According to a recent report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, sports betting is entering a new era as more states legalize the practice and online betting. With the industry changing rapidly, this allows for more people to place bets outside of traditional sportsbooks. This was the key topic during this year’s Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas where the keynote speech last week featured Barstool Sports CEO Erika Nardini and Las Vegas Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan. In the report from the LVRJ, both executives said increasing the offerings for sports betting helps the gaming industry since sports bettors tend to be in a younger demographic. Nardini even commented that they are creating the first generation of legal American sports bettors and what a big responsibility that is for everyone.
For this article, SBS will go over some of the highlights from the convention in Vegas and also some more thoughts about the Sin City gaming scene.
In the same report from the LVRJ, Raiders President Douglass Morgan said that since sports betting is “still a nascent industry, those regulatory structures are still growing and being tested.” Moreover, the Raiders’ top official said there needs to be a balanced approach to gaming regulation. As the article points out, the sports betting industry has grown rapidly across the U.S. since 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door for states beyond Nevada to offer legalized betting on professional sports. Since then, more than 30 states and Washington D.C. offer sports betting and a recent poll found 66 percent of Americans support betting on pro sports.
In addition to Douglass Morgan, Barstool CEO Nardini talked about Barstool’s social media strategy and how it ties into gaming. In a chat with American Gaming Association CEO Bill Miller, also the keynote speaker, Nardini spoke about how if your brand or company wants attention, you have to be able to use and understand social media. Moreover, Raiders President Douglass Morgan said that the focus around betting can be good for sports as long as it does not impact the integrity of the games being played and doesn’t become a nuisance for non-betting fans.
In the report from the LVRJ, Nardini said for sports betting to ingratiate itself to the public, it needs to avoid the messaging strategy of other industries. In this case, the CEO said the worst thing that can happen to the sports betting industry is for it to be like the credit card or airline industry. Which is “screaming a bunch of offers” and to customers in very traditional formats. Moreover, Nardini highlighted that Barstool has always been a “renegade brand” due to the brash nature of its content which is aimed at younger people. She said its reputation made it difficult to establish business relationships with other companies even though it worked with MGM Resorts International and DraftKings, before partnering with Penn Entertainment. Finally, the CEO said that now the partnership with Penn is solidified, the team is going to work closely to figure out where to maximize their gaming efforts.
After you are all done getting up to speed regarding the latest gaming news coming out of Sin City, SBS has your back with even more helpful and awesome wagering information. Of course, if you are interested in learning more about Las Vegas gaming, make sure to check out our online Vegas sportsbooks rundown which goes over the most recent Vegas wagering news along with the latest welcome bonuses available. Speaking of bonuses, SBS has a ton of different resources tied to getting the most out of your bets like our best bonus betting sites guide which goes over a ton of different ways to maximize your bets. Finally, if you are perhaps uncertain about how you would like to place your deposits and withdrawals, do not worry as we have you covered. With SBS’ payment methods overview, you can see all kinds of ways to secure your money and make sure your gaming experience is as smooth as possible.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
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