LSB Brief: ME, CT, & NY Sports Betting Progress 06/29/2021

Maine Governor Janet Mills has until June 30 to decide on sports betting legislation for the state that is currently in her possession.
The Connecticut Lottery will be announcing its top three choices for a sports betting platform on Monday.
New York is allowing for RFPs to be submitted for their mobile sportsbooks until July 1.

AUGUSTA, Maine – Regulated sports betting news never sleeps, just like the industry itself, and this week Maine, Connecticut, and New York are all making headlines with their progress in the industry.

Maine is awaiting a decision from Governor Janet Mills on whether she will veto or approve a piece of sports wagering legislation that has landed on her desk.

The Connecticut Lottery is on its way to making a public announcement on Monday about sports betting operators they’ve chosen as their final three picks where one of the three will ultimately become their platform for the market. And the Empire State is heading toward its July 1 deadline for accepting RFPs for the state’s mobile sportsbook platforms that should go live by the end of the year.

Will Maine See Approval By Governor Mills On Sports Betting For 2021?

The Maine State Legislature passed LD 1352 on June 18 to regulate mobile and retail sportsbooks in the state. On June 21, the bill officially landed in the hands of Governor Janet Mills who has until June 30 to make her decision to veto or approve the new sports betting market for Maine.

Mills previously vetoed a bill in 2020 for sports gaming as it did not allow for tethering to retail locations. This current measure includes tethering, which is why lawmakers are hopeful it will be approved.

No action on her part will mean the bill will not pass and sports bettors in Maine will have to wait until January to find out if local sportsbooks will become a part of their available recreational activities in the state in the future.

The Connecticut Lottery Will Be Choosing A Sportsbook Operator

The Connecticut Lottery delayed their original date of an announcement for who their official sportsbook platform will be, surpassing their June 10 announcement date. On Monday, the lottery will announce their final three choices after reviewing all presentations.

No names have been announced as to which operators they are looking into. However, Kambi and DraftKings are already part of the Connecticut sports betting market through the tribes in the state. Connecticut sports wagering would like to launch in time for the 2021 NFL season.

New York Is Accepting Bids For Their Mobile Sportsbooks

The New York sports betting industry finally regulated mobile sports betting in April with the approval of Governor Andrew Cuomo. Four sportsbook applications will be seen in the Empire State once operators have been chosen. RFPs are due by July 1 in an effort for the state to launch mobile sports gaming by the time football season begins and the most wagers are made.

This will help New York to capitalize on the market with their new offering of mobile platforms during sports gaming’s busiest time of year.

It has been stipulated through the Governor’s signature in April that at least 50% of all profits made by these operators go to the state who will be required to pay New York an immediate $25 million for a license to launch their sportsbook.

There is a 12% tax rate set on these applications on all GGR. While NFL season is when New York wants these sports gaming apps to go live, they’re hoping to at least be open by the Super Bowl in 2022.

Other Sports Betting News

Canada passed sports betting last week. Retail and mobile sports betting will be open to any province in the country that would like to have its own market.

Florida, who passed a tribal sports betting industry in May with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, could launch their sportsbooks by the end of the year. However, now lawmakers are suggesting to put commercial mobile sports betting to a vote with a constitutional amendment. That vote would occur in November 2022 and should it pass, it would void the new Tribal Gaming Compacts in the state for regulated sportsbooks.

Sports gaming continues to expand and evolve nationwide as more and more states see how lucrative the business is and how beneficial the money it brings in is for their economies. Expect more such news in the coming weeks from other states like Ohio and Massachusetts who are currently discussing their own legislation for regulated sports gaming industries.

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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.