Weekly News – 06/25/2021

Chris Altman Sports Betting Expert

5 minute read

THIS WEEK IN SPORTS BETTING

June 25th, 2021 Weekly Report

This week in legal sports betting news, Maine’s bill is now on the governor’s desk; Arizona’s sports betting law gets scrutinized, Canada’s C-218 waits for the mostly ceremonial royal assent, and Connecticut’s DFS operators get the raw end of the deal with Lamont’s new law.

If you want to find out more on some major topics not covered in this article you can check out the rest of VegasInsider with our exclusive FanDuel bonus code, BetMGM promo code or DraftKings promo code for example!

CONTENTS

• Troubles for Arizona
• Canada Bill On the Brink of Being Law
• Why Connecticut’s New Law Shuts Out DFS
• Luchini’s LD 1352 Passes in Maine

TROUBLES FOR ARIZONA SPORTS BETTING LAW

It’s not smooth sailing for Arizona sports betting, as lawmakers spent the better part of their discussions this week arguing over the definitions of the law. Of main concern was the distribution of licenses into “skins” -- essentially, a sports betting operator can choose to create its own platform or use an existing one like BetMGM. Most concerned parties understood the law to mean one skin, but some argue that the law is unclear.

Recently passed this summer, Arizona’s sports betting legislation offers a total of 10 event wagering licenses for 20 federally-recognized tribes in the state. This poses a complimentary problem: if 20 tribes have to fight over 10 licenses, and some are arguing that they can have more than one skin per license, how is the market going to actually look once the Arizona Department of Gaming starts issuing licenses? That will be the discussion in the coming weeks: we’ll keep you posted.

CANADA SPORTS BETTING BILL ON THE BRINK OF BEING LAW

If you’re in Canada, you’re one ceremonial step away from being able to legally bet on single-wager events. Before the passage of Canada’s C-218, bettors in the country were only allowed to place bets on parlays, which for the uninitiated are a type of sports wager that requires you to predict the outcome of more than one event. For example, you could bet on an NHL parlay for the Canadiens to beat Vegas, the Islanders to best the Lightning, and the Red Wings to win against the Blues, but all three predictions have to be correct for the bet to pay out.

Now, bettors in Canada will have access to the same scope of wagers as their neighbors in the US. Thanks to a bill sponsored by MP Kevin Waugh of the Conservative Party, single-event wagers are now legal in the Great White North, with one step remaining before the bill takes effect.

That last step is known as “royal assent”. Once a bill is voted in by both the Canadian House and Senate, all that’s left is for the governor general to sign off on the bill on behalf of the Queen. It’s a very rare occurrence for the bill to not receive this assent once it is agreed upon by the Parliament of Canada, so all signs point to single wagers being legal as soon as rules can be finalized.

WHY CONNECTICUT’S NEW LAW SHUTS OUT DFS

Connecticut was a wonderful place for a boutique fantasy sports provider to get a foot in the door. The market was open, with no real license requirements to offer DFS, or daily fantasy sports. DFS in particular took hold in states without legal betting frameworks, as it’s closer to placing a “bet” and winning that day, unlike traditional fantasy contests which don’t pay out from the pool until the end of the season.

However, the days of yore are over for fantasy providers in Connecticut if Gov. Ned Lamont’s new law gets approval from the Department of the Interior. Taking a look at the terms of the law, we can see that it will make the process of acquiring a DFS license in the Constitution State quite difficult. Lamont signed the bill into law in May of 2021, but it has generated some controversy because it will severely limit the ability for newer or smaller operators to enter the market.

As it’s already expected that the Mashantucket Pequot and the Mohegan will partner with DraftKings and FanDuel respectively, that leaves only one DFS license up for grabs. That also means that competition will be limited in the sports betting market as well. Connecticuters will have access to DFS and sports betting for real money soon, but it’s not looking like there will be much variety in the way of operators. We’re still waiting on Department of the Interior approval before this law takes effect.

LUCHINI’S LD 1352 PASSES, BUT HE’S NOT HAPPY

Senator Louis Luchini of Maine pushed forward his LD 1352 with the intention that it wouldn’t require online operators to tether to a physical casino. This tethering, he said, is anti-competitive and would essentially keep gambling dollars in the hands of the large casino operators in the Pine Tree State. But it passed the House this week, and is now headed to Governor Janet Mills.

This bill was particularly tailored to avoid Mills’ veto, so there’s every possibility that she might sign. However, she’s often quoted as saying how Mainers are “not ready” for sports betting legislation, so it’s anyone’s guess if she will sign or how long it will take. Senator Luchini seems to have accepted his position in the advancement of the bill, but is likely to be heavily involved in the licensing process and may even try to amend the bill. Again, as summer sessions come to a close, things are in a state of flux. As developments occur, we’ll keep our readers posted right here.

Written by Chris Altman, our US Sports Betting Industry Expert.

Chris Altman is a traveling writer and content expert with almost a decade of experience. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, tinkering, and occasionally writes short stories about dogs and space. On a good day, you’ll find him slung over a laptop keyboard in whatever establishment has the best chicken wings.

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