Compliance Updates
Mississippi House passes bill to legalize online sports betting; measure moves to Senate
The Mississippi House passed a bill Thursday that would legalize online sports betting, bringing the state one step closer to joining 29 other states that already allow the practice.
The Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act, which would legalize mobile sports betting while requiring gambling companies to contract with brick-and-mortar gambling establishments, passed 97-14 after a brief debate on the House floor. Sports wagering has been legal in the state for years, but online betting has remained illegal amid fears the move could harm the bottom line of the stateâs casinos.
Republican Rep. Casey Eure of Saucier, the billâs prime sponsor, said the state could bring in $25-35 million a year in tax revenue, based on state Gaming Commission estimates. Mississippi is missing out on that money as it houses one of the nationâs most active black markets.
Across the U.S. each year, illegal betting sites see about $64 billion in wagers, Eure said. Mississippi makes up 5% of that market, which is about $3 billion in illegal bets.
After advancing the bill out of a House committee on Tuesday, lawmakers approved an amendment Eure introduced on the floor that would change where the revenue goes. The first version of the bill levied a 12% tax on sports wagers, sending 4% to the localities where a casino is located and 8% to the state. The amended version lawmakers passed Thursday would direct all 12% to a state fund for emergency road and bridge repairs.
If the Mississippi law passes, online gaming platforms would have to reach an agreement with licensed gambling establishments to establish an online sports betting presence in the state.
House Democratic Leader Robert Johnson of Natchez raised concerns that gambling platforms would have no incentive to partner with smaller casinos, and most of the money would instead flow to the Mississippi Gulf Coastâs already bustling casinos. He proposed an amendment that would guarantee licensed gaming establishments would absorb some of the revenue from bets placed near their facilities.
âThe only people making money are the two people that have a contract,â Johnson said. âThe money from the platforms, you bet in Mississippi it doesnât go to every casino in Mississippi. It goes to the casino that you have a contract with.â
Republicans tabled the amendment, but Johnson voted for the bill anyway. He called the potential legalization of mobile sports betting âinevitable.â
Mississippi House members acted on the same day Georgia senators passed a bill to allow sports gambling. Nationwide, 38 states allow sports betting. Some states allow only in-person bets, although most allow electronic betting from anywhere.
The Mississippi bill now heads to the state Senate for consideration.
Michael Goldberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow him at @mikergoldberg.
Source: CDC Gaming
Compliance Updates
PGA of America Joins AGAâs Have A Game Plan.ÂŽ Bet Responsibly.⢠Campaign
The PGA of America is partnering with the American Gaming Associationâs (AGA) Have A Game Plan.ÂŽÂ Bet Responsibly.â˘Â public service campaign to promote responsible sports wagering.
Announced ahead of the 2024 PGA ChampionshipâMay 16-19 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, KYâthe partnership will feature co-branded responsible gaming content, educational materials and strategic activations across PGA of Americaâs digital and social platforms.
âAs the PGA of America welcomes ESPN BET as the Official Sports Betting Sponsor of the 106th PGA Championship, it is core to our values to ensure golf fans have the right tools in their bag to bet responsibly,â said PGA of America Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Price. âActivating AGAâs Have A Game Plan campaign during this yearâs PGA Championship and beyond will be an integral part of our strategy as interest in golf wagering grows.â
Launched in 2019, Have A Game Plan brings legal gaming operators, sports teams, leagues, media companies and other organizations together around a common consumer education message, focusing on the core principles of responsible wagering:
- Set a budget and stick to it.
- Keep it socialâsports betting is a form of entertainment for adults.
- Know the odds.
- Play with legal, regulated operators.
âWe look forward to our partnership with the PGA of America amplifying Have A Game Planâs principles with golf enthusiasts and bettors across the country,â said AGA Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications Joe Maloney. âTogether, weâre driving the message home: set a budget, stick to it, and wager responsibly.â
Other league Have A Game Plan partners include the MLB, NASCAR, NBA, PGA TOUR, NHL and WNBA. For more information about the Have A Game Plan initiative and resources on responsible gambling, visit HaveAGamePlan.org.
Compliance Updates
Spinomenal is now a registered provider in Peru
Spinomenal, the leading iGaming content provider, has expanded its Latin American presence by registering as a service provider in Peru. The approval from Peruâs Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR) allows Spinomenal to provide its casino titles to the countryâs locally licensed operators.
With Peru’s recent introduction of new gaming regulations, the iGaming environment is set for an exciting transformation. Spinomenal is thrilled to be part of this dynamic evolution, offering our state-of-the-art gaming solutions to energise and enhance the gaming experience within Peru’s thriving iGaming community.
Peruvian players will now be able to enjoy Spinomenalâs popular portfolio of games and some of the gems available are Majestic King and Demi Gods V.
Spinomenal CO-CEO, Lior Shvartz commented: âLatin America continues to be a key region for us and weâre proud to now be able to offer our titles within the regulated Peruvian market. Games have been hand-picked for Peruvians based on localised knowledge of player preferences gained by our experience in the market prior to the new regulation.â
Compliance Updates
Playân GO breaks new ground with entrance into third Argentinian province
Swedish gaming giantsâ games now available in the province of CĂłrdobaâs newly regulated market
Playân GO, the worldâs leading casino entertainment provider, has today announced their expansion into yet another new regulated market, as the Swedish gaming giant has agreed a partnership with Betsson in the province of CĂłrdoba, Argentina.
Argentina is currently in a process of regulation for online gaming purposes on a province-by-province basis, and the partnership with Betsson sees Playân GO enter yet another regulated market, keeping up the momentum from 2023 that saw the company expand its global reach.
This announcement sees Betssonâs players in CĂłrdoba gain access to Playân GOâs entire catalogue of games, including classics such as Book of Dead, Reactoonz, and Moon Princess.
This announcement is a signal of intent from Playân GO, who reiterate their commitment to be present in every regulated market in the world.
Michele Stefanelli, Sales Leader, LATAM and Southern Europe, Playân GO said: âOur first foray into a new region is always exciting for us, and weâre looking forward to a successful partnership with Betsson in CĂłrdoba. Players around the world, and especially in the LATAM region, have already shown their fondness for our content, and weâre quietly confident that this new region will be no different. We are on record with our commitment to a safe, regulated industry, and weâre very pleased to see that approach rolled out globally by lawmakers and operators alike.â
Maximiliano Bellio, Managing Director Betsson Argentina, added: âWeâre pleased to welcome Playân GO to the Betsson family here in the CĂłrdoba region, and we look forward to many years of success together. Like Playân GO, Betsson is committed to a sustainable industry model, so this partnership makes perfect sense for both parties. Weâre sure our players will be as excited as we are once they start playing these games that have proven so popular around the world, so letâs get started.â
Playân GOâs games are already available in the autonomous city of Buenos Aires and Buenos Aires Province within Argentinaâs federal system.
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