Is it possible that video game gambling could get a foothold in Las Vegas? “We’re taking over Olympic stadiums,” Dan “Frodan” Chou announced. His words are as bold as his Smurf-colored hair, and underscore his aversion to modesty in a sparkling red sports coat. The popular esports broadcaster is speaking for his industry at large. Its next conquest: Las Vegas. Plenty of foot soldiers have gathered before him on an overcast Wednesday evening to get a first look at Esports Arena Las Vegas, a 30,000-square-foot video gaming Xanadu opening in March in what used to be LAX nightclub at Luxor….

Verizon Communications Inc. is considering entering the multibillion-dollar market for sports betting business, which could become legal in the U.S. before the year is out, according to people familiar with the matter. The New York-based phone giant, which last year bought Yahoo and its popular fantasy sports business, has been meeting with experts and consultants to assess the potential for a sports-focused online gambling venture if the laws in the U.S. change, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue a decision early this year in a case…

North America’s NBA basketball league this week unveiled its vision for sports betting in the US, should the country opt to introduce wider regulations. According to ESPN, NBA attorney Dan Spillane set out the NBA’s proposals to a New York State Senate committee, formally confirming the league’s support for plans to legalize sports betting across the country. Nevada is currently the only US state in which sports betting is legal, but New Jersey is leading the charge for nationwide regulation of such activities. New Jersey wants to overturn the federal 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which makes…

Sports betting is increasingly getting the attention of state lawmakers. The uptick in legislative activity for traditional sports betting — think point spreads, totals, money lines and prop bets — follows dozens of states that have considered laws specifically permitting daily fantasy sports. New state laws about sports betting had been largely dormant since the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) was enacted. For two decades, PASPA dissuaded states from legalizing sports betting. But that changed in 2012 when New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation to permit Nevada-style sports gambling. The NCAA, NBA, NHL, MLB…

Gambling operators are now taking a second look at the U.S. market especially after the reactions of a majority of the Supreme Court (SC) justices have given them a renewed sense of hope that the country will finally lift the long-standing ban on sports betting. Or are these justices just bluffing during the hearing of New Jersey’s historic case? Truth be told, the fate of U.S. sports betting won’t be known until the high tribunal gives its final judgment in June. Industry leaders, government regulators, and analysts will try to take a look at the different scenarios of the high…

A pending decision by the U.S. Supreme Court could open the door to legalize sports betting in any state that approves it. A nonprofit organization that supports Iowa’s casinos plans to draft legislation that would legalize sports gambling in the state, should the U.S. Supreme Court rule in a way that makes that possible. That eventually could allow state-licensed casinos like the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City to offer wagering on sporting events along with slot machines and table games. “I think there’s a great deal of interest among people (who want) the opportunity to bet on a…