulatory Updates for March 2021

The first quarter of 2021 draws to a more or less spectacular close and we have our obligatory monthly look into what’s been done from the standpoint of regulation frameworks everywhere.

The world of online gambling has been busy but, as is the norm in recent months, none were so busy as the US legislators.

US Regulatory Updates

Louisiana: The Gaming Control Board began the licensing process for daily fantasy sports operators wishing to target the state. Activity will be geofenced within the 47 of 64 parishes in the state which voted to permit the activity and it will be taxed at a rate of 8% on net revenue

Florida: A bill was introduced to the House and Senate that should legalize retail and online sportsbetting. The bills would allow tribal and non-tribal casinos, as well as professional sports teams and pari-mutuel betting facilities to offer sportsbetting, along with a proposed tax rate of 22.5%.

Connecticut: Governor Ned Lamont and Mohegan Tribe Chairman James Gessner Jr have said that they have reached an agreement that facilitates the regulation of online gaming and sports wagering. The said deal will let the Connecticut Lottery to operate 15 sportsbetting locations and an online sportsbetting skin.

Kansas: The Senate has ed legislation (SB84) that allows retail and online sportsbetting in the state. The bill was sent to the House that is now considering it.

Missouri: Representative Wes Rogers has introduced a legislation to legalize and regulate retail and online sportsbetting. Tax would come at a rate of 6% of gross win for retail and online channels.

Georgia: Sportsbetting bills SB142 and SB135 were ed by the Senate and sent to the House for consideration. SB142 would impose a 10% tax on gross wins. SB135 would place a question on the November 2022 statewide ballot to ask the public whether to allow sportsbetting in the state.

Maryland: The House has approved legislation that legalizes retail and mobile sportsbetting, and it has already made its way to the Senate. Before it ed, certain amendments were made to HB940 such as increasing the number of licenses available.

Arizona: Sportsbetting bill, HB2772, was ed by the House and sent to the Senate for consideration. To remind, the bill, HB2772, would authorize retail and online wagering as well as daily fantasy sports games through the state’s 24 tribal casinos as well as 10 licenses to be awarded to major league sports organizations.

Wyoming: Legislation to authorize and regulate online sportsbetting in the state (HB133) was voted down by the House following its third reading in the chamber. The House voted 32-28 against the bill, which was consequently withdrawn from the legislative process.

Texas: The House and Senate has introduced legislation to legalize casinos and sportsbetting in the state. The legislation should be approved by a majority of two-thirds in the legislature before November’s statewide ballot.

South Dakota: Regulations to govern sportsbetting in the State were approved by the legislature and sent to Governor Kristi Noem for final approval. The regulations would permit retail and on-premise online sportsbetting via the commercial casinos in Deadwood and tribal casinos across the state. Sportsbetting gross win would be taxed at a rate of 9% of gross win.

New York: The Assembly included proposals to regulate mobile sportsbetting in its 2021-2022 budget. The proposal would permit mobile sportsbetting through the state’s four (4) commercial casinos and three (3) tribal casinos via two (2) skins per licensee at a tax rate of 12% of gross win.

New Jersey: FanDuel launched its retail sportsbook at Bally’s Atlantic City Casino on 15 March 2021.

Idaho: The State Lottery green-lit a 3-year contract to Scientific Games to provide instant games with the option of a six-year extension.

Illinois: FanDuel has launched its second retail sportsbook on 15 March 2021. The racetrack was rebranded as the FanDuel Sportsbook and Horseracing in November 2020.

Tennessee: William Hill has launched its online sportsbetting platform on 11 March 2021, while Churchill Downs launched its online sportsbetting platform on 18 March 2021.

European Regulatory Updates

United Kingdom: The UKGC has announced new rules that forbids sports teams from including links to gambling websites or “calls to action” to non-promoted social media posts.

Ukraine: The country’s Parliament has failed to the legislation that would establish a commission that regulates gambling in the country. The parliament is required to agree on both this and the previously introduced tax legislation before any gambling market can be officially launched.

Spain: The Supreme Court has denied the Media Trade Association ‘Asociación de Medios de Información’ appeal who required an injunction against the country’s new advertising rules.

: The Regional Council of Darmstadt has said it had given sportsbetting licenses to Betway and Wegame which makes them the 27th licensee in the state.

Netherlands: The istrative Jurisdiction Division of the Council of State ruled in favor of the KSA and its right to award a sole-operator license for the state lottery in the country.

Finland: Veikkaus has said that 28,400 customers have ed to the self-exclusion operated by the authorities, with 97% of all registrations about exclusion from online gambling.

Russia: New regulations on gambling advertising came into force that require social networks and other related platforms to forbid ments for any activities, including unlicensed gambling sites.

Source:

“H2 Gambling Capital”, March 2021.