Twenty-seven rounds have passed in the 2022-23 Premier League and Arsenal are still sitting top of the table. What’s got to worry the Gunners is that the reigning champions are breathing by their necks with only five points fewer.

What this means is that if they want to win their first EPL title since 2004, they need to keep on winning. The game with Crystal Palace seems like a great opportunity for Mikel Arteta’s men to record another win. Are we going to see them do it?

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Odds

*Odds taken from bet365 on Friday, March 17, 2023.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Emirates Stadium in London, England
• Date: Sunday, March 19, 2023
• Time: 10 PM ET
• How to Watch: Telemundo

Arsenal Taking Things Super Seriously

The Gunners are sitting at the top of the table, showing no signs that they’re gonna drop out of there anytime soon. Their form in the English top flight has been nothing short of phenomenal with five wins in a row.

They did lose on the continent, though. Last Thursday, they suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Portuguese side, Sporting CP. As a result, their European journey has finished for this season. However, this isn’t a disaster necessarily. It allows the Gunners to focus entirely on the Premier League. That said, you can be certain that they’re gonna go all-in on Sunday against their rivals from South London.

Crystal Place Hoping to End Their Horrible Run

The Eagles are without a single win in 2023 in all competitions. Plus, they lost each of their last three games. As a result, they’re out of the FA Cup, while in the Premier League, they’ve dropped dangerously close to the relegation zone.

Right now, they’re in the No. 12 place in the EPL standings, which may not seem too bad at first glance. However, they got only three points more than the closest team stuck in the relegation zone.

The main reason behind their abysmal run is that their offense has been very anemic. These guys haven’t scored a single goal in their last four. Plus, the last time we saw Crystal Palace put away more than one goal was on New Year’s Eve.

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Prediction

This is a must-win game for the Gunners in their effort to win their first Premier League title in 19 years. Everything is going in their favor ahead of the Crystal Palace game, so anything but a big win on Sunday would be a huge upset.

Picks: Arsenal to win & over 2.5 goals

Legislators in the state of Iowa have introduced a new bill that seeks to regulate online casinos. Right now, online sports betting is legal but online casinos are yet to foray into the Hawkeye State.

This will cement Iowa as the seventh state that allows iGaming in the United States. While online sports betting continues to be proliferated, iGaming remains restricted to a handful of states. The markets where online casinos are legal currently include Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Right now, Iowa’s land-based industry supports 17,420 jobs and has an estimated commercial impact of $2.8 billion. Online casino gaming is expected to bolster these numbers.

Operators Will Be Able to Launch 1-3 Brands in the State

The measure, nicknamed House Study Bill 227, would allow gambling companies to launch their products in the state through agreements with local entities. Companies that wish to offer their products in Iowa must pay $45,000 for a license. Once licensed, gambling firms also have to pay an annual renewal fee of $10,000 to keep offering advance deposit gambling games in the state.

If passed, the bill will allow operators to launch one or two of their brands in Iowa. Under certain circumstances, the Iowa Gaming Commission may authorize companies to launch a third brand, the bill reads.

Iowa Will Prioritize Player Safety

As defined by the bill, “advanced deposit gambling games” are a type of wagering on games where the player may deposit money into an account and leverage that account balance to participate in games of chance. These games, the House Study Bill 227 clarifies, are online games played by electronic means, such as tablets, smartphones and computers.

The bill would allow an eligible individual, defined as an individual 21 years of age or older who is located within this state, to placed an advanced deposit gambling games wager from any location within this state by telephone, a computer, through the internet, or by other electronic means.

House Study Bill 227 excerpt

In addition, the bill starts by pointing out that a process by which a person can exclude themselves from gambling will be established. Iowa’s self-exclusion scheme would see participants cut themselves off from gambling for five years. Subsequent self-exclusion requests following the expiry of the initial period would see players excluded for five more years.

In addition, the bill, if passed, would require licensees to provide their customers with the problem gambling information needed to make informed decisions. Furthermore, companies should have built-in tools that help players moderate their spending and playtime.

DraftKings’ substantial investments into the NFT space have drawn their share of controversy as prices plummet and user interest wanes. The operator also faces a class action lawsuit for allegedly marketing its NFTs as securities without proper registration. DraftKings continues to press on with NFT-based promotions and partnerships and will likely continue to do so as long as its marketplace remains active.

The Plaintiff Mistakenly Believed Profits Were Guaranteed

The leading US operator entered the NFT space in 2021, hoping to capitalize on the latest trend and bolster player engagement. DraftKings has since steadily developed its ecosystem, partnering with various leagues and expanding its offerings. However, the sharp drop in interest and plummeting NFT prices have dampened the operator’s ambitions in the sector and even led to potential legal issues.

A new class action lawsuit alleges that DraftKings sold its NFTs as unregistered securities, misguiding buyers about their investments’ long-term value. Illinois resident Justin Dufoe claims to have lost over $14,000 as his purchased NFTs drastically declined in value. The plaintiff allegedly expected surefire profits when trading his NFTs due to their marketing as securities.

Defendants had actual knowledge of facts indicating that the NFTs they promoted and sold were ‘securities’ under federal and state securities laws and… failed to register their NFTs as securities.

Justin Dufoe v. DraftKings, Inc.

Dufoe argued that the value of his purchases depended on DraftKings’ management efforts at the moment of the purchase and regarding their closed secondary market. The proposed lawsuit includes all investors who purchased DraftKings NFTs after 11 August 2021. Regardless of the court’s final verdict, such cases erode trust in NFTs, threatening to depreciate their value even more.

DraftKings’ NFT Marketplace Is Here to Stay

FTX’s dramatic implosion did not leave NFTs unscathed, sending their price nosediving. The waning hype regarding the technology and several high-profile scandals where hackers stole celebrity-owned NFTs did not improve the situation. Despite such negative pressures, the market appears to have reached an equilibrium, with the number of transactions steadily rising in the first months of 2023.

NFTs’ status as novelty items and a platform for speculation mean that the average user is unlikely to make any real profits. However, their accessibility helps onboard new crypto users and keep them engaged for as long as possible. The real winners are companies like DraftKings with established secondary markets, reaping the benefits of resale fees and commissions.

According to KX News, an amendment created by Sen. Larry Luick to remove universities, colleges, and high schools from House Concurrent Resolution 3002 failed by one vote of 24 to 23 earlier this week.

This means that the text of the resolution as it was originally presented will be subject to voting by the Senate. The purpose of the resolution is to place a constitutional measure that would give the green light to professional sports betting in North Dakota on the ballot in November 2024.

Changes in the Text of the Resolution

The amendment created by the Senate Judiciary on Wednesday would have changed the wording used by the legislative assembly from “shall” in regard to the authorization of sports betting to “may.”

The same amendment would have also added the phrase “to be conducted on professional sports” to the text. This would have helped guarantee that sports betting would not be allowed on the grounds of educational institutions.

Sen. Larry Luick, R-Dis. 25, Fairmount spoke about the “serious problems with mental health issues” recorded among athletes in universities, colleges, and high schools. He put the emphasis on matters like anxiety, depression, and mental exhaustion, describing them as “increasing intensively.”

The Senator also spoke about the way in which allowing gambling in schools would be a sure path to generating financial issues for students living on campuses where sports betting would be allowed.

Gambling on Certain Players Would Influence Players

Sen. Luick also took the opportunity to address the matter of players that might be influenced by social media to perform in a certain way on the field, depending on the bets placed on them.

Referencing prop bets which are side bets on sporting events that might negatively influence athletes in North Dakota, Sen. Luick gave the example of people harassing athletes and their families to generate a certain result for an upcoming match.

Sen. Scott Meyer, R-Dis. 18, Grand Forks spoke about the lack of a clear reference regarding high school or collegiate athletics in Resolution 3002, explaining how important it is to keep the constitution clean.

House Concurrent Resolution 3002 was sent for hearing to the House Judiciary Committee by Greg Stemen at the start of the year. In North Dakota, the Senate represents the upper house of the Legislative Assembly and it is smaller than the House of Representatives.

Ultimately, residents in North Dakota will have the final say on whether to allow sports betting outside of tribal casinos to become legal in their state or deny it.

Gambling software developer Playtech announced an extension of its exclusive partnership with Betfred. The two companies will continue their collaboration, which will see the former company supply the operator with more sports betting machines.

As agreed, more Playtech Self Service Betting Terminals will be installed in Betfred shops, helping Betfred keep up with the rising demand for sports betting. Over the past two years, the number of such machines employed by Betfred has swelled by a stellar 50%.

In addition, the expanded deal will make horse and dog racing markets available to Betfred customers for the first time. In addition to that, a variety of recent exciting features and products will be added to Betfred’s arsenal. These include Playtech’s new and improved Betbuilder, dynamic content display and premium content.

Playtech has cemented its reputation as a top provider of retail sports betting terminals. The company is famous for the quality of its products and its exclusive features. Betfred, on the other hand, is a top sports betting operator that will greatly benefit from the deal and expanded lineup of Playtech machines.

Playtech Is Happy about the Opportunity to Reach More Players

The expanded agreement was addressed by representatives of the two companies.

Betfred’s group chief operating officer, Mark Stebbings, said that the agreement highlights the importance of the relationship between the two companies. He lauded Playtech as a market leader in retail betting machines and said that Betfred’s deal with the supplier will only continue to grow in importance.

The importance of Betting terminals to our retail offer continues to increase, becoming an increasingly essential gaming component for our customers and, therefore, a crucial part of the future of our company.

Mark Stebbings. COO, Betfred

Shimon Akad, Playtech’s chief operating officer, also commented on the agreement. He said that Betfred is a major gambling business that continues to grow in strength and popularity. Akad is happy about the opportunity to supply Betfred with more machines, helping it meet the demands of its players.

Expanding the capacity of the Betfred offering through both more terminals and an ever-increasing range of betting events and exciting features has been a key pillar of our work together as we continue to develop new technologies aimed at digitizing the retail space and adapting to the changing Retail customer demands.

Shimon Akad, CEO, Playtech

Akad added that there is still room to improve and further develop this partnership. He concluded that the Playtech team continues to look for opportunities to proliferate the company’s products and machines.

A few days ago, Betfred secured an esports-oriented deal with PandaScore.

DAZN Group, a global sports entertainment company, unveiled the launch of DAZN 1 HD in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The programming will be available on channel 429 on Sky, DAZN announced. The launch comes just in time for the highly-anticipated return of Anthony Joshua.

Prior to the legend’s return, DAZN 1 HD will shower fans with exciting content, allowing them to catch up with the latest developments in UK boxing. The channel’s 24/7 schedule includes many fan-favorite matches and will engage fans with some of the best moments in boxing. UK fans will also get to enjoy content from a rich variety of MMA and other combat sports leagues.

The programming will also include DAZN’s “trailblazing tie-up” with KSI’s Misfits Boxing – the X Series. The boxing crossover features some of the most influential names in entertainment, sport and lifestyle headlining major fight nights.

In addition to combat sports, DAZN 1 HD will provide customers with broadcasts from women’s soccer leagues. Furthermore, DAZN’s audience will be able to enjoy many emerging sports, including Streetleague Skateboarding, esports and extreme sports.

Meanwhile, the DAZN app will continue to provide fans with on-demand content and exclusive DAZN Bet offers.

DAZN Wants to Make Sports Accessible and Engaging

Shay Segev, DAZN Group’s chief executive officer, commented on the launch of DAZN 1 HD. He said that distributing DAZN is very important to his team, which is committed to delivering content to more and more fans.

We have ambitious, long-term and strategic plans for the UK market. The more people get to know Dazn and what we offer, not just in terms of rights but the full range of digital, interactive and sports entertainment we are developing, the better.

Shay Segev, CEO, DAZN Group

Segev added that the launch will optimize the company’s exposure before Joshua’s return and will make the upcoming bout as accessible as possible.

Joshua, who is a shareholder, special advisor and brand ambassador for DAZN, also commented on the agreement. He praised DAZN for its hard work to usher in a new age of sports broadcasting. He noted that the launch of DAZN 1 HD will make it easier for fans to see his new match.

It’s a huge element of why I wanted to commit my long-term future to the platform. The launch of DAZN 1 HD on channel 429 will make it even easier for fans to access my return to the ring on Saturday 1 April against Jermaine Franklin. Make sure you tune in for a spectacular night of boxing.

Anthony Joshua, professional boxer and ambassador for DAZN

Sports fans can now sign up and subscribe to DAZN HD 1. The programming begins on March 23, allowing fans to warm up before Joshua’s game.

Germany’s new gambling regulator, the Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder or GGL, issued a new report Thursday, explaining that licensed sports betting operators had a market share of more than 95% in 2022. This left a niche for black market operators of less than 5%, judging by analysis based on tax data released by the GGL.

Besides the overwhelming share of the licensed market, the watchdog reaffirmed its commitment to continue the fight against illegal gambling. According to Benjamin Schwanke, a Board member of the GGL, a primary focus for the regulator is the protection of customers and continuing the fight against illegal operators. Additionally, he said that the regulator could not “find any crowding out of legal offers by illegal offers.”

“According to our market analysis, the channeling rate is well over 95 percent, which means that apart from less than five percent, the betting stakes are placed with the permitted sports betting providers according to the tax data of the Federal Ministry of Finance.“

Ronald Benter, CEO of the GGL

The announcement by the gambling watchdog comes after a report released recently by the DSWV, a German sports betting association, claimed that the strict regulations have resulted in a decrease in the legal sports betting market in the country last year. The GGL explained that the DSWV backed its statement by claiming that there was “an increase in the illegal sports betting market.” However, the regulator said that its data disagrees with the claims made by the sports betting association.

“Analysis of the tax data for 2022 shows that well over 95% of sports betting sales come from permitted providers,“

reads a statement released by the GGL

The Watchdog Remains Vigilant

The regulator acknowledged that a 5% dip in the sports betting market was observed in 2022 when compared to 2021. This was, according to the Authority, an impact of the pandemic and the postponement of the European championship from 2020 to 2021. Still, the GGL said that the market position of 2022 matched the levels recorded pre-pandemic in 2019.

Details regarding the analysis of the legal sports betting market in 2022 come after the GGL issued its first fine for a gambling ad regulations breach. Earlier this week, the regulator confirmed it has implemented a five-figure fine against one operator who wasn’t named.

At the time of the announcement, the GGL said that it uncovered a licensed operator that advertised its services via a website offering illegal gambling services. As a result, the GGL issued a fine but did not confirm what was the exact amount and rather said only that it was a five-digit penalty.

Low6, an award-winning B2B freeplay provider in North America, announced that it has had a record-breaking week thanks to the launch of multiple March Madness bracket games. The supplier has penned March Madness-oriented agreements with multiple operators and affiliates.

Low6 said that its whitelabel gamification portfolio has been customized to suit the needs of many sports betting operators, helping them to capitalize on one of the biggest annual events in North American basketball.

March Madness is the biggest college basketball tournament and attracts millions of sports fans every year. Bracket-based games, such as the ones provided by Low6, boost the engagement of players, helping them immerse themselves in the action.

As prediction games continue to grow in popularity, more and more iGaming operators seek to spice their portfolios up with such offerings. Low6’s take on brackets is effective and its games offer seamless integrations. In addition, the company provides a variety of turnkey solutions, customized logos, in-game advertising solutions and CRM communications.

Because of that, the provider’s bracket games are enjoyed by sports aficionados of all ages and genders.

Clutchbet Is One of Many Satisfied Customers

Low6 shared that one of its most influential sportsbook partners this year is Clutchbet. The latter company is happy to join forces with the provider, which was expressed by its marketing manager Gerard Laws who addressed the deal.

Laws explained that March Madness is a key event in the American sporting calendar and an important opportunity for customer acquisition. He is delighted to be able to enhance Clutchbet’s portfolio with Low6’s proven free-to-play Bracket games.

By adding private leagues to the Bracket, we expect even more players will participate as they challenge their friends to see who can go furthest in the tournament.

Gerard Laws, marketing manager, Clutchbet

Meanwhile, Jamie Mitchell, Low6’s chief executive officer, addressed the high interest in his company’s bracket names. He said that the Low6 team is delighted to equip so many sportsbooks with exciting new digital assets that help them drive engagement, player acquisition and retention.

Mitchell is glad that some of his company’s long-term partners once again sought its services.

I’m also proud to see many repeat clients working with us again as we strategize out a full sporting calendar where they can use the same whitelabel bracket and apply to a full mix of upcoming events.

Jamie Mitchell, CEO, Low6

Low6 will also offer brackets for the NBA and NHL Playoffs in April and is also looking forward to launching a golf bracket game for the Augusta Masters.

PLBY Group, Playboy’s parent company, has lost $4.9 million because of the sharp declines across the cryptocurrency space. The company had sold its Rabbitars NFTs for Ethereum, which has now lost much of its value.

Playboy launched its NFT line in 2021 and accepted Ethereum as a payment method for the tokens. However, the price of Ethereum coins plummeted, resulting in big losses for the media company.

As reported, Playboy’s digital assets, valued at $1.75 million at the end of September 2022, have now declined to $327,000. The so-called crypto winter has greatly impacted the company’s decentralized currency portfolio.

The worst part for Playboy is that it accounts for its digital assets as “indefinite-lived intangible assets.” These are subject to impairment losses that cannot be recovered even if the price of the crypto tokens rises again.

As noted by the company, Ethereum coins’ price fluctuated heavily in 2022. Turbulent periods saw the coins rise and decline, with their lowest price being $964. However, the carrying value of each token the group held at the end of the reporting period reflects the lowest price of one Ethereum since its receipt.

Therefore, negative swings in the market price of Ethereum could have a material impact on the company’s earnings and carrying value, while only time a rise in prices will impact the company’s earnings positively, is when the Ethereum held in the balance sheet, are sold at a gain.

Playboy statement

Playboy’s Passion for Blockchain Did Not Pay Off

Playboy’s Rabbitar NFTs were launched in October 2021 when cryptocurrencies were still one of the hottest topics. Back then, few could have predicted the current state of the crypto market and Playboy was interested in exploring new monetization opportunities.

The Rabbitar line actually was not Playboy’s first venture into the world of blockchain as it had launched the so-called Liquid Summer collection earlier that same year. The Liquid Summer line was created in collaboration with the artist Slimesunday and featured photographs of Lenna Sjööblom, a famous Playboy model.

Playboy was interested in the crypto space far before minting the Liquid Summer collection. This was attested by its decision to allow customers to subscribe to Playboy TV via Bitcoin in 2018. Playboy eventually allowed customers to use Bitcoin payments on Playboy.com as well.

Despite its genuine interest in the crypto space, Playboy now has to deal with significant losses.

Torch Electronics, a company offering video slot machines across Missouri, has gotten itself into trouble as one of its competitors will be taking it to court. TNT Amusements, a local firm operating gaming machines, claims that Torch’s offerings are illegal and undermine its business.

TNT said that its profits have plummeted since its competitor started to illegally offer its products at amusement locations. As a result of Torch Electronics allegedly harming TNT’s profits, the latter company will seek damages equal to three times the money it lost.

Torch Electronics’ machines are available in many convenience stores and truck stops across Missouri, making them very accessible to customers. As a result, TNT has been losing customers to Torch, which allows players to gamble without going to casinos.

Under Missouri law, companies can only offer gambling at designated gambling locations. In addition, operators are required to have a license before providing games to local customers.

As a result, the legality of Torch’s offerings is very questionable, considering it doesn’t even have a license. This is not the first time it has been sued either as in 2019, TNT once again took action against its competitor. Back then, the former company requested the shutdown of Torch’s slots in a truck shop in Cuba city. However, not much was achieved.

Torch Believes Its Offerings Are Legal

Torch, on the other hand, claims that its offerings are completely legal since they (allegedly) do not constitute gambling. While Torch’s games are money games for sure, one aspect makes them somewhat different from traditional gambling machines. This aspect, the company highlights, is that its machines outright tell the player whether their next go will be a win or not.

Torch’s machines exploit the state’s definition of gambling to avoid trouble with the law. This clever tactic has allowed the company to further distribute machines across the state, much to the dismay of its traditional competitors.

Despite this exploitation of the rules, the Missouri Gaming Commission and many counties across the state still consider the machines to be illegal. Yet, cracking down on these machines on a state level has proved to be difficult, which is why Governor Mike Parson said that local county prosecutors should decide how to proceed.

TNT’s lawsuit against Torch Electronics comes several days after a class action lawsuit was filed against the latter company in Missouri’s Western District Court. According to the prosecution, Torch is guilty of federal racketeering and state consumer protection law violations.