Captain Gambling: Weekly Industry News Update – 10/25/2020

Welcome to our weekly industry news digest here at Captain Gambling, where we’ll give you the latest updates and information regarding betting legislation in all states across the country. 

This week’s top stories:

• NJ Senator calls for referendum on Collegiate sports betting
• Ohio Senator to add lottery clause to sports betting bill
• Wyoming Tribe wants to introduce sports betting at casinos
• DraftKings prepped for Michigan launch

New Jersey

Last week we reported that lawmakers in New Jersey were attempting to push through a bill to allow betting on March Madness. This looks to have taken a step closer to becoming a reality as NJ Senator Paul Sarlo has called for a voter referendum to legitimize betting on NCAA tournaments. The move has come to fruition after it was announced that the 2025 Men’s NCAA Basketball East Regionals is to be held in Newark. As it stands, despite having some of the most lenient sports betting laws in the country, NJ residents can’t bet on collegiate sports in the State, nor can they back NJ based college teams when playing elsewhere. 

Ohio

Ohio has taken a step closer to the legal online sales of lottery tickets this week thanks to Senator Bill Coley. A sports betting bill is currently going through the senate in the Buckeye State, and Sen. Bill Colely has now added a provision to that bill that would see online lottery sales being legalized alongside sports betting. The bill passed its legislative branch back in May of this year and is now making its way through Ohio’s legislative system. 

Wyoming

Sports betting could be on its way to Wyoming thanks to an initiative from the Northern Arapaho Tribe. The tribe has announced that it has begun taking steps to legalize sports betting inside 4 gaming establishments, including the Wind River Hotel and Casino in Riverton. The announcement was brought into the public domain via a press release from the Northern Arapaho Business Council (NABC). According to the press release, the initiative would “enhance the gaming experience” in the 4 establishments while also aiding the Arapaho residents through the extra tax revenue generated. 

Michigan

Sports betting giants DraftKings are preparing to launch in Michigan, which is among a handful of states with legal sports betting on the very near horizon. DraftKings has already been operational in Michigan through their daily fantasy sports leagues (DFS). Just as they are doing with Tennessee, DraftKings are offering an exclusive welcome bonus to all new customers form Michigan. You can find out all of the details on the DraftKings site.