Fixed-odds horserace betting is coming to New Jersey courtesy of Australia’s BetMakers and the Monmouth Park racetrack.

On Wednesday, the Australian-listed Betmakers Technology Group’s subsidiary BetMakers DNA Pty LTd (BDNA) inked an exclusive deal with the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and Darby Development LLC, which operates the Monmouth Park track, to distribute and manage fixed-odds race wagering in the state.

Fixed-odds wagering in New Jersey got the green light when the state approved its single-game sports betting legislation in 2018. But the state’s racetracks had yet to make this option available alongside its traditional pari-mutuel wagering operations.

In BDNA’s home market, fixed-odds wagering has proven increasingly popular with racing bettors, who don’t always appreciate the uncertainty that comes with betting on a horse at one price, only to see that price swing wildly up or down on bets made by other punters.

Sports betting operator DraftKings has signed a new partnership with the upstart XFL football league, which intends to show betting lines onscreen during game broadcasts.

On Wednesday, DraftKings announced that it had signed deals to become both a Daily Fantasy Sports Partner and Authorized Gaming Operator of the XFL, which kicks off its inaugural season on Saturday, February 8.

The deals will allow DraftKings the freedom to use XFL league and team logos and player imagery on its website and in its marketing pitches to DFS players and sports bettors who would otherwise be looking at a long football drought following last Sunday’s Super Bowl.

DraftKings chief business officer Ezra Kucharz predicted that his company’s customers will welcome the XFL’s offering, which he claimed was an “innovative, fan-first league.” XFL president Jeffrey Pollack dutifully returned the favor, calling DraftKings “a leader in this space” and predicted that the tie-up would “broaden our reach and introduce our new league.”

The UK’s competition watchdog is studying the proposed union of online gambling giants Flutter Entertainment and The Stars Group (TSG).

On Wednesday, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced an inquiry into the proposed deal to combine the operations of Flutter and TSG. The merger, which was announced last October, would create a gambling behemoth with estimated annual revenue of nearly £4b and a valuation of around £10b.

Given that the companies’ combined operations would control an estimated 40% of the UK’s online sports betting activity and around one-quarter of the UK’s overall online gambling market, the CMA believes a closer inspection of the deal is warranted to ensure it won’t result in “a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.”

The CMA informed both companies of its decision on Tuesday and is now soliciting public comments on the proposed merger until February 18. The CMA plans to issue a ‘phase 1 decision’ on its findings by March 31, long before the two companies expect their deal to close by the second or third quarter of 2020.

As sports betting starts to spread across the U.S., a lot of attention has been paid to the virgin markets that will see all new opportunities. Nobody should forget the existing infrastructure of tribal gaming though, and a new deal between Atlantis Gaming Corporation (AGC) and Amelco seeks to introduce a quick win solution for 450 tribal casinos.

With the deal, Amelco’s sportsbook technology will give AGC affiliated casinos instant retail, mobile, online and self service sports betting. Instant, that is, when each casino’s respective state passes legalized sports betting legislation.

The press release announcing the partnership also emphasized AGC’s sports chops. The tribal gaming network operator also has a partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame, allowing customers to access their ‘Ask-a-Pro’ product. Players have access to ask former players and coaches their opinion on potential bets, making for an incredibly interactive product.

“With approval to operate across tribal jurisdictions in 28 states, as well as the combination of AGC’s Hall of Fame brand and our technology, I am sure we have the makings for a powerful synergy between us both,” said Leon Wynne, Amelco’s COO.

Since the North Dakota legislature legalized e-tabs back in 2017, tribal nations have been seeing a rapid decline in revenue while charities are reaping the benefits. This comes as a result of tribal casinos seeing less business while consumers turn to these tabs as an enjoyable option. That now has tribes raising an alarm.

“It’s no small thing for us,” said Mark Fox, Chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation,  It’s of dire concern, at a minimum.”

Each of the five tribal nations in the state has its own casino facility. They have long been a great destination for residents and tourists alike, but these electronic tabs have given consumers a choice. This has caused many within the tribal nations to sound the alarm about the future revenues of these casinos.

Casinos “are very delicate entities crucial to the survival of our tribes,” said Scott Davis, the executive director of the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission. “Without them, things would be really tough — tougher than they are now.”

Arcade games have been some of the most popular forms of electronic entertainment for two generations now. Companies have made billions of dollars from these games, and a general love of these games has led gambling machine manufacturers to combine them with gambling, and that is what Dragon Ascent is all about.

However, not everyone thinks this is a good idea. Lawmakers in both D.C. and Virginia are concerned about the game and are wondering if he should be allowed at all.

The problem is that many are questioned whether this is a game of skill or a game of chance. There is a significant difference between the two in terms of what is lawful within the state and the nation’s capital but the question may be moot.

The game has much the same appeal as an arcade game. There are joysticks as players compete to shoot down colorful dragons darting across the screen. However, instead of winning points to be crowned the champion, players can win money as their reward. It’s the perfect solution for users who have spent years playing these types of games.

Are you a person who is really good at figuring out who will be named Best Actor or what film will be dubbed Best Picture at the Oscars? And do you live in either New Jersey or Indiana? Now you can put your money where your mouth is as the odds are out now that nomination ballots have closed.

Two states are allowing you to do just that. Both Indiana and New Jersey are allowing sportsbooks to offer odds and take wagers on such awards as the best actor, best-supporting actress, and best director. Surprisingly, Nevada is not offering this as an option, however, sportsbooks are offering odds for “entertainment purposes” only.

Indiana had approved wagers being placed on the Oscars as part of their gambling law, which came into effect in September, 2019. This allowed people to wager on non-sporting events as long as they met a set of integrity criteria. In a statement, the Indiana Gaming Commission said that they expected that FanDuel and DraftKings would be the first two sites that would offer odds on this event.

Odds will be offered in six major categories at the event in Indiana. The listis: include Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Director.