Canada
Missouri House Approves Bill to Legalize Sports Betting
The Missouri House gave first-round approval last Wednesday to a bill that would allow betting on major college and professional sports.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Dan Houx, R-Warrensburg, is the proposal preferred by the casinos and major sports teams, who would all get a piece of the action.
A major part of the drive to allow sports wagering is that it is legal in most of the states that adjoin Missouri and residents are going to those states before major events to place their bets.
“Missourians are doing it right now and we are not getting the benefit from the tax standpoint,” House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-O’Fallon, said.
Fiscal notes prepared for the bills prior to Wednesday’s debate estimated that Missourians will wager about $150 million annually on sporting events. The tax rate specified in the bill, 10%, was reduced to 8% under an amendment sponsored by Rep. Wes Rogers, D-Kansas City.
That would make the tax rate lower than the rate proposed in Kansas, he said. Similar bills, filed in the Missouri Senate, would set the tax rate at 21%, the same rate casinos pay on the net from other forms of gambling.
Under the bill in the House, which needs another vote to go to the Senate, gamblers could place a bet on a game at a casino or by using a licensed online platform such as FanDuel or DraftKings. The Missouri Gaming Commission would regulate and license the platforms.
Each of Missouri’s six licensed casino operators would be able to offer three platforms, or “skins,” per casino, with each casino company capped at six total. Two casino companies, Penn National and Caesar’s Entertainment, each operate three casinos in the state.
That will allow one for each of the six major sports teams that play their games within the state – the Chiefs, the St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Blues, St. Louis City soccer club, and the Kansas City Current women’s professional soccer team.
The bill would allow betting on college and professional sports but ban wagering on prep sports. The bill would require gambling platforms to use official league data for settling bets other than on the final outcome of a contest.
The bill is supported by five of the six companies operating licensed casinos and all six major sports teams.
“This is the first time we got everybody to the table and got 99% of the people to the plate,” Houx told the House.
During the debate, the House added provisions to address an expected increase in problem gambling. Rep. Ben Baker, R-Neosho, sponsored an amendment that would require a self-exclusion program, a state-sponsored program to provide recovery services, and annual research on the prevalence of problem gambling and the effectiveness of prevention programs.
“There will be an increase in problem gambling, both for new individuals coming into this utilizing the platforms with sports wagering and those that are currently struggling,” Baker said.
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Jackpot Digital Inc., a leading provider of innovative dealerless electronic poker gaming solutions, has announced that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has approved the Company to be licensed as a registered Gaming Related-Supplier (the “Supplier License”) under the Gaming Control Act in the Province of Ontario.
This significant achievement allows Jackpot Digital to enter one of the most dynamic and rapidly growing regulated gaming markets in North America. The Supplier License authorizes Jackpot Digital to supply its electronic table games to Ontario’s gaming venues, including casinos and other regulated gaming facilities.
Jackpot Digital’s flagship product, the Jackpot Blitz electronic table game system, offers a modern, dealerless, player-friendly solution that integrates traditional multiplayer poker games with cutting-edge digital technology. The Supplier License will enable the Company to offer its innovative gaming solutions to operators throughout Ontario, driving new revenue opportunities and enhancing player experiences.
“Receiving AGCO’s approval is a major milestone. This approval provides us with the opportunity to offer our top-tier electronic gaming systems to operators throughout all of Ontario, positioning us for further growth in one of the world’s most robust gaming markets. We are excited to bring our innovative products to Ontario’s gaming community and continue our commitment to providing exciting, technology-driven entertainment experiences,” said Jake Kalpakian, CEO of Jackpot Digital.
Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, has announced further expansion of its Canadian operations via a partnership with leading operator PointsBet in the province of Ontario.
The Swedish-founded gaming giant’s games will now be available to PointsBet players in the Canadian province, meaning classic titles such as Book of Dead, Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness, and Reactoonz will now be available on the PointsBet platform.
The province of Ontario regulated online casino gaming in 2022, which saw Play’n GO enter the Canadian market for the first time. The company expanded into the province of Quebec earlier this year, and, as of June 2024, is also a proud member of the Canadian Gaming Association.
Magnus Olsson, Chief Commercial Officer at Play’n GO, commented, “Back in 2022, I said that “North America is right at the top of Play’n GO’s priority list, and Ontario is just the first step we plan to take”. This partnership with PointsBet shows we have yet to take our foot off the gas. We’ve proudly watched our games become instant hits in our two and a half years in the Ontarian region, and we have no plans to slow down any time soon.
“It’s exciting to team up with a fellow Canadian Gaming Association member in PointsBet, and we can confidently say that we are working towards the same goal of a safe, regulated industry that is focused on player entertainment. We’re looking forward to working closely together following this milestone announcement.”
Scott Vanderwel, Chief Executive Officer at PointsBet, shared “Play’n GO has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality game content, and we’re thrilled to bring their titles to our platform. At PointsBet, our focus is on providing a safe and engaging entertainment experience for our players, and it’s clear that Play’n GO aligns with those values. Canadian casino enthusiasts recognize PointsBet as a trusted leader in iGaming, and this collaboration further enhances the exceptional experience we offer.”
Anthony Novac
VICI Properties Inc. Enters into Agreement with Indigenous Gaming Partners Related to PURE Canadian Gaming
VICI Properties Inc. announced that it has entered into an amendment and consented to the assignment of the master lease agreement with PURE Canadian Gaming Corp. (PURE) to an affiliate of Indigenous Gaming Partners Inc. (IGP), in connection with the acquisition of the operating assets of PURE by an affiliate of IGP.
IGP is a partnership of five institutional First Nations established to acquire gaming assets in North America. IGP has partnered with Sonco Gaming, one of Canada’s most experienced casino developers and managers, who will assist in the sourcing and execution of casino gaming investments, as well as management oversight of IGP’s portfolio.
Danny Valoy, Vice President of Business Development and Acquisitions, said: “This transaction demonstrates VICI’s ability to collaboratively work with existing partners while building new relationships with highly experienced operators and First Nations in international jurisdictions. We are pleased to welcome IGP as a new partner, and we look forward to expanding our relationship with IGP and Sonco as they pursue additional growth opportunities in the future.”
Anthony Novac, CEO of Sonco, said: “We are excited to work with VICI, an established partner in providing financial solutions to the gaming industry. We believe having a partner like VICI will give us a competitive advantage as we seek growth opportunities in the Canadian market.”
In connection with entering into the amendment to the PURE Canadian master lease, VICI received a 5-year right of first offer (ROFO) on future sale-leaseback transactions. Any additional properties acquired pursuant to the ROFO will be added to the master lease.
The annual base rent of C$22.0 million (US$15.5 million based on the CAD:USD exchange rate as of December 9, 2024) and other economic terms of the PURE Canadian master lease will remain unchanged, including a base term of 25-years with four 5-year tenant renewal options, escalation of 1.25% per annum in lease year 3, with escalation equal to the greater of 1.5% and Canadian CPI (capped at 2.5%) starting in lease year 4, and a minimum capital expenditure requirement equal to 1.0% of annual net revenue. The lease, currently in lease year 2 and escalating on February 1 of each year, encompasses the following assets in Alberta, Canada: PURE Casino Edmonton, PURE Casino Yellowhead, PURE Casino Calgary and PURE Casino Lethbridge.
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