Weekender: iCasino Efforts, Emerging Verticals, and Federal Action
Arkansas eyes online casinos; Penn's ESPN Bet lags theScore; NJ poll shows 76% back ad limits; a new SAFE Bet Act hopes to succeed in Congress.
The Bulletin Board
ABOVE the FOLD: A look at the biggest stories of the week.
— This week’s top stories in the Straight to the Point newsletter
— Newsletter Reads of the Week
— Reads of the Week from around the industry
HOUSEKEEPING: Podcasts, featured articles, and more from yours truly.
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This Week’s Top Stories on STTP
MONDAY: As online casino efforts fade elsewhere, Arkansas has emerged as a potential online casino candidate, but can lawmakers broker a deal by April 11?
TUESDAY: There is a stark performance divide between Penn's two sports betting brands, ESPN Bet in the US and theScore in Canada.
WEDNESDAY: A New Jersey poll indicates the sports betting backlash is in full effect, as 76% of respondents would support limiting advertising.
THURSDAY: A new (and improved) SAFE Bet Act has been introduced in Congress, but will its fate be any different than last year's effort?
This Week in Gambling Newsletters
Reads of the Week
The Bookmakers dinner: Inside one of Las Vegas' most exclusive Super Bowl traditions ~ David Purdum, ESPN
‘The Ugliest Is Coming’: U.S. Gambling In The Age Of Resistance … Or Regret ~ Brant James, Comped.com
Is It Time For The Minimum Age In All Gambling Markets To Be 21? ~ Valerie Cross, Sweepsy.com
NCAA Official Says College Players Betting on Themselves Becoming More Common ~ Geoff Zochodne, Covers.com
Schuetz: Players Getting Played And The Bad Friend Model Of Sports Betting ~ Richard Schuetz, Casino Reports
Housekeeping
PODCASTS: This week’s guest on the Talking Shop Podcast was Harry Levant, the Director of Gambling Policy at the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at Northeastern University. Levant talks about his journey from gambling addiction to advocacy, as he is one of the driving forces behind the SAFE Bet Act.
Episode 44: From Gambling Addiction to Advocacy with Harry Levant
“Gambling addiction has nothing to do with money. Full stop, nothing to do with money… Gaming addiction has to do with the way this product makes people feel.” ~ Harry Levant
COLUMNS: This week’s feature column dives into the age-old question that has flummoxed the industry for years, “What is gambling?” Laws say one thing, reality screams another. The answer’s simple: Call it all gambling, strip the euphemisms, and regulate it.
I Know It When I See It
Since the onset of the online poker era, the gambling industry has grappled with what seems like a simple question: What is gambling? Is poker a game of skill or gambling? Are daily fantasy sports bets or contests? What about sweepstakes, prediction markets, and freemium games?
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