The U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) recent broadening of the Wire Act interpretation had the industry reeling, but we are seeing momentum on the partnership side again. Though oral arguments in the New Hampshire Lottery Commission's (NHLC) case against the DOJ in District Court appeared to go favorably, a lot of uncertainty about how this will be settled remains. Even if NHLC wins here, the judge has predicted that the case will end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. Stakeholders at BOSA broadly agreed it will be some time before this is resolved.

All Eyes on New Jersey

Aptly, BOSA was held in New Jersey, which is fast becoming the model for online sports betting. Conference participants (including at least one of our own) downloaded and made wagers on various apps, getting a first-hand look at the user experience, payment processing, and geofencing with many attendees staying in Manhattan. Additionally, operators presented data on betting behaviors to date in the state. Notably, Kambi reported in-play percentages in New Jersey that compared to Europe, making the point that in-play is a huge part of the sports betting market.

New Market Access

Emerging markets were among the hottest topics at the BOSA conference. With sports betting possible in the short-term in many states - Colorado, Montana, New Hampshire, Indiana, Iowa, Oregon, New York, Illinois, and Tennessee among others - suppliers are working overtime to develop partnerships and secure market access. Brian Wyman's session on the tribal viewpoint further highlighted the partnership landscape, where both suppliers and operators are navigating uncharted territory in order to best position themselves when the sports betting opportunity arrives. Experts on the panel examined the lessons being learned as states and tribes push forward in places like California, Oklahoma, and Arizona. See Brian's Q&A with SportsHandle for more on the tribal opportunity or watch our recent Emerging Leaders of Gaming webinar examining partnerships and market access.