Announcements, information and updates from the AG Alliance Members and Associates
May 15, 2020
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As we envision the re-opening of meetings and travel, it is essential for hotels and airports to standardize health and safety initiatives to fight the spread of the coronavirus and other diseases.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) unveiled its
Safe Stay guidelines in pursuit of cleanliness and mental and physical security for all patrons.
The AG Alliance is gearing up to host our 2020 Annual Meeting, scheduled for July 23 - 26 at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs and will enact these guidelines, the Broadmoor's list of health and sanitation practices, along with our own measures and protocol.
Please stay tuned as our future roundups will continue to feature travel and meeting best practices during and after the coronavirus.
For all meeting or sponsorship-related
i
nquiries, please contact:
Ale Stephens
303-304-9206
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UPCOMING WEBINAR: MAY 28, 2PM EST
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Hosts
Phil Weiser, Colorado Attorney General
Lawrence Wasden, Idaho Attorney General
Panelists
Registration
Registration is open and available to all interested parties. Please click on the button below to register. For any comments or questions, contact Austin Bernstein at:
abernstein@agalliance.org
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COVID-19 ROUNDUP: IMPACTS ON SPORTS: LIVE, FANTASY & GAMBLING
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Editor's Note:
This week's special edition roundup is dedicated to addressing COVID-19's impact on sports, E-sports and sports betting.
Major sporting events, including the college-basketball betting frenzy known as March Madness, have been canceled. Others, like the NBA, NHL, MLB, and Premier League seasons, are on hold. Companies in sport-related entertainment, like many other business sectors, are having to navigate new spaces for growth during and after the pandemic.
According to Verizon, U.S.
video game usage
during peak hours has gone up 75 percent since the quarantine first went into effect.
Microsoft reported a
130-percent increase
in multiplayer engagement across March and April and
Nintendo announced
sales of its Switch console were up 24 percent year-over-year. But
these companies
are having to get creative in how they approach new launches moving forward.
Esports
, or competitive video gaming, is also on the rise. Viewership on Twitch, the go-to site for game streamers, was up 31% in March and climbing, by one
estimate
.
And the
sports-betting industry
is working hard to find new opportunities for its customer base. Online-gaming providers are coming up with new ways to engage with existing consumers and connect with new ones during this economic climate.
Below, you will find more information and resources on the above industry updates and actions. We hope this overview is helpful in guiding your AGOs on response plans and best practices for regulatory efforts related to sports and sports-betting.
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Nevada Attorney General Ford's Office Discussed the Current State and Future of E-Sports
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nevada Governor, Steve Sisolak, declared a state of emergency on March 12, 2020, and traditional sports leagues have been cancelling or delaying their seasons. This has led to a sharp increase in the number of e-sports events approved by the Nevada Gaming Control Board (Board) for wagering as sports books scramble to find activities on which their patrons can wager. While this sharp increase due to COVID-19 was not anticipated, Nevada has been preparing for an increase in e-sports wagering for over a decade and continues to help wagering on e-sports mature while maintaining the integrity of wagering in Nevada.
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Attorney General Ford Offers Tips to Avoid Scams While Playing Online Games
Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford is advising Nevadans of all ages to be safe while playing games online. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many Nevadans may be looking for ways to have fun indoors but are encouraged to be cautious and exercise judgment while playing any online games.
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To Drive Out Illegal Market, Media Must Stop Promoting Offshore, Unregulated Sportsbooks
Bill Miller, CEO, American Gaming Association
As we mark two years since the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA)—the federal prohibition on sports betting—venues from Madison Square Garden to T-Mobile Arena and Dodger Stadium sit empty as the absence of sports is felt by fans and sports bettors across the country.
Despite any temporary setbacks from COVID-19, the growth of the U.S. legal market over these last two years is truly remarkable. These numbers will continue to grow as an estimated 100 million American adults will be able to place a legal sports bet in their home state by the end of 2020. Unfortunately, many consumers are still unable to distinguish between safe, legal U.S. sportsbooks and unregulated offshore operators.
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American Gaming Association Casino Tracker
The COVID-19 pandemic closed all 989 commercial and tribal casino properties in the U.S. The American Gaming Association created a map that tracks reopening across the country at the property-level. Please follow the link below for more information.
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DraftKings Takes Free Skills Training Program for Veterans Online and Nationwide
DraftKings
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, DraftKings will move its Tech for Heroes training online, providing veterans and military spouses with free, comprehensive, high-tech job skills training. DraftKings will be initially providing two online training sessions in web development; one was held on May 4, and there is an upcoming session on May 18. As an extension of the program, DraftKings is introducing a new partnership with American Corporate Partners (ACP), to offer mentorship opportunities by connecting veterans across the country to DraftKings employees.
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Gaming, Restaurant, Travel Industries Call for Liability Shield for Businesses
The Hill
Industry groups that represent restaurants, retail, travel, tourism, hotels and other businesses are calling for Congress to provide a liability shield for businesses once the economy reopens, urging liability protections in the next coronavirus relief bill.
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Pandemic Could Change Landscape of Minor League Sports
AP News
As North America’s pro football, basketball, baseball and hockey leagues try to play again in a pandemic, minor league sports face a more treacherous climb to return.
While the NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball can run on television revenue, it’s virtually impossible for many minor leagues to survive with empty stadiums.
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- The U.S. Interior Department has given final approval for a solar-power installation in Nevada that could power about 260,000 households—enough to cover the residential population of Las Vegas.
COMBATTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
- Delaware AG Jennings worked with the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence to secure 100 phones which were handed out around the state for use by victims of domestic abuse seeking safety and relief.
CONSUMER PROTECTION
- Texas AG Paxton announced that Travis County Court has ruled that a local doctor is responsible for 1,842 unlawful acts under the Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act.
- Connecticut AG Tong urged vendors to work with couples forced to cancel and postpone their weddings due to COVID-19.
DATA PRIVACY
- Montana AG Fox offered 'Zoom security tips' to mitigate risk of being hacked while using the cloud-based video conferencing tool.
- New York AG James announced an agreement with Zoom Video Communications that will provide security protections for more than 300 million meeting participants on the platform.
ELECTION LAW
- Texas AG Paxton filed a petition with the Texas Supreme Court, requesting that the court compel the early-voting clerks for Dallas, Cameron, El Paso, Harris and Travis Counties to follow Texas law on mail-in ballots
HOUSING
- New York AG James provided direction to law enforcement departments throughout New York state so they have clear guidance on how to protect the public from unlawful evictions both during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health crisis and into the future.
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ACCOUNTABILITY
- Microsoft has partnered with the CDC on a Coronavirus self-checker tool, worked directly with hospitals to protect them from ransomware, launched a Coronavirus tracker on Bing, provided AI to decode immune system response to COVID-19 and will continue to embark on many other scientific, technical and logistical efforts to help the global community navigate new challenges and needs.
- Uber's tech and safety teams have built a new product experience that will help protect all parties when using their services.
CONSUMER PROTECTION
- ACN has taken numerous steps to help customers, independent business owners, employees, and community.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
- To ensure homeowners and renters have the most up to date and accurate housing assistance information during the COVID-19 national emergency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) launched the new mortgage and housing assistance website.
- CFPB settled with Specialized Loan Servicing, LLC (SLS), a mortgage-loan servicer in Colorado. The CFPB also settled with with Monster Loans, Thomas Chou, Sean Cowell, and Related Companies
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CWAG Executive Committee
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Hector Balderas -
Mark Brnovich
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- Wayne Stenehjem -
Phil Weiser
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AG Alliance Co-Chairs
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Lawrence Wasden - Sean Reyes - Karl Racine
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