The U.S. sports betting world moves quickly and unpredictably in 2025. In order to properly take stock of it all, we offer InGame’s “EndGame,” an end-of-week compilation of the top storylines, some overlooked items, and all the other news bits from this past week that we found interesting.
Will operators be spared North Carolina tax hike?
It appears that sports betting operators may be off the hook when it comes to facing another betting tax increase this year.
Although on Tuesday Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed an increase from 15% to 20% in his state, just a day earlier, the North Carolina House passed a budget that does not include Gov. Josh Stein’s proposed increase. Stein is pushing to double the tax rate from 18% to 36%. The Senate included the increase in its budget, but the House removed that provision.
Both chambers reappropriated where tax funds from sports betting would be directed, including sending some funding to Division II and Division III colleges and universities. The Senate’s budget also would require the state’s two biggest college basketball programs — North Carolina and N.C. State — to play games against other state schools. The teams would have to play three regular season or exhibition games against state university system Division II teams by 2039-40, and two regular season games against state university system Division I teams by 2039-40.
More penalties in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission levied fines Thursday on four operators:
- Fanatics Sportsbook and FanDuel were fined $10,000 and $20,000, respectively, after the sportsbooks took bets on Belarusian soccer. The MGC prohibits taking bets on Belarusian and Russian teams, and athletes, in some situations.
- BetMGM was fined $10,000 for taking bets on the LPGA between March 2023-May 2024 as that market was not approved for wagering at that time.
- Penn Sports Interactive was fined $10,000 for mistakenly sending out marketing materials to consumers who had voluntarily excluded. Commissioner Eileen O’Brien thought the fine should be higher, but was overruled.
There are potentially more fines coming in the Bay State. The Investigations Enforcement Bureau (IEB) shared with the commission that it is reviewing potential violations by Fanatics, which it says accepted 36 bets totaling $545.70 during a three-month stretch on Heisman Trophy futures, and DraftKings, which it says took 89 bets totalling $1,655 on a college-player basketball prop March 23. Both markets are banned in Massachusetts. The IEB will assess the cases and offer recommendations at a later date.
Minnesota session ends without sports betting
It’s no real surprise that Minnesota’s legislative session closed Monday and sports betting remains illegal in the state.
The bill that had the best chance to pass died in February, but that didn’t stop a pair of lawmakers from filing a new bill in late April. SF 3414 had some oddities in it, including a ban on personalized or individual promo offers and a prohibition on push notifications when apps are inactive. The bill also would have required the state’s tribes to be regulated by the state, a situation they likely would not be amenable to.
Minnesota lawmakers have tried and failed to legalize at least four times. The issue is complicated in a state that has 11 federally recognized tribes that already have exclusivity for Class III gaming and two racetracks that want in. Besides that, lawmakers have been trying to figure out how to send money to charitable gaming after the state made a decision last year that took money away from the charitable groups.
Tennessee regulator cracking down
Tennessee’s Sports Wagering Advisory Council (SWAC) sent a cease-and-desist letter Tuesday to offshore sportsbook BetOnline. In the letter, the SWAC demands that the site exit the state by June 16 or face sanctions, according to a press release. The regulator announced Monday that it fined black-market sportsbook BUSR $50,000 after it failed to comply with a cease-and-desist letter.
The BetOnline cease-and-desist is the second one issued this month by the SWAC. The agency sent a letter to Lowvig May 1. The company has until May 29 to comply, but for now continues to operate in the state.
So far this year, the SWAC has issued a total of $200,000 in fines to offshore sportsbooks, including BetUS, MyBookie, and XBet in addition to BUSR. Bovada exited the state in November 2024 after it was fined $50,000.
Alabama’s Poarch Creeks prioritizing gambling
The only tribe in Alabama isn’t going to wait until the state’s legislative session opens next year to start crafting a plan to legalize everything from sports betting to lottery, Wind Creek Hospitality Executive Vice President of Business Development and Government Relations Arthur Mothershed told the Alabama Political Reporter.
In a May 16 interview, Mothershed said, “I think too often we wait until the session starts and then we start working for this agenda or trying to push this agenda across the finish line. I think we’ve got to do a better job of getting the voices of the people of Alabama heard.”
To that end, Wind Creek has already begun polling to take the temperature in a state that currently has no legal forms of gambling.
The state legislature has tried and failed to legalize gambling multiple times. This year, there weren’t enough votes in the Senate to support a stand-alone sports betting push, so champion Greg Albritton didn’t file a bill. Previously, Albritton and others tried pushing broad legalization bills that included lottery, retail casinos, online casino, and sports betting, but none got out of the Senate.
Caesars hits Oregon retail sports betting trail
Caesars Entertainment took its first sports bets in Oregon on Monday, when the ceremonial opening bet was placed at the Ko-Kwel Casino Resort, owned by the Coquille Indian Tribe. Caesars will be offering in-person betting only as DraftKings has a digital monopoly through the Oregon Lottery.
“We remain committed to supporting Indian gaming, and we’re proud to partner with the Coquille Indian Tribe to enhance their guest experience,” Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital, said in a release. “Bringing our sports wagering offering to a new jurisdiction for the first time is always significant, and we know offering our expansive menu of sports wagering markets will undoubtedly enhance the exceptional experience that the Coquille Indian Tribe provides to its guests.”
Partnerships from New York to Nevada to Texas
Fanatics Sportsbook will become the primary sponsor of New York Racing Team’s No. 44 Chevrolet, driven by J.J. Yeley, for two NASCAR Cup races this year. The cars will be painted in Fanatics’ “lava red and black” color scheme for the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 1 and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 2. Fanatics says it will also introduce “exclusive new customer offers” for the race.
— Daniel O’Boyle
BetMGM and the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces will launch a new partnership on Tuesday, the operator’s first major partnership with a women’s sports franchise. As part of the partnership, BetMGM and the Aces — which won the WNBA championship in both 2022 and 2023 — will also launch a donation initiative to “The Just One Project,” a nonprofit that provides groceries to food-insecure families in southern Nevada.
— Daniel O’Boyle
The Houston Astros Tuesday announced PrizePicks as their official daily fantasy sports partner. Through the deal, PrizePicks will have “statics and rotational” signage throughout Daikin Park. The move continues PrizePicks’ strategy of partnering with MLB teams in states without legal sports betting. The Atlanta-based company recently announced deals with the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants and has a longer-term relationship with the Braves.
Fanatics still sorting DC retail book
Fanatics Betting & Gaming Chief Business Officer Ari Borod told InGame at the SBC Summit Americas 2025 that the company hasn’t begun contemplating Washington, D.C. retail sports betting for when its Washington Commanders partner relocates to a new stadium in the District, presumably in 2030.
Fanatics and the Commanders opened the first in-stadium retail sportsbook in NFL history in 2023 at Northwest Stadium in Maryland. (BetMGM opened its State Farm Field sportsbook in 2022, but it is on the property, not inside the stadium.) Fanatics gained D.C. mobile sports betting access through the NWSL Washington Spirit.
“I think it’s far enough away that we don’t have the answer yet,” Borod said. “We love our partnership with the Commanders, love our partnership with the Spirit. … I think we’d have to evaluate what that means for Maryland, but I think we’re several years away. Actually, that’s great.”
UNLV launches AI Hub with industry support
The University of Nevada at Las Vegas’ (UNLV) International Gaming Institute will launch a new AI Research Hub, using artificial intelligence to “identify advanced responsible gaming practices,” with the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) as a founding member.
The Hub will produce research “across gaming’s full breadth of AI use cases.” ROGA — made up of market-leading operators including FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM — will work with the UNLV research team to help ensure the research focuses on the “most pressing business and societal issues in the industry.”
— Daniel O’Boyle
ICYMI on InGame
Kalshi’s business more reliant on sports contracts than DraftKings or FanDuel
Mansour: Kalshi contracts will be available in 401(k)s
Arizona regulators send cease-and-desists to Kalshi, others
CFTC invites some tribes to conference call
The tax proposal that should terrify operators
Penn-HG Vora saga continues: Snowden using corporate jet as ‘personal Uber’ and Third board seat ‘make believe’
Ohtani on TV: Betting scandal saga will be a TV show
Wyoming isn’t for limiting bettors, just Massachusetts still mulling
