Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – March 1-7

Published

3 years ago

March 10, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! It was again an eventful week in the USA, despite the still-active virus attack.

Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news, new partnerships and compliance updates. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Wynn Resorts has entered into a deal with Blue Wire and invested $3.5 million in the sports podcasting network. The deal includes the build-out of a podcasting studio in the Wynn Las Vegas lobby. That studio will host Blue Wire podcast personalities as well as star athlete guests to entice people to visit the hotel, get excited about sports and hopefully place bets on them. Wynn runs a subsidiary business called WynnBet, which handles sports betting, and the team specifically eyed Blue Wire to promote that brand.

PR agency 5W Public Relations (5WPR) has announced the launch of an online gambling public relations division. The creation of the new division will allow a focused and strategic approach to online gambling, casinos, lotto and sports betting clients. PR services for online gambling and lottery clients include messaging and positioning, media relations, visibility programmes, content creation, partnerships and celebrity relations, digital media campaigns, event planning, thought leadership and speaking opportunities.

Torstar Corporation has announced that it intends to launch an online casino betting brand this year in the regulated Ontario online gaming market. Torstar also announced key additions to its iGaming team, including Gil Steinfeld, a gaming industry veteran with expertise across all product verticals; Don Bourgeois, former General Counsel for the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, who will oversee compliance, regulatory and legal matters; and Jim Warren, a senior executive and entrepreneur with 25 years of progressive leadership experience in politics and the gaming and lottery industry.

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has announced that the state has reached an agreement with the Mohegan Tribe, owners and operators of the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, to allow new gaming options, including online wagering and sports betting. The deal includes a 20% tax rate on new online gaming and a 13.75% tax rate on sports wagering. The governor’s office said this new agreement will generate “tens of millions of dollars” in additional revenue for the state.

Payments platform PayNearMe has announced enhancements to its iGaming solution that enable U.S. operators to dramatically speed up the market and simplify the deposit and payout experience across a wide range of payment types through a single integration. PayNearMe’s expanded iGaming solution makes deposits and payouts easy for both players and operators.

The National Council on Problem Gambling has officially commenced Problem Gambling Awareness Month. In Ohio, the growing impact of gambling on families and businesses will be the focus of several events during this Problem Gambling Awareness Month.

Partnerships

Vegas Golden Knights has signed a multi-year deal with UpickTrade, a sports betting recommendation service. Through the deal, UpickTrade has become the Official Sports Pick Service Partner of the Knights. The partnership marks the first sponsorship deal between a Mexican-based company and an NHL club, as well as the first partnership between a professional sports franchise and a sports betting recommendation service.

BetMGM has entered into a deal with Borussia Dortmund and become the exclusive Regional U.S. Partner of the club. The partnership features cross-marketing opportunities as well as fan-focused assets such as social media promotions, and BetMGM customer sweepstakes awarding special Dortmund prizes.

Gambling technology company Playtech has signed a non-exclusive sports wagering deal with Novomatic Americas, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NOVOMATIC AG. The agreement builds on the long-term partnership between Playtech and NOVOMATIC, which jointly operates more than 10,000 kiosks worldwide. The strategic partnership will see Playtech’s sports wagering kiosk systems delivered through Novomatic ActionBook, the US market’s most popular sports wagering kiosk.

New Appointment

FanDuel Group has appointed Amy Howe to the newly created role of president. Howe joins FanDuel from Live Nation Entertainment, where she served for seven years, most recently as global chief operating officer of Ticketmaster.

Compliance Updates

International Game Technology and Scientific Games Corporation have announced that they have signed a cross-licensing agreement for patents related to cashless slot gaming technologies. Under the agreement, Scientific Games and IGT will be able to offer patented cashless gaming technologies from the companies’ combined portfolios of casino management systems solutions to the U.S. gaming industry.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board has recommended approval of licenses for both William Hill and Bally’s. William Hill US, which has more than 120 sportsbook and kiosk locations across the state and is a subsidiary of the UK-based William Hill Plc, would become the centerpiece of Caesars’ sports wagering operation if the board’s unanimous recommendation is adopted by the Nevada Gaming Commission when it meets March 18.

Angela Bernhard Thomas

CAPCOM’S STREET FIGHTERTM 6 GOING TO COLLEGE THIS FALL

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

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CSMG will create and operate College Street FighterTM Tour in North America for the 2024-25 academic year
College conference Street Fighter 6 champions will punch their ticket to the national Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup (CECC) & May Madness in 2025

Collegiate Sports Management Group (CSMG) announced today during the kick-off of its Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup (CECC) Texas presented by McDonald’s that it has joined forces with Capcom to launch the College Street FighterTM Tour during its 2024-25 academic year with the finalists competing at CECC Texas in 2025 throughout its May Madness event. Street FighterTM 6 will join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Overwatch 2®, Rocket League, and VALORANT as part of the official game titles for CECC.

“We are immensely excited to welcome Capcom into the CECC family and provide a path to glory for student athletes to showcase their skills in Street Fighter 6,” said Michael Schreck, Chief Executive Officer for CSMG. “In our fourth year of building May Madness, we continue to listen to our players, coaches and fans on how to make our event more inclusive, and the partnership with Street Fighter 6 is a resounding success.”

“The Street Fighter franchise is a multi-generational and global game series, so it’s important for us to continue to grow that fandom at the collegiate level,” said Michael Larson, Head of Esports at Capcom USA. “CECC continues to set the standard for competition and community, so it’s a natural format for expansion, and we’re eager for College Street Fighter Tour competitors across North America to show off their skills and join us in Texas next year.”

”The vision for the College Street Fighter Tour is a publisher backed esports series that integrates into the existing infrastructure of The Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup, a bracket style event series that takes place every year and has been coined May Madness. The path to championship includes invitational bids to national and regional level conferences as well as official CECC qualifiers held regionally,” said Angela Bernhard Thomas, Chief Esports Officer for CSMG’s ESPORTSU.

Every college or university from a 2-year or 4-year institution can participate through their conference or through select qualifiers. Wim Stocks will serve as the Commissioner of the College Street Fighter Tour and bring his 20 years of experience in college esports to create a dynamic and engaging format of competitive gaming.

“Since the launch of Street Fighter 6 in June of ’23, it is clear the rich legacy of Street Fighter is stronger than ever and helping lift the fighting game community to still greater heights,” said Stocks. “Having a structure now for a national collegiate competitive series, league, and events, Capcom and ESPORTSU are building a phenomenal ecosystem and mechanism for developing up and coming Street Fighter 6 competitors.”

More details on the College Street Fighter Tour will be shared later this year.

CSMG welcomes 84 teams (up from 64 in 2023) this weekend from a record breaking 19 conference champions to the largest scholastic esports festival globally. They will compete at Esports Stadium Arlington on May 3-5 for the chance to hoist one of the coveted trophies. Fans can watch the CECC Texas on ESPORTSU’s Twitch channel at https://www.twitch.tv/esportsu.

CECC Texas 2023 was also recently awarded LAN Event of the Year during the inaugural Scholars Awards in Las Vegas, which are produced in partnership with the Esports Awards.

Clark County

Clark County residents can bring a friend for free to next week’s Super Bingo $160,000 tournament at the Plaza Hotel & Casino, May 6-8

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

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Home to downtown Las Vegas’ only bingo room, the Plaza Hotel & Casino is offering Clark County, Nevada residents who register to play in next week’s Super Bingo tournament the opportunity to bring a friend for free.

Happening Monday, May 6 through Wednesday, May 8 in the Plaza’s expansive ballroom, Super Bingo is expected to draw nearly 1,000 people from the local Las Vegas valley and across the country and Canada for the opportunity to win big playing fun-filled games of bingo over two days, with a $50,000 super coverall both days while socializing with like-minded bingo players.

Bingo-only registration is $160 per person, and Clark County residents who register can bring a friend for free. Registration is available online at https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/bingo/super-bingo-registration/. Hotel-and-bingo packages start at $300 for a four-night stay with no resort fee.

All Super Bingo players receive one 6-on paper pack for both days, two daubers, free drinks via an open bar at all sessions, boxed lunch both days, and $10 in free slot play after the first day’s session.

The Plaza’s Bingo room offers six daily bingo sessions at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. and is located on the 3rd floor. By parking on the third floor of the Plaza’s self-parking garage, guests have convenient and direct access to the Plaza’s bingo room and parking is validated for bingo players.

Gambling in the USA

Kambi Group plc extends Mohegan partnership with on-property sports betting agreement in Pennsylvania

Published

3 days ago

May 2, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

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Kambi Group plc (“Kambi”), the world’s trusted sports betting partner, has agreed a long-term on-property sportsbook partnership with Mohegan to provide its award-winning sportsbook at two retail locations in the state of Pennsylvania.

The partnership will see Mohegan utilise Kambi’s cutting-edge retail sportsbook offering across more than 20 kiosks in sportsbook locations at Mohegan Pennsylvania and Mohegan Pennsylvania at Lehigh Valley Race and Sportsbook.

The deal further strengthens Kambi’s relationship with Mohegan, which already utilises Kambi’s suite of sports betting products at ilani in Washington, as well as online and on-property in the Canadian province of Ontario at Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Niagara.

Kristian Nylén, Kambi CEO and Co-founder, said: “With several successful partnerships with Mohegan already in place, we are pleased to agree this new partnership as we continue to build on our strong relationship.

“This latest deal further reinforces Kambi’s position as the sportsbook provider of choice for tribes across North America, and we look forward to our ongoing collaboration with Mohegan.”

Tony Carlucci, President & GM of Mohegan Pennsylvania, said: “Mohegan Pennsylvania is excited to continue utilising the same Kambi technology platform that existed under our Kindred partnership, which will help to create a seamless process as the Sportsbook at Mohegan Pennsylvania fully rebrands later this Spring.”