Amid a flurry of activity within the North American gaming and entertainment sectors, significant developments have unfolded over the past week. On Thursday, April 25, the Illinois Gaming Board awarded a pivotal four-year mobile and retail license to DraftKings, enabling the renowned betting company to fortify its presence in the Illinois market. Since 2019, DraftKings has been active in the statewide mobile sports betting scene and recently augmented its brick-and-mortar footprint by opening a sportsbook at the iconic Wrigley Field.
This new establishment at Wrigley Field marks the second in-person sportsbook integrated into a professional sports venue in Chicago, following the precedent set by FanDuel at United Center in 2022. Illinois stands at the forefront among U.S. states, encouraging partnerships between sports betting operations and professional sports teams, thus allowing for the integration of sportsbooks within team venues. Breaking ground in this domain, Caesars Sportsbook, formerly known as William Hill, established the first-ever retail sportsbook at a professional venue at the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, back in 2020.
In a separate yet equally impactful development, reported by the Las Vegas Review Journal on Wednesday, April 24, Clark County has granted Bally’s the demolition permit required to dismantle the Tropicana Hotel. With a deadline set for October 20, Bally’s faces a demolition cost of approximately $15 million to bring down the historic site. The company plans to repurpose the prime real estate for a monumental $1.5 billion baseball stadium, designed to seat 33,000 fans for the Athletics.
The Tropicana’s land is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties (GLPI), while Bally’s controls the hotel itself. These entities will collaborate on the redevelopment efforts, with GLPI allocating $175 million towards the combined demolition and redevelopment pursuits.
Radical changes continue as Steve Ruddock discloses in his “Straight to the Point” substack that sports betting operator Novig is set to withdraw from the Colorado market as of April 30. Despite its targeted model that generates revenue chiefly from market makers and professional bettors, Novig finds itself vacating the arena, declaring the cessation of operations. The operator advises customers that funds withdrawal is possible until the closure date, with residual account balances to be remitted via mailed paper checks thereafter.
In New York City, community reactions have been loud and clear regarding the ambitious Hudson Yards casino project. Manhattan’s Community Board 4 dispatched a detailed 12-page letter critiquing the dramatic shift from residential focus to commercial development centered around the proposed casino. According to their April 1 correspondence, the board starkly opposes the dramatic transformation proposed by Related Companies which seeks to replace the original housing blueprint with towering commercial structures and a sizeable hotel-casino combination.
Looking ahead, the New York State Gaming Board is working towards granting up to three casino licenses for downstate establishments by the culmination of 2025. Meanwhile, Nebraska braces for the opening of the Harrah’s Columbus casino on May 13, the first permanent casino in the state, as approved by Nebraska’s Racing and Gaming Commission.
The industry continues to see strategic hires, with PrizePicks ushering in new leadership roles such as Renee White as chief of people and Phil Sherwood as senior director of responsible gaming. The hiring spree underscores the sector’s commitment to growth and accountability.
Casino scams, however, loom over the industry. In particular, the Ontario region spots potential risk emanating from unregulated operations like Casino Rama and Curacao-based WinSpirit Casino. With provincial authorities warning the public against deceptive online gaming advertisements, vigilance is paramount.
The broader landscape remains in flux. NHL’s Arizona Coyotes confront uncertainty over their event wagering license, and Alabama considers the ticking clock to expand gambling operations. Arkansas experiments with unique strategies to push for statewide online gambling, while Churchill Downs, Inc. reports soaring revenues despite a downtrend in profits.
With so much happening in the gaming and sports betting spaces, the North American industry finds itself at the nexus of innovation, regulation, and consumer caution, navigating through an evolving terrain of both opportunity and challenge.
