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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.

Source

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

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Brazil

Gaming Corps rolls out full game portfolio with KTO in Brazil

Published

23 minutes ago

June 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

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The Sweden-listed supplier adds titles including Penalty Champion, Instant Blitz and the Pigs series to KTO’s Brazil-facing casino offering.

Gaming Corps has launched its full game portfolio with KTO in Brazil, expanding the Sweden-listed developer’s distribution in the country through a partnership with the online betting and gaming brand operated by APOLLO OPERATIONS LTDA.

Under the agreement, KTO players get access to Gaming Corps titles including Penalty Champion, Instant Blitz, and 4 Gym Pigs: Porky Power. Gaming Corps also said additional games from its Pigs franchise, including 3 Pigs of Olympus, will be made available on KTO.

Graham Greensmith, Chief Commercial Officer at Gaming Corps, said “KTO is a standout partner for us in Brazil. It has a strong local identity, a clear understanding of its players and a brand that feels energetic and ambitious, all of which makes this a very exciting launch for Gaming Corps. This partnership is also a strong reflection of where we are heading as a studio. We are building a portfolio with more range, more flexibility and more personality, and KTO gives us a great platform to showcase that in one of the world’s most exciting regulated markets.”

Myrella Allgayer, Head of Casino – Brazil at KTO, added: “At KTO, we want our casino experience to feel relevant and closely aligned with the way Brazilian players like to play. We work with providers that can bring something distinctive to the platform, and Gaming Corps fits that approach very well. Their portfolio adds a fresh dimension to our offering, with content that brings together strong themes, engaging mechanics and a wide range of formats. This partnership supports our ambition to keep building a premium, innovative and locally resonant experience for players in Brazil.”

The post Gaming Corps rolls out full game portfolio with KTO in Brazil appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

1X2 Network

1X2 Network launches iCasino content in West Virginia with Rush Street, Caesars and Fanatics

Published

23 minutes ago

June 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

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1X2 Network has launched in West Virginia, marking its second regulated US market. The supplier said a first set of games went live on 3 June 2026 with Rush Street, Caesars Entertainment and Fanatics Casino.

The company entered North America in Michigan two years ago and said it is expanding US distribution off the back of performance there. 1X2 Network did not disclose commercial terms or rollout timelines by operator.

Among the initial titles going live in West Virginia are 3 Hot Chilli Peppers and 3 Porky Banks Hold and Win. The company said both games have been “ranked as top performers in North America” and are aimed at West Virginia’s “core 30-39 year old iGaming demographic.”

Kevin Reid, CEO at 1X2 Network, said: “Buoyed by the performance of our top tier titles in Michigan, we felt the time was right to step up our US expansion plans, and in Rush Street, Caesars Entertainment and Fanatics Casino, we couldn’t think of three better operators to debut our launch into West Virginia.

“Having already worked with these brands in the Great Lakes State, we’re confident that games like 3 Hot Chilli Peppers and 3 Porky Banks Hold and Win will deliver the same great results for them in West Virginia. We also have deals in the pipeline to go live with a number of other big-name operators which will further cement our presence in North America.”

The post 1X2 Network launches iCasino content in West Virginia with Rush Street, Caesars and Fanatics appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Canada

SkillOnNet Goes Live with Ready Play Gaming Across Ontario, Mexico and Canada

Published

23 minutes ago

June 3, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

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Ready Play Gaming now live on SkillOnNet network with more jurisdictions to follow

Global entertainment brand SkillOnNet has successfully launched Ready Play Gaming’s slot portfolio across Canada, Ontario, and Mexico, with additional international markets scheduled to follow later this year.

Players at SkillOnNet’s portfolio of cutting-edge iGaming sites, such as PlayOJO, PlayUZU, Slingo, Mega Casino and LuckyNiki, can now enjoy Ready Play Gaming’s premium quality online slot games, which are designed to deliver immersive entertainment through engaging gameplay, longer-session appeal and community driven fun.

These include the company’s signature Reel Jackpots series, with games like Reel Bingo and Reel Triple – “soft slot” experiences crafted for the bingo generation.

Operating under the brand promise, “Ready Play Gaming. Immerse yourself!” the studio combines creative game design, engaging mechanics and striking visuals to create content tailored for modern casino audiences.

SkillOnNet is a multiple award-winning market leader in some of the most competitive gaming markets worldwide. The company operates numerous iGaming sites, each catering to unique player preferences and regional market demands.

Jani Kontturi at SkillOnNet said: “We are proud to welcome Ready Play Gaming as we continue to strengthen our global content offering with innovative and high-performing studio partners. In a crowded market, they’ve focused on building games with personality and strong entertainment value, and we believe that’s exactly the kind of content today’s players respond to.

Christoph Härtel, COO at Ready Play Gaming said: “Partnering with SkillOnNet is a major milestone for Ready Play Gaming as we continue to expand our international footprint. SkillOnNet’s strong presence in regulated markets and extensive operator network make them an ideal partner to help bring our games to even more players globally.”

The post SkillOnNet Goes Live with Ready Play Gaming Across Ontario, Mexico and Canada appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.