A former New Hampshire Speaker of the House and gambling lobbyist’s non-profit received $167,000 in charitable gaming proceeds last year, despite appearing inactive.
The Bulletin Board
THE LEDE: Scandal strikes New Hampshire gambling industry.
ROUNDUP: A look at the stories you may have missed.
NEWS: FanDuel responds to questions about its VIP practices.
AROUND the WATERCOOLER: Is Kalshi headed for a shutdown or an IPO?
STRAY THOUGHTS: Drawing lines around AI usage.
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The Lede: Will Scandal Thwart NH Online Casino Efforts?
Indiana’s online casino efforts were (are still?) derailed by a bribery scandal involving a state lawmaker, and the same situation could hamper efforts in New Hampshire.
Per the Concord Monitor, “A former New Hampshire House speaker and retired lobbyist [George B. Roberts Jr.] took in more than a quarter-million dollars in charitable gaming proceeds over the past seven years for an inactive nonprofit, a month-long Monitor investigation found.”
According to the newspaper, Roberts’ non-profit, Concord Coach Society, has received $274,411 from the system since 2019, including a $131,000 check last year from the Nash Casino, which was the lion’s share of the $166,000 it received in 2025 alone.
Here’s where things get spicy: “Despite its earnings, the Monitor found no evidence that the organization has engaged in any public activity, such as holding an event or a meeting. It has no website or social media footprint. Ten people involved in local and national stagecoach preservation said in interviews that they had no knowledge of any activity by Roberts or his group in more than a decade.”
I highly recommend reading the Concord Monitor piece (here), it’s a wild story and the type of local journalism we need to preserve (like old coaches).
In addition to Roberts, there is the Andy Sanborn case, where the former lawmaker (and husband to a now former lawmaker Laurie Sanborn) turned casino owner pleaded guilty to Theft of Government Funds. “Sanborn owned and operated Win Win Win, a company that did business as Concord Casino. Sanborn applied for and obtained $844,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loan funding from the Small Business Administration. In applying for the loans, Sanborn certified that he would use the loan proceeds solely as working capital for Win Win Win. However, Sanborn misused $255,232.72 of the funds on personal expenditures.” Laurie Sanborn (a state lawmaker at the time), will not be charged. Previous STTP coverage of this fiasco.
As I wrote in March 2024:
“Efforts to bring online gambling to Indiana have been derailed by two high-publicity bribery scandals and more “dubious interactions” swirling under the surface.
“‘It [the scandals] taints the Statehouse,’ Senate President Rodric Bray said in November 2023. ‘It diminishes the confidence that people have in the integrity of the Statehouse. It causes an awful lot of problems, and, it makes it particularly difficult to engage in that kind of policy.’
“Former Rep. Sean Eberhart recently pled guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services fraud. Eberhart was accused of pushing for the relocation of two casinos owned by Spectacle Gaming in exchange for a $350,000 post-legislative career job.
“Last year, former Sen. Brent Waltz and former Rep. John Keeler were sentenced to prison for election finance schemes by New Centaur - Spectacle’s original name.
“According to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, ‘There are additional records of other dubious industry-lawmaker interactions, according to a list from the Indianapolis Star.’”
Online casino legalization is never an easy lift, and gambling scandals make it something of a third-rail issue that no lawmaker wants to touch, particularly when it involves someone who lobbied for gambling.
As I said in my 2027-2028 online casino candidate preview for Forecast Tier subscribers:
“New Hampshire is the quintessential “great on paper” candidate, but… Working against the state is the ever-growing — in size and political clout — land-based casino industry, which includes the anti-online-gambling Churchill Downs.”
Now you can add scandals to the list.
Roundup: So Much News; So Little Newsletter Space
Mindway AI and GamScore enter strategic partnership [Press Release]: “GamScore and Mindway AI have announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing safer gambling frameworks across the global iGaming sector… The partnership unites GamScore’s independent, bettor-focused platform, which enables players to monitor, understand and demonstrate their betting health, with Mindway AI’s market-leading early detection technology… Looking ahead, both organisations plan to collaborate closely on joint educational resources and integrated workflows.”
Delaware North “standardizes” table games with Light & Wonder [Press Release]: Delaware North (which recently rebranded its gambling operations to Ember Entertainment) has selected Light & Wonder “to replace existing table games technology across multiple casino and gaming properties… Properties included in the agreement are Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack and Mardi Gras Casino & Resort in West Virginia, Gate City Casino in New Hampshire, Southland Casino Hotel in Arkansas, Daytona Beach Racing & Card Club and Orange City Racing and Card Club in Florida, and Catawba Two Kings Casino, a property in North Carolina for which Delaware North serves as the gaming and hospitality consultant and developer.”
GG Poker is the first poker-only operator in Alberta [Geoff Zochodne, X]:
Kalshi appoints Jeff Bandman as CEO of Kalshi Prime [Press Release]: Kalshi has appointed Jeff Bandman as the CEO of Kalshi Prime, Kalshi’s CFTC-registered futures commission merchant (FCM). Per the press release: Bandman is a former senior CFTC official who led the Division of Clearing and Risk and the Office of International Affairs, and “led Kalshi’s regulatory strategy from its earliest days and helped secure its 2020 designation as a CFTC-regulated exchange.”
Kalshi inks deal with Catalist Sports [Press Release]: Catalist Sports and Kalshi have agreed to a “first-of-its-kind multi-year agreement that grants Kalshi exclusive U.S. prediction market access to Catalist Sports’ live streaming portfolio… Kalshi will also receive official low-latency data used to create, manage, and settle prediction markets across a range of leading international tennis events.” Among the sports involved are the World Tennis Tour, Australian Open and Davis Cup, France’s Ligue 1, and Brazil’s Série A.
Fliff is the latest company going the prediction market route [DeFiRate]: “Fliff FCM LLC filed with the National Futures Association (NFA) on Aug. 12 for FCM registration and NFA membership, while also seeking approval as a swap firm. All three applications remain pending. An FCM can serve as the customer-facing intermediary for contracts listed on a Commodity Futures Trading Commission-regulated exchange, meaning Fliff would not need to operate its own Designated Contract Market (DCM) to offer prediction markets.” STTP Thoughts: As I said on Saturday, “Everyone and their brother is getting into the prediction market business… Which brings me to today’s topic: What is the real prediction market opportunity? Assuming prediction markets prevail (a huge assumption) where is the money going to be found?” Maybe Fliff should be selling shovels?
Will a Greenbrier sale alter the online casino landscape in WV? [WV News]: “The Greenbrier will remain open and its casino will continue operating without interruption as the West Virginia Lottery Commission reviews a new ownership structure for the historic resort, officials announced Friday. The announcement came as the Justice Family Group and Kennedy Lewis Investment Management announced the completion of a new joint venture that gives the New York-based private credit and opportunistic asset firm majority ownership and controlling interest in The Greenbrier.” STTP Thoughts: This is something to keep an eye on as online casino licenses in West Virginia are tied to the state’s land-based casinos.
News: FanDuel Responds to Congressional Inquiry
As Straight to the Point reported last week, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Rep. Paul Tonko, and Rep. Valerie Foushee sent a letter (dated August 10, 2026) to FanDuel CEO Christian Genetski, demanding “FanDuel end the so-called ‘VIP’ services that drive problem gamblers into debt and relapse,” and answer eight questions. FanDuel promptly responded to the letter on August 14, 2026.
Cory Fox, FanDuel’s Senior VP, Public Policy and Sustainability authored the letter (uploaded by Sports Betting Dime here), and began by saying:
“At FanDuel, we take seriously our responsibility to operate in a manner that is accountable, transparent, and worthy of the trust our customers and regulators place in us. This is not mere platitudes. Our parent company, Flutter Entertainment, spent $158M on responsible gaming just last year. FanDuel contributes to problem gambling research and invests in responsible gambling tools on our platform. At FanDuel, we are committed to operating in an accountable and transparent manner because we believe it is core to the sustainability and success of our business over the long run. FanDuel Sportsbook is an entertainment experience that connects our customers to the games they love, and we want our players to enjoy that experience for months and years to come.”
And here are the answers to the direct questions:
Question #1: What measures does FanDuel take to absolutely ensure that bettors are not suffering from financial hardships or a gambling addiction prior to enticing further gambling?
Answer: Before extending a VIP invitation, FanDuel “confirms that the customer’s account is active, in good standing, and free of any suspension, and reviews the customer’s history on the platform. That review includes prior VIP participation and the reason for any prior departure, responsible gaming notes, fraud or chargeback history and promotion abuse.”
Question #2: What steps has FanDuel taken to monitor interactions between managers and VIPs to ensure that managers are not offering predatory offers to problem gamblers?
Answer: “VIP Account Managers receive mandatory training on the VIP program and responsible gaming, including how to recognize the risks and signs of problem gambling. That training continues through quarterly sessions and recurring refreshers… VIP Account Managers receive additional support if customers show signs of problematic play, and FanDuel maintains streamlined escalation channels so that higher-risk behavior identified within the VIP program can be addressed quickly.”
Interactions between VIP customers and Account Managers “also provide FanDuel with additional means to identify signs of problematic play that may not be readily apparent with customers that do not participate in the program.”
Question #3: How many VIP bettors have attempted to cut back their betting activity or close their accounts but were instead offered exclusive perks or offers? How many decided to keep betting after such offers?
Answer: This question went unanswered in Fox’s response.
Question #4: Does FanDuel ever target VIP promotions and perks to bettors who are on a losing streak or appear to be cutting back on wagering?
Answer: The letter does not directly address targeting based on losing streaks or reduced wagering, but Fox did say that the VIP program “operates within the same responsible gaming framework that applies across FanDuel” and that VIP status brings “more oversight, not fewer safeguards.”
Question #5: How many times have VIP managers sent videos from players or other celebrities to a member in order to keep them engaged in gambling on the platform, and were those players made aware of the purpose of those videos?
Answer: This question also went unanswered in Fox’s response.
Question #6: Does FanDuel ever coach or train its VIP managers to develop personal relationships with their clients in order to encourage more gambling?
Answer: “VIP Account Managers receive mandatory training on the VIP program and responsible gaming, including how to recognize the risks and signs of problem gambling.” The letter also notes that managers are “salaried employees. Their compensation is not tied to how much their customers wager or the results of those customers’ wagering activities.” The stated objective of the program is “to provide a positive customer experience so that these customers continue to choose FanDuel instead of our competitors,” not to encourage more gambling via personal relationships.
Question #7: What specific factors does FanDuel consider when identifying “potentially problematic behaviors” and why has this allowed FanDuel to use its VIP program to encourage destructive gambling?
Answer: Fox identified, “Deposit and withdrawal history, increases in wager size, canceled withdrawals, and statements customers make through our in-app chat that suggest distress or a gambling problem.”
Question #8: In light of the clear dangers posed by FanDuel’s VIP program to problem gamblers, will FanDuel suspend or terminate this program?
Answer: “FanDuel’s VIP program is designed to offer a small group of customers a higher level of customer service, not a different set of rules… The program operates within the same responsible gaming framework that applies across FanDuel, with additional training, compliance support, and escalation processes… Together, these measures give VIP customers additional attention and access to responsible gaming resources without changing the standards that apply to their play.”
Around the Watercooler
Social media conversations, rumors, and gossip.
A burning question:
Stray Thoughts
AI arguments, like the one spawned by the tweet below, are very interesting to me.
Of course you will find numerous examples of egregious shortcuts in a large cohort of young adults, under pressure to hand in work, but yes, people can use AI for efficiency, too.
In the grander scheme, I’m still not sure where I stand on AI content. I don’t know where the lines should be drawn, or where my personal boundaries will be in a year, let alone five.
That said, this idea that if you use AI it’s not your words is kind of silly, especially when it comes from people who have editors and fact-checkers or say, ‘use a thesaurus’ as an alternative. Why is a thesaurus okay? Because it takes longer to use?
As one response on X noted, “The reality is that Grammarly and even Microsoft Word spellcheck functions are AI driven. Preferring to use a better model or a model that you can use a custom skill file with isn’t any different.”
Think of it this way: at some point in time there was a lumberjack lamenting chainsaws, a carpenter who refused to use a nail gun, and to this day there are restaurants that refuse to use online ordering or reservations.
There’s a big difference between using something to cheat and using something to make you more efficient. Where that line sits with AI, I just don’t know at this point, so I won’t chastise people who use it more liberally than I do. It’s an individual choice, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself forced to the table, like the Tokugawa Shogunate when Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Japan.
As former UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson said: “He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.” Or, put another way (paraphrasing Iain Abernethy), ‘karate is the only activity whose practitioners believe it was perfected a hundred years ago.’