Mobile betting in the US is rapidly gaining traction. Most of the country has been slow to accept even the most basic forms of sports betting and gambling. Now that states like New Jersey and Nevada have paved the way for sports betting, many others are following in their footsteps and expanding to the online market.
Since betting laws in the US vary state by state, they are not controlled on the federal level, it is up to their local legislature to ensure that the laws pass. That is why there are three major pieces of mobile betting news that vary in scope and funding.
New York
New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, announced the 2022 New York State Budget on the 6th of April. For the first time in the history of the state budget, they included fiscal resources from the introduction of mobile sports and esports betting in the state. This looks like an attempt to follow in the footsteps of the successful launch of the sports betting market in their neighbour state of New Jersey. Online sports betting in New Jersey is one of the biggest in North America.
They have an interesting way of offering the new mobile betting options for the state. Normally, most states would simply allow existing sports betting and esports betting operators in the state to offer mobile betting options. Instead, they are placing a request for applications from companies interested in being the first to offer mobile betting services.
Unsurprisingly, they are expecting a lot of applications. The state will then select at least two of the applications. The providers that they have selected will work with current sports betting operators in the state to provide mobile betting to the people of New York. In fact, some experts have estimated that the state could become the biggest mobile betting market in the US.
Maryland
The Maryland state legislature has approved legislation to legalize sports betting. The vote passed in the House of Delegates who approved the final measure 122-16 on Monday evening, 13th April. The vote also passed through the state Senate a few hours before with a 47-0 vote. The current Governor, Lawrence J. Hogan Jr has confirmed that he will likely sign the bill into law.
As a result of this new bill, the state will award as many as 60 licenses for mobile betting apps and 47 extra licences will be approved for in-person betting operations. There will be a pretty significant cost to apply for a licence, companies that want to run a sportsbook will have to pay an up-front fee. Major enterprises like international betting operators and casinos will have to pay $2 million for a license that will last five years but smaller, mom-and-pop shops will pay significantly less.
The bill, House Bill 940, lays out how the sports betting in the state will be operated. It calls for certain license holders to accept sports wagering on particular events and that operators must apply to the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission to make sure they can receive certain licenses. If the bill is signed into law, it will also necessitate the creation and installation of a Sports Wagering Application Review Commission. This will take charge of the license applications as well as the development of a free or low-cost gambling prevention program.
Arizona
This week, the Arizona state legislature has passed the House Bill 2772. This will legalise sports betting in the Grand Canyon State. The bill will allow as many as 20 statewide mobile operators and some of the nation’s first in-stadium sportsbooks.
Arizona Governor, Doug Ducey championed the bill and he is expected to sign it into law as early as this week. It will also legalise daily fantasy sports in one of the few remaining states where it is explicitly illegal.
The new bill from Arizona permits as many as 20 total online operators, 10 apiece split between Native American tribes and professional sports organizations. The Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Coyotes, Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns, TPC Scottsdale (home of the PGA TOUR’s Waste Management Phoenix Open) and Phoenix Raceway (host of multiple annual NASCAR and IndyCar events) could all partner with an online operator. Each team could also open retail sportsbooks in their stadiums or, in certain cases, in nearby commercial properties. Most likely they will partner with major national sportsbooks like DraftKings.
