Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 30-December 6

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 new appointments. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

888 Holdings has announced new market access deals in Indiana, Iowa and Colorado. Its presence in each of these states will initially be through the 888Sport brand in 2021. In Colorado, 888Sport will launch under the license of the Colorado Grande Casino based in Cripple Creek. In Iowa, the Group will launch under the license of Catfish Bend Casinos II LLC. In Indiana, the Group has signed an agreement with Harrah’s Hoosier Park, which is owned by Caesars Entertainment, to launch 888Sport in the state.

The Morongo Casino, Resort and Spa is going to launch cashless wagering in California. The casino has entered into a partnership with Marker Trax to introduce cashless wagering markers to its floor. Marker Trax will run through the Konami Synkros casino management system and will allow Morongo guests to conveniently and securely apply, get approved and begin using their digital marker. Rather than retrieving physical cash for a casino marker, guests enrolled in a PIN-protected Synkros cashless wagering account can use their Marker Trax credit line to play electronically on any slot or video poker machine in the casino.

Online gambling could launch in Michigan by the end of the year after the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted to waive a 15-day waiting period to approve regulations. The vote means the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) will be able to officially file the final draft of online betting regulations to the department of state. The next step in the legalisation process will be for the MGCB to receive license applications from casinos along with their vendors and suppliers. It will review applications and approve those that meet requirements.

New Partnerships

Scientific Games Corporation has partnered with Genius Sports Group to provide in-game content to its wagering customers worldwide, excluding US leagues. Sportsbooks operating on Scientific Games’ OpenSportsTM platform will gain access to Genius Sports Group’s LiveData and LiveTrading services. Genius Sports Group’s entire portfolio of official data rights is included in the agreement, featuring content such as the English Premier League, NASCAR, Serie A and German Bundesliga, as well as dozens of FIBA basketball and FIVB volleyball leagues.

DraftKings Inc. has become the exclusive Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner, as well as an Official Sports Betting and iGaming Partner, of the Detroit Pistons. In addition to access to Pistons’ trademarks and logos, the deal includes DraftKings-branded courtside LED signage and in-game basket pad branding. The agreement comes as DraftKings prepares to launch mobile sports betting and online gaming in the state of Michigan, pending licensure and the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals.

New Appointment

Colombian regulator Coljuegos has appointed Cesar Augusto Valencia Galiano as its new president. The appointment will see Valencia Galiano replace Juan Pérez Hidalgo, who resigned from the role last week following a tenure that saw the launch of regulated igaming in the country. Valencia Galiano will join the regulator after 40 years with Smurfit Kappa, which specialises in the production of corrugated cardboard and paper packaging. During his time with Smurfit Kappa, Galiano served in a number of senior roles, most recently as vice president for Central America and the Caribbean. He also served as president of the Association of Corrugators of the Caribbean, Central and South America.