Every Friday, Covers takes a look back at the week that was in the sports betting industry. With a collection of sports betting news and notes, we intend to cover all the bases.
Man charged after driving into DraftKings Sportsbook in New Hampshire
A man in Manchester, New Hampshire, is facing a drunken driving charge after he allegedly crashed an SUV vehicle into the DraftKings retail sportsbook on Monday, according to NBC Boston.
Manchester police responded to an incident at around 23:30 on Monday. Officers on the scene saw a Honda CRV go through the windows on the Gold Street side of the building. Employees on the scene told officers they were in a breakroom when the SUV came through the windows.
The police identified the vehicle’s driver as 41-year-old Luis Rosario Rodriguez. Rodriguez had already exited the car when the police arrived and was under attention from medical personnel for a small cut above his left eye and no other significant injuries. The only minor injuries were to a 47-year-old woman, who was taken to a local hospital, according to police.
The DraftKings retail sportsbook is housed at Revo Casino and Social House and was closed two hours before the drunken driving incident occurred involving Rodriguez.
Rodriguez has been placed under arrest for aggravated driving under the influence, with no details on bail or his arraignment released by law enforcement.
New Hampshire has few gambling options, with DraftKings the exclusive online and retail sports betting provider. The state has four retail DraftKings locations: Seabrook, Dover, Nashua, and Manchester. DraftKings could add another location in the future when the Nash Casino opens after revealing its plans in July.
U.S. Virgin Islands taking steps to tackle problem gambling
The Virgin Islands Department of Health (VIDOH) and the Virgin Islands Casino Control Commission (VICCC) have jointly announced the implementation of a memorandum of understanding to train counselors to treat problem gambling in the island districts of St. Croix and St. Thomas-St. John.
The measure “is expected to improve health and wellness and reduce the personal, social, and economic costs of problem gambling in the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
“We needed to ensure the availability of assistance locally, assistance that is confidential and free or low-cost and that can be easily accessed, seen and understood,” said VICCC chairman and CEO Marvin L. Pickering.
Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding, the VICCC has provided funds for six counselors to receive training through The Center for Addiction Studies and Research, which has its headquarters in Connecticut. This includes three counselors in each district.
“Overall, our goal is to encourage a culture of responsibility within the Virgin Islands gaming community,” added VIDOH commissioner Justa Encarnacion.
Shaun Brassington named as Flutter’s senior director of studios
Flutter International has appointed a new senior director of studios.
Shaun Brassington joins the company after 17 years with gambling giant bet365.
“After 17 amazing years at bet365, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve started a new role as Senior Director of Studios at Flutter International,” Brassington wrote in a LinkedIn post.
“bet365 has been an incredible place to grow, and I’m so grateful for the experiences and friendships I’ve gained there. Now, I’m excited to take on this new challenge and contribute to the vision at Flutter.”
During his time with bet365, Brassington served in a number of roles, including his most recent role of head of game development, since March 2021.
Based in Stoke-on-Trent, England, where bet365 has its headquarters, he also served as games retention manager, games operations manager, and software product development manager. Brassington also spent over three years in Gibraltar as “casino, games and Vegas manager.”
Brassington will be based in Dublin, Ireland, in his new role. Flutter opened its global headquarters in the Irish capital in 2022 following an investment of €15.5 million ($16.4 million).
The executive lead for the Dublin office, Pádraig Ó Ríordáin, said the company “made a significant investment in this modern, agile, and flexible workspace, and are excited for our colleagues based here to experience all it has to offer.”
PlayAGS closes waiting period for Brightstar Capital Partners acquisition
PlayAGS announced the conclusion of its waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, allowing it to proceed with its acquisition deal with Brightstar Capital Partners. The waiting period ended on Monday.
The global gaming product supplier revealed in May that Brightstar Capital Partners would be acquired for roughly $1.1 billion. PlayAGS revealed its shareholders would receive $12.50 per share, a 40% premium to the company’s closing price on May 8.
We advised Brightstar Capital Partners on the $1.1 billion acquisition of PlayAGS, Inc. https://t.co/pxO1MEUMmd pic.twitter.com/wgMGdqMkqz
— Kirkland & Ellis (@Kirkland_Ellis) May 9, 2024
“We are very pleased to reach this agreement, which we believe provides our stockholders with compelling, certain cash value," CEO and president of AGS David Lopez said then. "Joining forces with Brightstar represents an exciting new chapter for AGS and our mission to provide exceptional gaming solutions for our operator partners.”
PlayAGS has a significant global footprint in the gaming industry, including in the U.S. In July, the company announced a partnership with Rush Street Interactive (RSI) to bring its online slots and casino games to players in Delaware through the BetRivers online casino platform.
Meanwhile, the company signed an agreement with Caesars Palace Online casino in January, launching the omnichannel game Rakin’ Bacon Odyssey across Caesars online platforms and a land-based slot in New Jersey. PlayAGS also partnered with EQL Games, providing games to the lottery content operator in states like Virginia.
Hard Rock Bet launches new Games Global slot in New Jersey
Games Global has announced the launch of "Power Chord Rising Rewards," a new game exclusively developed for Hard Rock Bet in New Jersey. Developed through Games Global’s partner studio, Aurum Studios, the game features a 5x3 reel with symbols, including guitar picks and microphones.
The slot features the Rising Rewards mechanic, where players can increase multipliers and jackpots over time. The multiplier starts at 0.5x and increases with each qualifying scatter symbol.
The slot release continues Games Global’s strategic partnership with Hard Rock Bet, which has already produced exclusive games like "Iron Eagle Power Combo" and "Hard Rock Gold Blitz."
Hard Rock Bet Casino has been live in the Garden State since June 2018, but it initially launched under the name Hard Rock Online Casino. In August 2023, the company rebranded to Hard Rock Bet and integrated its online casino platform with its online sportsbook.
The Hard Rock Bet site is also integrated with the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, and the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement licensed the casino through this partnership.
The company has made several decisions to promote its gambling platform in 2024, including exclusive games with Games Global and signing Grammy winner Post Malone to appear in advertising campaigns.
Cover the Bases for Dec. 2-6
Cover the Bases for Nov. 25-29
Cover the Bases for Nov. 18-22
