The Regology Regulatory Report is a monthly roundup analyzing gambling legislation in the US.
A total of 81 gambling-related bills went through the various stages of the state legislative process during the month of June. The most active states were Michigan, Illinois, Louisiana, Delaware, Nevada and Connecticut. With only 10 state legislatures still in session (Arizona, California, Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin) and three in special session (Maine, Oklahoma, and Texas), there have been several important laws recently passed. This report will highlight certain bills of interest that were introduced, had recent activity, and became law during the month of June 2023.
Hot Topic of the Month: Mobile Sports Betting on the Horizon in North Carolina
Sports Betting is now on the horizon for the State of North Carolina as Governor, Roy Cooper, recently signed HB 347 into law on June 14, 2023. The new statute is effective January 8, 2024; it will authorize and regulate wagering on professional, college, and amateur sports, as well as horse racing. It will also permit wagering on sports from cell phones and other electronic devices. There is a second related bill, HB 259, recently passed both the House and Senate. If the bill is signed into law, it will include video lottery terminals and casinos in the state appropriations budget.
Gaming Bills on the Move
Win, Lose, or Draw: Recently Passed Legislation
- Advertising: Connecticut – outlaws advertisement of financial incentives (bonuses, free bets) and bans players from funding their online accounts using jointly owned credit or debit cards. [SB 971 (6/11/2023) Public Act 23-54]
- Casino/Charitable Organizations: New Hampshire – wagers can be placed at casinos as high as $50 on table games and poker tournament maximum entry fees raised to $2,500; makes numerous changes to definitions relating to games of chance, the license application process for operators and charities, the regulation of games of chance, wager amounts, reporting requirements, and what constitutes theft by deception [SB 120 (6/27/2023) Became Law]
- College Sports (Sports Wagering, Table Games, Video Lottery Terminals): Rhode Island – amends the definition of “collegiate sports or athletic event” [SB 3 (6/22/2023) Became Law]
- Economic Infrastructure Projects: Nevada – providing $380 million in public funding to build a $1.5 billion baseball stadium in Las Vegas for the relocating Oakland Athletics. [SB 1 (6/15/2023) Approved by Governor]
- Greyhound Racing: Colorado – prohibition against wagering on races of Greyhounds that are simulcast from out-of-state tracks at which the races are conducted. [HB 23-1041 (6/2/2023) Became Law]
- iGaming: Rhode Island – iGaming became legal
SB 948 SubA (6/19/2023) Became Law
HB 6348 (6/19/2023) Became Law - Internal Control Requirements: Nevada – removes the requirement that Nevada companies provide state gaming regulators copies of all documents filed in other jurisdictions; excludes certain portions of entry fees paid to participate in certain contests or tournaments from the gross revenue of certain gaming licensees for the purpose of calculating gaming license fees; revises provisions relating to the designation of gaming enterprise districts [SB 266 (6/13/2023) Signed into Law]
On the Clock and In-Play: Movement on Active Bills[1]
- Advance Deposit Wagering: Maine – amends the definition of “account wagering provider”; changes the percentage of gross advance deposit wagers that must be collected by the advance deposit wagering licensee from 1% to 5% for races conducted both in and outside the State. It provides that, in order to be licensed, a licensee must accept wagers for all live races conducted in this State and make them available for simulcast; a one-time investigation fee, in addition to the application fee, may be required for licensees. It changes the renewal fee from $250 every 5 years to $250 annually. [LD 731 (SP 289) (6/21/2023) Passed 2nd Body]
- Horse Racing/Sports Wagering: Louisiana – provide for fixed-odds racehorse wagering; provide for the percentage of audited net profits from fixed-odds racehorse wagering to be used as purse supplements; provide for licensed sports wagering operators; definition of “audited net profits” [HB 564 (6/5/2023) Passed 2nd Body]
- iGaming: New Jersey – extends authorization for Internet gaming law to 2028 [SB 3075 was substituted by A 2190 (2R) (06/30/2023) Passed 2nd Body]
New Legislation: In the Game
Advertising:
- New Jersey – prohibits New Jersey sports betting and casino operators from using fraudulent or deceptive ads [SB 4021 (6/26/2023) Introduced]
- New Jersey – condemns overproliferation of pro-gambling advertisements [SR 127 (6/26/2023) Introduced]
Greyhound Racing: US Federal – amends the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit commercial greyhound racing [118 HR 3894 (6/6/2023) Introduced and Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture]
Games of Chance: Pennsylvania – amending the act of December 19, 1988 (P.L.1262, No.156), in games of chance, providing for payment and for online raffle sales [HB 1452 (6/20/2023) Introduced]
Sports Betting: New Jersey – prohibits sports wagering partnerships at institutions of higher education. [SB 4020 (6/26/2023) Introduced)
[1] Bills included in this category are reported “active”, even though the state legislature may have adjourned during this time period. Regology uses the official status reported by each individual state legislature according to their policies and procedures.
