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The Current is a weekly report on a new development in the gambling industry.
As a resident of the Pacific Northwest, I am contractually obligated to root for the Seahawks in the Super Bowl.
Legal US sportsbooks are set to generate a record for handle on the Super Bowl, per a new estimate from the Sports Betting Alliance and Legal Sports Report.
The analysis forecasts $1.7 billion in handle at state-regulated sportsbooks on Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. The estimate aggregates handle across states and sportsbooks, including SBA members FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics, BetMGM, and bet365.
LSR estimated $1.5 billion was wagered on the Big Game in 2025. This year’s forecast includes Missouri, which just launched legal sports betting in December.
More context from the SBA and LSR via a press release:
“This forecast underscores why legal markets matter: when bettors have access to regulated sportsbooks, they choose platforms that protect their data and provide consumer safeguards. When they don’t, they’re forced to seek out illegal offshore operators that offer none of those protections and contribute nothing to communities,” said Joe Maloney, President of the Sports Betting Alliance. “Legal online sports betting generates billions of dollars in revenue for states and local communities, helping them fund essential public services and programs, in areas like education and health care. Expanding and modernizing legal sports betting isn’t just smart policy – it’s essential to protecting consumers and ensuring communities benefit.”
“This year’s big game will continue the streak of record Super Bowl handle for the regulated US market,” said LSR analyst Eric Ramsey. “Missouri’s recent launch pads an already favorable outlook for a weekend that serves as the single biggest opportunity of the year for legal sportsbooks and bettors alike. The Sports Betting Alliance is a natural partner for this forecasting project, given the key role its members play in the sustained growth of legal Super Bowl betting.”
It’s interesting to note that sportsbooks are still expected to grow despite the rapid rise of prediction markets. Hundreds of millions of dollars are also expected to be wagered on the Super Bowl on Kalshi, which operates in all 50 states, and other prediction markets.
FanDuel has launched its rebranded Responsible Gaming platform: “Play with a Plan.” This approach is guided by behavioral research and is designed to promote existing responsible gaming tools in a manner that encourages introspective decision-making and proactive gaming management rather than restrictive messaging.
The goal of “Play with a Plan” is to help empower customers to evaluate their gaming habits proactively, providing actionable guidance and reinforcing FanDuel’s focus on making Responsible Gaming more intuitive and inviting for customers. As part of this effort, FanDuel has released a new Responsible Gaming spot:
Jefferies Analysts: Sports Betting Handle Drops, But Don’t Blame Prediction Markets (InGame): “Jefferies analysts noted in a Field Position update Monday that although United States sports betting handle dropped in December for one of the few times ever, the incursion of prediction markets bearing on sports event contracts was likely not the cause. And the underlying overall metrics, the report suggests, aren’t as dire as they seem for the legal sports betting industry, wrote James Wheatcroft, David Katz, and Matthew Copeland.”
Utah legislator wants to clarify that prop betting is indeed gambling (SBC Americas): “Utah’s state constitution already bans gambling, but that doesn’t mean that legislators aren’t concerned about prop betting. Rep. Joseph Elison filed legislation last week to explicitly classify proposition wagers as illegal gambling. House Bill 243, which was referred to the House Rules Committee and Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee last week, would amend the state constitution’s language on gambling to specifically add that category of sports wager.”
Circa adds to partnerships in Missouri with Kansas City Royals deal (SBC Americas): “Circa Sports is continuing to expand its reach in Missouri with a new partnership. On Monday, the Las Vegas-based gaming company announced a deal with the Kansas City Royals, becoming an official sports betting partner of the MLB franchise. As part of the pact, Circa will have a marketing presence at Kauffman Stadium, the home ballpark of the Royals since 1973. …”
“Since launching Circa Sports in Missouri last December, we’ve grown to appreciate the local sports community—and the Kansas City Royals are at the heart of it,” said Circa CEO Derek Stevens. “This partnership is about creating premium experiences around the game—from the ballpark to the sportsbook—and giving Royals fans access, energy and a level of engagement that feels authentic to how they follow baseball.”
Ifrah Law has been at the center of advancing iGaming in the U.S., shaping groundbreaking legislation, leading precedent-setting cases, and guiding clients that span the iGaming ecosystem through every phase of their business journey. Learn more at IfrahLaw.com.
Meet the Pittsburgh man accused of being the ringleader of a basketball point-shaving scheme (CBS News Pittsburgh): “A former Pittsburgher is accused of being the ringleader of a massive point-shaving scheme that has turned college basketball upside down. But before that, Shane Hennen was a pool-hustler, a petty gambling fixer and suspected drug dealer in the Steel City. KDKA’s Andy Sheehan traced the past of a man now known as “Sugar” and how his troubled life in Pittsburgh pointed to his future downfall.
Ex-EMU hoops player Carlos Hart will surrender this week in fed gambling probe (Detroit News, paywall): “Carlos Hart no longer is with the Eastern Michigan men’s basketball program after being indicted earlier this month as a target of a wide-ranging federal probe into point-shaving, the school has confirmed. Hart, 25, a senior guard who was second on the Eagles in points per game this season, is scheduled to travel to Pennsylvania later this week to be arraigned, his attorney told The Detroit News on Monday night.”
AGA Evolution Continues As OpenBet, Sportradar Drop Memberships (InGame): “Annual renewal for the AGA comes up in early January, and an InGame comparison on member operators and suppliers this week revealed that two key suppliers — OpenBet and Sportradar — are no longer members. OpenBet, which supplies back-end services including risk management and geolocation to major operators, counts Fanatics, FanDuel, and FanDuel parent company Flutter among its partners. Sportradar, the official data supplier for MLB, the NBA, NHL, PGA, and many other major professional sports leagues, counts DraftKings and FanDuel among its partners. Neither company shared the reason for non-renewal with InGame.”
Bill to prohibit smoking in Iowa casinos fails to advance in Senate (Iowa Capital Dispatch): “Senators in a subcommittee Monday rejected a bill that would have enforced clean air act protections on casino floors. Sen. Tony Bisignano, D-Des Moines, did not vote in favor of the bill, but made a ‘promise’ that a reversal of the exemption would happen ‘relatively soon.’”
Senate File 2051 would have eliminated an exemption in the Iowa Smokefree Air Act that allows smoking in gambling structures, excursion gambling boats, and racetracks.
The Closing Line has launched The Handle, which provides granular, rolling data about the sports betting industry, along with monthly in-depth looks at online casinos and prediction markets.
To access The Handle content, you must have a free trial (just reply to this email and ask!) or become a paid subscriber of The Handle ($2,000 annually).
Here is everything I’ve published so far on the December numbers:
The Handle: Michigan Sports Betting Revenue Nears All-Time High In December
The Handle: Massachusetts Sports Betting Wagers Rose 8% To $845M In December
The Handle: Pennsylvania Sports Betting Dips Double Digits To $798M Handle In December
The Handle: New Jersey Sports Betting Volume Slips To $1.06B In December
The Handle: Maryland Sports Betting Finishes Strong 2025 With $80M In Revenue For December
The Handle: NY Sports Betting Hits $26B Wagers, $2.5B Revenue In 2025
Indiana Handle Dips To $544M In December, But $66M Revenue Nears Record