Daily Archives: April 13, 2021

The Senate Committee on Regulated Industries moved forward on Monday with a trio of bills that will lay the foundation for gaming regulations in Florida as officials continue to negotiate ways to expand Floridas gambling scene.

Amid ongoing talks with the Seminole Tribe regarding a gambling deal, Florida lawmakers in the Senate made a late gaming push, fast-tracking measures that would create gaming oversight and strip requirements to pari-mutuel facilities. The proposals, outlined last weekend in a memo sent out by Senate President Wilton Simpson, were favorably reported as committee bills, teeing a potential showdown this session that could see Florida modernize the gaming landscape.

Three key issues unrelated to Floridas Compact with the Seminole Tribe were on the table during todays meeting, with one of the components on the agenda being a bill (SPB 7076) that would set up a five-member Gaming Control Commission something Florida has attempted to implement for years. The bill, however, would not decouple thoroughbred agribusiness with live racing. A related bill (SB7078) would keep any criminal investigation regarding the newly formed Gaming Control Commission out of public records.

The other legislation (SPB 7080) eyes the decoupling of greyhound racing, jai alai, and horse racing from state parimutuels as many permit holders continue to move away from costly provisions that require certain levels of racing in order to facilitate more lucrative forms of gambling.

State Senator Travis Hudson outlined the bills during todays committee, giving a brief overview of the ongoing gaming saga. Hudson noted that he, along with GOP leadership, has been discussing ways to land a gaming deal during the 2021 Legislative Session. Hudson added that Governor Ron DeSantis was actively trying to broker an agreement with stakeholders that would lead to significant additional revenue for the state, something that the legislature has been unable to accomplish in recent years.

As it stands today, the Governor is trying to finalize negotiations with all stakeholders, Hudson said during the committee, noting meetings that have taken place in the past. Hes having negotiations as we speak.

While the St. Johns Republican wouldnt say if the ongoing parley would bear fruit, he did tease that todays bills would operate as a type of fail-safe in case discussions were to cool off.

We believe should a compact not get done, there are a couple of issues that you will see in front of us today that we would like to try and resolve and put these issues to rest, he added.

Hudson also stated that the proposed measures would double as a bedrock for the future of gaming in the state after Democratic Senator Darryl Rouson asked if the legislation would operate as a structure to gaming if a compact is eventually reached.

That is correct, Hudson affirmed, before signaling the importance of a gaming commission in the event that no deal is reached. Should we not have a new compact in place, anything that you see operating outside of state law for example, the internet cafes that we see pop up everywhere they would have the ability to go in and enforce that and shut those down.

While todays agenda breezed unanimously through the Regulated Industries committee, opponents on hand pushed back, claiming that decoupling would create an uneven playing field and would be detrimental to families that rely heavily on thoroughbred and harness racing.

Todays Senate bills do not address issues such as sports betting.

This is an ongoing story. Please check back for updates.

Like Loading...

Related

Read the rest here:

Senate places gaming structure on the table as gambling talks continue - The Capitolist

Difficult to miss these days is the barrage of visual advertising, particularly on television, touting the availability of online sports betting and gaming in Michigan whether it's Fanduel, Draft Kings, BetMGM or others.

Online sports betting and online gambling launched in January before the biggest professional football event of the year the Super Bowl.

Since then, online wagering is promising to be a tax windfall for Michigan from the hefty taxes charged to online casinos that offer gaming platforms.

But more gambling availability in Michigan also raises concerns about increased gambling addiction from the ability to wager from a home computer, tablet or cell phone at a time when people are still leery of moving about during the continuing coronavirus pandemic.

The potential of expanded gambling to exacerbate problems with problem gambling isnt lost on the state health department, which started March off with gambling abuse symposium. March was also Problem Gambling Awareness Month in Michigan.

As you look at the continual evolution of gambling and accessibility, we want to make sure we provide services, said Alia Lucas, who is with the Bureau of Substance Abuse and Addiction Services at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Among the services provided is a 24-hour hotline for people to seek help if they feel they might have a gambling problem. People who feel they have a gambling problem can also voluntarily place themselves on a disassociated list that bans them from accessing online gaming platforms or entering land-based casinos.

About one percent of the adult population in the United States has a severe gambling problem, according to the National Center for Responsible Gaming.

A gambling problem is defined as a need to gamble more money to achieve the desired excitement, symptoms of withdrawal if gambling stopped or reduced, and an inability to stop or reduce gambling. Criteria such as chasing losses are unique to gambling disorders.

The volume of calls made to the state 24-hour gambling hotline suggests the availability of online gaming may be cause for concern about an increase in problem gambling as the pandemic continues.

The number of calls jumped from 844 in December to 1,049 in January after online gaming and sports betting began, and then to 1,312 in February.

At least some of the online gaming activity is linked to the coronavirus pandemic, which has closed or reduced capacity at casinos in the past year, and given people access to gaming without the risk of leaving the house.

COVID has been impactful with gambling activity, Lucas said. Its typically a social activity. Not able to socialize, they have access which causes opportunity. Someone might be sitting next to you and engaging in gambling activity.

Gambling in general has been legal in Michigan since the 1980s on tribal lands, and expanded in the late 1990s when three casinos were added in Detroit.

Today, there are 26 land-based casinos in the state, most on tribal lands.

The list of online gaming and sports betting platforms is up to eight with the possibility of more to come as they affiliate with land-based operations and gain state gaming board approval.

Online gambling, or course, is the newest wrinkle in Michigans betting landscape, and it is proving to be lucrative for the operators and for the state.

Since online sports betting and gaming began in March, the state has collected piles of tax money from wagers made at online betting and gaming outlets in January and February, indicating that bettors are taking advantage of the online convenience rather than making a physical trip to any of the more than 25 tribal and land-based casinos in the state.

For online sports betting, the state charges operators 8.4% of the adjusted gross betting receipts. For online gaming, the states percentage ranges from 20-28%

So far, those percentages and willing online participation have meant big bucks for the state.

Online gaming operators took in $27.5 million in revenues in January and $75.19 million in February, resulting in payments to the state of $4.2 million in January and $14 million in February.

Sports betting is less lucrative, generating $13 million in revenues in January and $9.4 million in February, but only $111,695 in January and $142,239 in February in taxes to the state.

However, if February turns out to be an average month, the states yearly revenues from online gaming and sports betting could generate as much as $170 million for the state.

The money the state collects from online wagering goes to a variety of places 30% to Detroit, 5% to the state equine industry fund, and 65% to the states internet gambling fund.

The internet gambling fund sends a big part of its proceeds to the state school aid fund after siphoning off $2 million for support of first responders, and $500,000 for the prevention of compulsive gambling.

Read the original here:

Online gambling is a tax windfall for Michigan amid concerns of a rise in problem gambling - The Macomb Daily

LEBANON, Pa. As the coronavirus pandemic kept Pennsylvanians home in 2021, online gambling revenues surged. So did requests for help from people struggling with addiction.

Online gambling was legalized in the state in 2017. It has provided a lifeline for the gambling industry in a year when revenue from many traditional casinos fell as a result of the virus. But while giving homebound players a way to stay in the game and attracting new users, online gambling has also increased the opportunity for dangerous habits to develop.

Ercole said that although 2019 and 2020 saw roughly the same number of phone calls, there were month-to-month differences. There was a major decline during the early part of the pandemic and a spike later on. The focus of the calls also pivoted more toward online gambling.

Additionally, there was an increase in people contacting the council using other methods, including its available chat or text features.

Ease of access

Its obviously increasingly easy for people to access this new type of activity, Ercole said. When everything stops, when youre out of work, when your businesses close temporarily, when theres isolation, when youre bored, when youre stressed, when youre anxious, it certainly serves as a very easy-to-access coping tool for a lot of people.

With online gambling, players can be in their bed or at work, push a button, and play a slot machine. On my phone, I can make a sandwich and continue gambling, said Kenneth J. Sutton, a Harrisburg-based licensed professional counselor. He deals with gambling problems, among other addiction issues, and specialties including anger management and depression.

If youre in a casino, youre either handing them cash or youre putting chips in something physical you can see, Mountz warned, whereas with online gambling and some online games with loot box mechanics, oftentimes, because its all clicks, it doesnt seem like real money, so it tends to add up over time.

The act of gambling feels more normal when virtual because many peoples lives are already taking place online or over the phone to a large extent, he said.

For the companies involved, online gambling has been a bonanza. Even as traditional brick-and-mortar casino revenues in the state fell as a result of closures, internet gaming revenue leapt from $33.6 million in 2019 to $565.8 million in 2020.

As Penn Nationals stock was added to the S&P 500 in March, it performed well, with investors highlighting the potential in online gambling as part of its appeal, according to CNBC.

Morris pointed to the Barstool Sportsbook platforms resources for people who want to ensure they play responsibly. These include time limits, bet limits, deposit limits and self-exclusion, among other options.

Barstool employees receive tailored responsible gaming training, and responsible gaming disclaimers are featured on the app and on our advertisements, as required by our gaming regulators, he added. Barstool has created a public-service announcement about betting responsibly that is featured around its gaming content, above and beyond any requirement to do so.

Online gambling has led to a shift in not just where people are gambling, but who is doing it.

When we first got i-gaming legalized in Pennsylvania ... we tended to see a slightly younger participation, Ercole said, with many more gamblers aged 21 to 35 compared with the participants at brick-and-mortar establishments, who have been typically 45 and older. But during the pandemic, with casinos closed, many who had regularly gone to those moved online also.

Ercole said that many of these people will return to casinos, but the online option will remain more attractive for many as well.

Serious addiction

While problem gambling is sometimes discounted compared with other addictions such as drugs, it can be equally problematic long-term. Smith likened it to alcohol, which can eventually lead to financial and family-related problems.

Ercole said problem gambling is complex and not a one-size-fits-all issue. Often people turn to the thrill of gambling because of a variety of factors unrelated to money, such as self-value, ego, a desire to escape a daily routine, depression or stress.

Theres plenty of cases where individuals have an endless supply of money, and financial difficulty has nothing to do with what problems theyre facing. There could be relationship issues, they could be facing legal consequences, there could be job or career situations, he said. But to some, the feeling of escaping reality is so intoxicating they say the money spent is worth it.

Mountz said key signs that someone is developing a gambling problem include talking only about wins and belief in the classic gamblers fallacy the illusion that one is in control of the situation.

Its a combination of money and also the same rush a person gets when theyre using (drugs), Sutton said. Its a euphoric feeling. ... They get caught in this spiders web, they think they actually have control.

Going forward

Smiths department, working with partners, has significantly increased its outreach in recent years, streamlining a number of gambling-related hotlines into one, ramping up awareness campaigns during the pandemic and increasing the number of help providers.

It may be years down the road until we really see the full impact of the pandemics effects on addiction, Smith added. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

In all areas of health and human services, theres going to be a vast need for services, she said, including for obesity and smoking. We wont know the true impact until it starts to hit us.

Sutton said the pandemic has made it more difficult for some people to work with therapists because they couldnt talk in person.

Shame can also be a barrier to dealing with gambling issues, and both Ercole and Smith stressed there is no need for shame or to stigmatize the problem.

Mountz listed a number of measures people can take to keep gambling recreational, including setting a limit on how much one can afford to lose, not gambling on credit, setting a time limit and taking a break.

Ercole also mentioned Gamban, a program that blocks access to online gambling across devices.

Hal Conte is a quality of life and Central Pennsylvania issues reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. You can find him on Twitter at @conte_hal.

View post:

Pennsylvania pivot to online gambling amid bleak pandemic raises addiction concerns - Herald-Mail Media

Illinois online sports betting may not require new bettors to register online sports betting accounts in-person much longer, as legislators may be looking to make a change with the controversial measure in the state.

News Channel 20 ABC journalist Matt Roy reported that Governor J.B. Pritzkers decision to not renew an executive order that waives on-premise registration in the state has left several Illinois lawmakers confused with his reasoning.

Roy spoke with State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield) who expressed his confusion at Pritzkers decision to require in-person registration when COVID-19 remains a troublesome issue for Illinois residents.

We still arent out of the pandemic, State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said. So, it just kind of leaves me scratching my head as to why you would let the executive order expire.

Gov. Pritzker has lifted the in-person requirement several times before the executive orders expiration date, citing social distancing measures as well as logistical and operational concerns causes by COVID-19, but chose not to do so before this deadline.

His latest decision was just the latest twist in what has been an ongoing saga since the state first formally launched online sports betting last spirng.

Despite schools and businesses opening back up with increased access to vaccines available, COVID-19 cases had been steadily on the rise in Illinois prior to Pritzkers announcement. Since the news broke of his decision on April 2, COVID-19 cases have risen every single day in Illinois, according to data supplied by the The New York Times.

Roy spoke with State Sen. Steve Stadelman, (D-Rockford), who said a discussion will eventually take place to decide on the latest fate of the in-person requirement. The bill likely would not have passed in 2019 without the in-person registration requirement, he noted, but online registration has become immensely popular and is likely the wave of the future.

Its worth having another discussion, Stadelman said. In light of what has happened this year during the pandemic and the fact that online registration has been in place already, I think it is worth having another discussion in Springfield.

Roy did note new legislation may not be possible to reverse the in-person registration requirement this late in states legislative session.

New users looking to create an account will have to do so in-person atone of five brick-and-mortar casinos in the state. In the case of DraftKings Sportsbook Illinois app, DraftKings at Casino Queen Sportsbook. DraftKings at Casino Queen Sportsbook, bettors would need to drive to East St. Louis to activate an account. For those located in and around Chicago, that drive would potentially require a round trip of 8-10 hours.

The lack of an in-person requirement spurred the rapid growth of the sports betting market in Illinois. In September 2020, over 230,000 new mobile sports betting accounts were created, according to the Illinois Gaming Board.

DraftKings Sportsbook, William Hill, PointsBet, FanDuel and BetRivers all currently operate online sportsbooks in Illinois.

Continued here:

Illinois May Revisit In-Person Registration For Online Sports Gambling - bleachernation.com

By Jonathan C. with Blexr Limited

The Sunshine State is one of the more popular in the United States. While it may be a leading location for vacations, and even small businesses with 20 Floridian cities making the list, including Apopka the states online gambling leaves many scratching their heads. What does online gambling legislation in Florida look like?

Land-based gambling became permitted in Florida back in 2004. Casinos are permitted, but sports betting cannot occur except horse racing. Greyhound racing effectively joined the list of banned sports in 2020 due to concerns about the treatment of the dogs and a general decline in those wanting to engage. It was voted that betting on dog sports would become illegal. Greyhound racing represented an America that no longer exists, so it made sense to phase it out officially.

But, when it comes to online gambling, the states legislation doesnt account for online casinos. Many states and countries with even the most stringent gambling rules are discovering that the rise in online casino is throwing into question their legislation. Indeed, many laws were cemented before online casinos even existed, let alone were something that could be so widely engaged with.

Part of Floridas strictness for gambling goes back to Governor Rick Scott, who was rigorously anti-gambling. His back-and-forth with various Native American tribes, such as the Seminole tribe, who want to continue gambling (and are permitted due to the autonomy of their reservations) has been well documented. The argument from Scott, and now Governor DeSantis, could be that Florida is already a hotspot for tourists and has plenty going for it, so it doesnt need to relax any gambling laws.

In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down the PAPSA Act (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act) which enabled sports betting options to flourish around the country. Previously, only the gambling mecca Nevada allowed sports betting and wagering. But the act reflects the growth of the industry around the world as well as the options to engage with it in the USA. To keep the act in situ seemed counterintuitive.

Globally, the gambling industry is growing in size and gaining more customers than before. One of the primary reasons for this is due to the consistently lowered barriers to entry in the industry. The accessibility for the sector has improved as most things can be accessed online so more people can get involved. Previously, gambling options may have been relegated to physical events. As the industry has continued to attract more customers, those operating sites have had to become better at attracting these customers away from potential competitors.

As the list of sports betting at sbo.net shows, there are many sites in the industry vying for the same target audience. The aggregate site shows that each platform offers a welcome bonus, and many are pushing their best aspects to the fore to attract customers from a range of sports to bet on to the payment methods permitted to do so. The competitiveness of the industry shows its promise for the future. The more competitive an industry, the better it is doing. With such a limited customer pool, each site must go above and beyond to show that it will provide the experience that customers want and expect.

Florida remains in a gray area with its gambling legislation, but could there be any moves to change this in the future? A 2018 amendment meant that gambling bills couldnt even be proposed for a while, which also stalled the process going forwards. Events in 2020 have redirected officials and lawmakers away from gambling, so any movement on that front wont occur in the near future.

There are still many options for those who wish to engage with the industry. As the latest season of Ozark showed, gambling riverboats are still popular due to the gray area they represent. Famously around the tributaries off the Gulf Coast, gambling on water evades certain land-based legislation. The law prohibits the construction of land-based casinos, so floating ones were made. These riverboats almost never left their moorings as fiction would have you believe. They floated next to boardwalks and docks to slide past the land-based construction rule.

Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 destroyed many riverboats, laws were changed to allow casinos to be built in certain areas in Mississippi, for instance. This is an example of legislation being changed to adapt to changing circumstances. It also showed that the original legislation was somewhat arbitrary anyway.

Florida is one of the top vacation destinations in the world. But it still trails behind in other areas. While many have found ways to enjoy gambling within the legislation, others argue that it would be better if there were fewer in place. Regardless, Florida cant continue to hide from the future of online gambling, especially as the rest of the world is reaping the benefits of it.

See the rest here:

What is the Online Gambling Legislation in Florida? - The Apopka Voice

Kiwibank has consulted with the Problem Gambling Foundation to let people put a block on payments to casinos and gaming websites from their debit and credit cards.

According to the New Zealand firm, it is the first bank to offer the scheme, where customers can ask for payment blocks to be put on their cards via phone banking.

It comes amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the banks subsequent offering of interest-free, fee-free overdrafts to help people who are struggling. But Kiwibank found that many of the recipients of such overdrafts were spending the money on gambling.

Kiwibanks Hayley Beattie (pictured) said: We did see people who were desperate enough to provide something for their family turn to online gambling.

Some of them told us they thought they could look at being able to win some money.

The firm ran a pilot of the payment blocking scheme in late 2020, with 75% of customers successfully keeping the block in place for more than three months. Moreover, the bank estimates that the average customer in the pilot avoided AU$10,000 (US$7,600) in losses over that period.

The bank is now able to block merchant codes for known gambling websites if a customer requests it, said Kiwibank head of sustainability Julia Jackson.

When our customers trust us enough to discuss their gambling addiction, were able to really help them. We work with them to develop a solution that restores their mana and retains their dignity; without any judgment.

Here is the original post:

Kiwibank launches gambling blocker with help of Problem Gambling Foundation - Gambling Insider - In-depth Analysis for the Gaming Industry

It has been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. When it comes to casino gaming, Alabama is reaching new heights of this type of insanity.

Governor Ivey has stated most recently that gambling is here. Therefore, we should bring it out in the light of day, give them everything they want, and tax it. Gambling is here solely because it has been openly ignored despite being illegal. If someone continually breaks the law, they should not be rewarded. Governor Ivey and the Alabama Legislature should not reward the gambling industrys pattern of continually defying Alabama law by passing pro-gambling legislation and rewarding a history of bad behavior.

Gambling has long been illegal in this state. An exception exists for charitable bingo, which gambling establishments like Greenetrack, VictoryLand, and the Birmingham Race Course have tried to

use over the last 15 years to keep themselves in business. You dont need to be a lawyer to know that charitable bingo doesnt apply to electronic slot machines.

If you need a formal legal opinion to persuade you, the Alabama Supreme Court has ruled on the matter many times. For instance, in 2006 the court held that the Birmingham Race Courses machines were slot machines, which are illegal under Alabama law, as to those who pay to play them. From 2013 to 2016, the court repeatedly heard cases arising from the seizure of VictoryLands machines, ultimately concluding the machines were illegal. And finally, the court ruled again in 2016 that Greenetracks machines were not bingo machines, but were instead more like slot machines and therefore illegal.

How many times did the gambling industry need to be told the same thing before they got the message? The Alabama Supreme Court asked the same question at the end of the VictoryLand and Greenetrack cases, stating,

There is no longer any room for uncertainty, nor justification for continuing dispute, as to the meaning of [the term bingo]. And certainly the need for any further expenditure of judicial resources, including the resources of this Court, to examine this issue is at an end. All that is left is for the law of this State to be enforced.

But like a pouting child that keeps throwing a temper tantrum, the gambling lobby has continued to defy the Alabama Supreme Courts rulings. For instance, immediately after the Alabama Supreme Court issued its final decision in the VictoryLand case, VictoryLand reopened with the same kinds of electronic slot machines that Alabama Supreme Court had just declared illegal. How could it get away with this? The answer is simple: the state and local governments refused to enforce the courts decisions. As Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist 78, the judicial branch is the least dangerous branch of government, partially because it has neither FORCE nor WILL, but merely judgment; and must ultimately depend upon the aid of the executive arm even for the efficacy of its judgments.

Having a law that criminalizes gambling and a court that orders them to stop wont do anything if the executive branch doesnt enforce it. That is exactly what happened in Alabama when former Governor Bentley stripped the State of its power to enforce gambling laws. Consequently, the gambling industry has continued to break the law and taunt the State as it does nothing to stop them.

After repeatedly being ordered by the Alabama Supreme Court to stop, the gambling industry has not only ignored the court, but it has continually pushed for gambling to be legalized on a broader scale. Last month the Alabama Senate rejected Senator Del Marshs gambling bill. However, this week the gambling interests were successful in rekindling their cause in the Senate. Part of Senator Marshs bill included allowing VictoryLand, the Birmingham Race Course, and Greenetrackthe same entities that kept breaking the lawthe right to operate. Governor Ivey appears to be in support of such legislation, stating recently through her spokesperson that gambling is already happening in our state. In fact, it is rampant, and much of it is illegal. The governor feels strongly that we need to shine a bright light on these activities, control and regulate them, and make sure the people of Alabama are the beneficiaries.

Policy considerations aside, doesnt something seem wrong about that? Even if the gambling industry has a point, it should not be rewarded for continually breaking the law for years. Instead of rewarding the gambling industrys bad behavior, it is well past time for the State to enforce the laws already in existence. Failing to do so undermines the States authority and perpetuates the delusion that the same gambling institutions that have continually broken the law will stop breaking the law once they get what they want.

Matt Clark serves as the Alabama Center for Law & Libertys Executive Director. ACLL is the non-profit litigation arm of the Alabama Policy Institute. For more information, visit alabamalawandliberty.org.

Follow this link:

Guest Op-ed: Alabama Should Not Cave to the Gambling Lobby - courierjournal