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The Gambling Battle for Governor of Kentucky

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In November 2023, Kentucky held its gubernatorial election, which pinned Andy Beshear, the Incumbent Democratic governor, against Daniel Cameron, the Republican state attorney general. The race was won by Beshear, who attained re-election by winning 52.53% of the vote, in an election that saw the best performance by a Democrat since 2011 and the worst by a Republican. However, it wasn’t the race that generated nationwide media attention as much as the monetary contributions both parties received to back specific interests. Notably, heavy gambling interests put big money on the election.

According to the available data, in 2023, Kentucky’s horse race tracks gave sizeable funds to the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), which forked over around $19 million to back Andy Beshear’s win. Per uncovered IRS reports, the DGA received $50,000 from Revolutionary Racing Kentucky, $200,000 from Kentucky Downs, and a quarter of a million dollars from Churchill Downs in the latter half of 2023. That said, Daniel Cameron’s campaign also got a gambling fund boost, as it was revealed that the Republican candidate obtained $362,000 in contributions through the Republican Governors Association (RGA) from Georgia-based gaming machine manufacturer Pace-O-Matic in 2023 to fuel Cameron’s $12 million bid for governor.

Thankfully, both the RGA and DGA must disclose their expenses and donors to the IRS, which supplies the public with much-needed transparency regarding whose interests governor candidates will seek to look out for. Aside from gambling entities, both Cameron and Beshear noted backing from energy, health, and financial companies. Nonetheless, the gambling total came to somewhere in the neighborhood of $30 million, an impressive sum.

Differing Gambling Interests in Kentucky

As noted above, Kentucky horse race tracks supported Beshear’s second term by providing considerable donations to his campaign. That happened primarily because Beshear legalized sports betting in the state. The bill he passed allowed tracks to open retail lounges that accept wagers on sporting events. Thus, in September 2023, the Governor was the first to place a bet on an athletic competition in Kentucky. He laid a $20 parlay on two home-state college teams at the Churchill Downs track, citing this is the type of entertainment Kentuckians have been looking for for years. He added that allowing this activity will only boost local tourism and make people stay in Kentucky and not flee for Vegas once the NCAA March Madness tournament rolls around.

It should be said that once, the state’s multiple tracks, Cumberland Run, Ellis Park Racing & Gaming, Red Mile Racing & Gaming, Turfway Park Racing & Gaming, Oak Grove Racing & Gaming, Churchill Downs, and Sandy’s Racing & Gaming, established their brick-and-mortar sportsbooks, they also began exploring possibilities branching off into other types of gambling.

So, on one side, the Democrats got chiefly backed by the tracks in Kentucky. And the Republicans got aid from Pace-O-Matic, a company whose twenty-five hundred Burning Barrel games got shut down in June 2023, on the claim that they violated Kentucky law, which does not allow games of chance, even though Pace-O-Matic classifies them as ones of skill, citing that their nature does not cause any conflict with the state’s legislature.

Still, the manufacturer’s machines, widely available across the commonwealth at gas stations and bars, got disabled. That occurred by the rule of law from Governor Beshear, who signed the bill that banned them, proclaiming they feature no regulation, bring in zero in taxation, and only exist to take away hard-earned dollars from Kentuckians. However, venue owners throughout the state have rebelled against the move, stating that these machines help keep them in business, as the money they receive from hosting them is enough to cover their utility bills.

Hence, from everything explained above, it is clear that Beshear is interested in keeping his supporters happy by eliminating their gambling competitors, who looked to back someone else to take his place and change the laws to their benefit.

The Online Casino Situation in Kentucky

While Internet sports wagering is booming in the US, the same cannot be said of interactive gaming, as only seven US states have chosen to permit such gambling sites. Kentucky is not among them, as KY online casinos cannot be run from within the state’s borders. That said, for years, residents have been able to use internationally-regulated platforms based in foreign lands for game-of-chance fun.

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Proposed lawsuits filed in Kentucky’s Eastern District in August of 2023 have raised eyebrows regarding whether this entertainment form is still available to Kentucky’s citizens due to a Lawrenceburg resident, Billi Jo Woods, suing Bovada and Bodog (Morris Mohawk Gaming Group), reputable offshore operators for violating state gambling law.

In the proposed suit, Woods alleged she had lost substantial amounts of money gambling at Bovada/Bodog-operated hubs and is calling about a 19th-century law that declares that Kentuckians can file legal actions against operators who they believe have unlawfully taken funds from them. The grounds for Woods’ suit is that the Morris Mohawk Gaming Group offers online casino gaming to the state’s citizens despite the state not legalizing this activity. Few believe this action will produce meaningful results for Woods, as loads of Kentuckians still use offshore platforms to satisfy their gaming needs.

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From Start to Top-3: Media Buying Agency Gipsy’s Journey in the N1 Puzzle Promo

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From Start to Top-3: Media Buying Agency Gipsy’s Journey in the N1 Puzzle Promo

 

N1 Puzzle Promo is a unique campaign on the iGaming market from N1 Partners for partners that runs until the end of 2025. Their slogan – “Why drive when you can fly?”, points to the grand prize. What exactly can you win? Keep reading to find out.

N1 Partners, one of the top affiliate programs with Tier-1 brands, is running the N1 Puzzle Promo. Registered partners run traffic – PPC and ASO, SEO traffic, Facebook, and other channels –  and earn puzzle pieces. The more pieces you collect – the better chance to win the main prize… a HELICOPTER!

Everyone has a shot at victory. Let’s meet Media Buying Agency Gipsy, now in the top-3 of the N1 Puzzle Promo.

Partnership Background

Media Buying Agency Gipsy and the N1 Partners affiliate program have worked together for many years. Over time they have built smooth processes, strong relationships, and solid analytics.

Ariadna, CBDO of Gipsy MBA, says: “It feels like we’ve worked together forever, but we started handling large volumes only last year.”

Formula for Growth

Traffic from Gipsy to N1 Partners’ products grew very hard the past year. This rise comes from high-converting offers in Tier-1 GEOs and attractive CPA terms. Partners also get access to analytics and consulting from the program.

Ariadna, CBDO Gipsy MBA: “We use quality approaches and track analytics regularly. Fast communication with our affiliate manager also helps a lot.”

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N1 Puzzle Promo: Experience and Top Products to Scale

Gipsy works with PPC, FB & UAC traffic. All these sources count in the N1 Puzzle Promo:

  • PPC & ASO – 1 puzzle piece for every 40 FTD
  • FB & other* – 1 puzzle piece for every 100 FTD

*Social media, SMS, Email, UAC, In-app

Ariadna, CBDO Gipsy MBA: “We joined the N1 Puzzle Promo in April, almost from the very start. The prizes inspire us, especially the helicopter. We didn’t change our traffic sources—we just scaled up and tested new sources and GEOs. Over time we tried every product; now we focus on N1bet, Jet4bet, Slotlords, Slotmafia, and Retrobet.”

Today Gipsy MBA is in the top 3 by puzzle pieces, and the team is determined: “Seeing the volumes we run to N1 Partners, we hope to stay in the TOP and grab some prizes. We already hold a top-3 spot for puzzle pieces, so we aim to keep growing,” – commented Ariadna, CBDO Gipsy MBA. 

If they win, the Gipsy MBA team plans to fly their Robinson R22 Beta II to Australia to chase seagulls. Where will you fly?

Join the N1 Puzzle Promo!

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FIRST and Genius Sports Extend Landmark Data Partnership, Powering Continued Growth

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Industry leaders agree new extension to data and streaming partnership that will see FIRST – Best in Sports turbo-charge global growth and boost annual revenues for Genius Sports

 FIRST – Best in Sports, the Tier 1 provider of sports betting solutions, and Genius Sports, the leading sports data and technology company, today announce that they have extended their landmark partnership that will see Genius Sports continue to deliver its industry-leading betting data and streaming technology to FIRST – Best in Sports.

As part of the new agreement, FIRST – Best in Sports will distribute Genius Sports data and streaming content to its expanded B2B network and grow the data company’s volume, reach and annual revenues in a major way as it brings partners onstream in Latin America, with Brazil as a major focus.

  • FIRST’s growth in Brazil and leading position as a LATAM-focused sportsbook solution will be further enhanced by Genius’s focus in South America.
  • This includes coverage of Brazil’s Serie A, Serie B, Campeonato Paulista, Mexico’s Liga MX and the Primera Ligas in Uruguay, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay.

The deal extension is part of a comprehensive agreement between two companies that are setting industry standards for the speed, accuracy and depth of their online sports betting offerings. The new partnership also sees FIRST become the official betting partner of Genius Sports, with the group set to recommend FIRST – Best in Sports to operators seeking fully-managed sports betting solutions.

Tom Light, CEO of FIRST – Best in Sports, commented: “We have been working with Genius Sports for many years, and I am delighted to be extending and deepening our relationship with such an industry leader. FIRST – Best in Sports and Genius Sports represent the gold standard in their respective fields and the new agreement will enable us to continue growing revenues for Genius Sports as we launch new partners and expand our network. We look forward to providing the most complete and data-rich solution to sports betting operators in the world’s fastest-growing markets.”

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Brightstar Lottery’s VP of Global Lottery Marketing, Michelle Carney to be Inducted into Lottery Industry Hall of Fame

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International Game Technology PLC, doing business as Brightstar Lottery (Brightstar), announced that Michelle Carney, Brightstar’s Vice President of Global Lottery Marketing, will be inducted into the Lottery Industry Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2025. The induction ceremony will take place this September at an industry event in Ontario, Canada hosted by the Public Gaming Research Institute (PGRI) in conjunction with the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL).

“Michelle is an incredible asset to Brightstar, its partners and customers, and the entire lottery industry. Over the course of her highly accomplished 25-year career, she has successfully cultivated strategic partnerships, contributed to Brightstar’s global lottery leadership, and championed innovation to drive the evolution of lottery forward. Michelle is a shining reflection of what our new brand represents: an optimistic source of inspiration and innovation for lottery. All of us at Brightstar congratulate Michelle on her well-deserved induction into the Lottery Industry Hall of Fame,” said Vince Sadusky, CEO of Brightstar.

“It is a great honor to be inducted to Lottery Industry Hall of Fame and stand alongside all of the lottery professionals who contributed so much to our industry, many of whom inspired and supported me over the years. I am grateful for the privilege to collaborate with my colleagues at Brightstar and in the industry around the globe and look forward to continue working together to drive the success of lottery and contributions to good causes,” said Carney.

In her current role, Carney is responsible for the development of marketing and communications strategies that support growth for Brightstar’s Global Lottery business, including lottery product marketing, trade shows and events, thought leadership communications, and B2C marketing campaign materials to support customer launches of new game content. She also manages Brightstar’s relationships with industry associations such as the World Lottery Association (WLA), European Lotteries (EL) and NASPL. Under Carney’s strategic planning and guidance, Brightstar is positioned as the industry leader at all trade shows, conferences and events, including customer visits and RFI/RFP presentations.

A recent industry highlight was Carney’s leadership of the development and implementation plan to deliver a $5 Mega Millions game in April 2025, on behalf of the Mega Millions Consortium. She developed an inclusive technical, operational, and retail execution strategy that provided the framework for a successful project delivery of all key milestones across 11 subcommittees comprising lottery and vendor employees. Her comprehensive oversight and leadership ensured that 47 U.S. lotteries and all vendor partners experienced a successful game launch. In earlier years, Michelle collaborated with MUSL and Mega Millions working groups on other multi-jurisdictional game rollouts including Cross-Sell, $2 Powerball, and Cash 4 Life.

The Lottery Industry Hall of Fame was founded by PGRI in 2005 as a means of honoring those who have done the most to make the lottery industry the great success that it is today. Membership is reserved for lottery professionals who have promoted excellence and integrity throughout their careers.

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