The Americas

Scientific Games CEO and President Barry Cottle has been rewarded with a new contract. Cottle is set to stay on until May 2024 after his current contract was set to expire later this year; NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin is the bookies favourite to take out the 2021 edition of the Daytona 500. Hamlin won the big race twice and is hoping to become the first driver to score a three-peat at the iconic event; Wynn Resorts is hoping to raise $5.5 million in a public stock sale. The operator has offered up to 6.32 million shares to potential investors; Former president Donald Trump continues to take a beating in his impeachment trial. Bookmakers think that Trump will be safe again from impeachment with Republicans unlikely to join forces with the Democrats; Caesars Entertainment is planning on ditching the iconic Planet Hollywood Casino on the Vegas Strip. Rumors continue that impending employee layoffs mean a sale is imminent later this year; Texas sports teams have joined forces to protest the state’s anti-gambling agenda. The Mavericks, Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys are tipped to back the efforts of legislators to introduce online gambling to the state; Wynn Resorts continued its effort to get its piece of the U.S. sports betting market. The state of Tennessee has given conditional approval for the operator to allow sports gambling through WynnBET.

Europe 

The new Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (CRGL) in Ukraine continues to fine tune regulations. The new regulator has rejected 15 license applications leaving operators in a state of confusion; English Premier League club Southampton FC has tapped into its existing relationship with a crypto sportsbook to expand its operations. Southampton has signed on with Sportsbet.io, which is owned by the Coingaming Group; 5Dimes has been awarded an Isle of Man gaming license. Regulators signed off on the application this month paving the way for the operator to launch sports betting and casino products in local markets;