We’re exactly one month away from the start of the 2019 NFL season, and college football begins even sooner (just 20 days away if you were wondering).
But with football season right around the corner, which states are running the two-minute drill to launch sportsbooks and which will have to grab some pine when the first games kick off within the next month? Let’s find out!
Connecticut lawmakers say they’ve struck a deal to legalize sports betting and online gambling, which includes a tribal casino in Bridgeport, as part of a state-wide gambling expansion bill.
Gov. Ned Lamont said he wouldn’t sign the legislation unless all interested parties — such as MGM Resorts, who inquired about building a CT casino earlier this year — are involved throughout the process.
And speaking of beating the clock, the Indiana sports betting law goes into effect on September 1, but it’s unclear whether the state will have any sportsbooks open by then.
The Indiana Gaming Commission discussed the rules for the last time this past week, and the regulations are expected to be finalized on August 28. If any of the 13 licensed casinos want to launch their sportsbooks at the start of next month, they will need to meet the requirements on the IGC checklist.
On the other hand, several Iowa sportsbooks are expected to open in 10 days on August 15 at noon CT. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission gave the licensed operators the green light last week, but mobile apps likely won’t launch until October at the earliest.
Nevada is back on top of the sports betting world after it posted the biggest handle during the dog days of summer, accepting $322 million in wagers for the month of June.
After previously edging out the Silver State for the sports betting crown in May, New Jersey sportsbooks took in $273 million in wagers for June, which placed the Garden State back in the number two spot.
North Carolina recently legalized sports betting at two tribal casinos, but a second bill — to establish a gaming commission and study sports betting — is currently facing an uphill battle in the state legislature.
Previously, H 929 was intended for that purpose, but the language from the bill has been attached to another piece of legislation in the Senate via S 574. The Senate’s proposal was referred to the Judiciary Committee, and a hearing is scheduled for August 6 at 10 am ET.
And Oregon looks like it may have the Oregon Lottery “Scoreboard” mobile betting app ready to go when the NFL season starts on September 5, according to officials who last week said testing has been going smoothly.
Unfortunately, Oregon Lottery officials said wagering money on college football won’t be available for this upcoming season, but added that collegiate sports betting is something they want to add in the future.
Lastly, Penn National Gaming issued a press release last week detailing its plans to capitalize on legal sports betting in the United States with decades-long market share agreements between DraftKings, PointsBet, theScore, and The Stars Group.
Additionally, Kambi, a UK-based gaming provider, will also power all sportsbooks in PNG’s sports betting portfolio going forward.
Be sure to check out our US sports betting bill tracker to see the latest movement on sportsbook legislation happening in state legislatures across the country.
And if you want to wager on the upcoming NFL and college football season, then head on over to our online sportsbook reviews to see which site is your best bet in 2019.
