Internet Vikings, a licensed in-state hosting provider for iGaming and online sports betting, announces the extension of its relationship with GAN Sports®, a supplier of industry-leading casino content, into Arkansas.

Following a successful multi-state collaboration initiated in 2022, Internet Vikings continues to support GAN by delivering hosting services tailored to their operational needs. Internet Vikings is continuing to grow across the United States, as Arkansas becomes the latest state to benefit from their hosting services.

GAN, a B2B supplier of internet gambling software-as-a-service solutions, initially entered into an agreement with Internet Vikings in a landmark deal covering 15 states. Since then, the relationship has grown stronger, with GAN relying on Internet Vikings’  bare metal server solutions to support their large-scale U.S. operations.

This expansion into Arkansas follows a recent deployment in Nevada, where Internet Vikings also provides hosting solutions to GAN. As GAN continues to operate across regulated U.S. markets, Internet Vikings remains a dependable resource, and has demonstrated its reliability to support long-term growth.

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Rickard Vikström, CEO and Founder of Internet Vikings, shared his thoughts, “Our relationship with GAN reflects the trust we’ve built over the years. It’s not just about providing hosting solutions; it’s about understanding their vision and exceeding their expectations.”

Internet Vikings, a licensed in-state hosting provider for the iGaming and online sports betting industry, has officially launched its services in Arkansas, extending its operations to 25 U.S. states.

The company offers a range of hosting solutions, including VMware Cloud Hosting, Bare Metal Servers, and Co-location solutions. Designed to meet the needs of the iGaming and online sports betting industry, these services ensure compliance, scalability, and reliability, supporting operators in maintaining uninterrupted operations.

Rickard Vikström, CEO and Founder of Internet Vikings, stated, “Launching in Arkansas is an important step in our U.S. strategy. Our goal has always been to provide dependable hosting that aligns with the specific needs of our partners.”

Kristoffer Ottosson, COO of Internet Vikings, added, “With every state we enter, we ensure that our support standards and customer-centricity expands with us. We look forward to building lasting relationships in Arkansas.”

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This new state expansion at the end of 2024 has been one of many achievements from Internet Vikings. These include winning the EGR North America Award 2024 for Cloud and IT Services Partner of the Year, introducing pay-as-you-go bursting available in 25 states — and achieving Broadcom VMware Premier Partner status. Additionally, Internet Vikings expanded into Latin America, reaching and supporting emerging markets.

Internet Vikings remains focused on building long-term partnerships and delivering hosting solutions that are flexible and aligned with industry requirements. The company’s experience in supporting operators in regulated markets positions it as a valuable partner for businesses establishing operations in Arkansas.

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.

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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.

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“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’.

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“Let’s give them a break,” she said.