Professional poker player Damien LeForbes has pleaded guilty to running an illegal sportsbook in California, with ties to another illegal bookie, Mathew Bowyer. LeForbes is accused of wagering $148 million at a casino believed to be Resorts World. Meanwhile, ESPN Bet is set to launch in New York in September, a timeline that has been delayed from earlier projections.
Australian-based BlueBet is exiting the US to focus on its core Australian business due to slow regulatory growth in the US market. Maryland is proposing regulations on how sports betting operators can shut down in the state, while Massachusetts is considering mandating multi-factor authentication for sports betting logins.
In other news, Hard Rock Digital has launched its wagering platform in Illinois, while a lawsuit in Missouri could affect the fate of legal digital sports betting initiatives. Penn Entertainment and Light & Wonder are teaming up to offer live dealer games in Michigan, and Caesars Sportsbook faces a potential $2.48m payout if the Raiders win the Super Bowl based on a $31,000 bet. The NFL is also allowing franchises to sell up to 10% of common shares to private equity companies.
Additionally, Related Companies and Wynn Resorts have shared renderings of their upcoming New York City casino project. The project, set to be an 80-storey tower with various amenities, is among 11 probable bidders for three downstate casino licenses in New York. Overall, the North American sports betting industry is seeing significant developments across multiple states and regions.
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