The post NASCAR Caught Off Guard by Hard Rock Bet Using Race Data for Slot-Like Games appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.
Headline-grabbing launch
While online casinos weren’t part of the Florida government’s 30-year gaming compact signed with the Seminole Tribe of Florida in 2021, a loophole means that people in the state now have access to an online product that is very similar to slot machines.
Hard Rock Bet launched 21 games on October 29 that have similar mechanics to online slots. The Seminole-owned Hard Rock Bet launched 21 of these games on October 29:
The difference is that the results of these “Games Powered by Past Motor Races” don’t come from a random number generator. Instead, they utilize historical data from NASCAR races, which is similar to historical horse racing (HHR) machines that are available in land-based facilities in states such as Kentucky.
The only state with an online version of these games is Oregon, where the state regulator licenses the Luckii app.
The matter remains unclear
Hard Rock Bet believes it’s entitled to offer these products, as the 2021 gaming compact permits it to provide wagering on “any past or future sports or athletic event.”
NASCAR didn’t know anything about this launch
According to Gaming Today journalist Brant James, NASCAR didn’t know anything about this launch and declined to publicly comment on the matter:
The motor racing organization doesn’t have an official gambling partnership with the tribe, as Playtech supplies the data. Hard Rock Bet does sponsor a race as part of the NASCAR Xfinity Series that takes place at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Possible data issues
Hard Rock doesn’t think it needs a license to use the race results for the games in Florida, citing a legal case that designated this type of sports data as public domain. One concern cited by Brant James is the use of real drivers’ names and their numbers from the past two decades that appear in the gameplay.
iGaming is much more profitable than sports betting, although the current Florida compact doesn’t allow for the offering of games like online slots and table games. There is the possibility of renegotiating the arrangement if both sides come to the table, although an amended or totally new compact would be necessary.
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