Tag: sportsbook

Washington Editorial Board Branded Sports Betting ‘Terrible Bet
Posted on: February 6, 2026, 12:38h.

Last updated on: February 6, 2026, 04:58h.
- A 2024 op-ed from the Washington Post scolded legal sports betting
- About a third of the newspaper’s staff was let go this week in Washington
The Washington Post continues to make headlines after the daily newspaper based in the nation’s capital laid off a third of its staff on Wednesday.

The Washington Post headquarters in One Franklin Square in Washington, DC. The Washington Post opined in 2024 that the liberalization of sports betting was a bad bet for the country. (Image: Shutterstock)

Among the biggest WaPo job casualties was the sports department, which is being entirely shuttered. Notable former Post sports journalists include John Feinstein, Michael Wilborn and Tony Kornheiser, who would go on to create and host ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption,” and Christine Brennan, the first woman to cover the Washington Commanders, then the Redskins, in 1985.

DC has struggled to be a true “sports town” compared to other East Coast cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. The capital’s transient, politically-obsessed, government-focused population has been critiqued for being too occupied with those matters to care and support their local teams.

“For decades, however, the Post treated sports as a vital part of life in the District. Whatever the rest of the country thought about Washington’s teams and fans, there was no better place to read about sports than the nation’s capital,” wrote Associated Press reporter Noah Trister.

Scott Van Pelt, whose sportscasting career began in DC at FOX5, and today hosts “SportsCenter at Night” from Washington, also chimed in on the Post job cuts.

“Growing up reading the Post, I didn’t realize it wasn’t like this in other cities. I didn’t know how lucky we were to enjoy giants of their craft like Kornheiser, Wilbon, Boswell, Kindred & Feinstein,” SVP wrote on X.

Washington Post Sports Betting Coverage

The Washington Post’s sports section is being remembered fondly by the people who worked in the department. But when it came to the legalization of sports betting across the country, an opportunity made possible by a May 2018 decision in the US Supreme Court, the Post was no fan.

In a December 2024 opinion, the Washington Post Editorial Board concluded that legalizing sports betting was a “terrible bet.” The op-ed, one of many where the WaPo editors wrote against the landmark SCOTUS decision, held that legal sports betting has delivered societal harms to vulnerable people.

When easy access to addictive substances or experiences, such as gambling, increases, so does addiction. Unsurprisingly, then, problem gambling and addiction are rising, along with associated financial distress, bankruptcies, foreclosures, job losses, and suicides,” the Dec. 2024 editorial read.

The WaPo editors blamed the sportsbooks for the problems caused.

“Legalized sports betting was supposed to enable gambling companies to identify and weed out problem bettors. Instead, the opposite has happened: High rollers who lose are targeted and courted as VIPs, showered with quick credit and other perks, and encouraged to gamble more — to ‘chase’ their losses, in industry parlance. Those who actually win big get limits imposed on how much they can bet,” the op-ed continued.

Sports Betting Landscape

Today, sports betting is legal in 39 states and the District of Columbia. In the nation’s capital, bettors can place legal sports bets online and in person.

Anyone aged 18 and older can make a sports bet in DC.
Devin O’Connor

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February 5, 2026
Mass. wagered $412M on sports in July

Gambling activities generated more than $140 million in revenue for casinos and sportsbooks in Massachusetts last month, with $36.5 million of that haul due to the state as taxes or fees, the Gaming Commission said.

Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor in Everett generated a cumulative $99.47 million in gross gaming revenue during July, almost two-thirds of it at Encore.

The state’s seven online sports betting companies and the physical sportsbooks at the casinos produced an additional $41.21 million in taxable sports wagering revenue last month.

The Plainville slots parlor is taxed at a rate of 49% of its gross gaming revenue, and the two full-scale casinos pay a 25% tax on their gross gaming revenue.

For July, that worked out to about $28.3 million for the state, the commission said Thursday. Revenues from brick-and-mortar sportsbooks are taxed at 15% while online gambling revenues are taxed at 20%. The commission said July’s sports betting resulted in almost $8.2 million in state taxes.

Bettors in Massachusetts risked about $411.8 million on sporting events that took place in July, with more than 98% of that in wagers placed over the internet rather than in-person. That’s up from about $285.7 million wagered in July 2023. The operators’ monthly revenue represented 10.26% of the total handle.

Since legal gambling began here in 2015, the state has collected $1.82 billion in taxes and fees from casino-style gaming. It has also taken in $166.61 million in taxes and assessments from sports wagering operations that became legal in 2023, the commission said.

Also, the American Gaming Association reported that U.S. commercial gaming revenues grew for the 14th consecutive quarter across the months of April, May and June of this year as expanded gambling options including sports betting and online casino gambling apps have proliferated to more and more states.

The organization said the $17.63 billion in quarterly revenue for the sector generated $3.73 billion in tax revenue for states across the country.

“While sports betting and iGaming continued to drive overall industry revenue growth in the second quarter, new brick-and-mortar property openings in Illinois, Nebraska and Virginia also led to rising traditional commercial gaming revenue,” AGA Vice President of Research David Forman said. “Across the country, land-based gaming markets are seeing mixed year-over-year comparisons due to slower consumer spending economy-wide, which may continue to be a factor through the remainder of 2024.”

By Colin A. Young | State House News Service

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August 19, 2024
America’s Sports Betting Bonanza Explained

Until quite recently, Americans could only legally bet on sports by traveling to a brick-and-mortar sportsbook in Nevada and exchanging physical currency for a slip detailing their wagers. That was then.

In a landmark 2018 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which previously restricted wagering on sports other than horse and dog racing (which employ parimutuel systems akin to peer-to-peer pools) to Las Vegas, Reno, and other Nevada locales. The court’s decision cleared the way for every state to legalize sports betting. New Jersey was the first to do so in 2018 and, since then, about 30 more have followed suit.

Photo by Sutad Watthanakul/Getty Images

But as with marijuana laws, sports betting takes on different shapes, depending on the state. Some, like Washington, restrict such betting to tribal gaming properties. Others, like Tennessee, only offer mobile sports wagering, with bettors forced to use their phones or computers to get bets down instead of visiting a retail sportsbook. Most fall somewhere in between, and some really big ones, like California and Texas, have yet to legalize sports betting. (Naturally, Florida continues to be a nanny state.)

If you live in a state where sports betting’s not legal, it’s perfectly permissible to hit the interstate until you cross into a state where such wagering is legal, pull off at the first exit, download an authorized sportsbook app like DraftKings or FanDuel, place bets on your phone, and drive back home. That really, truly happens — a lot. And until New York launched mobile sports wagering shortly last month, Big Apple residents often biked to the middle of the George Washington Bridge, where they were technically in New Jersey, to get their bets down in a de facto al fresco sportsbook before pedaling back to their abodes.

As for the betting itself, it’s best to crawl before you (hopefully) sprint to the bank. In fact, if you have the mobility and means, it’s probably best to place your first bet in person at a sportsbook — namely Circa or the Westgate SuperBook — in Las Vegas, where patient, professional oddsmakers and tellers will be happy to walk you through the process and what all those numbers mean. Short of that, if you have access to a brick-and-mortar sportsbook within driving distance of your home, head there and have someone show you the ropes.

But if you’re determined to shun the IRL experience and bust out your phone to bet on the Super Bowl, remember that “risk-free bets” are typically anything but. By all means, take advantage of the plethora of mobile sportsbook promotions; they’re in the midst of a massive customer-acquisition cockfight, and unafraid to dole out free money to bludgeon rival birds. But if you don’t know what you’re doing — like, if you make a parlay bet without knowing what a parlay is, or wager with an offshore sportsbook without realizing you’ve just entered a very gray (bordering on black) market — it’ll soon be your money, not theirs, that you’re sacrificing.

Some helpful pointers heading in: Plus money — i.e., taking the Bengals on the moneyline at +170 — will pay far more handsomely than negative juice (i.e., taking either side of the Bengals-Rams spread at -110). And if you’re picking the moneyline, you’re picking the Bengals to win the game, period, regardless of what the point spread (Rams by 4 to 4.5, depending on what sportsbook you visit) is. That’s why you’re getting the plus money, because betting on the underdog to win is riskier than betting on them to lose by less than four points.

RELATED: 5 States That Could Allow Sports Betting In 2022

Photo by LeoPatrizi/Getty Images

Parlays — where two or more betting events have to happen in order for your ticket to cash — might be where the big bucks are made, but smart money always wins. Start slow, be responsible, and don’t chase your losses. Predetermine how much money you’re willing to lose in one sitting and stop wagering when you reach that amount. Study what you’re betting on before you bet on it.

RELATED: Legal Marijuana Probably Not As Profitable As Sports Betting

Do all this and, eventually, sports betting could become a lucrative hobby or, at worst, a fun, low-cost diversion on par with a Friday-night bar tab. Today, roughly 43% of Canadian and Americans do it.

Mike Seely is an associate editor with Better Collective, which owns several sports betting websites, including Sports Handle and US Bets.

Mike Seely

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March 28, 2024
Place your bets! Sports betting is up and running in North Carolina
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Sports betting has finally arrived in North Carolina, but how do you get in on the fun?

There are eight different mobile apps approved for use across the state as of launch day. Each one of them has various promotional deals offering free bonus bets or other incentives to get you to sign up and place your first wagers.

You can click on the links below to visit each app’s website or download the app to your phone.
- ESPN BET
- DraftKings — New customers get $250 in Bonus Bets after making first $5 wager
- FanDuel — New customers get $200 in Bonus Bets after making first $5 wager
- BetMGM — New customers get $150 in Bonus Bets after making first $5 wager
- Bet365 — Get $150 in Bonus Bets after your first $5 wager OR get up to $1,000 back if your first wager loses
- Fanatics — This is the official sportsbook of the Carolina Hurricanes. When you sign up, you’ll get 10 days of matched Bonus Bets, up to $100 each
- Underdog Sports Wagering — First Bet Mulligan: Get up to $1,000 back if you lose your first wager
- Caesars Sportsbook — When you make your first wager of $10 or more, you’ll get $250 in Bonus Bets
This comes just a day before the start of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament and a little more than a week before the start of the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments.

Those tournaments, historically, are some of the most heavily wagered on sporting events of the year.

“(North Carolina sportsbooks) stand to make about $7 to 10 million in March. After March, sports betting slows way down. But between April through June of the coming year, that they will probably generate another $15 to $18 million in tax revenue is what we project. So North Carolina is going to do really well because it’s their first year — (not just) because they have a broad sports fan base — but because of when they’re launching,” NCSharp.com Managing Editor Tyler Andrews said.

North Carolina is the 38th state to legalize sports gambling and the 30th to allow for mobile gaming.

According to the American Gaming Association, Americans wagered just under $120 billion last year – a record figure. Part of that jump was fueled by five new states launching legalized gaming. Those states accounted for about 14% of all gambling revenue.

Despite the excitement, the North Carolina Lottery Commission knows sports betting can open the door to gambling addiction for some. So, they’ve put proactive measures in place for that reason.

Each company granted a license to operate in NC must:
- Have a responsible gaming program, which includes a feature called self-exclusion. This allows people to exclude themselves from placing wagers.
- Provide responsible gaming training to its employees and provide information about gambling addiction resources in its marketing
Companies also are not allowed to target their marketing to people under 21.
Copyright © 2024 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.

WTVD

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March 11, 2024
ZeroFlucs Adds Former Don Best Sports Managing Director Benjie Cherniak as Strategic Advisor

Australian-based sports wagering start-up ZeroFlucs announced Friday that Benjie Cherniak, principal at Avenue H Capital and former managing director of Don Best has joined the organisation as a strategic advisor.

Press Release
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Nov 11, 2022 09:00 EST

BRISBANE, Australia, November 11, 2022 (Newswire.com)
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Australian-based sports wagering start-up ZeroFlucs announced Friday that Benjie Cherniak, principal at Avenue H Capital and former managing director of Don Best has joined the organisation as a strategic advisor.

ZeroFlucs provides software that enables sports betting operators to dramatically augment their pricing offerings while leveraging their own existing data sources and relationships. Market deliverables include Same-Game and Same-Race parlays, blended betting, and overall content enhancement such as additional markets.

Having achieved significant market penetration in Australia, the year old upstart is now targeting international operators, with the emerging North American market front and center.

With 15+ years of industry experience in both the US and international markets, Cherniak will play a pivotal role in ZeroFlucs growth trajectory.

On the new partnership, Cherniak said:

“ZeroFlucs technology is a game changer for race and sportsbook operators. That they can significantly augment market offerings is a big win – but that they can do so utilizing an operator’s existing pricing feeds ensures pricing accuracy and an enhanced user experience, thus differentiating from the competition. I’m thrilled to be aligning with Steve and his capable team as they introduce their technology stateside and beyond.”

ZeroFlucs founder and Australian wagering industry veteran, Steve Gray commented:

“Working with Benjie has been absolutely pivotal for us: helping us refine our product positioning and messaging, as well as providing contacts and market insight. Benjie is a proven commodity in the space. Nearly every operator has worked with him in some capacity over the years and everyone in the industry respects his understanding of the market. It’s hard to imagine a better partner for us on this journey.”

Source: ZeroFlucs

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November 11, 2022
‘Mattress Mack’ makes historic win, nearly $75 million, after the Astros won the World Series

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A prolific Houston gambler with a knack for attention-getting bets won nearly $75 million after the Houston Astros won the World Series, including what sportsbooks say would be the largest payout on a single legal sports bet in U.S. history.

Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale of Houston has wagered a total of $10 million with numerous sportsbooks on an Astros victory.

His bets include a $3 million wager made back in May with Caesars Sportsbook at 10-to-1 odds. It pays him $30 million, which Brad Harwood, a spokesperson for the sportsbook, said is the largest payout on a single legal sports bet in U.S. history.

“I have no fear in me,” Mack said before the big win on Nov. 1, while giving away mattresses in Atlantic City to military personnel, veterans and first responders at Harrah’s casino. “I have a high tolerance for risk. If I lose, there’s always another day.”

Mack has a long history of large bets on the World Series, Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four tournament. He links the bets to try to cover the cost of promotions at his mattress store in Houston; Now that the Astros won this year, customers who bought high-end mattresses will get their money back.

In addition to his $3 million bet with Caesars, Mack bet $2 million with BetMGM; $2 million with Barstool Sports; and $1 million each with Wynn, Unibet and Betfred.

He figures he’s up “probably a couple million net” in the six or so years he has been making large bets on sports championships.

But it doesn’t always work out for him. He lost nearly $10 million on the most recent Super Bowl, backing the Cincinnati Bengals over the eventual champion Los Angeles Rams.

He also whiffed on an Astros World Series bet in 2021, on Alabama in the national college championship game, as well as on NFL futures bets on the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans.

2022 World Series results: Astros won the series against the Phillies 4-2.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

SEE ALSO: Mattress Mack betting big on the Astros and his customers

Copyright © 2022 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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November 7, 2022
Navajo Gaming and Hard Rock Digital Celebrate Arizona Launch of Hard Rock Sportsbook

Press Release
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Apr 8, 2022

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., April 8, 2022 (Newswire.com)
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The Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE) and Hard Rock Digital today celebrated the launch of the all-new Hard Rock Sportsbook mobile app in Arizona, which provides fans ages 21 and over with access to bets across major sporting events, innovative promotions and best-in-class customer support. The enhanced Hard Rock Sportsbook platform includes more sports to bet live, same-game parlays and new reward features.

“Arizona has a rich sports culture and we’re proud to enter the state with our great partners at Navajo Gaming,” said Marlon Goldstein, Executive Managing Director & CEO for Hard Rock Digital. “We’re excited to debut our new platform, which players of all experience levels will appreciate for its ease of use, unique features and robust gaming options. Legendary service is part of Hard Rock’s ethos, and we believe our commitment to customer support will help us stand out in this competitive market.”

“We could not be more pleased or proud of our partnership with Hard Rock Digital. The quality and functionality of the mobile platform is outstanding, and we are anticipating great opportunities to cross-market the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE) with a premiere gaming-hospitality operator and the world-renowned Hard Rock brand,” offered Brian Parrish, Interim Chief Executive Officer for the NNGE.

The Hard Rock Sportsbook mobile app is available on iOS and Android devices and can be utilized by fans physically located within the state of Arizona. To download or learn more, please visit HardRockSportsbook.com. Currently, mobile sports betting is not permitted on tribal lands in accordance with the Navajo Nation and Arizona State Gaming Compact.

Product screenshots and additional photo/video assets can be downloaded here.

Media Contact:

For Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise: Brian D. Parrish | bparrish@nnge.org

About Hard Rock Digital:

Hard Rock Digital is the exclusive Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming vehicle for interactive gaming and sports betting on a global basis. Known the world over for its famous cafes, casinos, hotels, and music memorabilia collection, Hard Rock’s legendary hospitality and entertainment serves as our foundation as we build the future of sports betting and internet gaming. Headquartered in Hollywood, Florida, and with offices in Austin, Texas, Hard Rock Digital is dedicated to creating the best place to play for sports fans and mobile gamers everywhere.

Join us by visiting HardRockSportsbook.com and following @HardRockSB on Twitter for the latest betting action. For news, visit HardRockDigital.com or follow @HardRockDigital on Twitter.

About Navajo Gaming:

NNGE is a Navajo Nation wholly-owned business entity created by the Navajo Nation in September 2006 to develop and operate Navajo casinos in accordance with federal and Navajo Nation laws, as well as the negotiated Navajo Nation-applicable state compacts (New Mexico and Arizona).

Employing 1,200 employees, NNGE operates four casinos and a travel plaza in New Mexico and Arizona, opening its first property, the Fire Rock Navajo Casino near Gallup, New Mexico, in November 2008. Within five years, three additional properties were added, as well as a travel plaza – Flowing Water Navajo Casino (October 2010); Northern Edge Navajo Casino (January 2012); Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort (May 2013); Navajo Blue Travel Plaza (September 2020).

NNGE is one of many Navajo Nation-owned and operated enterprises that is charged with the mission of creating jobs, increasing revenues and stimulating incremental economic development. For the latest news and information, visit Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise’s website: www.navajogaming.com and Facebook page

Source: Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE)

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April 8, 2022
SOFTSWISS secures GLI-19 and GLI-33 iGaming certifications from GLI | Yogonet International
iGaming software provider SOFTSWISS announced Friday that it has obtained two certifications from Gaming Laboratories International (GLI). While the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform received the GLI-19 certification for Interactive Gaming Systems, the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook secured the GLI-33 certification for Event Wagering Systems.

GLI-19 and GLI-33 are “paramount benchmarks” for the technical regulation of iGaming markets, notes SOFTSWISS. The company received the certifications from Gaming Laboratories International, a leading gaming equipment testing company active since 1989 that has set technical standards for global gaming jurisdictions.

The requirements were developed by scrutinizing and incorporating insights from guidelines, regulations, and policies provided by regulators and other industry stakeholders, such as the Nevada Gaming Commission and Gaming Control Board, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, the British Columbia Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch, among others.

SOFTSWISS noted that the GLI-19 and GLI-33 certifications impose rigorous standards that iGaming companies must meet for security, fairness, and player protection. Their specifications cover all aspects of the gaming process, spanning game development to payout mechanisms.

“Attaining such prestigious certifications marks a huge advancement for SOFTSWISS in its journey to secure country licenses, given that these standards cover a significant portion of most local software requirements,” the company said.
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Vitali Matsukevich, COO at SOFTSWISS
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Vitali Matsukevich, COO at SOFTSWISS, said: “Achieving the highest standards of technical compliance set by GLI for both the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform and Sportsbook is a strategic leap forward for us. This accomplishment not only paves the way for us to enter new regulated markets but also reaffirms the exceptional quality of our software. I would like to thank all the teams involved for reaching another significant milestone for SOFTSWISS.”

In other recent news, SOFTSWISS has confirmed its presence at the upcoming SBC Summit Barcelona 2023 in September. The company will be showcasing its product ecosystem at stand CG58, where attendees will have the opportunity to meet with SOFTSWISS representatives and gain insights for their iGaming businesses.
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December 31, 1969