frank-ammirante Page 12 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Shane Hennen Case Raises Concerns over College Sports Betting
Shane “Sugar” Hennen, a professional gambler based out of Philadelphia, has emerged as a central figure in a federal investigation into illegal sports betting tied to college basketball. Authorities allege he played a key role in a wide-ranging point-shaving scheme that has drawn national attention and raised renewed concerns about integrity in college sports. Prosecutors allege Hennen arranged bribes to ...
Iowa Lawmakers Weigh Expanded Enforcement Powers Against Sweepstakes Casinos
Iowa lawmakers are considering House Study Bill 586, with a companion measure filed as Senate Study Bill 3040. This legislation would expand the state’s authority to crack down on unlicensed online gambling operations, including sweepstakes casinos. The proposal, scheduled for a legislative hearing on Jan. 29, would grant regulators new enforcement tools. This includes cease-and-desist orders aimed at operators deemed ...
NBA Betting Investigation Expands as Feds Review Additional Games
Federal authorities are conducting a criminal investigation into illegal sports betting connected to NBA games, signaling that the scope of the case may extend beyond previously disclosed incidents involving Terry Rozier and others. Prosecutors say they are reviewing additional contests as part of an ongoing effort to determine whether insider information was used to influence wagering outcomes. Court filings and ...
Colorado Partnership Connects Gambling Addiction Therapy With Advanced Care
A new partnership in Colorado aims to streamline access to treatment for individuals struggling with gambling addiction by connecting early intervention services with more advanced levels of care. The collaboration is designed to create a clearer entry point into treatment. It will also aim to reduce delays for patients who require specialized mental health support as demand for gambling-related platforms ...
DraftKings to Launch Crypto-to-Cash Deposits in Select U.S. States
DraftKings is preparing to introduce a new funding option that would allow customers in several states to deposit money into their sportsbook accounts using cryptocurrency that has been converted into U.S. dollars. The initiative, which has been discussed with state regulators, reflects the operator’s efforts to expand payment flexibility while navigating a regulatory landscape that remains divided on the use ...
South Carolina Sports Betting Bill 444 Sets 2026 Hearing, Market Framework
South Carolina lawmakers are set to formally revisit legalized sports betting, becoming the first state in 2026 to schedule a hearing on the issue. The discussion will center on Senate Bill 444, a proposal that would authorize online sports wagering statewide. It will take place before the South Carolina Senate Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee, marking an early push for ...
Missouri Regulators Reject NCAA Push to Ban College Player Props
Missouri regulators have declined to prohibit prop bets on individual college athletes, pushing back against calls from the NCAA following a series of high-profile gambling scandals. The decision by the Missouri Gaming Commission comes as the state’s newly launched sports betting market continues to take shape, with officials signaling a preference to gather more data before making additional rule changes ...
Illinois Reconsiders iGaming Legalization With House Bill 4797
Illinois lawmakers are reopening discussions around legalizing online casino gaming, reviving a debate that has surfaced repeatedly in recent legislative sessions. The latest proposal would allow iGaming in addition to the state’s existing sports betting framework. The renewed effort to legalize online casino gaming is being led by Edgar González Jr., who has filed House Bill 4797 to establish a ...
NY Gaming Commission Urges Leagues to Address Sports Betting Integrity
The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) has urged professional sports leagues participating in the state’s legal sports betting market to formally raise any concerns about wagering integrity. The move comes amid increased scrutiny of certain bet types, as regulators emphasize that leagues have existing avenues to request restrictions but have not yet done so. In a formal letter sent ...
Mississippi Senate Passes Bill to Ban Online Sweepstakes Gaming
The Mississippi Senate has approved legislation aimed at prohibiting sweepstakes casinos, marking a renewed effort by lawmakers to clamp down on digital gambling platforms in a state without legalized iGaming. The bill now advances to the House, where its fate will be decided amid broader debates over the future of online gambling in Mississippi. Senate Bill 2104, which cleared the ...
Nevada Super Bowl Betting Handle Hits 10-Year Low
Nevada sportsbooks generated $133.8 million in wagers on the Super Bowl, the state’s lowest handle for the event since Super Bowl 50 in 2016, when betting totaled $132.5 million. The decline reflects a broader shift in sports betting, as wagering activity continues to spread across an expanding number of legal markets nationwide. The decline in Nevada’s Super Bowl betting handle ...
Arizona Sports Betting Tax Could Rise to 45% Under New Budget
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has proposed a significant increase to the state’s sports betting tax as part of her fiscal year 2027 budget plan. The proposal would raise the tax rate on certain sportsbook operators, with the goal of generating additional funding to support the state budget. The measure is expected to face legislative debate in the Republican-controlled state legislature. ...
Whitmer Targets iGaming in $800M Tax Plan
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has proposed a package of tax increases projected to generate nearly $800 million annually to help fund the state’s Medicaid program as federal support faces uncertainty. Part of the plan is targeted on gambling, including higher online casino taxes and new per-bet sports wagering fees. Whitmer’s plan would increase taxes on Michigan’s iGaming industry, drawing comparisons ...
Maryland HB 518 Targets More Restrictions on Sports Betting
Maryland lawmakers are reviewing legislation that would tighten regulations on the state’s sports betting industry. The proposal, filed as House Bill 518 (HB 518), was recently discussed in a legislative hearing and is now under committee consideration. HB 518 includes a ban on certain prop bets, specifically targeting college player prop wagers. Under the bill, sportsbooks would no longer be ...
New York Super Bowl Betting Handle Hits $572.5M
New York’s online sportsbooks reported a year-over-year increase in wagering during Super Bowl week, with total bets surpassing $570 million. While overall handle increased compared with last year, operator revenue declined, reflecting a lower hold percentage. According to figures released by the New York State Gaming Commission on February 13th, New York’s eight licensed mobile operators combined to take in ...
Maryland SB 885 Would Put Online Casinos Before Voters
Maryland lawmakers are once again considering legislation to legalize online casino gaming, this time through Senate Bill 885. The proposal, sponsored by Sen. Ron Watson, would put the question of iGaming before voters in a statewide 2026 referendum while embedding new labor protections, licensing provisions, and economic impact measures in the state’s gaming regulatory framework. SB 885 would place the ...
Virginia Senate Advances SB 118 & HB 161 to Legalize Online Casinos
Virginia lawmakers have taken a significant step toward legalizing online casino gaming by advancing two key pieces of legislation. On a second vote, the Senate approved Senate Bill 118 (SB 118) after it previously failed. The House also passed House Bill 161 (HB 161) following a revote. Together, the bills would authorize regulated online casino operations overseen by the Virginia ...
BetRivers May Raise Minimum Bets Amid Rising State Taxes
Rush Street Interactive (RSI) signaled that it may expand BetRivers’ minimum wager policy beyond Illinois. During its fourth-quarter earnings call, the company noted that Illinois’ per-wager fee prompted BetRivers to increase its minimum bet from $1 to $5 in that market. Executives indicated similar adjustments could be implemented in other states if tax structures make low-dollar wagers less sustainable for ...
Indiana HB 1052 Advances, Nearing Ban on Sweepstakes Casinos
Indiana lawmakers have advanced House Bill 1052 (HB 1052), with the Senate approving an amended version by a 37-8 vote and returning it to the House for concurrence. Concurrence is the process in which the original chamber agrees to changes made by the other chamber before a bill can move forward. The legislation targets a ban on online sweepstakes casinos ...
lllinois Lawmakers Advance Bill to Block Chicago Sports Betting Tax
Illinois lawmakers are moving quickly to overturn Chicago’s new wagering tax, setting up the latest clash over how the state regulates and taxes sports betting. Just weeks after the city’s 10.25% tax on wagers took effect, a bill advancing in Springfield would bar any local government from imposing taxes on state-regulated gaming operators. The proposal signals growing concern among legislators ...