Arkansas
North Carolina Lawmaker to Introduce Bill to End College Player Prop Bets
North Carolina legislator intends to introduce legislation to ban college player prop bets, according to a staff member.
North Carolina State Representative Marcia Morey, D-Durham, a former Olympic swimmer, will submit a bill by the bill filing deadline on Thursday to ban these bets, Hannah Smith, Administrative Assistant, told Gambling.com on Monday.
The North Carolina Legislature began meeting in Raleigh on April 24 with the session set to end on July 31.
Recently, NCAA President Charlie Baker, a former Massachusetts governor, called upon states to ban college player prop bets, which is short for proposition bets. Baker said these bets, based on an athlete’s individual performance such as the over/under on the number of rebounds the player might record, could undermine the integrity of games and lead to harassment of players.
Former North Carolina Tar Heel star Armando Bacot is among athletes who have expressed concern about harassment. Bacot said he heard from fans angry that he didn’t get enough rebounds in an NCAA tournament game against Michigan State – a game the Tar Heels won.
College Prop Bets Allowed in Some States
Some states already ban these bets, while others including Louisiana, intend to impose a ban this summer before the college and pro football seasons begin.
In other states, the proposed ban has met with resistance.
During a recent interview on The Edge, Arkansas casino executive Carlton Saffa told Gambling.com a ban would drive bettors to unregulated offshore sportsbooks or illegal bookies. He said a better solution is to keep those bets legal in regulated markets where irregularities can be spotted.
“Sunshine is the best disinfectant,” Saffa, the Chief Marketing Officer for the Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, said.
College player prop bets remain legal in Arkansas.
In North Carolina, where statewide mobile sports betting became legal in March, State Representative Jason Saine, R-Lincoln, said in a story on the WNCN-TV website that a college player prop ban is ‘a solution in search of a problem’. If athletes are being harassed, he said, campus police should crack down on those making the threats and make an example of them. A ban won’t stop the problem, Saine said.
“If we ended (player prop bets) tomorrow, this kind of behavior would still continue with fanatical people,” Saine said. “Follow rules of society, you don’t threaten anybody, or you shouldn’t be. And, that’s kind of my take on it. I don’t think we need a whole new set of rules to pursue something like that.”
Morey, the lawmaker proposing the ban, said people are ‘forgetting about the individuals who are actually playing the game and having the pressure on them’.
“Let’s give them a break,” she said.
An Arkansas casino is seeking approval to operate an iGaming app, allowing people within the state to go online to play casino games such as slots, blackjack, craps and more.
On March 13, Carlton Saffa, Chief Market Officer for the Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, wrote to Arkansas Racing Commission Chairman Alex Lieblong asking for a change in the rules to allow Internet casino gambling, which is often referred to as iGaming or iCasino platforms.
On Monday, Saffa told Gambling.com he hopes to appear before the Arkansas Racing Commission on May 6 seeking approval to offer iGaming. The Arkansas Racing Commission regulates all gambling matters in the state including horse racing and casino games.
iGaming Doesn’t Hurt Bricks-And-Mortar Casinos: Saffa
Nationwide, only a half dozen states from Michigan to Connecticut offer Internet casino gambling. Arkansas would be the first in its region with iGaming, permitting users who want to log onto a computer or download an app to play traditional casino games for money. Other states in the region already offer sports betting.
In his March 13 letter to state regulators, Saffa said estimates indicate Internet casino gambling from the Saracen Casino Resort alone would generate an additional $12 million in taxes annually for the state. Internet casino gambling, or iGaming, generally raises more tax revenue than sports betting in states that have both.
However, in some states without iGaming, casino operators have fought legalization, contending customers won’t visit a bricks-and-mortar casinos and spend money at restaurants and on other amenities including entertainment and lodging if they can log onto cellphones or computers and gamble from anywhere. In his letter to state regulators, Saffa pointed to research showing iGaming doesn’t cannibalize bricks-and-mortar casinos but instead gives them ‘a lift’.
State Rule Change Required
Arkansas already allows online poker, though that has not been made available to consumers, Saffa said. He said the ability to allow iGaming would require the Arkansas Racing Commission to amend a rule to include Internet casino games in addition to the currently legal online card games such as poker.
“A solution exists by amending ARC Rule 5, which already authorizes online poker, to include other types of table games and slots,” Saffa told Gambling.com on Monday. “Doing so would provide significant tax revenues to government and, just as important, ensure that operators be held accountable by the government. Given that we have seen online operators in the fantasy sports space ignore cease and desist demands from the state, merely attempting to police the matter is not a workable solution.”
Saffa recently made a similar argument on the topic of unregulated gambling, telling Gambling.com on The Edge he opposes a ban on college player props bets, saying, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
“People in Arkansas are already gambling in online casinos and those companies are not regulated or taxed by the Arkansas Racing Commission,” Saffa said Monday. “Those companies are not held to the standards the people of Arkansas set forth for operators to include that a customer must be 21.”
Amy Bergette
New Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Mobile App from Scientific Games Brings Modern, Enhanced Features to Players
Company’s Newest Mobile App Gives Players Added Features and Quick, Easy Access
Scientific Games developed a new mobile app for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery to give players in the state more convenience when connecting to the lottery, its games and player loyalty program, The Club. Now available through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, the new AR Lottery + Club app features a biometric login, new navigation and a user-friendly design.
“The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery wanted to offer our players a modern experience and convenient, easy connection to our games and loyalty club from their mobile device,” Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Gaming Director, Mike Smith, said. “With the new app, players verify tickets easily with the ticket checker and create digital play-slips from the convenience of their phone.”
Biometric login makes it easy for players to access their Club account via the new app. The app’s all new ticket checker feature allows players to quickly check whether their tickets are winners. Players can also use the app to create digital play-slips, which save their lucky numbers and play options, then scan the QR code at any Arkansas Scholarship Lottery retailer to quickly purchase games.
As with the previous version of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery app, players may connect to The Club to enter non-winning instant tickets in Play It Again drawings and other special second-chance promotions. They can also enter eligible instant and terminal-generated tickets to earn Points for Prizes that are redeemable in the online store.
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery mobile app has been available for players since 2015. The modernized, enhanced features of the new app bring even more convenience and connectivity to players.
“We are leveraging our core strength and leadership in instant scratch games across all areas of innovation including digital,” the Senior Vice-President of Digital Solutions for Scientific Games, Amy Bergette, said. “Through continuous investment in our loyalty solution for lotteries, Scientific Games has further evolved our program by offering an upgraded, modern and native mobile app that makes it easier for players to enjoy programs like The Club in Arkansas. We look forward to players downloading the new app for an enhanced experience and connection to the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery’s games and brand.”
In 2009, Scientific Games and the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery launched the first lottery loyalty program in the US. Today, the lottery’s loyalty program is one of the most successful in the industry with more than 101.5 million tickets entered into the program since its inception. The program has awarded more than 1.2 billion points to players to redeem Points for Prizes in Scientific Games’ online store.
In addition to the mobile app and loyalty program, the company provides the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery with instant games and instant game management through the Scientific Games Enhanced Partnership program, licensed properties and a customer relationship management program.
Scientific Games provides retail and digital games, technologies, analytics and services to 130 lotteries in 50 countries including nearly every North American lottery. Points for Prizes is a registered trademark of Scientific Games.
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Multi-channel agreement includes provision of Kambi’s sportsbook direct to Oaklawn’s property in Hot Springs, Arkansas, as well as its mobile sportsbook, Oaklawn Sports
Kambi Group plc has signed an agreement with Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort to provide its on-property and online sportsbook solutions direct to the premier Thoroughbred racetrack and casino in the US state of Arkansas.
Under the deal, Kambi will support Oaklawn in launching its online sportsbook operations under the brand ‘Oaklawn Sports,’ through the provision of its best-in-class digital betting solutions, which includes Bet Builder, Kambi’s award-winning same game and multi-game combinability product.
Oaklawn will also continue to offer Kambi’s retail sportsbook within its Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort. Via a partnership with operator Churchill Downs Incorporated, Kambi has provided Oaklawn with its retail sportsbook since 2021, with today’s deal replacing this agreement to see Kambi contract direct with Oaklawn for an extended period. In addition, Oaklawn plans to expand its sports betting retail operations, creating an exciting experience for its patrons during the Thoroughbred races.
Kristian Nylén, Kambi Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, said: “We’re very excited to strengthen our relationship with Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort and imminently extend our partnership into the mobile space. The combination of Kambi’s advanced technology and Oaklawn’s reputation as one of the premier Thoroughbred tracks and casinos in the US makes this an enticing sports betting proposition.
Wayne Smith, General Manager of Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, said: “Oaklawn has been one of the most trusted brands in Arkansas for more than 100 years and we are excited to now offer our loyal customers yet another great amenity with our much-anticipated mobile wagering platform. We look forward to delivering the best online sports wagering experience in Arkansas.”
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