Weekend Report: First US approval for Beter, STS new sportsbook chief, woman wins $15 million judgment against casino
Beter lands first US approval in New Jersey
Sports betting odds, data and content provider Beter has secured its first approval in the US.
Vendor registration from the New Jersey Department of Gaming Enforcement enables Beter to work with licensed operators in the state. This includes delivering its real-time data and live streams.
The first approved product is its flagship Setka Cup table tennis tournaments. This is already live in New Jersey from Bet365.
Beter arranges over 11,000 Setka Cup matches per month, offering more than 30 betting markets per event. In total, it organises over 46,000 fast-betting events monthly across esports and sports disciplines.
“This is a milestone moment for the Beter team,” CEO Gal Ehrlich said. “We see tremendous potential for our fast-betting products and solutions in New Jersey and across the US.”
Gojic joins STS as chief sportsbook officer
In Europe, Entain-owned STS has named Ivan Gojic as its new chief sportsbook officer.
Confirmed on his LinkedIn page, Gojic is working in his new position in Zagreb in Croatia. He previously worked in sports-focused roles at Superbet and Ladbrokes Coral.
Gojic was most recently head of trading product at Superbet, where he worked for seven years. He also spent time in senior trading roles with the operator.
Prior to this, Gojic worked at Ladbrokes Coral for almost six years, in roles including senior sports trader and product manager.
ULIS scores integrity partnership with LFP
Elsewhere in Europe, the United Lotteries for Integrity in Sports (ULIS) has partnered with the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP).
ULIS, the integrity body for state lotteries, will work with the LFP to protect sports integrity in French football. This covers both the top-tier Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 competitions.
Initiatives will include information sharing to combat manipulation threats and carrying out pre-season integrity assessments of clubs and other stakeholders.
“This partnership reinforces the collective efforts of ULIS and the LFP to ensure that Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 remain synonymous with fair play and ethical excellence,” ULIS president Gilles Maillet said. “It represents an extra instrument to protect the integrity of French football.”
ToonieBet partners with NHL’s Senators
Canada’s Ottawa Senators NHL franchise has partnered with ToonieBet.
The deal sees ToonieBet become the team’s official online casino partner. ToonieBet launched in 2024 as part of Soft2Bet.
Elements of the agreement include in-arena and broadcast branding, signage placement and direct fan engagement.
“We are thrilled to welcome ToonieBet as an official partner,” Senators vice president of corporate partnerships Martin Ballard said. “Cooperating with a brand that shares our commitment to providing fans with an exceptional and trusted experience is incredibly exciting.”
Strip casino pays out $15 million in negligence lawsuit
And finally, a California woman has been awarded a $15 million (£11.4 million/€13.2 million) judgment in a negligence lawsuit against MGM Resorts International.
The case, which dates back to April 2023, relates to Las Vegas Strip casino The Cosmopolitan. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports Deborah Fenton slipped and fell “due to an unsafe and dangerous condition on the property, specifically water and glass”. This took place during a visit to the resort’s Chandelier Bar in September 2021.
Clark County District Court ruled in favour of Fenton and approved several payouts. First, she was awarded $261,751 for past medical expenses, then $976,614 for her future medical expenses.
A further $1.4 million was issued for “past physical pain, mental pain, suffering, anguish, disability and lost enjoyment of life”. Finally, Fenton was awarded $12.3 million for future pain and suffering.
The single-count negligence lawsuit did not specify the extent of her injuries.