From A Certain Point Of View
A new AGA report found Americans have a largely positive attitude towards gambling, but there is still some work to be done.
The Bulletin Board
NEWS: The latest AGA report paints a positive view of attitudes toward gambling, but there are some chinks in the armor.
LOOSE ENDS: DraftKings fined in CT; Judge sides with AC casinos in smoking fight; Bally’s partners with EPIC Global Solutions; Sporttrade secures VA license.
QUICK HITTER: MGC schedules public meeting on limiting bettors.
QUICK HITTER: Industry veterans launch Defy the Odds startup launchpad.
AROUND the WATERCOOLER: The difference between knowing “what” and knowing “that.”
STRAY THOUGHTS: 10 states for online casino supporters to keep an eye on in 2025.
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Diving Into the AGA’s Attitudes Toward Gaming Report
Last week, the American Gaming Association (AGA) released an interesting report on American attitudes toward gambling. The findings indicate the public’s perception of gambling is growing more positive.
“Americans increasingly see the benefits of a legal, regulated gaming marketplace that contributes to communities, prioritizes responsibility, and provides unmatched entertainment,” said Joe Maloney, AGA Senior Vice President, Strategic Communications.
The AGA highlighted several findings:
9-in-10 Americans say casino gambling is acceptable for themselves or others.
55% of American adults participated in some form of gambling in the past year.
122 Million adults visited a casino in the past year.
89% of casino visitors say that casinos provide excellent or good entertainment value compared to alternatives.
76% of Americans say that gaming has an overall positive impact on the US economy.
For five years in a row, the average age of casino visitors has fallen from nearly 50 in 2019 to 42 in 2023.
While overall positive (a testament to the AGA’s long-running effort to show the economic benefits of gambling that AGA president and CEO Bill Miller and I discussed during his appearance on the Talking Shop Podcast), there are a couple of areas that could be improved.
The last two questions in the chart below appear to be underwater — the AGA doesn’t divulge the alternative option(s) to “pretty well” and “very well.”
Based on the missing percentages, it would appear that “the casino gambling industry has an overall positive impact on local communities” has 26% strong support and 42% lukewarm support, while about 32% of respondents disagree with the statement.
Also, in terms of strongly agree vs. disagree, there is the statement that “the casino gambling industry contributes to the revitalization and growth of underdeveloped or economically struggling areas,” with strongly agree at 27% and disagree at about 29%.
I’ll dive deeper into this report and compare it with other recent surveys and research next week.
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Loose Ends: DraftKings Fined in CT; Judge Sides With AC Casinos; Bally’s Partners With EPIC
DraftKings tagged with a $19,000 fine in Connecticut: A computer glitch produced a cold streak at the DraftKings online casino in Connecticut that would put Eddie Mush to shame. Per the Connecticut Post, “Over the course of a week, 522 players in Connecticut played the same game, Deal or No Deal Banker’s Bonanza, spinning more than 20,000 times without producing a single win, according to records provided to CT Insider by the state Department of Consumer Protection’s Gaming Division.”
Judge sides with casinos in the smoking debate: Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels dismissed a complaint that would have added casinos to the list of indoor spaces where smoking is prohibited - Casinos are exempt from New Jersey’s Smoke-Free Air Act. The casino industry has pushed back against the ban, believing it would cause fewer people to visit casinos.
Bally’s teams up with EPIC Global Solutions: EPIC Global Solutions and Bally’s have entered into a three-year partnership “aimed at promoting responsible gaming and making a positive impact on communities… The partnership will focus on promoting responsible gaming practices and raising awareness about the potential effects of gaming.”
Sporttrade procures Virginia license: With an Arizona launch already planned for mid-September, Sporttrade (the featured sponsor of the newsletter) announced another new market, as it has secured a Virginia license with an expected launch in October. That will bring the number of states in which the company is active to five — Iowa, New Jersey, and Colorado are the others. Sporttrade CEO Alex Kane and I discussed the company’s approach, among other topics, yesterday. That conversation will be released as a podcast later this week.
Quick Hitter: MGC to Host Public Meeting on Limiting Bettors
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will not, as operators had hoped, take the conversation on limiting bettors behind closed doors. Yesterday, the MGC scheduled a public meeting for September 11, which, as Ryan Butler noted on X, could be one of the most consequential regulatory hearings in the post-PASPA era.
The big question now is, who the MGC will invite to speak at the meeting. According to Bookies.com’s Bill Speros, “Meeting to include input from all licensed operators in MA, the public, and RG advocates.”
Quick Hitter: Industry Veterans Launch Defy the Odds Startup Launchpad
Three of the brightest minds in gaming are launching Defy the Odds, a startup launchpad aimed at fostering innovation within the gaming sector.
As iGaming Future wrote of the initiative:
“Defy the Odds is built on the principle that new ideas and diverse perspectives will shape the future of the gaming industry. The initiative focuses on identifying and nurturing emerging talent, particularly from underrepresented groups, who can bring fresh creativity and innovation. Through partnerships with industry-leading mentors, investors, and collaborators, Defy the Odds seeks to transform innovative concepts into successful products.”
The three founders:
Paris Smith - The longtime CEO of Pinnacle Sports
Kelly Kehn - Co-Founder of the All-In Diversity Project
Sue Schneider - An industry pioneer and industry everything
You can sign up for updates on Defy the Odds here.
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Around the Watercooler
Social media conversations, rumors, and gossip.
In Tuesday’s Stray Thoughts, I discussed Mike Tyson’s infamous quote: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
Tyson later said he was referring to “talkers.”
The gambling industry has many “talkers,” as Tyson puts it — people who are very interested in debate and discussion but whose ideas fall apart under pressure.
And wouldn’t you know it, I ran into this post from Kim Lund (who was my podcast guest on Episode 8):
This also aligns with something I often discuss with clients: the difference between knowing “why” something is correct and knowing “that” something is correct.
I explain this to my younger martial arts students in terms of a Japanese kanji.
Anyone can make a decent copy of a kanji, but the brush strokes will not be correct, and they will not be able to read kanjis or know what they say unless someone tells them.
Stray Thoughts
I don’t expect anyone to cross the finish line, but 2025 should provide plenty of storylines for online casino supporters to follow.
Outside of a dark horse emerging, I expect the most (and most fruitful) discussions to occur in the following states.
New York — Expect conversations, but until labor opposition dissipates, little will change.
Maryland — Any serious effort will have to wait until 2026, but Maryland could try to get its ducks in a row for a 2026 push next year.
Louisiana — A study commission will bring about lots of talk, but in 2025, we are more likely to discover the impediments than the path forward.
Massachusetts — A sneaky candidate. In 2010, it went from a veritable gambling desert to one of the most gambling-friendly states.
New Hampshire — New Hampshire is one of the most likely states to legalize next year, but that just makes it the best among a lackluster group.
Arkansas — With its unique opportunity, Arkansas could be one of the next dominoes to fall, but it still has work to do.
Maine — Maine has begun online casino discussion, but the appetite to further expand gambling hasn’t materialized… at least not yet.
Florida — Thanks to the West Flagler decision, Florida could jump into the iCasino conversation overnight. Still, I don’t expect public discussions until the state and Seminole Tribe are close to an agreement.
Colorado—Online casinos could be a hot topic of conversation in Colorado, or they might not be brought up at all.
Illinois — Like New York, Illinois is another state where there will be a robust conversation, but any progress requires removing immense obstacles.
If you’d like more expansive thoughts and to stay up-to-date on all the legislative developments throughout 2025, you can sign up for The Forecast, a weekly report offered by Straight to the Point covering sports betting, online casino, iLottery, and other gambling-related developments in the US.
SIGN-UP FOR THE FORECAST or contact Steve@igamingpundit.com for more details.