Trustly Regulatory Service: US Gaming Roundup

Despite June signifying the end of the legislative session for the majority of states and no new bills being passed, a lot of regulatory action has occurred that is gearing the industry for a busy end of the year.

Kansas: The Sunflower State enacted its sports betting legislation last month and it will officially take effect on July 1, giving the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC) and Kansas Lottery the ability to officially begin rulemaking and licensing procedures. Kansas is different from most states in that the KRGC and Lottery both play important roles in licensing and approval of operators. While the law stipulates certain deadlines, such as September 1 when the Lottery must finalize its procedures for approving operators, if the two entities move quickly, an end-of-year launch would not be out of the question. 

Maryland: Maryland’s Governor Larry Hogan issued a letter to the regulator on June 15 urging them to accelerate their efforts for mobile sports betting. Specifically, the Governor asked for a firm launch timeline, the release of draft online wagering regulations, prioritize awarding mobile licenses to entities that are already licensed in other states, and continue awarding licenses on a rolling basis. The next morning, the regulator announced at its monthly meeting that they will hopefully have draft online wagering rules released in the coming weeks and applications ready by the summer. No firm timeline for launch yet though.

Ohio: The Buckeye State announced its launch date will be January 1, 2023. Unlike most states, Ohio will be conducting a universal start date, meaning all operators that wish to accept bets on January 1 must be licensed within a certain timeframe. June 15 marked the opening of the licensing window and operators will have a month to submit the required documents. According to the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC), “January 1 will represent the largest expansion of gaming in Ohio’s history and the largest ever simultaneous launch of sports gaming in the United States.”  Notably, ahead of the launch date, the OCCC will permit advertising, marketing, and user recruitment so long as the operators adhere to the statute and regulatory requirements.