Online casino and poker leaglised in US state of West Virginia after Governor Jim Justice signs bill H 2934, the Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act, into law.

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice has signed bill H 2934 into law, legalising online casino and poker in the state.

One of the first states to legalise sports betting after the repeal of PASPA in May 2018, The West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act has now finally been signed into law after passing the House of Delegates in February, and being amended and passed by the Senate.

The state’s land-based casinos, of which there are five, will now be able to apply for one of the five casino and poker licenses, which will cost $250,000 each, with a $100,000 renewal fee every five years. Platform and service management licenses will also be available at $100,000 each, and supplier licenses for $10,000 each.

All five casinos in the state already have sports betting partners (The Greenbrier: FanDuel, Hollywood Casino: William Hill US and DraftKings, Mountaineer Casino: William Hill US, Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island: Miomni), and those deals will probably be extended to cover casino and poker.

AYO.NEWS says:

Ever since PASPA was declared unconstitutional in May 2018, we have expected states to first legalise sports betting and then follow with the legalisation of online casino and poker in short order, as prohibiting casino games and poker on moral grounds is difficult to justify if other forms of gambling are allowed.

Gambling.com subsidiary KAX Media America granted approval by New Jersey DGE to expand deals with operators in state.

KAX Media America Inc., a subsidiary of Gambling.com Group Plc, has been granted approval by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) to expand business deals with operators in the state.

The approval follows an application for an Ancillary Casino Service Industry Enterprise License, and will allow the Group to expand its existing commercial agreements with online sports betting, online casino and online poker operations in New Jersey to include components of revenue share in addition to fixed fees and flat fees per referred customer.

Discussing the news CEO of Gambling.com Group Plc, Charles Gillespie, explained:

“At the present moment there is no online gaming market more interesting than New Jersey. The world has been watching the explosive growth in the market since launching sports betting in 2018 and we have been active in the state for over a year.

“This approval allows us to increase our exposure to this lucrative market. Our application for an Ancillary CSIE license should be taken as clear statement of intent for our big plans in New Jersey. It also demonstrates our commitment to working with New Jersey to make the state the model for licensing and regulating affiliates, as more states come online with gaming and sports betting in 2019 and 2020.”

AYO.NEWS says:

This news is an indication of the high hopes operators and affiliates have for the rapidly growing New Jersey online market, and can also be taken as a wider vote of confidence in US online betting in general, for New Jersey is fast emerging as a model for other states as they individually legalise different forms of gambling.

iGaming tech provider BtoBet expands footprint in Africa, through regional partner STM Group, ahead of next month’s SBEA Expo in Kampala, Uganda.

iGaming tech provider BtoBet has expanded its footprint in Africa in preparation for next month’s SBEA Expo in Kampala, Uganda.

STM Group, BtoBet’s regional Certified Partner has signed technology provision deals to White Label Operators in Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria and Uganda.

STM’s Alessandro Pizzolotto said that in Uganda both Innobet and Ugabet are already basing operations on BtoBet’s technology, and that the White Label Partnership Program has had a big impact with operators who lacked the local knowledge to enter or diversify into the online channel.

He explained that the partnership’s simplified approach, coupled with the provision of advanced tech tailored for local contexts, coupled with regional know-how and operational support are driving factors in the programs growth.

BtoBet’s CMO, Sabrina Solda, explained more about the unique characteristics of the African market, sayings:

“knowledge is a very important asset for operators given that generally speaking the African sports betting industry is still predominantly retail based and only now are operators shifting their attention towards the online and mobile channel.

“This lack of knowledge in the online sector requires a strong partner who will not only guide them, but more importantly provide and handle all activities related to the day to day running of their business, such as aspects related to player support, payment methods, and the games and sportsbook content.”

BtoBet has made its latest report “East Africa: Leading the Continent’s iGaming Revolution” available here, and will be exhibiting at Stand 1007 at SBEA.

AYO.NEWS says:

The African market has massive potential, but also many potential risks and pitfalls ranging from corruption and political instability to lack of infrastructure and skill base. However, given the increased difficulties of doing business in Europe, more operators are looking to establish themselves in the emerging markets of Africa.

Three weeks ago, AYO.NEWS shared Nsoft’s regulatory mapping of Africa’s emerging markets, including Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon, Lesotho and Tanzania (read more).