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Sports Betting Alliance President Joe Maloney stops by the podcast to talk about taking on the new role, gambling legislation, and the narratives around online gambling.
Gambling news roundup
New York handle is up for February: Will everyone stop freaking out about prediction markets potentially eroding sports betting handle for a month? Probably not. But handle is up 6% year over year.
Story below with a subscription to The Handle (you can ask me for a free trial!)
The latest from me on prediction markets news:
Kalshi and Polymarket are skirting laws on sports betting, states say (Stateline): “The platforms are raising bipartisan alarms, especially related to sports gambling. As states have legalized sports betting in recent years, they’ve required legal sportsbooks to jump through multiple hoops — from age verification procedures to protections for gambling addiction to tax collections. Online prediction markets circumvent all those rules.”
And some thoughts from fellow newsletter publisher Steve Ruddock:
DraftKings and ESPN detail plans to provide account linking for customers (press release): DraftKings Inc. and ESPN today unveiled details at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference for account linking between DraftKings’ No. 1-rated Sportsbook and ESPN. Customers will be able to unlock a more personalized and streamlined experience by linking their accounts, along with access to exclusive features such as the new “Bet Your Bracket” offering. Account linking is launching ahead of the March Madness, which most recently drew its highest viewership in over 30 years. Fans who link their accounts will receive one free month of ESPN Unlimited.
Once live, DraftKings customers can open their Sportsbook app and navigate to the Bet Your Bracket tab to link their ESPN account. After linking, fans who created a bracket in ESPN’s No. 1 college basketball bracket game, ESPN Tournament Challenge, will automatically gain access to a personalized betting experience. Features include wagers aligned with their bracket picks, along with tailored suggestions and additional ways to engage throughout the tournament.
“DraftKings and ESPN share a deep passion for sports and a commitment to enhancing how fans engage with the moments that matter most—especially during the pinnacle of the college basketball season,” said Stephanie Sherman, Chief Marketing Officer of DraftKings. “As we work toward bringing the full DraftKings sports experience together nationwide through our upcoming Super App, DraftKings Sports & Casino, integrating account linking with ESPN is a natural step in creating a more seamless, connected platform for fans.”
“Account linking creates a level of personalization that no one else in the market can match,” said Mike Morrison, Vice President of ESPN Betting & Fantasy. “The Bet Your Bracket feature during March Madness is just the start. Soon fans will be able to seamlessly track upcoming, live and settled bets within the ESPN app and on ESPN.com, and receive bets and timely promotions based on their favorite sports, teams, players, and fantasy rosters.”
The ESPN and DraftKings account linking reflects a strategic collaboration that goes beyond a traditional marketing arrangement, redefining how fans engage with sports. This forward-thinking approach is emblematic of DraftKings’ broader vision, including initiatives like DraftKings Predictions, which expands interactive opportunities for fans in states such as California, Florida, and Texas to participate in marquee sports events like March Madness.
FanDuel Sports President Mike Raffensperger To Leave Company (Sportico): “Mike Raffensperger, president of FanDuel’s sports division, is leaving the company before the end of the month, according to a source familiar with the plan. Raffensperger sent an internal memo announcing the decision to colleagues this week, the source said. He has been leading all revenue, marketing, partnership and media functions for FanDuel’s sports business unit, which encompasses sports betting, daily fantasy sports and FanDuel TV. His exit is believed to be a personal decision unrelated to how the company is performing, the source said.”
UFC Names Bet365 Official Sports Betting Partner in the U.S. and Canada in Landmark Multiyear Agreement (press release): “Bet365, a global leader in sports betting and gaming, and UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, officially announced a long-term partnership naming bet365 as the Official Sports Betting Partner of UFC across the United States and Canada.
As part of the agreement, bet365 has integrated involvement in every UFC event during the partnership term, delivering a premium and immersive betting experience for fans through a range of broadcast, digital, and live-event touchpoints. The partnership features sportsbook integrations throughout UFC broadcasts, including on-screen betting tickers, fighter odds, intro odds, and same-game parlay features, giving fans real-time insights and dynamic wagering opportunities tied directly to the action.
“This partnership with UFC marks a defining moment for bet365 as we accelerate our growth globally and deepen our commitment to sports where live action and fan engagement are inseparable,” said Trip Stoddard, Head of Development at bet365. “UFC’s always-on event calendar and highly engaged global fanbase create a powerful environment for real-time betting, and our industry-leading product depth uniquely positions us to elevate how fans experience every fight.” …
“bet365 brings scale, credibility, and innovation to the sports betting space, and we’re thrilled to continue to develop this long-term partnership at such a momentous time for UFC,” said Nicholas Smith, Senior Vice President, Global Partnerships TKO. “bet365 is a natural fit for UFC because they understand fight fans and how they engage with the sport in real time. This partnership enhances the viewing experience by providing fans with deeper insights, dynamic odds, and more ways to engage responsibly with every bout, from the opening bell to the final decision.”
The partnership reflects a shared commitment between bet365 and UFC to innovation, responsible gaming, and premium fan experiences. bet365 continues to prioritize responsible play by providing users with the tools, education, and support needed to stay in control, ensuring betting remains fun, safe, and transparent.
Fans will see bet365 as the Official Sports Betting Partner of UFC during UFC 326: HOLLOWAY vs. OLIVEIRA 2, taking place this Saturday, March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Paramount+ and the CBS Television Network will partner to broadcast the event in the U.S., with CBS airing its first-ever UFC event, simulcasting select fights from both the prelims and the main card in primetime from 8:00-10:00 PM ET. The remainder of the evening’s bouts will be available exclusively on Paramount+.
Baltimore sues 6 major online casinos, claims illegal gambling disguised as free games (CBS News): “The city of Baltimore is suing six major online casinos, alleging they promote illegal gambling disguised as free games and sweepstakes. The lawsuit alleges that the companies violated Baltimore’s Consumer Protection Ordinance by operating illegal online gambling platforms disguised as lawful sweepstakes and free online games, even though meaningful play requires real-money purchases. The lawsuit also claims that the companies target minors and young users through cartoonish, video game-style designs and advertising on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.”
Legislative updates: One-stop shopping from InGame in a roundup.
Virginia Lawmakers Heading to iGaming Conference Committee (Sports Betting Dime): “The Virginia House of Delegates and Senate will soon head to a conference committee to see if a compromise on iGaming legalization can be reached. Both the House and Senate yesterday unanimously voted down substitute iGaming bills, preferring their own approved legislation, and agreed to send representatives to a conference committee to see if common ground can be found to legalize the new form of gaming in the state. While both versions of the iGaming bill include a reenactment clause for a second vote in 2027, key differences in tax allocation remain between the two legislative chambers.“
Also in Virginia, from SBC Americas: “A little more than a month after House Bill 515 passed the House by a 94-3 vote, senators unanimously approved it 40-0. The bill removes credit cards from the list of approved account funding methods for sports wagering operators who are licensed to do business by the Virginia Lottery Board. The Lottery already prohibits credit cards for lottery play.”
KY & MN consider ban on college props, prediction market deals (SBC Americas): “Kentucky Reps. Michael Meredith and Matthew Koch filed House Bill 904, an omnibus measure that aims to make several changes to the state’s gaming market, including banning certain prediction market partnerships and certain individual college player props, as well as licensing and regulating daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests.”
“Meanwhile, in Minnesota, a bipartisan group of lawmakers submitted Senate File 4139, which intends to bring online sports betting to the state through tribal partnerships, while also proposing stipulations for regulated sports betting that include a college player prop ban.”
Missouri bill proposes early major sports betting tax change (SBC Americas): “Rep. Jeff Knight’s HB 3533 proposes introducing a 24% tax on adjusted gross receipts from sports betting, in addition to the existing 10% rate. Knight filed his bill on Feb. 27 and it has been read twice in the House, but has yet to be assigned to a committee for deeper discussion as of the time of writing. A key difference between Knight’s proposed tax and the existing tax, other than the digits, is that the new 24% rate would be charged on revenue before accounting for free bets or promotional credits handed out by operators.”
With Session Almost Over, Florida Bill That Could Raise Questions For Sweeps Casinos Clears 3rd Committee (Sweepsy): “Sweepstakes casinos in Florida are one step closer to crossing their fingers that certain legislative language doesn’t apply to them. That’s because Senate Bill 1580 — which tackles a wide variety of gambling issues, including a change in Florida’s definition of illegal online gambling — cleared its third Senate committee, the Rules Committee, via a 21-1 vote on Tuesday.”
Sweeps Ban Bill Fails In Mississippi For 2nd Year In A Row (Sweepsy): “Senate Bill 2104 addressed a range of gambling-related topics, including outlawing sweepstakes gaming sites via a felony charge that could carry up to 10 years in prison. It was among the harshest sweeps ban bills considered in the country’s 2026 legislative cycle. But, on March 3, SB2104 officially stalled out in the House Gaming Committee — just under a month after unanimously passing the Senate.”
Cohen Continues Bid To Bring Historical Horse Racing To Maryland (Casino Reports): “As Alyse Cohen explains it, legalizing historical horse racing (HHR) in Maryland would go a long way toward helping make sure horse racing continues to have a history in Maryland.”
“Maryland horse racing is a dying industry,” said Cohen, a third generation horseman and owner of Long Shot’s, an off-track betting venue in Frederick County. “When I was a kid, I grew up on a farm. … And when I was a kid, we had over 300 race days. Now we’re down to, I believe, 126.”
Ifrah Law has been at the center of advancing iGaming in the U.S., shaping groundbreaking legislation, leading precedent-setting cases, and guiding clients that span the iGaming ecosystem through every phase of their business journey. Learn more at IfrahLaw.com.
Ex-North Carolina A&T players ineligible over gambling inquiry (ESPN): “Two former North Carolina A&T men’s basketball players have been ruled ineligible after allegedly failing to cooperate with an NCAA gambling investigation. The NCAA announced Friday that Ryan Forrest and Landon Glasper, who are no longer playing in college, ignored multiple requests for financial documents and interviews during the investigation, which began in January 2025, after integrity monitors flagged suspicious betting patterns on four games involving the Aggies. Failing to cooperate with an NCAA investigation results in a loss of eligibility.”
NCAA releases penalty and process details for March Madness player availability reports (NCAA): The NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Committees today detailed the penalties and reporting requirements for the Men’s and Women’s March Madness player availability reporting program.
Implemented for the first time in NCAA championships, player availability reports are intended in part to reduce betting-related pressure, solicitations and harassment student-athletes and other team personnel receive from bettors connected to playing status. The NCAA runs the largest integrity monitoring service program in the world and provides college athletes with online threat detection services as part of its comprehensive strategy to respond to the rise of sports betting.
Implementation of player availability reports for the 2026 Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships will serve as a pilot program. The reporting system will not be implemented for other NCAA championships in 2025-26 while the program is evaluated.
HD Intelligence will serve as the player availability reporting service provider for the 2026 Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships. Several conferences already use HDI for their members and are familiar with the interface. The NCAA is committed to making this as simple and streamlined a process as possible. A video training was provided in February, and a frequently-asked-questions document will be offered.
Availability reports will be applicable to all Division I men’s and women’s basketball championship contests. These reports will be publicly available on ncaa.com.
Process
Teams must submit initial reports to the NCAA by 9 p.m. (local competition venue time) the night before competition and provide any updates to the initial report by two hours prior to their scheduled tip time on game day to ensure accuracy. The portal will open five hours prior to the reporting deadline each day.
Under the reporting structure, student-athletes will be designated as available (more than a 75% chance to play), questionable (up to a 75% chance to play) or out (will not play).
Student-athletes will be assumed to be available unless designated as questionable or out.
Clase-Ortiz Trial Pushed Back From May 4 To November 2 (InGame): “The sports corruption trial of Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz and two co-conspirators was on Friday moved to a Nov. 2 date for jury selection. The pitchers, who remain on paid leave, along with Robinson Vasquez Germosen and an at-large and as-yet-unidentified fourth co-defendant, were originally scheduled for trial on May 4 in the Eastern District of New York.”
Alberta Targeting Spring/Summer Launch For Regulated Online Casinos (Legal Sports Report): Regulated online casinos from the industry’s top brands should be live in Alberta sometime in the spring or summer. That is according to comments made by Dan Keene, the interim CEO of the Alberta iGaming Corporation, on the Gaming News Canada podcast this week.
“I would say don’t wait,” Keene said about operators that want to join the market. “We’re targeting a spring/summer launch and there’s just tremendous momentum that’s happening. So stay tuned.”
Podcast here:
