Significant hate

New Jersey lawmakers are considering banning individual player prop bets for college sports. Student-athletes receive significant backlash from irate bettors following games, often when they don’t hit certain individual targets like passing yards or total points scored.

A powerful example of this type of scrutiny involved Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne, who revealed on Tuesday he received many hateful messages after throwing four interceptions in a game against California in September.

people even asked for him to Venmo them the money they lost from their wagers

Some people even asked him to Venmo them the money they lost from wagers. Remarking about those incidents, Thorne mentioned how funny it is that bettors never contact them when they win their bets and don’t offer to send him any of their winnings.

Progressing in New Jersey

The NCAA is pushing state regulators to ban sportsbooks accepting individual player prop bets for college sports. More than a dozen states implemented these new rules recently, including Ohio, Arizona, New York, and Pennsylvania.

New Jersey is one of the biggest states for sports betting handle and revenue. Bill A4905 calls for a prop bet ban and it quickly gained passage on Thursday in an Assembly committee. Both chambers need to approve the bill before it goes to Governor Phil Murphy’s desk for signing.

Opposing views

Not everyone favors a prop bet ban. Gaming industry lobbyist Bill Pascrell III claims the serious harm these markets generate is not at a “demonstrable level.” He pointed out that college prop bets only account for 2%-4% of total wagers and people will turn to the black market to place these bets.

professionals complain about comments they receive during games or on social media

Despite the handle argument, it’s not just college sports where athletes are harassed by bettors. Many professionals complain about comments they receive during games or on social media from bettors.

They are also not immune to engaging in match-fixing by taking advantage of prop markets. Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter received a lifetime ban from the NBA in April after leaving games early to ensure he didn’t hit individual prop bet targets.

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Billionaire Tilman Fertitta has increased his stake in Wynn Resorts to 9.9%, news which spurred an 8.65% jump in the company’s share price on Thursday. The Texas native’s experience in the casino sector dates back to 2005 when he first took over the Golden Nugget casino brand.

He’s now the company’s largest individual shareholder, surpassing Elaine Wynn. Tilman started building a position in Wynn in 2022, acquiring 6% of the company at the time.

unhappiness with the recent performance and share price

Bloomberg News reported about the Houston Rockets owner’s unhappiness with the recent performance and share price.

Unnamed sources close to Fertitta say he believes significant expansion opportunities exist for the company, especially within the US. He also is dissatisfied with how the Las Vegas-based company communicates financial results to shareholders.

Underwhelming Q3 earnings on November 4 meant Wynn missed its 2% revenue growth estimate, falling well short with a 1.3% year-on-year increase, which led to a 9% share price drop.

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FBI raid questioned

The CEO of prediction site Polymarket, Shayne Coplan, has kicked up a storm after accusing the outgoing Biden administration of setting the FBI on his firm out of political revenge.

shocking predawn raid” on Coplan’s Manhattan apartment

According to news reports, the FBI executed a “shocking predawn raid” on Coplan’s Manhattan apartment Wednesday based on an illegal betting suspicions. The probe is over Polymarket, which has been linked to returning ex-President Donald Trump and his allies, allegedly accepting bets from US users.?

Coplan took to X on Thursday to echo allegations the raid was “a last-ditch effort” by the outgoing regime to seek revenge on firms associated with Trump. 

Polymarket has known Republican backers bankrolling it, including Trump supporter Peter Thiel, who raised $70m for Coplan’s firm earlier this year.

According to the New York Times, federal officers on Wednesday seized Coplan’s “electronic devices, including a phone.”

Parting shots and threats

With Elon Musk appointed to a prominent government role for Trump’s second term, it seems fellow technocrats like Coplan are emboldened by the change in regime and not afraid of rubbing salt in Democrat wounds. 

In the same X post on Thursday condemning the raid, Coplan advised the outgoing party to reflect on and conclude “a more pro-business, pro-startup approach” might have changed the outcome of the election. 

“Indeed” responded Elon Musk in approval. 

Of growing concern, however, to under-fire bodies like the FBI, was the response of another billionaire tech mogul, Joe Lonsdale. Lonsdale responded to Coglan’s post on X by writing that while there were great agents in the FBI, a large percent of the federal bureau “must be officially reorganized and GUTTED, political actors removed.”?

he hopes Coglan will get an immediate pardon if the feds give him “any trouble”

According to CNN, multiple officials currently serving as mid-level to senior intelligence agents are concerned about their jobs.?As for Lonsdale, he hopes Coglan will get an immediate pardon if the feds give him “any trouble” over his France-registered firm.?

Polymarket angle

Polymarket raked in a reported $3.7bn in bets on the US election. The platform is, however, banned in the US after the Commodity Futures Trading Commission fined Polymarket $1.4m in 2022 to settle allegations it offered illegal trading. The Times cited an ex-Polymarket employee as stating it was an “open secret” US users could still bet on the platform via a virtual private network connection.

The FBI raid comes just a week after Coplan applauded Trump’s victory and stated he plans bringing Polymarket back for US users. The prediction site also drew fire after a mystery French trader made $85m in profits on Trump bets, with reports France’s gambling regulator is considering banning Coplan’s firm.

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Virginia’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol is finally open for business, with a guitar-smashing spectacle marking the occasion rather than a ribbon cutting:

Thursday’s opening was four years in the making; over 200 items of music memorabilia are on display at the casino, including Elvis Presley’s gold jacket and one of Beyoncé’s dresses.

almost 1,500 slot machines, dozens of table games, and a retail sportsbook

Country musician Blake Shelton is performing at 8pm Thursday to a sold-out 2,000-seat venue at the property. Gamblers can now enjoy almost 1,500 slot machines, dozens of table games, and a retail sportsbook. Work is continuing on a 14-table poker room, as well.

A temporary casino operated nearby during construction – its July 2022 opening marked the first time a legal casino opened for business in Virginia. The permanent property will employ about 1,400 people and hopes to surpass the $157m in net gaming revenue and $66m in gaming taxes the temporary facility generated in its first year.

Hard Rock Bristol only became a reality in November 2020 when voters passed referendums allowing five cities in the state to develop casinos. Developers broke ground in December 2022 and changed plans from a phased opening during this summer to a full-fledged launch in late fall.

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Netflix is stepping into the world of live sports streaming, signing on to broadcast two NFL games on Christmas Day, paying $150m to do so. Back-to-back Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the Baltimore Ravens face the Houston Texans.

Flutter Entertainment CEO Peter Jackson revealed during a Q3 earnings call that FanDuel will be the official sportsbook partner of the broadcasts, saying, “We’ll be delighted to deliver our exciting product for Americans to get behind on Christmas Day.”

pre-game segment will feature FanDuel odds and predictions

A pre-game segment will feature FanDuel odds and predictions, and the operator’s ads will run during the games.

The Flutter-owned brand is the current US sports betting market leader, accounting for 43% of the sector’s total net gaming revenue during the most recent quarter.

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Mike Tyson’s return to boxing against Jake Paul is set to be one of the biggest sports betting events of the year — except for gamblers in several US states.

Of the 38 US states to have legalized gambling, at least six have banned sportsbooks from accepting bets on the fight. Bettors in New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Vermont will not be allowed to place any legal wagers on the contest.

The ban is due to the fight’s non-standard rules. While the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations classified the match as an official heavyweight fight, the rounds will last for two minutes instead of three, and 14-oz gloves will be used instead of 10-oz ones.

the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board said the fight was “more of an exhibition”

As a result, many state gaming authorities have chosen to prohibit any legal sportsbooks from accepting bets. Speaking to USA Today, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board said the fight was “more of an exhibition.” Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the Colorado Department of Revenue stated the match “does not meet the minimum requirements for the industry in the state.”

Current betting lines at FanDuel have Paul as a -205 favorite, with Tyson offered at +168. BetMGM stated that they expect the fight to generate the most money wagered for any boxing match in the history of the sportsbook.

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The future of the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix could be in danger due to the lack of demand for tickets ahead of next week’s race. According to a special event permit application that Clark County’s Department of Public Works approved for the race’s organizer, only 102,000 fans will attend the action, compared to 315,000 last year.

Ticket prices are also significantly lower this year, with top-tier seats on the Gameday third-party reselling platform currently costing $2,689 versus the $4,613 people were paying at the same point last year, as per LV SportsBiz.

2025 could be the final renewal of the race

F1’s agreement with Las Vegas is initially for three years, so 2025 could be the final renewal of the race, despite the original intention to host it in Sin City for many years to come.

While proponents of the F1 race say it brings an estimated $1.5bn in economic activity to the city, critics claim these figures ignore negative impacts, such as people avoiding the area due to traffic disruption and tourists going elsewhere due to the high room rates.

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Las Vegas-based global gaming supplier Light & Wonder is looking East as it recovers from losing one of its bestselling games.

Asia Gaming Brief cited CEO of Light & Wonder Matt Wilson stating on Wednesday that his firm is targeting expansion in several key Eastern markets, including Thailand, Japan, and the UAE.

The strategic pivot from the company formerly known as Scientific Games comes amid a recent legal blow affecting one of its most popular games, Dragon Train.?

a preliminary injunction that bans Light & Wonder from selling or leasing the online casino game

On September 23, a US District Judge granted Aristocrat Technologies a preliminary injunction that bans Light & Wonder from selling or leasing the online casino game.?

The court ruled in favor of trade secret allegations made by Aristocrat that Light & Wonder had copied elements from the former’s Dragon Link game.

According to AGB, however, Wilson made light of the potential financial hit Dragon Train will have on the Vegas company. The CEO said Light & Wonder’s portfolio and its ability to launch “130 new games annually” would maintain its “leadership position in North America.”

Wilson also spoke of Light & Wonder’s interest in overseas markets, in particular within the three countries in the race to be the new Las Vegas, namely Thailand, Japan, and the UAE. 

In the meantime, Light & Wonder is developing “a revised version of Dragon Train to comply with the court’s ruling.”

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More than a year after PokerGO’s High Stakes Duel 4 ended with Daniel Negreanu defeating Doug Polk in Round 2, the competition has returned. On Tuesday, Jared Bleznick bested new Poker Hall of Famer Patrik Antonius heads-up in Round 1 of High Stakes Duel 5. Antonius has already called for a rematch, so the stakes will double and the two will go at it again.

The format is slightly different than last year’s (and High Stakes Duel 4 was a bit different than previous iterations), but the buy-in still starts at $50,000 per player and doubles each round.

Each player can also call on the dealer to “Run It Twice” once during the contest.

Rather than playing No-Limit Hold’em the whole way, the match alternates between No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha every ten hands. Each player can also call on the dealer to “Run It Twice” once during the contest.

Early entries in the popular poker series went on for months because of a consecutive wins requirement. To try to cut down on the delays, that requirement is gone.

Instead, the loser of the round has the option to call for a rematch (again, at double the stakes). If the loser decides he or she is done, then the round’s winner is declared the High Stakes Duel champion. Gone are the days of the loser not asking for a rematch and then waiting to see if someone else would step in to take their place.

The rematch between Bleznick and Antonius for $100,000 a piece will be on Tuesday, November 19 at 8pm ET/5pm PT, streamed live on the PokerGO subscription service.

Past High Stakes Duel champs include Phil Hellmuth (Seasons 1 and 2), Jason Koon (Season 3), and Daniel Negreanu (Season 4).

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Senior employee layoffs

The Venetian and Palazzo casinos have laid off several employees across multiple departments.

The casinos parted ways with many employees including senior-level staff working in management across multiple departments, including hotel operations, marketing, and casino hosts.

The Venetian stated that fewer than 50 out of more than 8,500 employees were affected

The Las Vegas Review-Journal gained access to an internal memo which states that the aim of the layoffs was the need to streamline by “reducing leadership and management positions.” The Venetian stated that fewer than 50 out of more than 8,500 employees were affected by the cuts.

Streamlining plan

Speaking to the Review-Journal, a spokesperson for the Venetian issued a statement, saying: “As part of our commitment to delivering exceptional service and remaining agile in a rapidly evolving industry, we have made the decision to streamline our organizational structure.”

this change was made with thoughtful consideration and guided by our core values”

“By reducing layers within our leadership, we can act more swiftly, make decisions more efficiently, and ensure a closer connection between our frontline teams and senior leaders. This change was made with thoughtful consideration and guided by our core values, recognizing that transitions like these can be challenging.

“We remain dedicated to supporting all affected Team Members and positioning our company for continued growth and success. This restructuring will allow us to operate more effectively, create new opportunities, and maintain our focus on providing extraordinary experiences for our guests and team.”

Reports stated that severance packages for employees were dependent on position, seniority, and time of service. While non-disclosure agreements prevent exact details from being disclosed, they were described as “inadequate” by one former employee.

More Vegas layoffs

The move comes during a $1.5bn upgrade for the Venetian, which was billed by the casino as “the largest and most expensive hotel renovation in history”. Among the areas of the project which are already completed and operational are the Venetian Expo Center, the poker room, and the new high-limit room.

The Venetian has also not been the only property in Las Vegas to be making layoffs recently. This week, it was also reported that Fontainebleau Las Vegas had also laid off a number of staff members across multiple departments.

In that case, employees were issued just two weeks of severance pay, even for senior and higher-level positions.

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Whatever you think about influencer boxing matches, there’s no doubting the extra attention these bouts bring to the sport. Former heavyweight champion of the world Mike Tyson takes on YouTube star Jake Paul on Friday in Texas.

Although initial speculation was that it would largely be an exhibition, it received a sanction as an official professional fight, with the boxers duking it out for eight rounds, two minutes apiece.

BetMGM posting Jake Paul as the -190 favorite versus +188 for Tyson

Most popular sportsbooks offer various markets on the fight, with BetMGM posting Jake Paul as the -190 favorite versus +188 for 58-year-old Tyson. Anyone fancying a draw will get +900 on this outcome. Early odds priced a Paul victory as likely as -500 in March, with operators now anticipating a much closer contest.

They also believe the fight won’t go the distance, with Tyson’s age going against him lasting that long. BetRivers has rounds three and four as the likeliest period when the fight will end.

Whatever the outcome on Friday night, both fighters will walk away significantly richer than when they entered the ring. Jake Paul will earn an estimated $40m and Tyson’s cut is rumored to be $20m.

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Jaime Black, who joined the Nevada Gaming Control Board in 2014 and became the head of its Administration Division in June 2017, has thwarted her former employer’s bid to dismiss a racial discrimination lawsuit.  

dubbing Black’s claims “baseless”

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Black filed the lawsuit against NGCB board member Brittnie Watkins in September. The NGCB then submitted a motion to dismiss the case in October to the Nevada Attorney General’s office, which is representing the Board, dubbing Black’s claims “baseless.”

On Thursday, however, Black’s attorney Mark Mausert filed a motion in Las Vegas’s US District Court accompanied by a 24-page response arguing there was sufficient evidence to back claims that Watkins discriminated against Black. The attorney added Watkins “fostered a hostile work environment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.”

Black’s attorney told the Nevada AG his client’s allegations hold “a sufficient factual and legal basis for each cause of action.” 

Black claims in her lawsuit she was pressured by her Watkins, who is Black, to practice discriminatory hiring practices, “then fostered a hostile work environment when she resisted.”

According to reports on Tuesday, NGCB representatives had no further comment about the suit or the case Judge Miranda Du is presiding over.

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