THIS WEEK IN SPORTS BETTING NEWS – NOVEMBER 5TH, 2021

Chris Altman Sports Betting Expert

5 minute read

BET365 GOES LIVE IN THE NETHERLANDS

Holland is the newest addition for UK-based, but international sports and casino betting operator bet365. The Dutch Gaming Authority or Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) granted the well-known provider of iGaming and sports wagers a betting license on October 1st, after what was a drawn-out effort to secure said license.

This provider is well-known in the US, as they’ve offered their services in New Jersey since the outset of legal betting in the country. Bet365 is also available in a number of countries besides the Netherlands, including Mexico, India, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK.

Users can sign up and get €100 in bet credits using the code INSIDER. Of course, this offer applies to Netherlands-based bettors only, so users in the US will not benefit from this welcome bonus.

To claim said welcome offer, new users in the Netherlands will have to register for their first ever account and make a first ever deposit of at least €10. There are wagering requirements for this offer, so as usual, it’s important to read any relevant terms and conditions before securing the bonus.

Once users have secured their welcome offer, they’ll be treated with a platform best known for its competitive odds and live-streaming options. This provider is British in origin but is a top provider of legal, regulated gambling services in many corners of the world.

BETRIVERS LAUNCHES A FREE-TO-PLAY SITE IN CANADA

The Canadian sports betting program went into full swing this summer, as the country legalized single-event wagering nationwide. Now that betting operators are able to offer the full scope of legal bets, it’s expected that some provincial markets are going to open up to competition.

BetRivers has already had a presence in the country for some time, and now they’re extending another offer to Canadian bettors: a free-to-play “social gaming” website that awards users credits for betting on free casino games.

This credit can then be used to purchase scratchers or “spins” of sweepstakes wheels, so users playing this social gaming site will have the opportunity to win real cash prizes.

The intention behind this release, according to Rush Street Interactive CEO Richard Schwartz, is to establish player trust while demonstrating the fun and efficacy of the BetRivers betting platform.

Once Ontario goes live with their fully competitive sports betting market, BetRivers will release their real-money app in Canada to coincide with the opening of the market.

LOUISIANA’S IN-PERSON SPORTS BETTING NOW LIVE

Louisiana has been poised for in-person and online sports betting since a 2020 referendum, where 55 of the 64 parishes opted “Yes” when asked if they wanted to be allowed to legally bet on sports.

After some delays, both legislative and natural (in the form of Hurricane Ida), Louisiana finally announced that they expected to go live with sports betting this November.

Today, users in Louisiana have access to pre-launch offers for a number of legal online sportsbooks, in addition to being able to bet in-person at a few select casino locations. The full online betting package is slated to go live in January 2022 according to statements from Louisiana Gaming Chair Ronnie Johns, but other indications might support a November 2021 launch.

FLORIDA GOES LIVE WITH ONLINE SPORTS BETTING, TO SURPRISE

Florida’s online sports betting package was in jeopardy, as many court cases challenged their ability to offer legal betting after Governor Ron DeSantis announced a partnership with the Seminole Tribe of Florida earlier this year.

The last of these recent court cases ended with a bit of a technicality, as the plaintiffs never filed their pre-hearing motion, or they did and it failed. Either way, without a ruling from a judge on this pre-hearing motion, online sports betting was allowed to quietly go live in the state.

Now, users in the Sunshine State can get access to the Hard Rock Sportsbook on browsers or through the iOS/Android apps available for free download. When they do, they’ll net themselves a $100 risk-free bet just for signing up.

However exciting it was to be able to get online and bet in Florida with the Seminoles’ only partnering sportsbook app, the situation might have changed during a November 5th federal hearing regarding sports betting in FL.

The Department of the Interior was unable to have a judge rule against Florida and the Seminoles on the 5th, and have until November 9th to provide more evidence for their case. November 15th will be the date when the judge gives a final ruling, so for now, users can freely bet in the Sunshine State. Perhaps not for long, though...

Written by Chris Altman, our US Sports Betting Industry Expert. You can learn more about our author’s expertise here.

Chris Altman

Chris Altman is a sports betting writer and content expert with almost a decade of experience. He's covered everything, but his current focus is on reviewing sportsbooks and online casinos and keeping tabs on sports betting legislation. Chris has been with VegasInsider since 2019 and has freelanced in the sports betting content industry for years. More from Chris Altman