Digital Wager Wire highlights the most important events impacting the domestic and international sports betting and gaming industry each week throughout the year.
ESPN BET Expands to DC
Penn Entertainment’s mobile sports betting wing, ESPN BET, recently announced it went live in Washington, D.C. This is the brand’s 20th US market after launching in November 2023, and it will face stiff competition in the District of Columbia with industry powerhouses DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, Fanatics, and BetMGM already established.
Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer at Penn Entertainment, said, “We’re thrilled to launch ESPN BET in our nation’s capital and expand our presence across the Washington metropolitan area. Along with our partner ESPN, we’re excited to introduce our deeply integrated media and betting experience and further engage with the D.C. area’s passionate sports community.”
ESPN BET partnered with Monumental Sports & Entertainment, owner of local professional sports teams the Capitals, Wizards, and the WNBA’s Mystics, to gain access to the DC market. As part of that deal, ESPN BET will gain advertising in the arenas and to the television viewing audience. Viewers will also see a steady stream of ESPN BET commercials during broadcasts of all three teams.
“We are proud to partner with Monumental Sports and its teams to unite the energy of D.C. sports with our world-class platform,” said Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer, PENN Entertainment. “This deal expands our footprint in the region, further connecting ESPN BET with one of America’s most passionate sports communities. Our presence alongside the Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics positions ESPN BET at the center of the action where sports, technology, and fan experience converge.”
New York iGaming Bill Filed
State Senate Gaming Committee Chair Joe Addabbo sponsored an iGaming bill in 2023, but it couldn’t gain enough support from his colleagues. Yet the man who brought mobile sports betting to the Empire State remains undeterred as he has again filed a similar bill hoping for vastly different results.
Senate Bill S8185A is Addabbo’s most recent attempt to legalize online casino gambling in New York, but industry experts believe the chance of getting iGaming legislation passed during this session is not impossible but highly unlikely, as there is still the issue of awarding three downstate casino licenses by the end of this year.
Casino operators have been generally averse to online casinos because they believe it will cannibalize their business, while unions are also fearful their members could lose jobs due to a decrease in foot traffic. Passing iGaming legislation at the same time as developers and casino operators are expected to sink billions of dollars into the three retail projects while paying the state tens of millions for the privilege to do so may be a bridge too far for Addabbo’s fellow lawmakers.
Key Provisions of the Bill
Nevertheless, Addabbo’s bill calls for a 33.5% tax on gross gaming revenue and will not only legalize online casino gambling but also online lottery sales. The bill will also prohibit unregulated slot and social casinos from seeking licensure for at least three years.
“By addressing the Sweepstakes Casinos issue and allowing a regulated iGaming casino option, we are demonstrating our commitment to protecting New Yorkers, dealing with gaming addiction, while adding tax revenue beneficial to all state residents,” Addabbo wrote in a statement released ahead of the filing of the bill.
