Chelsea F.C. is reportedly in talks with online gambling operator Stake about the team’s shirt sponsorship. This is despite a ban coming into place on gambling-related companies appearing on the front of English Premier League jerseys starting from the 2026-2027 season.

Chelsea’s 36-month agreement with phone network Three ended recently and the club is in talks with numerous parties regarding the newly vacant position, including Germany-based financial services firm Allianz. The deal with Three was worth £40m ($51m) per season and Stake appears to be happy to pay something similar. Allianz reportedly is unwilling to bid near the £40m ($51m) total.

Stake is a popular online gambling platform among prominent gambling live streamers, having a relationship with Trainwreck, Adin Ross, and superstar rapper Drake.

Stake is already Everton F.C.’s shirt sponsor, signing a record £10m ($12.8m) per season deal with the club last year. This agreement would remain in place if Stake ultimately partners with Chelsea. It also is the sponsor for second-tier side Watford F.C. and has arrangements in other sports.

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Online total gross gambling yield (GGY) in Great Britain reached £1.30 billion (€1.51 billion/$1.62 billion) in the last quarter of the financial year (Q4), climbing five percent from the same period the year prior, while improvement was also seen in GGY for the brick-and-mortar sector, according to a recent gambling behavior report published by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)

The reporting period covered activity for the months of January, February, and March of 2023, a period that included the popular horse racing event, the Cheltenham Festival.

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Commission data showed an increase of 5 percent in online total GGY in Q4 over the same period the year prior. The government agency attributed the swell in online GGY, for the most part, to growth in real-world event betting and slots. Increases in the total number of bets and spins along with a rise in average monthly active accounts, were also noted.

Meanwhile, online real event betting increased 13 percent year-over-year to £555 million, with the number of total bets 19 percent higher while activities in the sector rose 9 percent year over year. The uptick, according to the commission, could likely be attributed to the Cheltenham Festival, as UK betting shop activity sees heightened activity during the annual four-day horse racing event, which takes place during the quarter. Also likely to have been a factor, the return of domestic league football after the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which took place in Qatar from 20 November 20 to December 18.

Rise in Online Slots & Other Gaming Verticals

Online slots games, likely seen at some of these UK online casino websites, were also on the rise over the past year, with GGY growing 2 percent to £525 million for the segment, aided by an increase of 9 percent in the number of spins to 19.5 billion. Average monthly accounts, meanwhile, were up 15 percent to 3.9 million.

Moreover, the number of slot sessions lasting over an hour rose 10 percent year-on-year to 8.8 million. However, for the fourth consecutive quarter, the average session length has been static at 17 minutes, with a minimal 6.4 percent of all sessions eclipsing one hour.

Interestingly, online casino GGY fell 4 percent to £153 million while online poker declined 7 percent to £18 million, and virtual betting experienced a 3 percent dip to £12 million. Esports betting, however, was level at £2m.

Taking a look at other gaming verticals, the Gambling Commission reports that land-based activity and total GGY for this area improved 6 percent to nearly £585 million in Q4 2022 to 2023, when compared to the same period last year, while total bets and spins numbers rose 2 percent to 3.3 billion.

Also growing in popularity, self-service betting terminals GGY improved 28 percent to £125 million while the number of bets placed on terminals increased 28 percent to 37 million. On the other hand, over-the-counter saw a 5 percent dip to £167m, with the number of bets declining 4 percent to 138 million.

The Gibraltar-based renowned sports betting and online casino operator, BetVictor, has rebranded its corporate identity as BV Group, according to a source. The company has reportedly adjusted its logo and website to the BV Group brand name and continues the operations with the refreshed image.

Rebranding  As a Natural Step Up:

The same source reports that BV Group considered rebranding the natural merge of multiple company’s verticals, such as gaming operators and B2B technology solution providers, under the joint governance which will represent the acknowledgement of the BetVictor’s past achievements and set the grounds for the further growth of the group.

Such achievements are hard to measure as the company started its sports betting operations more than 75 years ago to remain an inevitable part of the industry in the jurisdiction to date. The rebranding has come as a natural adjustment to the growing market requirements and a way to refresh the company’s image and expand the customer base.

Building New Legacy:

BVGroup will keep providing the proven end-to-end technology solutions to operators and developers and remain focused on long-term partnership, which is the legacy inherited from the original company’s strategy, as the source reports.

Andreas Meinrad, CEO of BVGroup, reportedly stated: “During our 75+ years in business, we have established ourselves as one of the most reputable gambling companies in the world. Our new identity, BVGroup, helps us define ourselves more effectively, highlighting how far the company has come from its bookmaker beginnings. On LinkedIn, the UK-founded group lauded the new corporate identity ‘an exciting development in the progress of the company.”

Continued Innovations and Expansions:

BVGroup will also continue to develop technology in its studio for collaboration with a wide array of the the company’s B2B partners, such as Parimatch, Heart Bingo, BildBet, and talk SPORT BET. The group has reportedly entered an official sports betting partnership with the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) for the 2023 season to top up the recent developments with an expanded presence in Canada.

Meinrad reportedly added: “While we remain intensely proud of our heritage, our focus is always on the future and how we can continue to innovate and grow to best serve our customers and partners. BVGroup is an exciting development in the progress of the company.”

Breaking Ground:

Such an development surely represents a milestone in the company’s operations and the latest Canadian expansion is the first chance to present the new brand name to a wider audience. The partners to the CEBL deal reportedly agree that BVGroup will provide ”a groundbreaking experience” to Canadian players. It means that the deal may break ground for the rapid BVGroup brand development.

Taking the late legalization of specific betting sectors, we will elaborate on the lawful and illegal activities related to placing bets on sports and games of chance. We will also explain which online operators are approved, plus the age-appropriate casino element of the gambling laws in Nebraska.

History of the Nebraska Laws on Gambling

Despite the positive gambling scene in the past, Nebraska has long been considered an anti-gambling state. Since 1934, state officials began to outlaw gambling. It is no secret that the Nebraska laws on gambling have always been challenging.

In addition to the standard procedures, any regulation changes require a state-wide referendum. The first legalized betting activity through a constitutional element was horse racing. Before that, all forms of gambling were illegal.

The gambling laws in Nebraska have not evolved much since then, as you can see in the list below, underlining the main events leading to the gambling laws situation nowadays:

The latest events regarding the legal status of sports betting are a positive sign for the future gambling industry in NE. Still, expanding the scope of legalization has a more conservative stance. Transforming any of the Nebraska gambling laws is the most significant hurdle to completely legalizing gambling.

Legal Status of the Gambling Activities in NE

The positive approach of the Nebraska laws on gambling unlocked many doors, but some gaming options are still considered illegal on the state’s territory. The legal racetracks offering sports betting are now allowed to organize casino games.

There are also dedicated land-based Native American casinos allowed to organize Class II games based on the Nebraska Indian gambling laws. Here is an overview of the games’ legal status:

Keep in mind that only land-based venues are legal based on the gambling laws in Nebraska. With the small number of land-based casinos, the choice is limited, but with a decent variety.

When it comes to online gambling in NE, you will have to choose among offshore platforms. Local online casinos and mobile betting apps are not stated as legal in the Nebraska gambling laws.

Nebraska Indian Gambling Laws on Land-Based Casinos

Considering the Nebraska gambling laws, it is no wonder there are just five land-based venues. Moreover, all of them are Indian casinos. No commercial casinos are permitted, but you can find bingo rooms outside native territories. Below are the different venues operating under the Nebraska Indian gambling laws.

Based on the Nebraska Indian gambling laws and state regulations, opening casinos outside of reservations is currently illegal. Even so, the mentioned tribal gambling venues are not enough for the locals to enjoy, so many Cornhuskers look for gambling diversity in some bordering states.

The main destinations are Iowa and South Dakota, with their larger number of land-based casinos and gaming opportunities. Still, they are far from offering the huge diversity of games that can be seen at the best online gambling sites in the US.

Online Gambling Laws in NE

With the latest changes in the Nebraska laws on gambling, there is little scope for online casinos to be legalized in the near future. The events in 2021 led to the legalization of casino games and sports betting in pari-mutuel racetracks.

Still, the constitutional amendment did not legalize online sportsbooks or mobile betting apps. Such changes to the gambling laws in Nebraska would require another referendum and constitutional amendment, slowing the process down. 

Yet, the laws need a more explicit definition of offshore casino sites’ status. As online gambling is not legal in-state, NE residents can’t really try their luck at the best USA online casinos and the top online casino apps.

Nebraska Sports Betting Laws

Unlike the gray area in the Nebraska gambling laws regarding online casinos, local lawmakers decided to remain on the sidelines when the Supreme Court prohibited online sports betting with a federal ban.

There is currently no push for legalizing this form of gambling in the Cornhusker State. Using offshore sportsbooks is illegal by the Nebraska sports betting laws and constitutes a Class II or IV misdemeanor.

Betting on horse races and your favorite sports teams has been possible only at the local racetracks since 2021. However, the illegal status of online sports betting takes away a lot of appeal from the sports betting scene in Nebraska.

Moreover, popular online betting platforms like TwinSpires and TVG lack licenses for NE. That is why they cannot offer their services within its state lines. On the other hand, Daily Fantasy is something that can fill some of the gap.

Legal Gambling Age in Nebraska

The midwestern state implies different restrictions based on the games you want to try. That is why the legal gambling age in Nebraska varies, starting with bingo and horse racing. 

For the abovementioned options, you must be 18. Nebraska laws on gambling declare that the state lottery requires 19 years old players, and the tribal casinos allow only 21 or older gamblers on premises. 

FAQ on Nebraska Gambling Laws

At the end of our article on the gambling laws in Nebraska, we have prepared a brief but informative section. It contains the most frequent and related inquiries on the topic. 

It underlines the legal and illegal gambling activities in NE and who can participate. Review our instructive FAQ section below and be prepared for your gambling journey in the Cornhusker State.

During a meeting Monday night, June 12, the Richmond City Council voted 8 to 1 in favor of the bill that would put ONE Casino+Resort back on the November ballot, which will likely move to a second referendum vote for voters to think again about allowing the proposed $562.5 million ONE Casino + Resort to be built in Richmond. In addition, the Council also chose RVA Entertainment Holdings LLC, a joint venture between Urban One Inc. and Churchill Downs Inc., for the casino operator.

Community host agreement and community support agreement:

Members of the Council also voted to sign a community host agreement between the city and RVA Entertainment Holdings, and a community support agreement between the city, developer RVA Entertainment Holdings and Richmond VA Management LLC (the entity that would operate the casino).

In addition, this second agreement would make an agreed-upon $25.5 million payment to the city from the developer if the referendum passes this year, and a $1 million bonus payment from the developer after the resort casino financing closes.

Rejection of proposed ONE Casino+Resort in 2021:

Following the 2019 General Assembly vote to permit casinos in five economically distressed cities across the state, voters in Bristol, Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth validated casinos in their localities in 2020 referendums, further leading to casinos operating in Bristol, Danville and Portsmouth, with another in development in Norfolk. But, as for Richmond, its voters rejected the proposed ONE Casino + Resort in November 2021 by a margin of 1,200 votes.

Events that led to a retry:

A second referendum on the wording of the state’s casino legalization bill did not take place after the first failed, allowing Petersburg to try their proposed casino. However, Petersburg officials, involving state Sen. Joe Morrissey, aimed to bring Cordish Cos.’ proposed casino to their city and tried unsuccessfully to pass legislation that would have allowed them to have a casino referendum instead of Richmond. The failure of this bill paved the way for Richmond voters to vote on the ONE Casino+Resort again this fall.

The vast majority of information about the proposed casino is the same as it was two years ago, except that Churchill Downs is now included after purchasing Peninsula Pacific Entertainment LLC (P2E) for $2.75 billion last fall. Additionally, P2E was included in a 2021 proposal for ONE Casino + Resort with Silver Spring, Maryland-based Urban One, a media company that manages 55 radio stations and cable network TV One.

Layout of the proposed casino:

“The proposed ONE Casino + Resort would offer a 250-room hotel and radio, TV and film production studios and sound stages. Furthermore, it would be constructed on a 97-acre site on the city’s south side on property owned by Altria Group Inc. near Interstate 95, just as proposed in the 2021 referendum,” according to Richmond Economic Development Director Leonard Sledge. As for employment opportunities, the city expects the casino to directly create 1,300 jobs, which would collect $30 million in projected local tax income year-on-year, according to Sledge. During his presentation at last week’s Richmond City Council Organizational Development Standing Committee, Sledge said that “the temporary Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol brought in $7.9 million in tax revenue since it opened in July 2022, and the Rivers Casino in Portsmouth, has yielded $4.7 million in tax revenue since its January opening.”

Supporters and opponents of the proposed casino:

Urban One Inc. CEO Alfred Liggins III and Joseph Quinn, Churchill Downs’ chief counsel, tried at a June 5 committee meeting to convince city councilors to give the project another chance, a formality since six of the nine council members serve as ordinance sponsors, together with Mayor Levar Stoney. However, the board’s organizing committee formally voted on June 5 to propose approval of the three pieces of bill, but one council member, Katherine Jordan, who also opposed the casino in 2021, voted against it both at last week’s board meeting and in the full council meeting on Monday.

Additionally, few supporters of the second referendum, mostly local union members who are pushing for more jobs, spoke throughout the public hearing segment of the board meeting, with only one opponent speaking up emphasizing that “the city’s voters had already made their feelings known in the first vote in 2021.” In this regard, City Councilor Reva Trammell, a staunch casino booster, said: “It’s a referendum. Yes, we have the right to have another one.”

After Monday’s vote, the Council will next petition Richmond Circuit Court to put referendum on the November ballot.