Articles by Michael Savio

Penn Entertainment has announced that it will integrate its ESPN Bet platform with ESPN Fantasy Sports, one of the world's largest fantasy platforms. The integration details are unknown, but it is expected to be complete before the NFL season.

The Colorado Senate passed HB 1311 to tax sportsbooks on promo bets. However, new amendments will need to be approved by the House during the 2026 legislative session. If passed, the bill would go into effect in July 2026.

The NCAA penalized Iowa State University football staffers who placed over 6,000 illegal wagers on sports. This is the second betting scandal the school has faced over the last few years, leading some to wonder if more penalties could be coming.

Two sports betting bills are heading for a Senate floor vote in Oklahoma. One would legalize sports betting, which Governor Stitt has promised to veto. The other would circumvent Stitt and put the issue on the November 2026 ballot.

The Louisiana House is considering raising the sports betting operator tax rate from 15% to 32.5%. A proposed bill would create the SPORT Fund to help support athletic programs for the state’s Division I colleges.

Nebraska Senator Eliot Bostar has withdrawn bill LR 20CA from the state legislature, which would have put legal sports betting on the November 2026 ballot. The bill was projected to be three votes short of the 30 needed to pass.

The NCAA has issued a show-cause penalty to ex-Baylor official Sam Hancock after he improperly wagered almost $3,000 on DFS sites. He will need to go through gambling programs and counseling before he can work for another NCAA school.

A SC House Subcommittee held its first hearing on bill H3625, which would create a regulated sports betting market. The bill faces staunch opposition, including from the Governor, who has promised to veto any bills expanding gambling in the state.

The Colorado House is currently reviewing bill HB 1311, which would tax online sportsbooks on promotional bets. This is projected to raise tax revenue generated by the industry by about 30%, helping to fund the state’s critical water projects.

The New York Assembly is currently considering a bill that would set a $5,000 daily wagering cap on sports betting, as well as advertising restrictions. Those restrictions include set hours for advertising and a ban on in-game ads and the promotion of free bets.