PlayUSA Rewind: Two Illinois Cities Slashed From Casino Contention

Welcome back to another exciting edition of the PlayUSA Rewind. Residents of Louisiana, you’re in for a treat. Plus, the age of sports betting at sea is upon us.

This week, Louisiana sports betting could begin as soon as next week. Also, a third sports betting operator could launch in Wyoming, and sports betting has infiltrated cruise ships.

For even more coverage, be sure and follow @VisitPlayUSA | @reporternickg | @brantjames for all the latest insights.

On the rewind:

Two Illinois cities eliminated from casino contention

And then there were two. The Illinois Gaming Board unanimously agreed to eliminate Calumet City and Lynwood as potential host sites for a south suburban casino.

Earlier this month, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that White Sox legend Bo Jackson had become an equity partner in a proposed Southland Live Casino in Calumet City.

The board’s decision leaves two proposals on the table. One plan in Homewood, IL, calls for a $440 million casino and 252-room luxury hotel. The other in Matteson, IL, would feature a 200-room hotel and $300 million casino.

The Homewood property would have 1,350 slot machines and 56 table games, while Matteson would have 1,300 slots and 42 table games.

The takeaway: The final opportunity for backers to pitch their plans to the gaming board will be on Oct. 28. Licenses could be awarded as early as Jan. 1, pending paperwork and board approval. At last, a new casino in Illinois is finally on the horizon. Unfortunately, it’s not a Chicago casino.

Louisiana sports betting eyeing Nov. 1 launch

Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Johns said commercial sports betting is on track to launch by Nov. 1.

“I understand the public wants this very badly, and we’re working overtime. But we’ve got to for our I’s and cross our T’s,” Johns told The Advocate.

Thirteen of the 20 state-licensed riverboat casinos are close to getting their LA sports betting licenses and, if all goes well, could launch by next week. The remaining riverboats have till Jan.1 to apply for a license.

Although Hurricane Ida caused a delay, the tribal-owned Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville launched retail sports betting on Oct. 6.

Those curious about mobile sports betting will have to wait till sometime in 2022. However, Johns did say they are ahead of the pace for getting mobile licenses approved.

The takeaway: The long-awaited arrival of LA sports betting is right around the corner. With 20 sportsbooks on the horizon and Louisiana in the heart of SEC country, expect college football and NFL betting to see an uptick.

Wyoming sports betting expansion on the horizon

After the first month of sports betting in Wyoming, the state gaming commission is already thinking expansion.

BetMGM Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook were the first to launch in the state, having done so on Sept. 1. The pair recorded over $6 million in wagers combined for the first full month.

According to David Carpenter, project manager of sports wagering for the WY Gaming Commission, another operator could be approved by Nov. 5. While it hasn’t been confirmed who the mystery operator could be, signs are pointing to either the FanDuel Sportsbook or Barstool Sportsbook (Penn National Gaming).

The takeaway: With a population of 578,759, it’s no surprise Wyoming opted for strictly mobile sports betting. No need to worry about retail locations. Wyoming may not be the biggest fish in the sea, but every dollar counts in the ever-expanding market.

Sports betting on cruise ships is a real thing now

Sports betting at sea?

Princess Cruises recently announced the first bet was placed aboard the Majestic Princess at the curse line’s new Ocean Sportsbook.

According to Travel Pulse, sports betting will be available to passengers in international waters or when docked in a country that allows gambling.

As with land-based and mobile sportsbooks, travelers will have the ability to bet on all major sports such as college and professional football, basketball, hockey, and baseball. The one team off limits will be the Miami Heat (NBA). Micky Arison, the team owner, is also the chairman of Carnival Corp.

The takeaway: Can sports betting conquer land, air, and sea? Placing a bet on an American Airlines flight might be challenging to implement, but you have to imagine someone out there is trying to crack the code.

Market Teaser

This week’s Market Teaser is Scientific Games Corp. ($SGMS). The company will release third-quarter earnings on Nov. 9. Part of that discussion will most certainly be new lottery deals with both Missouri and Vermont.

Scientific Games Corp.

$SGMS | $89.10 | 0.76% change

Not only was SciGames awarded a new 5-year deal with the Missouri Lottery, but the company also secured a lucrative 10-year deal with the Vermont Lottery on Oct. 7.