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PASPA – Five years on – did any initial predictions come true or not?

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2 years ago

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With the fifth anniversary of the PASPA repeal on May 14th, we caught up with Compliable’s Chief Regulatory Officer, Justin Stempeck, who examines what was predicted in May 2018 and how accurate those initial guesses have proved to be.

“National regulation on sports betting”

When PASPA was overturned, the Supreme Court explicitly placed the power to regulate gaming in the hands of the states. It would be extraordinarily unlikely for our highest court to conclude that betting is not a federal issue, then have legislators introduce another national law, yet there were calls for this strategy from numerous stakeholders in 2018.

While the different approaches of each state were less than ideal, the industry was able to adapt and continue to advance in each new jurisdiction that has legalized.

Despite the ‘patchwork quilt’ aspect of regulation there are far more commonalities than differences. Regulators have made some efforts to avoid reinventing the wheel, but it would be great to see wider momentum. As a former regulator, I understand that each state has its own unique pressures and competing interests to juggle, but ultimately, a push towards uniformity will be a success for everyone in the absence of national regulation of the sector.

“National Collegiate Athletic Association’s sports integrity concerns”

Betting on collegiate sports has always occurred but it took place offshore and in illegal markets before the repeal of PASPA. The expansion of sports betting includes official regulation, taxation and supervision of the activity, which can only be a good thing. A number of regulated entities are now actively ensuring there are no discrepancies in game performance and there is a vested interest in guaranteeing that everything is above board. With some states today allowing betting on collegiate sports, people have become more comfortable with the idea.

The NCAA continues to officially oppose sports betting, yet appointed former Massachusetts governor, Charlie Baker as its president this past March. Notably, Governor Baker was a proponent of legalized sports betting in Massachusetts and ultimately signed it into law.  The combination of a sports betting friendly president and a lack of major integrity scandals since legalization may shift their official stance in the future.

“Increased risk of match-fixing”

As of yet, there have been no high-profile match-fixing scandals despite the existential threat and this is in large a testament to the leagues’ enforcement of its own integrity as well as the plethora of third-party monitoring services now available.

A match-fixing scandal would have a significant impact on the industry as a lot of bettors would likely be lost due to a lack of trust. With sports, the thrill and excitement lie in the possibility that anything can happen and underdogs can become winners, if that narrative is shown to be fiction, the reputational damage would be sizeable. The ripple effect of such an event would carry on for years as critics of sports betting could use a match-fixing scandal to argue against legalization.

“Responsible Gambling – a negative impact”

The expansion of betting and gaming is naturally going to lead to an increase in problem gaming. There is still a lot of data to collect and synthesize, particularly given that many regulated jurisdictions have only been up and running between one and three years.

Operators have started to take a focused view of responsible gaming and have dedicated internal teams, as well as funding research. Failure here is another existential threat to the industry and a big scandal could do a huge amount of damage to a nascent industry.

I see responsible gambling being a cutting-edge issue as it is so critically important so it will only become more and more relevant moving forward.

“32 states to enact sports-gambling legislation by the end of 2023”

This was a very accurate prediction as gambling is now legal in 35 states. Expansion has slowed down a bit compared with the great momentum we saw between 2018-2020, but we will see additional states roll out legislation in the short term. Some states will never legalize of course, but eventually, we will have 80-90% of the US allowing sports betting.

California, Texas and Florida are the three remaining big states that everyone is now eagerly waiting for, offering huge potential due to their respective market size.

“International betting operators prohibited free access to the US”

No rules or regulations have been implemented to specifically keep out remote operators or benefit local ones except those operating in black or grey markets. The US has been an open market for operators from Europe, but I have spoken to many companies who are finding the different rules across the regulated states extremely confusing and resource draining. The US is the equivalent of 50 countries and there is very little federal law that applies to gambling, making it difficult to operate if you are not a company with a dedicated compliance team or efficient tools to fill that need.

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Northern Super League Partners with Stats Perform

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1 week ago

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April 17, 2025

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Stats Perform, the global leader in sports AI, data and technology, has announced an official data partnership with the Northern Super League (NSL). The partnership will allow world-leading Opta data to be collected live from every NSL league game for the next three years.

Beginning this month, the Northern Super League (NSL) establishes a new era in Canadian sport as the country’s first professional domestic women’s soccer league — an ambitious and transformative initiative co-founded by former Canadian international and Olympic medallist Diana Matheson. Its inaugural season kicks off on April 16 and will feature six teams who have assembled multinational player rosters with extensive club and international experience, including 100-cap Canadian internationals Desiree Scott and Quinn.

Once the action begins, detailed data from every on-ball event, including advanced AI-powered Opta Analytics metrics such as Expected Goals (xG) and Expected Assists (xA), will be captured and distributed via feeds and Stats Perform products, including OptaAI Studio. This will enable various broadcasters, publishers and rights holders to generate stories and insights throughout the NSL season and provide them straight to the league’s fans in real time.

As part of the agreement, the NSL’s League Office and every NSL club will also have access to Opta Search, part of OptaAI Studio. This will allow their content creators to leverage all Opta data collected during the NSL season in the creation of data-led stories on the stand-out performers, and will help them generate key talking points for publication on official league and club platforms. Opta Search will also empower the NSL’s media team to create a range of data visualizations, including player shot maps and touch maps, to visually illustrate the impact of different players’ on-field performances.

Christina Litz, NSL President, said: “We are thrilled to have Stats Perform on board as our official data partner. When we talk about detailed performance data in soccer, Opta is the gold standard, so we are delighted to have it powering each of our official digital channels. As the season progresses, we want to put the spotlight on all the on-field heroes who emerge and having access to world-class data will help us tell their stories and inspire a new generation of Canadian soccer fans.”

Steve Xeller, Chief Revenue Officer at Stats Perform, said: “Stats Perform has been a huge supporter of expansion leagues around the world, so we are very pleased to be partnering with NSL in the lead-up to their first domestic campaign. Seeing a fully professional women’s soccer league launch in Canada is an incredibly exciting development for the sport in North America and we see considerable potential in working proactively with the League’s Head Office to help the competition grow, using the power of AI and data-led storytelling to build fan communities across the continent.”

The post Northern Super League Partners with Stats Perform appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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INCENTIVE GAMES SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION DEAL FOR NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND UK WITH LIGHT & WONDER

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1 week ago

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April 14, 2025

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Leading B2B games provider, Incentive Games, today announced its new agreement with premium gaming company and content provider Light & Wonder, Inc.

Through this agreement, Incentive Games will distribute its premium pay-to-play games – including new arcade-style titles – to key global regulated markets including the USA, Canada, South Africa, UK, and within Europe via Light & Wonder’s extensive operator network. Additionally, Incentive Games’ popular free-to-play content will be made available to a wider audience through Light & Wonder’s content marketplace.

The agreement brings together two industry leaders in iGaming and the strengths of both companies to deliver exceptional player experiences and elevate customer engagement.

Ahmed Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games said, “This agreement is a landmark moment in our company’s history. Previously, we’ve worked directly with major operators such as bet365, FanDuel, and Sky Bet. Now, we can distribute our games via Light & Wonder, an exceptional aggregator that we trust will handle our games with care.”

Steve Mayes, Senior Director of Partners at Light & Wonder, said: “We are excited to work with Incentive Games, a leader in gamification solutions. We look forward to leveraging their innovative platform and bringing their customisable crash and fast game content to all major regulated markets.”

The post INCENTIVE GAMES SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION DEAL FOR NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND UK WITH LIGHT & WONDER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Soft2Bet’s ToonieBet Partners with the Ottawa Senators as Official Online Casino Partner

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2 weeks ago

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April 14, 2025

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With the Ottawa Senators securing a playoff spot in the NHL, ToonieBet will be there every step of the way, engaging fans with exclusive giveaways, premium entertainment, and a casino experience that mirrors the team’s energy and excitement.

The Ottawa Senators and Tooniebet, an online casino for players across Ontario, announced a partnership that will make Tooniebet the NHL team’s Official Online Casino Partner.

Tooniebet, which launched in 2024 is part of Soft2Bet – one of the world’s fastest growing iGaming turnkey solutions providers with iGaming brands around the world with a portfolio of 19 global licenses, including Ontario.

Additional highlights of the Ottawa Senators and TonnieBet partnership will include:

  • In-Arena & Broadcast Branding: Digitally enhanced dashboards for home and away games
  • In-rink board signage for home games
  • Virtual slot signage for various games
  • Digital inventory throughout the Ottawa Senators site on NHL.com
  • Direct Fan Engagement: Social contests and promotions hosted on Senators’ digital platforms
  • Television Broadcast Branding: Digitally enhanced rink boards for home and away games
  • In-arena rink board signage for home games

Martin Ballard, VP Corporate Partnerships, Ottawa Senators stated: “We are thrilled to welcome ToonieBet as an official partner of the Ottawa Senators. Cooperating with a brand that shares our commitment to providing fans with an exceptional and trusted experience is incredibly exciting. Together, we look forward to delivering memorable moments and engaging our passionate fanbase in new and innovative ways.”

Oksana Tsyhankova, Chief Marketing Officer at Soft2Bet, commented: “Partnering Soft2Bet’s ToonieBet brand with the Ottawa Senators is a significant milestone that reinforces our strong brand presence in Ontario. In a short period, we have achieved impressive performance and retention results, with a primary focus on localised, engaging experiences for Canadian players, which makes ToonieBet truly set itself apart.”

By tapping into the Senators’ digital platforms and in-arena presence, ToonieBet will stay close to the action and connect with fans in real, engaging ways while continuing to offer a top-quality online casino experience.

ToonieBet offers a fast, localised online casino experience for players in Ottawa and across Ontario.  Through this partnership, fans will have the chance to win Senators merchandise and tickets while ToonieBet grows its presence in a competitive Ontario market. With in-arena branding, regional broadcast coverage, and digital promotions, ToonieBet will be highly visible to the team’s loyal supporters.

The post Soft2Bet’s ToonieBet Partners with the Ottawa Senators as Official Online Casino Partner appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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