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With a week left in the Louisiana legislative session, bills to allow sports betting are making their way to the governor’s desk for approval. This means sport betting, including on smartphones, could be legal in the state by football season. Sens. Rick Ward, left, and Page Cortez (both R) address other lawmakers at a legislative hearing this year in Baton Rouge. Both legislators have introduced sports betting bills. (Image: The Advocate) The state House of Representatives on Thursday approved Senate Bill 247 on a 78-15 vote. Sponsored by Senate President Page Cortez (R), the bill would require the state’s 13 riverboat casinos, one land-based casino in New Orleans, and four …

Work has started on an expansion project at the DraftKings at Casino Queen in East St. Louis, Ill., according to a statement from the casino released on Tuesday. The DraftKings at Casino Queen is undergoing a $10 million expansion that will include an upgraded sportsbook and dining options at the East St. Louis, Ill., casino. (Image: Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch) The $10 million project includes a new sportsbook, along with dining options. A promenade will feature a food court with three fast-food offerings, as well as a full-service restaurant. The project is expected to be completed within six months. At 30,000 square feet, the expansion will serve as a significant …

Entain Australia CEO Dean Shannon, not surprisingly, believes his company’s $2.7 billion proposal for Tabcorp’s media and sports wagering businesses is the best in a growing field and is urging the operator to accept that bid. Entain Australia CEO Dean Shannon. He believes his company’s offer for Tabcorp assets is superior to rivals bids. (Image: The Australian) Speaking publicly on the matter for the first time today, Shannon took aim at two competing offers for the Tabcorp units. That includes the $3.1 billion proposal from BetMakers revealed last week. He noted Entain is committed to growing those assets over the long haul — something rival suitors may not be able …

News Corp Australia is reportedly in late-stage discussions with a group headed by renowned Australian bookmaker Matthew Tripp. That could lead to the creation of a new wagering entity and a run at Tabcorp’s media and sports betting businesses. Australian bookmaker Matthew Tripp. He may be teaming with News Corp to make a run at Tabcorp assets. (Image: The Australian) Unidentified sources with knowledge of the matter tell The Sydney Morning Herald that the media giant is also in discussions with its US operation — Fox Corp. (NASDAQ:FOXA) — to procure licensing rights to use the FOX Bet brand for the new Aussie venture. Fox previously sought to bring the …

Maine lawmakers introduced four pieces of legislation this year seeking to legalize sports betting. But last week, three were tossed out of committee.  Maine Sen. Louis Luchini. The Democrat, who is a former professional runner who competed in the US Olympic Trials in 2004 and 2008, is spearheading a legislative effort to legalize sports betting in the state. (Image: Bangor Daily News) On Friday, the Legislature Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs rejected three articles that sought to expand gaming in the state by way of sports gambling. The decision came after committee members agreed to work on another sports wagering statute introduced by Sen. Louis Luchini (D-Hancock).  The goal …

California voters will get a chance to decide if they want to legalize sports betting in their state. However, it’ll be a while before they can go to the polls. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers flashes signs. His team is currently in the NBA playoffs. Tribal casinos and racetracks would be allowed to take bets on his team if California approves sports betting. On Thursday, the Secretary of State’s Office announced that proponents of the measure secured enough signatures to get the question on the ballot for the November 2022 election. Elections officials in the state’s 58 counties verified 1,061,282 signatures out of the 1,427,373 supporters – namely …

In-stadium sports betting is here — officially. On Wednesday, the William Hill Sportsbook had its grand opening in the Capital One Arena in Washington DC, home to the Washington Capitals, the Washington Wizards, and the Georgetown University basketball team. William Hill and Monumental Sports executives cut the ribbon at the official opening of America’s first in-stadium sportsbook at the Capital One Arena. (Image: Washington Post While a temporary sportsbook space with betting windows and self-service kiosks opened at the arena in July 2020, this was the real deal. It’s the first full-fledged sportsbook to operate inside a US professional sports facility, and it shows just how far we have come …

A bill allowing mobile sports betting in Louisiana sailed through a state House of Representatives committee this week. That puts the state one step closer to having legal sports betting by the end of football season. State Sen. Page Cortez (R) gestures at the Capitol in Baton Rouge on April 12 at the start of the 2021 Louisiana legislative session. He has sponsored a bill allowing sports betting in the state. (Image: KTVE-TV) The Administration of Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday approved Senate Bill 247 without objection at the Capitol in Baton Rouge. The bill now goes to the full House for debate. A date for the bill to be …

The brewing battle royale in US sports betting media just added another chapter. On Tuesday, FanDuel and the Associated Press announced their partnership. AP newsroom staffers at work at headquarters, New York, Nov. 2, 2010. The AP just announced a partnership with FanDuel. (AP Corporate Communications) Effective immediately, FanDuel becomes the wire service’s exclusive provider of sports betting odds. That was previously handled by Pregame.com. (NOTE: In the interest of full disclosure, the writer also serves as a seasonal correspondent for the Associated Press.) The FanDuel deal goes beyond just providing odds and line information for AP wire stories. Per a joint statement, the two sides will work on adding FanDuel …

Bally’s (NYSE:BALY) finally has a mobile sportsbook app to go along with its growing list sports wagering assets after the company launched Bally Bet in Colorado. Bally’s Mardi Gras Casino in Colorado. The company launched its mobile sportsbook app in the state. (Image: Las Vegas Review-Journal) For over a year, the Rhode Island-based gaming company Bally’s has been cobbling together sports betting pieces via acquisitions and inking deals with professional leagues aimed at increasing the visibility of the rejuvenated brand. Through an agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group, the Bally’s name is on approximately 20 regional sports networks (RSNs), marking one of the most overt arrangements between a gaming company and …