Fezzik from LVASports.com responds.
Oh my yes!
In the past, the books have put out products that allow players to bet from home; however, it was always an arduous process. Typically, you were given a pager, the book would transmit a code receivable only in Nevada, you'd respond, then you could bet … with a $2,200 daily limit. Station had a closed-loop Intranet system, but it didn't get much attention, let alone action. Bottom line: Recent developments are going to blow this thing wide open in the next few years!
LeRoy's (Yes, Leroy's) was ahead of the curve, getting a sports-betting app approved -- and on all the major platforms -- before anyone else. Nipping hard at their heels is Cantor Gaming, which not only has a phone-app available now (Android only), but also a tablet, which is beyond convenient. The tablet is pretty much reserved for Cantor's bigger players, with several options for getting it (from being fully comped to paying a fee for use). The app is free, though, and the really big news is that it provides off-site access, finally, to the Cantor line. While line services have for years given bettors access to the current lines of sports books across Nevada, Cantor has been a famous hold-out, refusing to let its lines be disseminated. Now, with the app, the Cantor line, along with all the Cantor betting innovations, are available without having to be in a Cantor sports book.
Getting back to the question, I think this is going to be huge. Here are some of the reasons why.
1. The $2,200 betting limit has been eliminated. Players can bet as much as they have in their accounts.
2. Being able to make a bet on your phone while you're anywhere in Nevada is powerful for all concerned. Sunday golfers, for example, can go to the course secure in the knowledge that they can get down from the driving range.
3. Nevada's financial difficulties are such that regulators will to do everything possible to work with operators to create an environment that boosts wagering in sports as much as possible.
4. The offshore sports-betting industry is in shambles. Many offshores no longer take bets from U.S. customers, and the legality of betting at those shops has always been a dark shade of gray. Right now, most pros list PInnacle as the one book they consider 100% "safe and secure," but Pinnacle doesn't take bets from U.S. customers.
5. The meltdown of the online poker sites (Full Tilt, et al) has customers extremely wary of putting money into accounts in offshore lands.
6. Cantor Gaming taking huge wagers has made Nevada a must-play for serious bettors. But do players who bet five figures per game really want to do it in public? Being able to bet large sums in the privacy of your home is a monstrous development.
7. The NFL (TV) package, NBA package, etc. has made it so that many players now choose to stay home, rather than head out to a casino or bar, to watch their wagers play out. They no longer need to leave home to sweat, so betting from home simply seals the deal.
It wouldn't surprise me if by 2020, fully 50% of the handle in Las Vegas was bet away from the sports books via remote devices. Further, this is just the tip of the iceberg. One day (2034?), Internet betting will be legalized for U.S. residents. When that happens, volume will explode and the books that are prepared to pounce on the opportunity will be handsomely rewarded. The mobile-betting revolution is only the beginning.
