Are you weary of begin inundated with advertisements for sports betting operators when watching a game or looking at the internet, come-ons that push tempting introductory offers that can fund a new customer’s account with more than a hundred dollars if they place a small wager?
Are you tired of other ads that tout possible big returns on bets that have huge house edges, longshot wagers that appeal to the get-rich-quick mentality that the sportsbooks clean up on over the long haul?
Do you think this kind of saturation will only become more prevalent in Missouri if sports betting is legalized in the state (it’s on track to be placed on the November ballot for voters to decide its fate)?
Well, you have someone on your side, at least in regard to these pitches appealing to problem gamblers. And that “someone†might be a surprise — Tom Reeg, CEO of casino and sportsbook behemoth Caesars Entertainment.
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“I worry about it in digital, when I’m watching an NCAA Tournament game or an NFL game, that two out of every three ads seems to be a sports betting ad,†he said at the East Coast Gaming Congress conference held recently in Atlantic City, N.J., per . “That’s troubling to me. And I recognize that we were part of that when we launched in 2021. As we’ve pulled back from that, our share has not degraded even though others continue (to do so).â€
His comments followed a move by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who contacted some of the nation’s leading sportsbooks, including Caesars, with his concerns shortly before the NCAA Tournament began in mid-March. Blumenthal discussed his stance at a public appearance in Hartford, Conn.
“Sports betting companies are exploiting, targeting, and taking advantage of vulnerable problem gamblers, especially during these coming weeks,†he said then. “How? They are enticing those problem gamblers to do more. They are enticing problem gamblers by targeting them based on the data they collect in real time about who is betting how much and where, and they are collecting that data and then targeting the most vulnerable problem gamblers to do more, leading them down dark paths to addiction. And the reason very simply is that they want to make more money.â€
Reeg sounded as if he understood that. But his big concern seems to be that federal regulation could be coming.
“... What DraftKings, FanDuel and others have built in the space is extraordinary,†he said. “But I spent last week answering a letter from Senator Blumenthal about responsible gaming. As we continue down the road, we as an industry have to develop responsibly in a matter that doesn’t encourage federal intervention. These are the kind of things that keep me up at night. How do we stay in front of it?â€
It could be too late.
“Every other form of addiction — drugs, alcohol, tobacco — involve federal funding,†Blumenthal said. “But none for gambling addiction, and that is wrong and that is why the measure I have proposed, the GRIT Act, would devote about half of the revenue from the federal excise tax on gambling. It’s a quarter of one percent, but it would produce millions of dollars for treatment, research, and other measures to help people who are addicted.â€
The industry has responded. About six weeks ago it was announced that seven of the nation’s largest online sportsbooks (not Caesars) had formed the Responsible Online Gaming Association. That organization says it is “an independent trade association†that “will actively promote a new industry-wide best practices charter.â€
The ROGA says its members are committing more than $20 million for its first year of operation. Forming it are BetMGM, bet365, DraftKings, Fanatics Betting and Gaming, FanDuel, Hard Rock Digital and Penn Entertainment.
The organization is being led by Dr. Jennifer Shatley, who it says is the president for the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling and also is a member of the National Council on Problem Gambling among other endeavors and has more than a quarter century of experience in the industry.
Battlehawks favored despite iffy QB situation
The Battlehawks were an underdog for the first time this season last week, either by 4 of 4½ points depending on the area sportsbook. And those numbers were about as close to being accurate as possible, as Birmingham won the United Football League contest at home 30-26 to hand the B-hawks just their second loss in their seven outings.
The ’Hawkers return to the favorite’s role this week, and they are more than a touchdown choice in their home game at 11 a.m. Sunday against D.C. As of Friday afternoon, the line was 7½ at FanDuel (horse track in Collinsville) and 8 at the area’s two other legal walk-in sportsbooks — DraftKings (Casino Queen in East ºüÀêÊÓƵ) as well as Argosy.
The Defenders have lost three of their last four games, including being routed 45-17 at home by the Battlehawks three weeks ago, leading to this week’s line being above a TD. But that seems a little high given that the status of Battlehawks quarterback A.J. McCarron being iffy because of an ankle injury he suffered while playing last weekend.
If you read the tea leaves, it would seem that the chances of him playing — or playing a lot — don’t seem good. That’s because the club signed another QB this week, Drew Plitt, to join the two other players at that position who already were on the roster: Brandon Silvers and Manny Wilkins.
No City SC ties, but ...
Hey, it was a week without at tie for City SC, and it had two games. That’s a rare feat for the local Major League Soccer team that had played to a draw in seven of its previous nine matches.
The club went 1-1, making it another down week for those who bet equal amounts on the club via the three-way line. That includes the option of picking the game to end in a tie as well as selecting either team to win.
City was a slight favorite for the game in won, 3-1 against Chicago on Saturday, therefore those who risked $100 reaped just a $73 profit. The club then fell on Wednesday, 2-0 to Los Angeles FC, so that would have been a $100 loser for three-way line City backers. So the tally for those bettors for the week would have been -$27, leaving the ledger for the season at -$518.
That’s a huge contrast from last year, when someone betting $100 on the team to win via the triple line would have made a $1,247 profit if using the most favorable price available among the three legal walk-in shops in the area.
City, which is in ninth place in the Western Conference, returns to action on Saturday night in Cincinnati an faces the club that has the second-most points in the league. As of Friday afternoon the best three-way line return locally on City to win was +330, at Argosy (casino in Alton). That means a successful $100 bet on the club to win would return a profit of $330. If you want to go the tie route, the top triple line price on a draw also was at Argosy (+295).