In-Depth
They said it
What leaders in the sports betting space are saying about different areas of the business
WORKING WITH STATES
“The tactical realities are that this is going to roll out differently in different jurisdictions. So it’s going to go slowly in some places and quickly in some places and it’s going to look quite different in the end. But in the gaming world, you gotta be OK with that.”
— Lou Jacobs, Co-CEO, Delaware North
“New Jersey is a little bit like Iowa for presidential candidates right now. You gotta be there and you gotta do well to move on. I think people are taking that approach.”
— Joe Asher, CEO, William Hill U.S.
“I constantly get calls from other states. And it has to do with educating them on why we did what we did and whether it’s working. I’m very proud of what we’ve done so it’s an easy conversation. But if they don’t want to do it — fine. Good luck.”
— Dave Rebuck, Director, New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
“I don’t think the other states that are looking at this should be trying to reinvent the wheel. The more the variation on something that’s working, the greater the risk.”
— Chris Christie, Former New Jersey Governor
NEW GENERATION OF BETTORS
“You say gambling, for our generation you think of people late at night throwing dice and having a martini. That’s not what this generation will be about. So sportsbooks have to look like this: No cocktail waitresses. Apple Genius Bar employees.”
— Ted Leonsis, Majority Owner, Monumental Sports & Entertainment
OPERATORS' APPROACH
“The thing that I’ve learned in this business is that the operators aren’t really interested in spending money in states until they’re legal. There’s no ‘Hey, let me build up to it.’ Because it comes down to what are they going to drive in players, and that’s how they develop what the market is worth and what the marketing around it is worth.”
— Adam Davis, Chief Revenue Officer,Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
MEDIA
“Over the years we have tried a tremendous amount of companion pieces to the game [telecasts]. And every one of them have failed. [A betting-themed feed] seems like the most natural piece and most organic way, with an opt-in … to allow a person to have an interactive experience.”
— Craig Sloan, Executive Vice President of Partnerships, Home Team Sports
REGULATION
“I don’t know what it is that [the leagues are] so concerned about, because at the end of the day we’re the ones who have to comply with all the regulations that are in place. And we’ve been doing this for 40-plus years, It’s just the nature of the beast.”
— Sara Slane, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, American Gaming Association
DATA
“The data we’re going to be creating with puck and player data, you’re going to have to be plugged in to us. You can’t scrape it. So for us, we think this has created an interesting and potentially valuable opportunity, because if you want to do the in-game betting and you’re going to have a market that functions in real time, you’re going to have to have a relationship with us.”
— Gary Bettman, Commissioner, NHL
“We have a vast amount of space to cover and at times 156 players with balls in the air to cover. We have a great system, ShotLink, with a lot of investment in it. But what’s the next thing? Is it tech in the ball? On the players? How do we do that?”
— Len Brown, Chief Legal Officer, PGA Tour
