3,200 Bucks For A Lifetime
After 26 years at the helm, Keith Whyte and the National Council on Problem Gambling are parting ways, and people, including STTP, have questions.
The Bulletin Board
THE LEDE: National Council on Problem Gambling leadership shakeup.
WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Two very significant gambling bills in Massachusetts.
NEWS: Powerball tickets are available online through the Tennessee Lottery.
VIEWS: Is Texas’s new House Speaker good or bad for gambling expansion?
AROUND the WATERCOOLER: SCOTUSblog’s high-stakes poker troubles.
STRAY THOUGHTS: Slow down!
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The Lede: NCPG Executive Director Departs After 26 Years
On Thursday, the National Council on Problem Gambling shockingly announced the departure of Keith Whyte, its executive director of 26 years.
Whyte was named Executive Director in October 1998. To put that in perspective, that was before the first online poker site (Planet Poker) launched. In his two-plus decades at the helm, he has guided the organization with a steady hand, growing the NGO's presence and voice alongside the growing gambling industry.
And now he’s gone… and with little explanation — Did this have something to do with his December testimony in front of Congress? Was it internal strife at NCPG? Was it the aliens? New Jersey drones? Nobody knows because the NCPG wrongly believes nobody will care.
If I’m being totally honest, I don’t see how the NCPG survives this. Keith was the NCPG, and the NCPG was Keith. His departure leaves a huge hole that I don’t know how the organization fills.
Jamie Salsburg had a similar take:
The announcement caught everyone off-guard, and the press release raises more questions than it answers. The release is dated January 16th but says Whyte’s departure was effective January 13th, and the final line reads, “The Board of Directors will conduct a national search to identify a permanent Executive Director later this year,” suggesting this was not a planned exit.
As Richard Schuetz tweeted:
Other signs suggest that this was a bad breakup, the most obvious being Keith's lack of a statement. NCPG Board President Susan Sheridan Tucker reduced his 26 years to a single sentence: “On behalf of the entire Board, I want to thank Keith for his leadership and contributions to the organization during his tenure.”
His temporary replacement, Nancy Greene, got a quote:
"Having guided several organizations through periods of change, I appreciate that maintaining operational excellence and mission focus are paramount during transitions. NCPG's work in reducing gambling-related harm is too important to pause. The dedicated staff, committed board, and engaged stakeholders will continue driving essential programs and advocacy efforts forward while we chart the organization's next chapter."
Keith did post a statement on LinkedIn, which now lists him as a consultant:
The comments on the post point to the impact Keith has had on the responsible and problem gambling conversation.
“I’m not sure anyone thinks of NCPG and doesn’t instantly think of you and your endless commitment to problem gambling. Huge loss for them, but very glad to know you’ll still be in the space. I appreciate all you’ve done and will continue to do.” ~ Jamie Salsburg
Wow. You will be missed, by many from a wide range of pockets all around the gambling world. Hard to imagine NCPG without you there! I really admire you and the work you’ve done for this organization. Best of luck in whatever is next! ~ Adam Small
Considering the current focus on responsible and problem gambling, this move could have significant consequences.
Weekend Roundup: Two MA Bills Take Aim at Gambling
Two significant pieces of legislation were filed in Massachusetts late last week.
The first is SD 2428, a bill filed by State Sen. Jacob Oliveira to ban wagering on political elections and outcomes. With numerous political betting supporters in the incoming administration, I suspect crackdowns will come via legislation, whether state or federal. Indiana has a similar bill, which I’ll discuss in tomorrow’s newsletter.
An even wilder bill, SD 1657, introduced by State Sen. John Keenan and backed by the Public Health Advocacy Institute, the group behind the SAFE Bet Act, would radically change the structure of Massachusetts' existing sports betting law.
As I wrote in yesterday’s Weekender edition, the bill would:
Increase the current tax rate from 20% to 51%
Prohibit in-play and prop bets
Set wagering limits ($1,000/day, $10,000/month max) without affordability check
Creates affordability checks and limit wagers to 15% of a patron’s bank account
Prohibits ads during televised sports events
Eliminates compensation based on a patron's wagering
Adds bonuses, SGPs, and more to unfair and deceptive practices
Now, I would put the chances of this legislation passing as-is somewhere between 0 and .001%. However, I can see a massively toned-down version gaining momentum in Massachusetts and beyond.
Further, the Massachusetts bill and the SAFE Bet Act can now complement one another, with the PHAI able to have multiple conversations (and play off one another) to determine what restrictions can and can’t pass.
And finally, the mere presence of these ideas can shape discussions in other states.
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News: Tennessee (Quietly) Adds Online Lottery Sales
As first reported by Lottery Geeks, the Tennessee Lottery has quietly added online sales to its menu of offerings. The new app, available in the Apple Store, currently only sells Powerball tickets.
“In an effort to increase sales, the Lottery launched the Anytime Powerball app on Jan. 6, 2025,” TELC spokesperson Kym Gerlock said in a statement issued to Lottery Geeks. “Only Powerball tickets may be purchased, and ACH is the only form of payment accepted.”
The authorization is rooted in the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation’s interpretation of the existing laws, which provides enough leeway for the Lottery to argue that TELC can add online sales.
“The Lottery implementation law has always allowed for the Lottery itself to sell tickets and accept any form of payment,” Gerlock said. “But legislative action remains necessary to permit retailers to accept anything other than paper or coin currency.”
This is far from a unique situation. A number of online lottery states have launched online lottery sales without legislative approval — one, Minnesota, saw an annoyed legislature pass a new law prohibiting online sales — as Lotteries commonly have the authority to add new products without legislative approval.
According to Gerlock, regulators contacted the legislature before launching online ticket sales.
“The Lottery has consistently communicated with the legislature about its evolving operations and noted in a recent budget hearing that it is pursuing new sales distribution channels as a way to increase revenues, which have been impacted by sports wagering,” Gerlock told Lottery Geeks.
Views: New TX House Speaker: Good or Bad for Gambling?
It’s a good news-bad news situation in Texas. As STTP recently noted, there were two candidates to replace Dade Phillips as Speaker of the House, and after the chamber voted, it was Dustin Burrows who prevailed over David Cook. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Burrows’ victory is a victory for gambling… in the long run: “Having business leaders running the House and not church activists might make it possible someday.”
It makes sense, as Burrows voted for casino gambling and mobile sports betting in 2023, while Cook voted against both.
However, Burrows is a member of the party's moderate faction, which is at odds with the more conservative faction of the Republican party in Texas. That was on full display in the vote tally for Speaker, with Burrows receiving the support of 49 Democrats and 36 Republicans — Cook received 55 votes, 52 of which were from Republicans.
As Legal Sports Report noted:
“Leaders of the Republican Party of Texas threatened to censure lawmakers who supported Burrows, according to the Texas Tribune. The party platform is anti-gambling, which is why Patrick has repeatedly said he will not take up sports betting bills in the Senate because they require bipartisan support.”
Bottom line: Burrows might be more pro-gambling, but his ascension to House Speaker may have made gambling legislation utterly off-limits in the Senate.
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Around the Watercooler
Social media conversations, rumors, and gossip.
I love a good poker story, and we got a doozy last week:
As reported by Haley Hintze at Poker.org:
Prominent American attorney Thomas C. Goldstein, famous for arguing dozens of cases before the US Supreme Court and for co-founding the widely read SCOTUSblog, was indicted on Thursday and charged with 22 counts of tax evasion.
According to Hintze’s reporting, the indictment stems from Goldstein’s high-stakes poker escapades. Goldstein failed to report any of the more than $50 million he won in these games.
And the story only gets wilder from there — it’s well worth a read.
Stray Thoughts
Too fast. Too furious. That’s how I feel about the current news cycle. God help us all if some of these bills (wait until you see tomorrow’s newsletter!) and efforts to rein in the industry pick up steam.
My advice:
Also, “Don’t put two” and “Jim, they mean Earth weight” are amazing.