iGaming Business magazine iGB 111 July/Aug | Page 72

Feature
COMING TO
America
Europe’s leading suppliers and operators have signed
deals and made bold statements about the sports betting
opportunity in the US. The dust is beginning to settle
following the US Supreme Court’s decision to repeal
PASPA, but how prepared are industry suppliers for the
US state-by-state regulatory model? By Jake Pollard
The US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn PASPA is by far
the biggest legal ruling to affect the gaming and betting sector
worldwide. From operators and suppliers to regulators, consultants
and lawyers, everyone is affected (especially the latter two, some
finance directors might grumble).
The court’s decision continues to ripple through the industry, but
as big as the news is, it is still too early to say what the regulated US
betting sector – online, retail or mobile – will look like in the near
term, nevermind when it approaches anything close to adolescence
or adulthood.
This hasn’t stopped industry players from announcing deals that
had been in the pipeline in readiness for a favourable decision; nor,
understandably, from making bold claims as to their US prospects.
But what is the reality of the situation on the ground? For all their
vast experience, how knowledgeable are European companies about
the intricacies, restrictions and nuances of the US model of state-by-
state regulation? How ready are their products and platforms? Are
they able to format their offers in a way that resonates and caters
to US players’ preferences? On the US operator side, how much
understanding is there of the different products that suppliers offer?
After all, even the most seasoned industry observer can get confused
between what Betgenius and SBTech or Betradar and Kambi offer.
Time to tread carefully
Judging by how difficult it has been to speak to anyone in the US for
this article, the industry stateside is currently in hyperactive mode.
Many people are also in the middle of sensitive contractual talks and
speaking to journalists is not something that they particularly want
or are advised to do right now.
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iGamingBusiness | Issue 111 | July/August 2018