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I’ll be at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Convention in San Diego on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, if you want to say hi. What will I be talking about on a panel there? You get three guesses, and the first two don’t count.
I spoke with Responsible Online Gaming Association Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Shatley in this week’s podcast. We talked about ROGA’s recent efforts, and why RG and problem gambling are two distinct but important issues.
Reverse job board
If you have been impacted by recent layoffs in the sports betting industry — or are looking to hire — I am highlighting my reverse job board. The hope is to match job seekers with prospective employers.
Gambling news roundup
Credit Problems Jump After Betting Is Legalized, Fed Study Finds (Bloomberg): “US states that have legalized sports betting have seen a rise in delinquency rates on consumer credit products and a decrease in credit scores, according to a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Among people under 40 — the main demographic for sports betting — the share who were at least 90 days late on a credit card payment rose 7.9% after legalization, an analysis of consumer credit data found. …”
“Over the past year, an even broader audience has gained access to sports betting through prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket, which offer yes-or-no event contracts on professional and college games even in states that haven’t legalized gambling.”
Reject onerous ad limits in sports-betting bill (Colorado Politics, opinion): “A dangerous precedent is potentially afoot in the Colorado state Senate right now, where a bill was recently introduced to restrict advertising for local broadcast media across Colorado. Senate Bill 26-131, seemingly designed to discourage Coloradans from participating in legalized sports wagering, doesn’t just limit what can be advertised, but also when advertisements can air. The specific provision calls for a restriction of sports betting advertisements from airing during hours when those under 21 could make up a significant portion of the viewing audience.”
“At first glance, that may sound reasonable. But the reality of how local broadcast television and radio actually operate makes this far more complicated — and the consequences for Colorado’s local stations far more serious — than supporters of this bill acknowledge. Banning advertising from legal, regulated businesses raises serious practical, legal, and policy concerns, but also unfairly targets local television and radio stations that serve as the main source of information for Colorado communities.”
My latest on all things prediction markets:
And since that newsletter was published, there’s yet another bill in Congress that would ban sports event contracts. Press release:
Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced new legislation to crack down on often-times corrupt prediction markets.
Raskin and Merkley’s STOP Corrupt Bets Act responds to the recent explosion of prediction markets, which now offer event contracts on everything from elections to sports and acts of war. The bicameral bill would ban prediction market betting on elections, government actions, sports and military actions. These areas are not commodities and have little-to-no value in helping business investments. Initially, event contracts were created to be financial instruments for industries, particularly farmers, to use to hedge against potential losses.
“The oligarchs and opportunists are using prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket to enrich themselves. But democracy isn’t about insider gambling on our common future, it’s about everyone making our common future together. Placing bets on public policy and political events informed by insider knowledge and insider manipulation spreads civic cynicism and distrust in our democratic institutions,” said Rep. Raskin. “By banning bets on elections, legislation, acts of war and other government actions, we can oppose corrupt attempts to rig our democracy and profit from the fix, and we can redeem public faith in the idea that government is an instrument for the common good and not a casino.”
The World Series of Poker Signs Multi-Year Agreement With ESPN To Air Final Table Live: The World Series of Poker (WSOP®) today announced a historic multi-year agreement to return poker’s most prestigious event to ESPN. Beginning in 2026, ESPN will provide comprehensive coverage of the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship, better known as the WSOP ‘Main Event’, culminating in a highly anticipated three-night live finale in prime time on linear television. The agreement signals a new era for the brand under its current ownership, prioritizing mainstream reach and high-end storytelling.
A Revitalized Tournament Format & Live Finale: Broadcasting will begin on July 2 with Day 1A of the Main Event. Under the new agreement, poker fans can expect wall-to-wall coverage, with each tournament day receiving a minimum of six hours of programming. In total, ESPN platforms will feature approximately 100 hours of original programming per year.
In a strategic return to a ‘cliffhanger’ television format, once the tournament reaches the final table on July 13, play will be paused. The surviving finalists will reconvene 20 days later for a live, three-day televised finale airing August 3-5 from 9pm-12am EST. During the 20-day hiatus, ESPN will air specially curated prime-time episodes to build momentum and introduce the final table competitors to a global audience.
World-Class Production: WSOP aims to elevate the upcoming broadcast to the standards of major league sports, and has engaged award-winning Omaha Productions to help achieve this. Known for innovative hits like Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli (the “ManningCast”) and Netflix’s Quarterback and Receiver, Omaha Productions will apply its signature storytelling lens to the poker table.
“The World Series of Poker is a global phenomenon that transcends the gaming category, and our goal is to bring it to the widest possible audience,” said Ty Stewart, CEO of the WSOP. “Returning to ESPN - the home of our most iconic moments since 1987 - allows us to showcase the human drama of the Main Event like never before. With our new ownership’s commitment to growth, this is the perfect time to bring the ‘World Championship’ back to the biggest stage in sports.”
“We’re proud to welcome the World Series of Poker back to ESPN,” said Ashley O’Connor, Vice President, Programming & Acquisitions at ESPN. “Poker is filled with unexpected storylines, and nobody is better equipped to showcase the stories that unfold throughout a tournament more than ESPN. Bringing the WSOP back reflects our continued commitment to delivering premium competition and that connects with fans in new and exciting ways.”
And even more stuff on poker!:
Advice for Coaches
With March Madness in full swing, former NBA player and RG Ambassador Randy Livingston shares essential advice for coaches and anyone who chooses to bet during tournament season. Randy emphasizes the importance of keeping gambling conversations away from young people and treating athletes and staff with respect, whether in person or online.
Trusted Voices equips coaches and other mentors with resources to talk to young people about gambling risks, including warning signs and proxy betting.
NJ Senator: ‘Over The Top Disturbed’ As Bill Banning Micro Bets Passes Committee (Legal Sports Report): “New Jersey Sen. John McKeon pulled no punches when giving his opinion about micro bets at a Monday hearing. The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee heard testimony on S 2160 from both sides of the argument, including compulsive gamblers that say micro betting helped drive that issue as well as gaming industry representatives that laid out all the responsible gambling practices they have.”
“Thank you both. You have a job to do so I don’t mean to be critical of you as individuals but I’m over the top disturbed by all this, truth be told,” McKeon said.
After Passing House, Maryland Sweeps Bans Quickly Set For Senate Committee Hearings (Sweepsy): “Fresh off passing out of the House just before the crossover deadline, both Maryland sweepstakes casino ban bills have already received their first Senate hearing assignments. House Bill 1226 is up first, with a March 31 hearing before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee at 1 p.m. local time. Then, after that, House Bill 295 has an April 1 hearing before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee at 1 p.m. local time.”
NBA owners vote to explore Vegas, Seattle expansion bids (ESPN): “The NBA’s board of governors has approved a vote for the league to explore bids and applicants for expansion teams exclusively in Las Vegas and Seattle. All 30 owners voted in favor of exploring Las Vegas and Seattle expansion, sources told ESPN. …”
“Today’s vote reflects our Board’s interest in exploring potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle -- two markets with a long history of support for NBA basketball,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement Wednesday. “We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties.
FanDuel Sportsbook Unveils New MLB Experience, Cementing Its Position as the ‘Home of the Home Run’ (press release): FanDuel, North America’s premier online gaming company, today announced a comprehensive upgrade to its MLB offering, reinforcing its position as the ‘Home of the Home Run.’ Home run betting continues to be one of the most popular markets in baseball, and FanDuel is introducing new home run-focused betting markets, a free-to-play daily game, and enhanced product features designed to make it easier than ever for customers to engage with baseball’s biggest moments.
“FanDuel is the Home of the Home Run because we’ve purpose-built our MLB product around the most exciting and popular part of the game,” Managing Director of FanDuel Sportsbook Karol Corcoran said. “From new home run-specific markets to free-to-play experiences like Daily Dinger, these updates bring that vision to life. We are intentionally giving customers more ways to engage and greater confidence in their bets.”
Home Run Innovation at the Center of the Experience: FanDuel is expanding its MLB offering with a suite of features and markets designed specifically around home run betting, including:
Daily Dinger — A new free-to-play game where customers pick one player each day to hit a home run, with winners earning a profit boost token for MLB wagering the following day
“Laser” Home Run Markets — Bet on home runs hit with an exit velocity of 110+ MPH
3+ Home Run Grids — Dynamic views highlighting players with multi-home run potential across the slate.
This story about DraftKings’ launch of DK Replay has gotten way more run than I thought it would…. it’s the most-read newsletter in Closing Line history, if you can believe that. And it’s only live in Oregon so far!
If you want to see how it works, I posted a video on Twitter that somehow now has a million views.
Dustin Gouker@DustinGoukerIn case you are wondering how this works
Dustin Gouker @DustinGoukerNews? About sports betting? In Oregon? I was made for this moment. DraftKings launched DK Replay, which is betting on historical MLB games. More states may follow. https://t.co/U4eF7NxzUh12:43 AM · Mar 26, 2026 · 1.29M Views66 Replies · 33 Reposts · 1.8K LikesPeople in my mentions on Twitter are losing their minds over this. Is this sports betting? Well, the Oregon Lottery says it is. It’s definitely more like virtual sports — traditionally an online casino (or lottery) product in the US — than sports betting. It’s fair to wonder if other sports betting regulators will allow this. But it seems lots of people are interested in that possibility.
The reason this exists is the same reason that lots of people bet on overseas tennis or table tennis. These sports are often going on when there are no other sports on, and people like to flip coins. The same person betting on the next point of a tennis or table tennis match will also probably bet on this. Of course, this is available around the clock, again making it more like virtual sports.
Replay is a natural progression of the constant envelope-pushing we see throughout the gambling (and gambling-adjacent) industries. The original form of daily fantasy sports has morphed into fantasy pick’em, which are just player parlays. Prediction markets went from focusing on elections to allowing everything under the sun, including sports betting. We saw Hard Rock push the envelope in Florida with historical results as well. Where’s it all headed? :shrug emoji: But we’ll see more of it before we see less.
An aside: I predict that we will see virtual sports at a prediction market sometime this year.
One fascinating point is this will presumably show up as “handle” in the Oregon sports betting numbers, so we should be able to figure out how this is doing.
If you have thoughts on all this, reply to the newsletter and let me know!
March Madness continues (Caesars press release): With NCAA Men’s Tournament action set to resume tonight, see below for a look at the current championship odds at Caesars Sportsbook and insights from Patrick Berbert, College Basketball Trader at Caesars Sportsbook:
“We’re expecting a massive handle across the board this weekend. With only power conference programs remaining, this Sweet 16 is packed with elite matchups from top to bottom. If the games live up to what they look like on paper, we anticipate strong engagement from bettors throughout the day, with continued interest building into each successive time slot.”
PBS Examination Of Sports Betting Provides Balance In Face Of Tilted Framing (InGame): “Let me give you a hypothetical scenario. Let’s say there’s a network — we’ll call it the Private Broadcasting Service — and it’s airing an hour-long roundtable-style show about sports betting. And the discussion and debate are lively, until, with a few minutes left in the hour, all of the panelists pull off what we thought were their faces, Mission: Impossible-style, to reveal they are not actually notable gaming, sports, or media figures, but rather are all either aliens, robots, or amorphous gelatinous organisms. In this scenario, would you find it worthwhile to dissect the viewpoints they offered on sports gambling back when you believed they were actual humans?”
“I’m exaggerating to make a point. But if you watched the hour-long special Breaking the Deadlock: Gambling With Your Life that aired on PBS (as in, the Public Broadcasting Service) Tuesday night, you know the exaggeration isn’t too terribly disconnected from reality.”
Watch here:
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.
Massachusetts Commission Allows MGM To Pay Out On Lost Sports Betting Tickets (InGame): “Did you ever place a bet and lose your ticket? Two people in Massachusetts who did will still get their winnings. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) Thursday morning approved a request from MGM Springfield to pay out $3,445.65 in winnings on $1,705 wagered to two patrons who lost their physical tickets. The specifics of each wager were not disclosed nor were the names of the patrons.
PA Gaming Control Board Fines BetMGM $100,000 (press release): The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (“Board”) today at its public monthly meeting approved a consent agreement presented by the Board’s Office of Enforcement Counsel (“OEC”) resulting in a $100,000 fine to BetMGM, LLC.
In its approval of the consent agreement, the Board agreed that BetMGM failed to have sufficient procedures to prevent fraudulent behavior on its BetMGM and Borgata wagering platforms. This includes insufficient Know-Your-Customer (“KYC”) protocols that allows for the creation, access and use of multiple accounts by individuals using personal identifying information of other individuals and the funding of those accounts using stolen or fraudulently obtained payment devices.
The actions by the Board today include placement of four adults on the Involuntary Casino Exclusion list for leaving minors unattended at a casino property while they gambled:
A male patron who left an 11-year-old in a vehicle in the parking lot at Hollywood Casino York for 52 minutes while he gambled at slot machines and table games;
A male patron who left a 5-year-old in a vehicle in the parking lot at Rivers Casino Philadelphia for 17 minutes while he gambled at table games and the sportsbook;
A male patron who left a 9-year-old in the parking lot at Rivers Casino Philadelphia for 1 hour 7 minutes while he gambled at table games and the sportsbook; and,
A male patron who left two minors, ages 7 and 12, in a vehicle in the parking lot at Parx Casino for 32 minutes while he gambled at slot machines.
Actions such as these to deny statewide gambling privileges serve as a reminder that adults are prohibited from leaving minors unattended in the parking lot or garage, a hotel, or other venues at a casino since it creates a potentially unsafe and dangerous environment for the children. To complement the efforts by casinos to mitigate this issue, the Board created an awareness campaign, “Don’t Gamble with Kids” (DontGamblewithKids.org)
Sportradar Expands Partnership with Hard Rock Bet, Adding Official Data from the PGA TOUR and Ultimate Fighting Championship (press release): Sportradar AG (NASDAQ: SRAD) today announced it has deepened its multi-year agreement with Hard Rock Bet, adding official PGA TOUR and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) data, odds, and enhanced in-play betting capabilities to its existing suite of services in the U.S.
Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook players will benefit from new in-play offerings for the PGA TOUR, rights Sportradar acquired through its IMG ARENA acquisition, including dynamic micro markets such as hole winner and hole score. These new markets are complemented by advanced visualizations designed to enhance the live betting experience, featuring a real-time leaderboard with play-by-play commentary, 3D shot tracking for every hole, and automated insights throughout each round.
For UFC events, Hard Rock Bet users will gain access to an expanded range of in-play micro markets, including strikes attempted and landed, as well as takedowns, alongside a live match tracker with in-fight statistics, official branding, and fighter imagery, creating a more immersive, data-driven fan experience.
Outlier Acquires SportsCapital’s Data Assets and Launches Real Time Incident Reporting Across Major U.S. Sports (press release): Outlier has acquired intellectual property of SportsCapital, Inc., strengthening Outlier’s existing data infrastructure and enabling a first-of-its-kind real time injury and incident feed for Outlier’s live betting product, React Live.
SportsCapital’s event detection system captures live game incidents across the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAAB, and NCAAF, documenting moments that fall outside traditional sports data feeds, including acute injuries, diagnoses, recoveries, and other player status updates from over a thousand sources across all major U.S. sports leagues.
React Live will use these data feeds to provide bettors with an entirely new layer of contextual information. Bettors will have a richer and real-time picture of what’s actually happening during the game, often well in advance of seeing the incident on live broadcasts. …
“This is a major upgrade to the intelligence layer powering React Live,” said Evan Kirkham, CEO of Outlier. “Live betting moves fast, and context is everything. Incident reporting gives our users much earlier signal when something visually observable happens during the game that won’t otherwise show up in the box score or official injury report.”
FY 2025: Kambi says 8% revenue dip not cause for concern (Next.io): Kambi Group PLC has reported its full-year 2025 results, showing declines in both revenue and profit alongside delays in key market entries. Total revenue for 2025 was €162m, representing an 8.2% decrease from €176.4m in 2024. Excluding one-time transition fees recorded in the prior year, however, the underlying decline was lower at 1.2%. Fourth-quarter revenue reached €42.7m, down 3.9% year-on-year. … However, the business argued there remains strong potential for a better year in 2026 and beyond.
Kambi chair Anders Ström said: “Following 12 months of operational progress, Kambi enters 2026 in the defining stages of a profound strategic transformation. The foundational work has already delivered positive change with more material benefits to be felt in the coming years.”
Press release: Kambi, the home of premium sports betting solutions, has today published its 2025 Annual Report, including its Sustainability Report. … Key highlights for Kambi during the year include:
Revenue of €162.0m and adjusted EBITA (acq)* of €17.6m
Signed multiple Turnkey Sportsbook partners including LCKY Group and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
Expanded the reach of Odds Feed+ with several new partnerships, including Coolbet, FDJ United and Super Technologies
Continued growth of AI-driven trading, which accounted for 48% of bets in 2025
Secured licensing approval in Nevada, paving the way for Kambi to provide its solutions in Las Vegas and across the Silver State
Launched with multiple partners on day one of regulation in Brazil
Gillespie to become executive chair in Gambling.com shake-up (Next.io): “Gambling.com CEO, chair and co-founder Charles Gillespie will transition to a new role as executive chair in a management shake-up announced today (26 March). Gillespie, who has led the Nasdaq-listed affiliate and sports data business since its founding in 2006, will move to the newly created role of executive chairman once the transition takes effect. Meanwhile, co-founder and COO Kevin McCrystle will assume control as chief executive, with the appointments expected to be confirmed at the company’s AGM in mid-May 2026.”
Playtech unconcerned over Evolution dispute as U.S. momentum continues to grow (SBC Americas): “Evolution is still to file a formal claim in the ongoing Black Cube case, although Playtech doesn’t appear to be overly concerned, with the supplier disputing ‘any allegations of unlawful conduct.’ Playtech confirmed in its full-year results for 2025 that it is confident in its decision to commission Black Cube, an independent business intelligence firm, to look into Evolution’s business practises.”
The latest on Alberta’s launch:
