Gambling in the USA
Rev. Al Sharpton Urges Lawmakers To Halt The Legalization Of Mobile Sports Gambling In Colorado
Civil Rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton says new legislation has the potential to cause job loss and enforce racial stereotypes in the state
Civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton urged Governor Jared Polis, Speaker of the House Kathleen Becker, and members of the Colorado Gaming Commission to pause legislation that seeks to legalize mobile sports gaming. Rev. Sharpton emphasized that lawmakers should not move forward until the impact on casino workers and people of color is understood. He calls on these leaders to take this into consideration as they work through the various types of stimulus to handle the impact of coronavirus.
Service industry workers, many of whom are low-income and from communities of color, are among the most vulnerable in this global pandemic. They are more likely to suffer financially from unexpected scheduling changes or sick days than those in other professions. He argues that now, more than ever, we must be thinking about inequality.
The Colorado Limited Gaming Commission approved nine sports betting rules for permanent adoption in early February, and regulators remain on target to reach the state’s projected May 1 rollout. Rev. Sharpton says the problem does not lie in the rules changes, but in the subsequent attraction of “unsavory out-of-state hedge funds who profit off of job loss” due to this legislation.
Sharpton says that casinos need to consider the unintended consequences of opening their doors to these new opportunities.
The text of the letter is below.
Dear Governor Polis, Speaker of the House Becker, and members of The Colorado Gaming Commission,
As you are considering various types of stimulus to deal with the impact of the coronavirus, I sincerely hope you will consider the following. I write to you to express serious concern for the hasty move to legalize mobile sports gambling in Colorado. Even a cursory look at the parties pushing the legislation gives me pause about the wisdom of the legislation and it should give you pause too.
Online gaming in Colorado will inevitably attract unsavory characters who profit off of job loss. That’s almost a given. But in looking at who specifically benefits from the legislation, it’s difficult to understand why the state would want to reward bad behavior. Out-of-state hedge funds with long records of mass firings and shady dealings have come into the state to capitalize on mobile sports betting and based on their track record—middle class workers and minorities will be the first to be negatively impacted. My job is to spot those problems before they occur and to speak up about them before it’s too late.
You don’t need to look any further than Rhode Island-based Twin Rivers to start understanding the harm and the forces at play. Twin Rivers, which is owned and run by Soohyung Kim, a New York based hedge fund manager, purchased three Colorado casinos earlier this year. Twin Rivers has a long history of failing to support its employees and Kim and his fund, Standard General, has a long track record of investing in deals that have caused mass layoffs for workers — especially workers of color. Whether it’s the 6,000 people who lost their jobs at Radioshack or the 2,400 people who were fired at American Apparel by Kim’s mismanagement and disregard for working class people, Standard General does not seem like the type of company Colorado should automatically entrust with mobile sports gambling.
Twin River has time and time again operated with only the bottom line in mind. In 2017, Twin River announced it would slash healthcare benefits for workers, which tripled out-of-pocket costs for certain employees, just weeks after Massachusetts cleared the way in 2017 for the company to open a new casino in Tiverton. That same year, they threatened to layoff staff and replace them with private contractors, and to cut the remainders’ healthcare benefits.
As this track record shows, if Mr. Kim, who already over-extended Twin River in his pursuit of potential mobile betting licenses, fails to make a profit, you can be sure that it will be the workers of the Colorado casinos that suffer. Colorado needs to pay full attention to who is profiting off of this new law to legalize online betting —otherwise, jobs WILL be lost. This is a real issue affecting real people.
Please take a deeper look at who is supporting the legislation to legalize online sports betting before you enact it into law. It’s the least that Colorado’s workers can ask of you.
Sincerely,
Reverend Al Sharpton
SOURCE Reverend Al Sharpton
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
H. Betti Industries Inc, the leading distributor of amusement and gaming equipment and parts, has announced the appointment of Todd Cravens as President of Betson Gaming. In this expanded leadership role, Cravens will oversee all aspects of its growing gaming division, with a focus on expanding market share, building the product portfolio and accelerating growth in new and existing markets. Since joining the Company in January 2025 as SVP of Gaming, Cravens has made an immediate and measurable impact across the business. His leadership has helped sharpen Betson’s gaming strategy, align the team and focus on new revenue streams, while also bringing operational discipline and strategic vision to other areas of the company.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board has initiated investigations into unlicensed sports prediction markets operating within the state. These platforms, which bypass Michigan’s regulatory framework, have raised significant concerns about consumer protections. Michigan’s investigations align with similar actions already taken by other state regulatory bodies and focus on how this form of unlicensed sports betting may jeopardize the integrity of Michigan’s legal sports betting system. The unlicensed platforms offer what they describe as innovative financial products that allow users to trade their predictions on the outcomes of sports events. By sidestepping the regulatory protections of Michigan’s legal sports betting market, these platforms pose a serious risk to consumers. They create potential confusion among bettors and blur the line between sports betting as entertainment and sports betting as a financial trading vehicle.
Partnerships
Bragg Gaming Group announced the acquisition of a strategic equity stake in, and the signing of an exclusive content partnership with RapidPlay, a specialist Brazilian game development studio renowned for its localised, high-performance online casino content tailored to Brazilian and the broader Latin American market. Under the terms of the agreement, Bragg receives an equity stake in RapidPlay and has entered into an exclusive commercial distribution agreement with RapidPlay at standard market terms. The agreement allows Bragg to integrate and offer RapidPlay’s full content portfolio through its expanding base of licensed Brazilian operators.
PrizePicks has renewed its partnership with the Atlanta Braves, reaffirming its position as the club’s Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner. This new three-year agreement reinforces the longstanding relationship between the two Atlanta-based powerhouses, building on a successful collaboration that began in 2020. As part of the partnership, PrizePicks branding will be prominently featured throughout Truist Park with a combination of static and LED signage. The company will also retain access to exclusive VIP experiences for business needs and will continue its popular “PrizePicks Pick of the Game” segment, which airs on the Braves Radio Network pregame show before all regular season games.
SCCG Management has become the sponsor of SFT Combat, one of Brazil’s premier MMA promotions. As a long-time client partner, SFT Combat continues to push boundaries in the world of professional fighting, delivering high-quality events that captivate both local and global audiences. The sponsorship reflects a strategic investment in Brazil’s sports and gaming ecosystem, where MMA plays a central role in both cultural identity and entertainment value.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 14-20 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
WyoLotto’s COO, Robin Medina, has been named to join a national committee to support problem gambling initiatives. The committee is through the National Council on Problem Gambling and will manage the annual selection of nominations and election of the Board of Directors that oversees NCPG. Last year WyoLotto applied for and was accepted to the NCPG and NASPL’s (North American State and Provincial Lotteries) Responsible Gambling Verification Programme. WyoLotto’s Responsible Gambling Programme includes an in depth plan to ensure the organisation honours its commitment to educating players, retailers and the general public about how to gamble responsibly and what to do if gambling becomes a problem for yourself or someone you know.
As Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tejon moves closer to its highly anticipated grand opening, the company is engaging with the Kern County community through exclusive informational sessions at Bakersfield College’s Renegade Event Room located at 1801 Panorama Drive. The first session, held on April 4, provided local leaders and invited guests with insights into upcoming job and vendor opportunities in the region. The second session took place on April 5 from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Job opportunities for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tejon will be posted on the recruitment site, www.gotoworkhappy.com, starting in May.
An investigation by the Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) into VGW Luckyland – a subsidiary of the Australian-based VGW Holdings – revealed that VGW Luckyland was operating illegal online gaming. Delaware officials concluded that VGW misrepresented its services as a promotional sweepstakes while enabling players to purchase coins for casino-style games, leading to potential cash winnings. These types of real-money games offered to Delaware residents by an unlicensed entity violate the Delaware Constitution, the Delaware Penal Code and the Delaware Gaming Competitiveness Act of 2012. With the support of the Delaware State Lottery, DGE issued a cease-and-desist order to VGW.
Partnerships
AC Milan announced a new partnership with Reals, a company renowned for its excellence in Brazil’s sports betting and online gaming market, which will become Official Regional Betting Partner of the Rossoneri’s Club in Latin America. Elected in 2024 as the “Best Sportsbook Operator” in Brazil by SiGMA World – the largest international authority in iGaming – Reals has been consolidating its position in the sector, reinforcing its growing trajectory of ascent. The brand is aligned with the best market practices, presenting sustainable growth based on innovation, strategic partnerships and sports engagement.
Scientific Games’ SciQ retail technology is set to roll out at North Carolina Education Lottery retailers as part of the Lottery’s focus on improving the retail environment for its Scratch-Off games. The company will deploy 1000 SciQ units at lottery retailers across North Carolina. NCEL Scratch-Off games represented more than $2.9 billion in retail sales in fiscal year 2024, anchoring NCEL among the world’s top 15 performing instant game lotteries (La Fleur’s 2024 World Almanac). Offering real-time scratch game inventory management data that amplifies the power of Scientific Games’ SciTrak predictive ordering system used by NCEL, SciQ creates supply chain efficiencies proven to lift scratch game sales.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 7-13 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The renowned Mexican operator Logrand has installed Zitro’s new CONCEPT cabinets and a selection of its latest games at the New York Casino in Monterrey.
Building on its global success, the CONCEPT cabinet line stands out for its Magic Lighting, immersing players in a synchronized light display, resulting in a unique sensory experience. Furthermore, the cabinet’s large Screen Deck blends comfort with intuitive functionality, optimizing the experience for players and operational teams.
The installation of the CONCEPT cabinets is complemented by the addition of the medieval-themed multi-game Legendary Sword, in which players can double their prizes through unique mechanics with the help of a magic sword.
On the other hand, Fairyland Quest takes players to an enchanted forest where Magic Mushrooms give access to a different bonus each, while a friendly Fairy will give a special bonus that doubles the playing area.
Juan David Baracaldo, Director of Operations and Product, highlighted: “The addition of Zitro’s CONCEPT cabinets is a great step to continue offering unique and high-quality experiences to our players. The unique combination of technology, spectacular graphics, and the experience these cabinets offer will further elevate our casino’s entertainment offering.”
For his part, Johnny Ortiz Viveiros, founder of Zitro, expressed: “We are very excited to strengthen our partnership with Logrand, a strategic partner that shares our vision of providing exceptional gaming experiences. The new CONCEPT cabinets and games like Legendary Sword and Fairyland Quest are just the beginning of what will transform how players enjoy entertainment.”
The post NEW YORK CASINO IN MEXICO WELCOMES CONCEPT AND NEW GAMES FROM ZITRO appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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