LegalSportsBetting Brief: Iowa Has Remote Registration 1/5/2021

Iowa now allows residents the opportunity to remotely join sportsbooks in 2021 and two new operators, PointsBet and BetMGM have entered their market.
William Hill now has a mobile sportsbook application available in Washington, DC to go along with their retail venue at the Capital One Arena.
Entain refused to be bought out by MGM Resorts because the offer of $11.1 billion was too low in the opinion of Entain.
Both Nevada and Rhode Island have posted new state records in their monthly sports betting revenue profits for the month of November.

WASHINGTON – Legal sports betting news never stops with states, operators, and organizations in a cycle of constant motion. This past week was no different.

Iowa has rid itself of in-person registration, allowing for remote mobile sportsbook signups statewide. Two new mobile applications have also entered the Hawkeye State’s sports wagering industry with the launch of BetMGM and PointsBet platforms.

William Hill has rolled out their online and mobile sportsbook to the people of Washington, DC although access is limited to a two-block radius that surrounds their retail sportsbook at the Capital One Arena per the law.

UK sports betting firm Entain has declined a buyout offer by MGM Resorts, believing that the $11.1 billion figure is too low based on how much profit the sports wagering industry in the US stands to make in the future.

And on that money-making note, Nevada and Rhode Island have both posted state records for revenue in November from their sports betting markets.

Iowa Now Has Remote Sportsbook Registration, BetMGM And PointsBet Launch

Sports bettors in Iowa no longer have to endure the in-person sportsbook registration when signing up for a mobile sports betting application.

January 1 marked the beginning of purely remote-based registration for online and mobile sports wagering platforms in the Hawkeye State.

When these outlets for gambling went live in August 2019, the law made it so gamblers needed to go to an establishment to register, however, that was only a stipulation to last through the end of 2020.

To go with this new freedom to open mobile sports betting accounts from home or anywhere within the state of Iowa, two new operators have launched their applications. BetMGM and PointsBet have both gone live with their applications for Iowans to use and gamble on sporting events.

“I can’t think of a better way to kick off the new year than by launching BetMGM in Iowa, a state well known for its passionate sports fans,” said Adam Greenblatt, BetMGM CEO. “Our connection with MGM Resorts enables BetMGM users in the Hawkeye State to earn rewards, from hotel suites to dinners at award-winning restaurants, all while engaging in the excitement of our cutting-edge sports betting experience.”

William Hill Launches Online Sportsbook In Washington, DC

William Hill has been cleaning up at their temporary retail sports betting venue at the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC and now they have unveiled their mobile application to the District.

The mobile William Hill Sportsbook in DC is limited in access but has all the capabilities of the entire sportsbook.

However, DC only allows businesses to have applications with a two-block radius within their land-based location of availability to gamblers. GambetDC, the mobile sports wagering platform offered by the DC Lottery is the only application that is available through the entire District.

Entain Has Rejected MGM’s Offer To Takeover Business

Entain, formerly known as GVC Holdings, received an offer of $11.1 billion from MGM Resorts to be bought out but they declined.

Entain partnered with MGM Resorts to expand their sports wagering endeavors in the United States as they’re already a big name in the UK. With the growth of internet sports betting in the US, Entain believes the billion-dollar figure is far too low given how the industry for gambling on sports is expected to continue its surge in both profits and popularity.

Nevada And Rhode Island Sports Betting Revenues Hit Record Highs

Nevada made a record for sports wagering revenue collected in November. The state saw a handle of $609.5 million with a revenue of $61.8 million, a new high for any one month of revenue from sportsbooks. Of that, there was also a hold of $4.2 million in tax revenue.

Over on the east side of the nation, Rhode Island posted a new record for the Ocean State’s sports wagering industry in the realm of revenue. Total handle for the month of November from sportsbooks came in at $35.1 million with $6.3 million seen in revenue, a new high for the state of Rhode Island’s sports betting market.

A Look At The Week Ahead

As the new year is upon us, so is a new year of legislative sessions. Seven different states will begin their sessions within the next week and sports betting legalization could make it to the floor for many of them.

Bills across the nation regarding legal sportsbook markets are currently being drawn up to go before lawmakers. Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, and Ohio will all see the start of their sessions in the days ahead.

The 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship will see the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (-275) take on the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (+225) on January 11.

College football betting lines have Alabama as the favorite to take the Championship title but Ohio State shouldn’t be looked over as they were the underdogs against Clemson to get here and beat the Tigers 49-28.

Kickoff for the biggest game in college football is at 8 p.m. EST on the ESPN Network.

On the professional football front, the NFL has officially entered the postseason with Wild Card weekend games happening on both Saturday and Sunday. There will be six games, three on Saturday and three on Sunday before the Divisional Rounds can begin.

The Indianapolis Colts will face the Buffalo Bills, the Los Angeles Rams will play the Seattle Seahawks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play the Washington Football Team, the Baltimore Ravens will go up against the Tennessee Titans, the Chicago Bears play the New Orleans Saints, and the Cleveland Browns face the Pittsburgh Steelers for their second showdown in a row between the two teams.

Losers will go home while winners will move forward to the Divisional rounds beginning the following weekend.

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Christina Monroe

Christina has been writing for as long as she can remember and does dedicated research on the newly regulated sports betting market. She comes from a family of sports lovers that engage in friendly bets from time to time. During the winter months, you can find Christina baking cookies and beating the entire staff at Mario Kart…the N64 version of course.