Hoosiers love their basketball. Ask anyone in Indiana and they’ll tell you that basketball isn’t just a sport; it’s a religion. The Indiana University Hoosiers’ basketball program has always been one of the best in the U.S. and the NCAA Hall of Champions is located in Indianapolis as a testament to the state’s attraction to basketball. On the NBA level, the Indiana Pacers have a massive following across the state, and all the attention given to hoops is paying off in a big way. Indiana continues to set new records with its sports gambling market, most of which is coming from basketball.

In February of last year, the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) reported a handle of $187 million, a 10% increase from January. That wasn’t surprising, given the NFL Super Bowl action; however, assuming the money went to football would be wrong. The Big Game received $11.6 million in bets, while college and pro basketball accounted for over $90 million. 

Indiana continued to raise the bar on the sports gambling industry when the state’s sportsbooks recorded $251.4 million in November of last year, a $20-million increase over the prior month’s action. Much of that was destined for football as the NFL and college games were heating up, but, if there was any doubt of the importance of basketball in Indiana, the most recent numbers will push all of it aside. The IGC just released the latest figures on sports gambling and January was another record-setting month, the fifth consecutive month of breaking records. $348.2 million was wagered in the state last month, an increase of 11.2% over December and more than 100% over January 2020. Of that amount, $133.2 million went to hoops, making it the most money ever spent on one sport in the state. Football only got $77.6 million of the action. 

That’s not only good news for sportsbooks operating in the state, but it’s good news for the state’s budget, as well. With a tax of 9.5%, January gave Indiana’s government almost $2.8 million in tax revenue and, over the past 12 months, the state has received over $20 million. That’s not too bad for a local industry that has only been around since September 2019. 

It’s not easy trying to be a provider of illegal gambling activity in California. The Golden State has a history of digging up underground gambling houses and isn’t slowing down. Last week, police in Anaheim descended on a business they suspected was operating as a slaphouse, an illegal gambling site, and weren’t wrong. By the time the raid was over, around 70 people had been arrested, even as many tried to scatter like rats from a sinking ship.

What was reportedly a furniture store was actually an illegal gambling property. Police spent two months gathering evidence and securing their case before moving in last Wednesday, serving a warrant that morning and confirming their suspicions. Inside, there were gambling machines, money and guns, as well as a number of gamblers. Some of those busted out windows as they tried to make a run for it, only to be met outside by more police, including members of the local SWAT team.

The slaphouse was reportedly able to function undetected 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Police had received numerous complaints about the operation before they launched their investigation, and are becoming more familiar with the seedy underground gambling scene that continues to emerge across California. Most of these, in addition to offering a form of entertainment California lawmakers don’t want to address, involve illegal weapons and, on occasion, illegal drugs, making them a public risk that has to be contained. 2019 saw a number of slaphouses busted, most around the Los Angeles area. Other cities have to deal with them, as well, with Long Beach often a favorite go-to spot for criminals.

This is the second time in five months that Anaheim police have intervened in an illegal gambling house. Last October, 70 people were arrested when they moved in on a supposed slaphouse, uncovering video gaming machines, electronic gaming tables and more. That raid apparently didn’t provide the example that it should have, as the raid last week occurred right next door to that October bust.

Almost three years ago, Universal Entertainment Group had a dream. It wanted to see Okada Manila, owned by subsidiary Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment, listed on a stock exchange somewhere. Things didn’t go as planned initially, but it’s time for the pieces to be put in place, and Universal is going to make another run. This time, it wants help from a special acquisition company (SPAC) in the U.S. so it can fulfill its dream. Given the rise in popularity of SPACs in the gaming industry lately, Universal probably won’t have too much difficulty finding a partner, as long as its sordid past can be kept behind it.

Universal wants a SPAC, also often called a blank-check company, willing to take a chance on helping Okada Manila become a publicly-traded company in the U.S. It hopes to land a spot on either the NASDAQ or the NYSE, and will take whatever it can get. The resort’s continued cost-saving efforts to combat COVID-19 have reportedly paid off, and Universal is convinced that the timing is perfect for a public launch. 

In a letter sent to investors last week about the search for a SPAC, Universal asserted, “In view of this situation, [and] having positioned its IR Business as the core business of the Company Group, the Company recently arrived at the decision to pursue a detailed examination of the listing of that business on either the U.S. NASDAQ Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange with the aim of realizing the further expansion of that business and greater corporate group value.”

2020 saw a lot of interest being given to SPAC deals, and that was just the beginning. 244 blank check companies connected with entities looking for a way to go public, ultimately attracting $78.2 billion through initial public offerings (IPO). However, 2021 is on par to see even greater activity, with 134 SPACs having attracted $39 billion from the start of the year until last Friday.

A lot of Hawaiian lawmakers may have opinions on how to start up a casino industry in the state, but the decision of how to move forward will rest with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL). The Honolulu Star Advertiser reports the DHHL will have five years to decide if casinos are a good idea.

This next step in Hawaii’s hope for a casino industry comes as proposed amendments to Senate Bill 1321 would give them the responsibility. With the measure, the DHHL has until December 21, 2026 to decide if it was casinos in the state.

The proposed reason to have casinos in Hawaii is to help DHHL fund their Home Lands beneficiaries’ program. 28,000 Hawaiian natives are waiting to be allotted homes to return to on their ancestral lands.

Under the new proposed amendments, the DHHL would have to endorse casinos with “a super majority.” If the DHHL agrees casinos are the best idea, it would not automatically legalize casino gambling across the islands. Native land would be prohibited, said Senator Maile Shimabukuro.

Restrictions on Nevada casinos are loosening today, February 15. Governor Steve Sisolak has announced that casinos can expand their capacity from the previous 25% limit to 35%.

“As we ease restrictions, we must follow the science and studies, which states clearly and repeatedly that closures to certain settings are more impactful in reducing disease transmission,” Sisolak said February 11 update on Nevada’s COVID-19 response efforts. “While we are hopeful that trends will continue to decrease if all mitigation measures are followed, we must remain flexible – as we have done all along.”

These restrictions could be relaxed thanks to a much-improved Covid-19 transmission rate. Whereas there were 2,709 average daily cases in the early days of December, the most recent 14-day average is 650 cases.

On top of the 10% jump, if the pandemic continues as expected, businesses will be allowed another jump to 50% capacity on March 15. But if everyone does their part and reduces Covid-19 spread by April 15, Nevada will hand control over to local jurisdictions. “In order to reach this goal, counties will have from now through the end of April to demonstrate a decrease in COVID trends, adequate hospital capacity within their region, and evidence that they can continue performing an adequate level,” Sisolak said.

At the start of the weekend, it was still all to play for in the Premier League as Liverpool were looking to solidify a place in the top three and put pressure on leaders Manchester City. By late on Saturday evening, the gap between last year’s top two was 13 points in favour of The Citizens, and a procession for Pep Guardiola’s side looks more than likely.

With other big sides such as Leicester City, Manchester United and Chelsea all in action, who got the better of their opponents and which sides will be looking over their shoulders?

Let’s take a look back at the action.

Leicester City 3-1 Liverpool

When it’s played right, poker should inspire everyone at the table, win or lose. Of course it’s nice to walk away from the felt a winner, but it shouldn’t define your mood. If it does, maybe you’re in the wrong game.

Better a rye smile and a few funny words than anything is our motto and it’s with that spirit in mind that we present to you seven final quotes from the great game to inspire your own week at the felt.

Let’s get the lesson on!

1. “People would be surprised to know how much I learned about prayer from playing poker.”

The Australian Open action over the weekend has both reduced the field in the Men’s Singles event and improved the chances of anyone backing the top three as Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal all made stride towards the business end of the year’s first Grand Slam.

Others fell by the wayside, however, including both men who were involved in the game of the Australian Open so far.

Kyrgios Leads by Two Sets, Loses in Five

The roar of approval for Nick Kyrgios in taking on Dominic Thiem could have been heard from the moon as the bad boy of men’s tennis clashed with a player he had previously described as exciting as “watching paint dry”.