You are though.
The July numbers are in from sports betting in New Jersey. Three casinos and two racetracks took more than $40 million in bets. Overall, $57 million has been wagered in the Garden State from June 14, when sports betting started in New Jersey, through July 31. The state takes a piece of that total, so in a sense it is found money for New Jersey. The August numbers should be better as the Meadowlands racetrack wagering opened in mid-July. The Meadowlands racetrack has an interesting partner that runs a sports book. FanDuel. That business, an online sports fantasy company, is a National Basketball Association marketing partner. The NBA has been partners with a gambling, rather a games of skill, business since 2014. Not only is FanDuel a marketing partner but the NBA has a piece of the company.
Major League Baseball, which has been complaining that is should be getting an integrity fee from sports gambling states because it wants an integrity fee, has a partnership with DraftKings which is also an online gambling, rather games of skill business. Major League Baseball not only has a partnership with DraftKings but has had a financial stake in the company since 2013. DraftKings and FanDuel have deals in place in New York should the Albany legislature get a sports betting deal done in 2019. New York elected officials are considering giving Major League Baseball an integrity fee which would go to some sort of Major League Baseball policing of the state’s gaming industry or possibly into Major League Baseball owners pockets. Major League Baseball attorney Bryan Seeley told Missouri lawmakers in April that “we are not going to be part-owner of a bookmaker.” But that possibility exists. Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware and Mississippi are offering sports betting. West Virginia might be able to get sports betting operational on September 1. Legalized sports gambling is spreading.
