ESPN BET confirms launch date, Florida confirms sports betting, MGA CEO to step down

Sports betting has stolen the spotlight this week, with the United States having several interesting developments happening. This is your weekly news roundup.

ESPN BET, the long-anticipated sports betting brand by the eponymous network, has finally confirmed that it is launching in 17 states in the United States on November 14. ESPN BET revealed a logo earlier this year, with the company committed to building strong synergies between its sports coverage and betting platform.

To ensure a smooth launch in the sector, ESPN struck a deal with Penn Entertainment, gaining access to the platform that powered Barstool Sports, and effectively rebranding the sportsbook. ESPN is also rebranding the popular Daily Wager Rebrand to ESPN BET Live and also launching the ESPN BET Creative campaign with SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt.

ESPN is not the only big event in the world of sports betting. The Seminole Tribe of Florida has announced that it is launching in-person sports betting in Florida in December, owing to a compact with the state that was signed in 2021.

In light of a recent decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, the compact has been given a final go-ahead, allowing the tribe to roll out in-person (and potentially mobile) sports betting on its properties across the state.

Meanwhile, MGA CEO Carl Brincat has confirmed that he will be stepping down as the Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Gaming Authority come January 25, 2024. A process has been launched to seek for a successor, with the potential candidate spending two weeks with Brincat, providing he is still on the job, and shadowing him to get all caught up.

Across the Industry

There have been interesting developments across the entire industry, with the UK Gambling Commission confirming the appointment of seven new commissioners who come from diverse and highly professional backgrounds. The new commissioners have been appointed to help with the regulator’s overall efforts to strengthen responsible play and ensure that it maintains a strong grasp of the regulated market.

Speaking of regulation, Videoslots got into regulatory hot water with Spelinspektionen, the Swedish gambling watchdog, which awarded a SEK9m penalty to the company over what the regulator insisted were CTF and AML breaches.

As sports betting is clearly in the spotlight this week, DraftKings has confirmed that it will be launching in Maine, which is rolling out its sports betting market at 9 am on Friday, November 3. Caesars Sportsbook and others have already confirmed they are launching in the state as well.

On the iGaming front, there have been a number of prominent supplier partnerships that are worth noting. For example, Play’n GO gained a foothold in the Greek iGaming market through a deal with bet365. Both Play’n GO and bet365 are committed to expanding their European footprint and growing their offer consistently and organically. Meanwhile, Swintt, another excellent supplier with a strong development track record, has expanded its presence in the Netherlands with Circus.nl.

Entain PLC has confirmed the appointment of Amanda Brown as an independent Non-Executive Director. She has been hailed by Entain’s Chairman, Barry Gibson, as a worthwhile addition to the team who brings a wealth of knowledge that can help steer the company in the right direction and ensure that it remains a leader in entertainment.

Gambling Leaders Speak

We have several interesting catchups this week that addressed numerous matters in the industry we hold of interest. Felix Roemer, Gamdom’s Founder, spoke at length about why he believes esports betting is gathering momentum and is already presenting interesting opportunities for traditional sports betting companies, with many embracing the vertical. He talked about the general accessibility and popularity of the segment as well as the overall interest in it.

As part of Casino Guru SBC Summit interviews, we also had the opportunity to publish our discussion with Angelina Stasiuk, Head of Business Account Managers at SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator, who spoke about the company’s dedication to building consumer-focused and business-driven solutions that help both players as well as businesses excel. From personalized jackpots to other tailored solutions, SOFTSWISS has been on point, and Stasiuk’s insights are well worth looking into.

Not least, Uplatform Head of Marketing Maria Bashkevich published her Opinion piece about the importance of tailored solutions and customization in the ever-evolving online gambling landscape. She spoke about what challenges companies in the sector face, from content to regulation, to changing demographics of the players they try to engage with.

We also heard from Ivan Kurochkin, Partner and Head of Eastern Europe Desk at 4H Agency who broke down the recent proposal by the Swedish government pitching a tax increase, which has ruffled business feathers. He spoke about what efficient ways can be used to tackle the problem of lack of sufficient channelization to the regulated market in the country.

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