Legal Sports Report

2 days ago | legalsportsreport.com | Pat Evans

The push to raise NC sports betting tax rates is still in progress, but groups are opposing the proposal. Last month, the North Carolina Senate passed its proposed budget, which includes doubling the NC sports betting tax rate to 36% from 18%. The House has not released its proposed budget yet. While the House could share a similar appetite for raising the tax rate, sportsbook operators and anti-tax groups are pushing back.

4 days ago | legalsportsreport.com | Pat Evans

A wave of legislation addressing online sweepstakes hit US state legislatures this year, and while some bills have died for the session, others are still making progress. A few of the online sweepstakes casino bills saw early action, such as in Mississippi, where the Senate became the first chamber to pass legislation banning the operators. However, the legislation was caught up in a debate to expand sports betting online and died in a conference committee.

1 week ago | legalsportsreport.com | Pat Evans

Another state fell just short of potentially legalizing sports betting this year as the Oklahoma legislative session ended Thursday. Two Oklahoma sports betting bills, House Bill 1047 and House Bill 1101, fizzled out without a Senate floor vote before the legislature adjourned Thursday. Both bills passed the House earlier this year. The crux of the issue was strong opposition from Gov. Kevin Stitt. Stitt vowed to veto any of the bills moving through the legislature this year.

1 week ago | legalsportsreport.com | Matthew Waters

Penn Entertainment is banking on fantasy football to help it capture some sports betting market share for ESPN Bet. The company is launching new integration between a sports betting customer’s season-long fantasy team and ESPN Bet, Chief Technology Officer Aaron LaBerge said on Thursday‘s first-quarter earnings call.

1 week ago | legalsportsreport.com | Pat Evans

Alberta sports betting took a significant step this week. The Alberta legislature’s Committee of the Whole passed Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, Wednesday night. The legislation then received a third and final reading. While passage sets the framework for Alberta sport betting, modeling it after Ontario’s commercial market, there is still no official launch date. The legislation still requires Royal Assent, which is approval from Alberta’s lieutenant governor.