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March 2021 was the first time sports bettors in Michigan could legally place a bet online on their beloved NCAA men’s basketball programs during the March Madness tournament. And the Wolverines’ run to the Elite Eight is being credited for a strong monthly online sports betting performance. Many Michigan sports fans were disappointed last month when the Michigan Wolverines were ousted in the Elite Eight by the UCLA Bruins (pictured). But online sportsbook operators certainly weren’t disappointed by the sheer volume of bets they handled in March. (Image: Getty) The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) today unveiled statistics for online sports betting and interactive casino gambling for March.  Internet oddsmakers …

Bookmakers have halted the betting markets on the two major European soccer tournaments. That’s after organizer UEFA threatened to kick out 12 elite teams over their intent to form the breakaway “European Super League” (ESL). Could Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos (left) and Liverpool’s Mo’ Salah be facing off in the ESL next season? (Image: Fansided) The controversial plan has been condemned by the sport’s governing bodies and fans alike, who see it as a cynical cash grab by the billionaire owners of the world’s biggest soccer clubs. On Tuesday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson threatened to “drop a legislative bomb” on the ESL to stop it from happening. The Champions …

More than 80 percent of legal sports betting in the US is done online. That could go higher, as a half dozen more states are expected to approve online wagering this year. Two customers view the odds on live games at a casino sportsbook. Most sports betting in the country now occurs on mobile devices, not at sportsbooks. (Image: CBS Sports) In 2019, a panel of experts at the East Coast Gaming Congress in Atlantic City predicted 90 percent of legal sports betting in the country would be done online in five to 10 years. Only two years after that panel discussion, 90 percent is within range. Nationally, 81 percent …

As more states legalize online sports wagering, a recent report from UNLV’s International Gaming Institute urges these companies not to target young people and problem gamblers in advertising.  Soccer players compete in this illustration showing the immediacy of online sports betting. A report from UNLV notes that online sports betting is growing in popularity. (Image: Tecpinion) The 29-page document notes that more states are eyeing online sports wagering as a tax revenue source, especially in an economy hampered by the coronavirus pandemic.  Critics contend online wagering on devices such as smartphones and computers tempts juveniles and can drive problem gamblers into a financial hole that shatters families. These issues have …

Sweden’s greatest soccer player, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, could be facing a three-year ban from the sport for investing in gambling company BetHard, according to media reports. Zlatan Ibrahimovic appears in promotional material for BetHard in 2016. Turns out he owns a chunk of the company. (Image: BetHard Group) Swedish daily Aftonbladet claims the AC Milan striker is the fourth-biggest owner of BetHard, with a ten percent stake in the company. Neither FIFA nor UEFA, respectively the world and European soccer governing bodies, allow players to have financial interests in gambling companies. And both are reportedly thinking of making an example of Ibrahimovic, who is more commonly known simply as “Zlatan.” ‘You …

The NFL is pushing further into the betting world, announcing today that Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ:CZR) is the league’s first casino sponsor. The league also brought DraftKings (NASDAQ:DKNG) aboard as its official sportsbook partner. Scenes from an Arizona Cardinals/San Francisco 49ers game in 2020. The NFL announced deals with Caesars and DraftKings. (Image: Variety) Once hands-off when it came to sports betting, the most popular sports league in the US slowly warmed to the idea following the 2018 Supreme Court ruling on the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PAPSA). As sports wagering emerges from the shadows and is increasingly regulated in the US, the NFL sees revenue-generating opportunities and avenues …

The Ohio state Senate committee that drafted the current sports betting bill met Wednesday for the first time since its initial version was unveiled last week. Already, there are some changes that have been made. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow attempts a pass against the host Cleveland Browns in their Week 2 contest during the 2020 season. Ohio’s NFL teams have been proponents of legalizing sports betting in the state. (Image: Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) The Senate Select Committee on Gaming’s first action was to accept an amended version of Senate Bill 176. Committee Vice Chair Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville), a joint sponsor of the bill with state Sen. Niraj Antani …

Sports betting operators across the country are racing to secure as much market share as possible, and it’s paying off for local television stations by way of new ad revenue. A FanDuel television commercial starring former NFL star James Harrison is seen. FanDuel was one of several sports betting groups that spent heavily on commercials in the first three months of the year. (Image: FanDuel) Fifteen states have legal online sports betting operational. Seven others permit in-person sports betting. Five states additionally have full-scale internet casino gambling, with interactive slot machines and table games.  The major expansion of sports betting in the United States since the Supreme Court repealed the …

When New York picks its mobile sports betting platform providers, it’ll be the state’s Gaming Commission making those key decisions. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo walks into a bill-signing ceremony in Buffalo, NY on April 16 wearing a Buffalo Bills facemask. On Friday, the New York State Gaming Commission released answers to more than 90 questions it received related to mobile sports betting, which Cuomo signed into law earlier this month. (Image: Darren McGee/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo) On Friday, the Commission released a 10-page document providing some answers to questions on the application process. State officials answered 92 questions from interested parties. Earlier this month, New York state …

Nevada gaming regulators have given Circa Sports approval to open a sportsbook inside a renovated casino in Henderson. This comes as the Southern Nevada city is undergoing a revival. Circa Resort’s Derek Stevens, with hand raised, plays blackjack at The Pass Casino in Henderson, Nevada. Stevens attended the April 1 grand opening at the renovated casino. (Image: Las Vegas Review-Journal) After a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 29, the sportsbook inside The Pass Casino will start accepting wagers at the ticket window. The Nevada Gaming Commission approved the arrangement on Thursday, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The Pass opened April 1 on Water Street in Henderson’s historic district. Henderson is …