MGA, Penn reach understanding

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission and Penn Entertainment have reached an accord over controversial comments made by ESPN “College Game Day” host Rece Davis. 

not gambling but “risk-free investing”

On Thursday, the Massachusetts Investigations and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) presented its findings to an MGC adjudicatory hearing over Davis’s 2024 comment on an ESPN Bet segment that a suggested sports betting pick was not gambling but “risk-free investing.”

The IEB told the MGC panel Davis’s comments violated state sports betting compliance and ESPN Bet content guidance policy, which bans terms such as “free,” “risk free,” and “can’t lose” where sports bets are concerned.

Penn signed a ten-year, $2bn ESPN Bet deal with Disney in 2023 and, as such, shares the betting platform’s responsibility for regulatory compliance. 

At the hearing, a Penn lawyer didn’t dispute the IEB’s findings, focusing instead on the partnered firms’ quick actions over Davis’s comments. Rather than making Penn sweat, the MGC accepted its efforts to rectify Davis’s controversial comments. 

Relationship rescued

Penn Entertainment’s Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer Chris Soriano was in the MGC hot seat on Thursday. He made the case that his firm and ESPN Bet’s shared commitment to regulatory compliance “led to the prompt action and reporting of the incident” to the state regulatory body.

At the hearing, MGC Commissioner Paul Brodeuer praised the partner firms for their speedy reaction to dealing with Davis’s “off-the-cuff comment.”

Davis made the comment on the back of ESPN Bet’s Erin Dolan’s pick for an NCAA matchup. Davis responded with: “Some would call this wagering, gambling, I think the way you sold this…I think what it is, is risk-free investment.”

Commissioner Brodeuer acknowledged that an ESPN producer caught Davis’s incendiary statement immediately and confronted the host straightaway. 

best you can do in the circumstances of an unplanned comment”

“I think that was an excellent outcome and the best you can do in the circumstances of an unplanned comment,” Brodeuer said.

MGC Chair Jordan Maynard also praised Penn and Soriano for their “swift action on that day and the day after, and your swift reporting to us.”

What next?

According to reports, the “MGC will take action at a later date, which could result in a fine.” 

The worst-case scenario would be Penn losing its Massachusetts sports betting license, which appears highly unlikely given the MGC’s approval of how the involved brands cleaned up their mess. 

According to the New York Times last week, Davis has agreed to a new seven-year ESPN deal for “tens of millions of dollars.” This will guarantee that Davis will lead ESPN’s hosting duties through the rest of the network’s College Football Playoff deal set to run until 2031-32.

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A harsh new bill in New York would make sweeping changes to the state’s gambling landscape. Despite tax revenue from sportsbooks reaching almost $3bn in the Empire State since the market went live in January 2022, Assemblymember Robert Carroll went ahead and introduced the legislation to the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee.

wouldn’t be able to mention free bets, odds boosts, and other similar types of offers

The bill would introduce a daily betting cap of $5,000, only allow people to make up to five deposits in a 24-hour period, and significantly curtail advertising of these products. Marketing materials wouldn’t be able to mention free bets, odds boosts, and other similar types of offers.

The bill would also stop all sports betting ads between 8am and 10pm or during live sports events. Most of these types of marketing materials run in these timeframes.

Lawmakers who oppose the proposal believe that if passed, it would significantly hurt tax revenue as high-stakes gamblers would go across state lines to New Jersey or use offshore sportsbooks to place their action.

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GambleAware is looking to spark a nationwide debate about the growing number of underage people engaging in gambling. It launched a new display in London made up of 85,000 poker chips, with each chip representing a kid who suffers from gambling harm.

Many people on social media have been lending their opinions about the subject, with video games like FIFA taking a lot of flak. One commenter on a quote post from Good Morning Britain remarked that it’s nearly impossible for teenagers to use licensed online gambling sites due to extensive verification checks:

Loot boxes are criticized again and again by other posters. One man detailed how he got addicted to FIFA Ultimate Team and the packs that players can buy with real money:

A big point is that these types of games have an age rating of just three years old, so kids have access to loot box elements that mimic slot games. Packs reward users with items of varying rarity levels and the most desirable players only have very small probabilities of appearing upon opening a pack.

the UK government decided against banning loot boxes

Despite commissioning a 22-month consultation into the topic, the UK government decided against banning loot boxes, despite many other countries like the Netherlands and Belgium doing so.

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Morata refutes claims

The captain of the Spanish national soccer team Alvaro Morata has denied any involvement in a Rolex resale scheme linked to an Italian soccer betting scandal. 

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Nicolo Fagioli, the Italian soccer star at the heart of an illegal betting scandal, alleged Morata supplied the luxury watches to help him pay off his gambling debts.  

Morata gets me the Rolex watches for way less”

The news emerging Wednesday results from a new investigation by Milan prosecutors into illegal online betting. The fresh probe reportedly revealed a message from Fagioli in which he stated: “Álvaro Morata gets me the Rolex watches for way less, and then he sells them. I’ve been doing this business with him for a year now.”

The Galatasaray striker and Spain captain took to social media in strong denial, stating “I have nothing to do with any of this — please don’t spread fake news or lies.”

New wave of scandals

While the fresh probe is looking at poker and non-soccer betting, it was triggered by the 2023 testimonies of Fagioli and Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali, who have since served bans for their roles in illegal online sports betting. 

The Fagioli, Tonali evidence is, however, spawning fresh scandals, with USMNT and Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie among 13 soccer players now under investigation for illegal online betting.  

From the new probe, news emerged last week of former Italy midfield legend Andrea Pirlo shuttering his son’s bank account after learning he’d racked up huge illegal online gambling debts. 

But the Rolex accusation leveled at Morata has the potential to tarnish his reputation and threaten his captaincy of the Spanish team. 

a way of paying off his reported €1.5m betting debt

According to the Gazzetta, Fagioli allegedly borrowed money from multiple close friends to establish a high-end watch resale business supplied by Morata, as a way of paying off his reported €1.5m ($1.7m) betting debt.

Morata denies all involvement in the Rolex scheme. “The only way I’ve helped Fagioli over the years is by giving him advice about his career, as a friend and someone with more experience.”

Strong denials

The Spain icon also reportedly denied any knowledge of Fagioli’s troubles with the law, stating: “I’ve never known anything about his situation.”

Morata said while he cared about his former Juve teammate and hoped “he can sort things out soon” he doubled down on his innocence. 

“Let me be clear: I deny all the claims because they’re FALSE.” 

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It has come to light that Australian lawmakers accepted gifts of sporting event tickets worth AU$245,000 (US$156,000) from sports leagues while considering a ban on gambling advertising.

Reuters analyzed the parliamentary gift register and attached a monetary value to the gifts. Politicians from both of the main parties received a total of 312 complimentary tickets between June 2023 and March 2025.

One of the recipients was current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who at one time had strongly pushed for the advertising ban that he subsequently backed away from last year. His tickets totaled AU$29,000 (US$18,000), with the leader of the opposition coalition Peter Dutton taking AU$21,350 (US$13,591) in tickets.

a country where gambling losses per capita are the highest in the world

A report outlined the significant harm that the marketing messages were having on people in a country where gambling losses per capita are the highest in the world. The government that wins next month’s general election will consider the legislation; polls suggest that most people in the country want a ban.

Australian sports leagues rely heavily on gambling-related advertising and sponsorship. The NRL’s gambling-related revenue, for example, is about AU$70m (US$44.5m) annually, which would halve if a ban came into effect.

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Lawmakers in North Carolina want to cash in on the massive success of the legal sports betting market since it went live in March 2024. Handle hit a record $685m last month, largely because of the massive interest in March Madness.

A proposal submitted to the state Senate on Monday aims to double the tax rate from the current 18% to 36%. If this change comes into effect, North Carolina would only be behind the flat tax rates of four other states.

lawmakers think that doubling the tax rate would bring in an extra $53m during the 2025/2026 fiscal year

In the first year of legal sportsbooks, the eight licensed operators contributed over $135m in tax revenue, which is significantly more than the pre-legalization estimates. Lawmakers think that doubling the tax rate would bring in an extra $53m during the 2025/2026 fiscal year.

Sportsbook operators didn’t waste any time in fighting back against the idea, with DraftKings sending messages to customers in the Tar Heel State to oppose the measure:

North Carolina isn’t the first state to consider hiking sports betting taxes. Illinois was the first to do so when it changed its model to a tiered system up to a maximum of 40% in July. The governors of Ohio and Maryland failed recently to double their taxes in their own jurisdictions, while New Jersey and Massachusetts are currently considering proposals.

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Ex-Italy, Juventus, and AC Milan playmaker Andrea Pirlo once, according to Corriere della Sera, blocked his son Nicolò’s bank account after finding out junior had racked up a €30,000 ($33,950) debt via illegal online betting.

News emerged Monday that as his son’s legal guardian, Pirlo had the authority to freeze Nicolò’s bank account after discovering his gambling debt in 2022 when his son was 17.

The story was given fresh impetus this week as a result of a new investigation into illegal online betting, with emerging evidence including Fiorentina midfielder Nicolò Fagioli’s text messages with Serie D referee Pietro Marinoni.

Marinoni is suspected of masterminding the illegal online gambling activity that embroiled Pirlo junior and Newcastle United midfield maestro Sandro Tonali. 

Having a €30,000 debt at 17 is something else.”

Corriere cited a WhatsApp chat in which Fagioli described Pirlo’s son to Marinoni as “one of us.” The midfielder was struck by the amount of the teen’s gambling spend, remarking to Marinoni: “Having a €30,000 debt at 17 is something else.”

Fagioli added that young Pirlo “went into debit recovery, but his father found out and blocked his bank account until he’s 18.”

Tonali and Fagioli have already served bans as punishment for their involvement, with their testimonies contributing to the fresh probe.

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High-profile arrests

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has added his voice to rising calls for the resignation of Prospect Park Councilman Anand Shah after his arrest last week along with high-ranking Lucchese mobsters.

major gambling ring bust

Shah, 42, and the Lucchese members were among dozens the New Jersey State Police arrested in a major gambling ring bust announced Friday. 

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin took to X to share news that all those arrested are accused of operating illegal poker games and an online sportsbook:

Since Shah’s alleged links to the gambling network have surfaced, his position as a publicly elected figure seems untenable.

On Monday, a spokesperson cited Governor Phil Murphy’s statement that he believed it “would be in the community’s best interest for the councilman to resign, effective immediately.”

Crime family drama

Shah was among 37 people the NJSP arrested and 39 people charged in the bust. Following a two-year investigation, state troopers swooped on illegal operations in Woodland Park, Garfield, and Totowa netting $3m in illicit profits, AG Piatkin alleged.

In a release, the AG’s office singled Shah out for “allegedly managing illegal poker games and an online sportsbook in association with the Lucchese Crime Family.”

charges include money laundering, racketeering

Shah’s multiple charges include money laundering, racketeering, and conspiracy to promote gambling and he faces a maximum 20 years in prison.

The accused councilman is due in court Tuesday, where according to the New York Post, “prosecutors will be arguing for him to be kept in jail while his case plays out.”

Rather than wait for justice, a group of elected officials from Shah’s municipality want the politician to resign his council position and withdraw from the re-election race immediately. Councilman Robert Artis prefaced the group’s demands by describing Shah as having held important posts including Treasurer of the Board of Education, and Finance Committee Chairman.

Taint of suspicion

Artis’ concerns echo those of Gov. Murphy who questioned Shah’s “ability to effectively serve the Prospect Park community.”

“Continuing to serve in any official capacity under this cloud of suspicion damages the credibility of our governing body and erodes confidence in how we manage both municipal and school finances,” Artis stated.   

AG Piatkin, meanwhile, warned that while popular fiction glamorized organized crime in New Jersey: “the reality isn’t romantic or cinematic. It’s about breaking the laws the rest of us follow and, ultimately, it’s about money, control, and the threat of violence.”

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Budget vote ruffles feathers

The majority of the United States’ market-leading sports betting operators, including FanDuel and DraftKings, face being turfed out of Kansas following a budget amendment that could shutter the sportsbooks by 2027.

state legislators approved a budget provision

The unexpected curveball came after state legislators approved a budget provision that stops the six operational sports betting firms from negotiating or extending their existing licenses “during the 2025 or 2026 fiscal years.”

Sports Betting Alliance President Jeremy Kudon took to X to calm nerves, stating the licenses under threat run until 2027:

Kudon, however, did pour scorn on the Kansas House of Representatives decision. 

Trouble with the lawmakers

The SBA chief said Kansas lawmakers should essentially be taken to task for their actions potentially affecting the two market leaders and the other sportsbooks in the state, namely BetMGM, Fanatics Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, and ESPN Bet. 

“They had no idea when these contracts expired and were willing to take your favorite OSB apps away from Kansans.”

Kudon declared the SBA was “not going to let that happen,” while later posting in the comment: “How is it legal for states to push one book only?”

While the long-term future of Kansas’ sports betting market is not as secure as it was before the legislative session on April 11, Kansas bettors will see no immediate change to the vertical.

Legal twists

Currently, Kansas’ sports betting laws allow for a maximum of 12 sportsbooks, all of which must partner with one of the state’s four land-based casinos.

The casinos are, however, managed by the state government-run Kansas Lottery. To add a further legal twist, the new budget provision prevents the state lottery from engaging in license renewals.

According to reports, the amendment states the lottery will not be allowed: “to negotiate or enter into any contract or extension or renewal of an existing contract for the management of sports wagering with any lottery gaming facility manager.”

This new budget provision expires on June 30, 2026, at which stage sportsbooks would normally expect regulators to extend their licenses. Lawmakers could give the big six operators a scare and instead vote to extend the provision when it expires.

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The Masters had one of its most thrilling final days in history on Sunday, with Rory McIlroy coming out on top after the rollercoaster action. The victory in a playoff against Justin Rose meant that the Northern Irishman became just the sixth golfer to complete the career Grand Slam of Major championships, putting him in esteemed company.

One bettor clearly didn’t think the 35-year-old had a chance of getting over the finish line, betting $44,250 on Rory not to win the event, which would have resulted in a payout of just $5,750:

It was also a costly final round of action for Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg. He was tied for the lead with just a few holes left before he bogeyed the 17th hole and then registered a disastrous triple bogey on his final hole.

the closing triple-bogey cost the 25-year-old $514,500 in prize money

In addition to putting him out of contention for making it into the playoff, the closing triple-bogey cost the 25-year-old $514,500 in prize money. The disastrous finish will be a big lesson for the Swedish golfer, who has shown much promise since turning professional in 2023.

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Ultimate Fighting Champion star Conor McGregor suffered a staggering loss in the ring at UFC 314 after a fighter he backed lost him $500,000. 

Duelbits stake that would have earned him $2.5m

The former dual-weight champion placed the monster stake on Michael Chandler to win a lightweight duel with Paddy Pimblett on the Miami event’s main card. Just prior to the fight, McGregor took to X to back Chandler and boast of his Duelbits stake that would have earned him $2.5m:

‘Paddy the Baddy’ Pimblett, however, out-punched Chandler, winning with a technical knockout in the third round.

Pimblett also delivered a scathing attack on McGregor after he found out he’d backed Chandler calling him a “cheeky little bastard.” Pimblett also challenged the UFC legend to fight him, stating “I’m waiting. I’ll mufti you just like I have muftied Chandler.”

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Rapper and serial gambler Drake bet streamer Adin Ross $100,000 that he couldn’t outcurl a bodybuilder from the musician’s Canadian homeland. 

Drake made the challenge during his gambling livestream with Adin Ross on Sunday, which Kick shared a clip of via X:

Having agreed to a $100k bet he could outcurl Drake, the rapper surprised him by introducing his champion, International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation bodybuilder Alicia Bell. 

Cue a series of reps using progressive increases in weight. While Ross managed to match Bell’s reps at the lower weights, he finally failed to even partially extend his arm on bigger set of dumbbells. Bell’s victory gave the five-time Grammy Award winner the bet, which Drake said he’d split 50-50 with the bodybuilder. 

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