Sports Betting Update: March 11, 2025 - Latest developments in the world of legalized sports wagering
Sports Betting Shakeups Nationwide:
Attention! Here's the lowdown on the latest happenings in U.S. sports betting legislation, lawsuits, and pre-deadline initiatives.
Crackdown on Sweepstakes Casinos
New Jersey's Assemblyman Clint Calabrese isn't messing around. He's introducing Assembly Bill 5447, which calls for a total ban on the sweepstakes model of wagering, and if passed, new penalties for illegal gambling operations. This initiative could shake things up, with a similar theme taking hold in Maryland's Senate Budget and Taxation Committee—where a bill to ban online sweepstakes casinos, boasting a unanimous 13-0 vote, is headed for a House Ways and Means Committee hearing.
In related news, Kentucky operator VGW is facing a lawsuit. The case against VGW, who runs popular platforms like Chumba and Luckyland, calls for triple damages for all individuals who lost money on the sites. The lawsuit underscores concerns about the legality of the business model due to the direct correlation between U.S. dollars and Sweeps Coins, similar to issues raised in recent lawsuits targeting DingDingDing in California and Blazesoft in Illinois.
Mississippi's Mobile Betting Battle
Over in Mississippi, the House Gaming Committee is playing a strategic move to keep online sports betting legislation alive before the April 6 session deadline. By inserting the language from the previously approved sports betting bill, HB 1302, into two Senate bills targeting sweepstakes gaming, the committee aims to drive the conversation forward. Senate Gaming Committee Chairman David Blount, however, has expressed opposition to online Mississippi sports betting, which could be a major hurdle.
Nebraska Sports Betting Debate
The Nebraska General Affairs Committee recently held a hearing on multiple sports betting bills, with Senator Robert Clouse introducing LB 421, among others. LB 421 proposes allowing authorized gaming operators to conduct sports wagering via online platforms under the Nebraska Racetrack Gaming Act. With widespread testimony, opponents of Nebraska sports betting outnumbering supporters, it promises to be an interesting development over the coming weeks.
SAFE Bet Act Hearing & Missouri Sports Betting Rules
A hearing on the Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet (SAFE Bet) Act is set for 2 pm on Tuesday. If passed, the act will regulate the legal sports betting industry by addressing advertising restrictions, including the banning of sports betting advertisements on television, and laws surrounding terms like "risk-free bets" and certain sportsbook bonuses.
Meanwhile, Missouri has officially released its proposed rules for sports betting, outlining how both retail and online wagering will be regulated. Beginning Dec. 8, 2025, Missouri sports betting will be allowed at casinos and designated sports districts, including stadiums, and mobile sports betting will be available to those aged 21 and above. Betting on Missouri college athletes’ individual performances is prohibited, but bets on teams might be made allowed.
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- Assemblyman Clint Calabrese of New Jersey is introducing Assembly Bill 5447, which aims to ban the sweepstakes model of wagering and impose penalties for illegal gambling operations.
- A similar bill targeting online sweepstakes casinos, with a unanimous 13-0 vote, is moving forward in Maryland's Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.
- Kentucky operator VGW is facing a lawsuit, which seeks triple damages for individuals who lost money on the sites, due to the direct correlation between U.S. dollars and Sweeps Coins.
- Mississippi's House Gaming Committee is attempting to keep online sports betting legislation alive by inserting the language from HB 1302 into two Senate bills targeting sweepstakes gaming.
- The Nebraska General Affairs Committee held a hearing on multiple sports betting bills, with Senator Robert Clouse introducing LB 421, which proposes allowing authorized gaming operators to conduct sports wagering via online platforms.
- A hearing on the Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet (SAFE Bet) Act is scheduled for 2 pm on Tuesday, which, if passed, will regulate the legal sports betting industry with advertising restrictions.
- Missouri has released its proposed rules for sports betting, allowing Missouri sports betting at casinos and designated sports districts starting Dec. 8, 2025, with mobile sports betting available to those aged 21 and above.
- The SAFE Bet Act emphasizes sports, including regulations for sports betting, advertising restrictions, and terms like "risk-free bets" and certain sportsbook bonuses, while Missouri betting on college athletes’ individual performances is prohibited, but bets on teams might be allowed.
