Tag: Sports Betting

Sports Betting Remains Offline at Two W.Va. Casinos

Sports wagering will remain offline at two West Virginia casinos at the start of the NCAA Tournament.

West Virginia Lottery Director John Myers says in a news release a contractual dispute that caused a shutdown of the sports books earlier this month continues at Delaware North’s Mardi Gras Casino in Nitro and the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack.

Myers says negotiations are ongoing between the company’s management services provider and a technology vendor.

He says while the lottery is closely monitoring the situation, “it is now apparent that wagering will not resume at these locations in time for the early rounds of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.”

Lottery Official: More Casinos Work to Get Sports Betting

A West Virginia lottery official says more casinos are working to start offering sports betting.

Lottery Deputy Director Doug Buffington told Lottery Commission members Tuesday that the Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort in Chester has paid the $100,000 annual licensing fee.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports Mardi Gras Casino and Resort and Wheeling Island will soon conduct field tests of sports betting equipment.

The only two casinos offering sports betting so far are Hollywood Casino and The Greenbrier.

West Virginia collected more than $198,000 from sports betting wagers in September. That is 10 percent of the revenue that casinos earned from sports betting.

Legislative Meetings Focus on Sports Betting, Severance Taxes, Medical Cannabis

West Virginia lawmakers have gathered in Charleston to discuss some hot-button issues as part of interim committee meetings.

Lawmakers on the Joint Finance Committee asked Acting Lottery Commissioner Doug Buffington whether there’s any interest in adding an integrity or data fee to the state’s sports betting law. Those fees would be paid to professional sports leagues for certified results.

Citing a potential conflict of interest given his ownership of the Greenbrier Casino, Gov. Jim Justice let the legislation become law without his signature. However, he had pushed for an integrity fee to be a part of the law. Lawmakers have expressed no interest in such fees.

The Joint Committee on Energy heard from industry professionals on the future of coal and natural gas. Coal industry leaders asked lawmakers to reduce severance taxes from 5 percent to 2 percent, while natural gas lobbyists asked for their severance taxes to remain unchanged from their current rate of 5 percent.

The Joint Committee on Health heard presentations on potential banking solutions to state’s stalled medical cannabis program. They heard presentations on investing in the industry and from the Treasurer’s office on possible banking solutions.

Members of that committee have requested Attorney General Patrick Morrisey to weigh in on the banking issue. Gov. Justice requested an opinion from Morrisey back in May, but it has not been delivered.

 

First Days of Legal Sports Betting Generate About $29,000 in Tax

The West Virginia Lottery says the first official tax week of legal sports betting in the state will yield around $29,000 in tax revenue.

Acting Lottery Director Doug Buffington’s office said in a news release that the first three days of operation at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races showed taxable revenue of more than $295,000.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the West Virginia Gaming and Racing Association president, John Cavacini, says even more bets are expected to be placed this weekend when professional football season starts.

“Widely available legalized sports betting means big money for sports leagues like the NFL,” said Sara Slane, of the American Gaming Association.

Cavacini says Hollywood Casino was the first to begin legal sports betting. He says other venues will follow suit this month.

He says revenues will likely increase when mobile betting apps are up and running.

West Virginia has an advantage in attracting people across state lines to place bets because neighboring states aren’t taking up the issue, and there’s a significantly higher tax in Pennsylvania, Cavacini said.

“That’s what happened when we introduced slots and table games, because none of the other states had it,” Cavacini said. “For many years, we benefited from that.”

He said at some point neighboring states will likely legalize sports betting.

“But for now, we have a free run at it,” Cavacini said.

First Casino Licensed for Sports Betting in West Virginia

Hollywood Casino in Charles Town is the first casino licensed to offer sports betting in West Virginia.

The West Virginia Lottery Commission made the announcement Monday. Commission legal counsel Danielle Boyd told The Charleston Gazette-Mail the casino expects to start accepting bets Sept. 1, after installing software and training employees.

Boyd said two other casinos are planning to launch in early- to mid-September, and two more several weeks later.

She said the state should have a regional monopoly on sports betting for now despite a delay in the commission’s target launch of Sept. 1 at all five casinos. Boyd said she expects sports betting to bring people to West Virginia to place wagers, either at the casinos or other venues. She says it’ll also prompt people to wine, dine and stay the night.

West Virginia Resort to Use FanDuel for Sports Wagering

FanDuel will provide interactive sports wagering services at The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia.

The Greenbrier announced Tuesday that New York-based FanDuel will handle retail, online and mobile sports wagering for the resort in White Sulphur Springs.

The resort’s onsite betting will take place at The Casino Club, which is open only to resort guests and event participants, golf and tennis members and Greenbrier Sporting Club members.

West Virginia lawmakers this year approved sports betting at the state’s five casinos and on approved mobile apps, shortly before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a federal law that had banned most sports betting.

The state Lottery Commission approved sports betting rules last week. The goal is to have sports betting underway by the start of football season in September.

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