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Sports-Betting Boost Expected With Texas, Oklahoma In SEC

Published

2 years ago

July 12, 2024

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With the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners now in the Southeastern Conference, legal sports betting soon could jump by double digits in the region, says one bookmaker.

Starting this season, Texas and Oklahoma are in position to challenge for the SEC football championship — and championships across all SEC sports — in a collegiate conference loaded with rich traditions and annual national title contenders.

The Longhorns and Sooners joined the SEC in July. Both moved over from the Big 12.

“This new conference (alignment) leads to better games for the book and better opportunities for the player,” Casey Lewless, manager of two Louisiana sportsbooks, told Gambling.com.

Legal sportsbooks in Louisiana are popular with bettors from neighboring Texas and nearby Oklahoma. Sports wagering is illegal in Texas and Oklahoma.

Because of this, the Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City, Louisiana, expects to see a bump of about 30% in college wagering, Lewless said. That sportsbook already was anticipating more action because of its recent expansion.

The Margaritaville sportsbook is one of two in Northwest Louisiana that Lewless manages for Penn Entertainment. The other is at the nearby Boomtown Casino Hotel.

Lewless pointed to Texas’ rivalry years ago with the Arkansas Razorbacks in the former Southwest Conference as a matchup that will stir interest now that both are in the SEC. Sports betting is legal in Arkansas.

Also, every clash between the two Texas SEC schools — the Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies — will stir emotions and boost sports betting in close-by states like Louisiana where wagering is legal, Lewless said.

Sports Betting Illegal In Half Of SEC States

The addition of Oklahoma into the SEC means six of the 12 states with schools in the conference do not have legal sports betting. Texas already had a school in the SEC — Texas A&M.

Those six SEC states make up the largest geographic region in the U.S. without legal sports betting. Combined, the six states have a population of more than 62 million, representing about 19% of the U.S. population.

Nationwide, sports betting is legal in 38 states and Washington, D.C.

The SEC states without legal sports betting are:

Texas (Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies)
Oklahoma (Oklahoma Sooners)
Missouri (Missouri Tigers)
Alabama (Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers)
Georgia (Georgia Bulldogs)
South Carolina (South Carolina Gamecocks)
The other six SEC states have either in-person or mobile sports betting — or both. Tennessee is a mobile-only state, while Mississippi has in-person sports betting at casinos but not off-site mobile wagering.

The SEC states with legal sports betting are:

Arkansas (Arkansas Razorbacks)
Louisiana (LSU Tigers)
Kentucky (Kentucky Wildcats)
Tennessee (Tennessee Volunteers, Vanderbilt Commodores)
Mississippi (Ole Miss Rebels, Mississippi State Bulldogs)
Florida (Florida Gators)

College Football Kicks Off In August

The overall college football schedule kicks off Aug. 24, including a matchup overseas between Florida State and Georgia Tech in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland.

In the SEC, the Oklahoma Sooners, led by head coach Brent Venables, begin their season on Aug. 30 against Temple at OU’s Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium.

The SEC schedule gets fully underway over the Labor Day weekend, highlighted by an Aug. 31 contest between Clemson and Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

On that same day, the Steve Sarkisian-coached Texas Longhorns host Colorado State in Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin.

The next day’s schedule, on Sept. 1, features another SEC school, LSU, in a matchup against Southern California in the Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

SEC Divisions Abandoned

The addition of Texas and Oklahoma brings the number of teams in the SEC to 16. This season, the conference football championship will be decided between the top two teams. The 2024 SEC title game is set for Dec. 7 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

In previous years, the conference was split into two divisions, with the East and West winners battling it out for for the SEC title.

The 2024 arrangement with no divisions is a departure in the conference structure dating back more than three decades.

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Related Topics:latest-news norss Oklahoma SEC sports betting Texas

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Diana Larina CMO at Evoplay

Evoplay promotes Diana Larina to Chief Marketing Officer

Published

13 minutes ago

May 12, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Evoplay has promoted Diana Larina to Chief Marketing Officer, expanding its senior leadership team.

Larina joined Evoplay in 2022 as Head of B2B Marketing. She was promoted to Head of Growth Marketing in 2023 and appointed Head of Marketing in November 2024.

Evoplay said Larina has led marketing initiatives spanning brand, performance and partner-focused campaigns, and contributed to a shift towards a more B2C-focused approach aimed at strengthening player engagement.

Diana Larina, CMO at Evoplay, said: “I’m incredibly proud of what the marketing team has achieved at Evoplay and I’m excited about what comes next. This promotion is a reflection of the hard work of everyone around me, and I look forward to continuing to push boundaries, build the brand and drive growth as we expand our presence across global markets.”

Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, added: “From the moment Diana joined us, she demonstrated exceptional drive, leadership and ambition. Her journey through the company is a testament to both her talent and dedication, and this promotion to CMO is incredibly well deserved. Diana has consistently delivered impactful results while inspiring those around her, and I’m confident she will continue to play a key role in shaping Evoplay’s future.”

The post Evoplay promotes Diana Larina to Chief Marketing Officer appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Playson supplies slots to StarVegas in Switzerland deal via Greentube

Published

13 minutes ago

May 12, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Playson has partnered with Swiss online casino operator StarVegas to distribute its slot content in Switzerland, with integration handled via Greentube.

StarVegas is operated by Casino Interlaken. Under the agreement, StarVegas players in Switzerland gain access to Playson titles including Thunder Coins XXL: Hold and Win, Coin Strike: Hold and Win and Pink Joker: Hold and Win.

Blanka Homor, Sales Director at Playson, said: “Switzerland is a key area of opportunity and growth for Playson, and through StarVegas, we look forward to reaching even more local players and meeting the high demand for our games with a highly regarded and responsible partner.”

Mayke Wolf, COO at StarVegas, said: “As one of the first licensed Swiss online casinos, StarVegas offers a wide selection of games from leading international providers and a high-quality gaming experience tailored to the Swiss market. Our players are huge fans of Playson’s thoughtfully crafted portfolio, with its larger-than-life slots and characters that resonate strongly and stand the test of time. This makes the integration a natural addition to our platform, and we are delighted to bring this highly requested content to our players. The full portfolio can be accessed via starvegas.ch as well as through the popular StarVegas mobile apps.”

The post Playson supplies slots to StarVegas in Switzerland deal via Greentube appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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UAE Lottery and Zulekha Hospital run orthopaedic workshop for Berkeley UAE workers

Published

13 minutes ago

May 12, 2026

Wladimir P.

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The UAE Lottery, operated by The Game L.L.C (a Momentum Group company), partnered with Zulekha Hospital to deliver an orthopaedic workshop for residents in Berkeley UAE’s shared accommodation on April 30, 2026.

The one-hour session, titled “Stronger Body, Safer Work”, focused on injury prevention, posture improvement, safer lifting techniques, and basic exercises for workers in physically demanding roles involving lifting, movement, and repetitive tasks.

Zulekha Hospital specialists led the workshop, including Dr. Saleh Kagzi, Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon, and physiotherapist Ms. Ceona Prakash Chopde, who delivered live stretching and strengthening demonstrations. Organisers also offered optional onsite medical consultations for participants to discuss back, neck, shoulder, and joint concerns.

Commenting on the initiative, Suzan Kazzi, Associate Director of CSR at Momentum – The UAE Lottery, said: “Through H.O.P.E. we are proud to deliver initiatives that promote health and wellbeing across various communities in the UAE. This workshop reflects our commitment to bringing practical, accessible support directly to those who can benefit most.”

Dr. Aniruddha Lahiri, Senior Director Administration at Zulekha Hospital added: “We were delighted to partner with The UAE Lottery on this important initiative. Prevention, movement, and early care play a vital role in maintaining long-term health, particularly for individuals in physically demanding professions. We hope that our practical advice helps participants in their daily lives.”

The post UAE Lottery and Zulekha Hospital run orthopaedic workshop for Berkeley UAE workers appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.