Though the dust is far from settled in the legal battle over sports betting, on Monday, May 14th the Supreme Court reached a highly anticipated decision regarding the future of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), and by extension, the country’s casino and gaming landscape. PASPA, which was enacted to prevent states from creating and enforcing their own regulations on sports betting, was ruled unconstitutional by the court as part of their ruling on Murphy v. NCAA, a case which originated as part of New Jersey’s mission to revitalize their flagging gaming scene. Industry experts estimate that over $400 billion is wagered on sports each year, with 95% of that done illegally and most often online. If New Jersey were able to introduce live physical sports books that sequestered even a small percentage of that illegal online market the state could reap enormous benefits. Despite the ease of gambling online, having a physical location for bettors to enjoy is still very much a lucrative proposition, as evidenced by the more than $4.8 billion that was wagered at Nevada sports books in 2017. Nevada has been the only state sanctioned to offer comprehensive legal sports betting for more than a quarter century, but following this court decision they won’t be for long. With PASPA struck down, states will now be free to follow Nevada’s lead and introduce state legislation to legalize and regulate sports gambling within their own borders. One research firm predicts that 32 states will introduce sports betting within the next five years. While the forms in which sports betting manifests will vary state by state, it seems obvious that casinos and resorts will launch sports books of their own to complement their existing gaming operations. And like casinos and resorts, these sports books will need sports betting digital signage.

Sports Books Need Large-Format Digital Signage to Separate Themselves

Why are LED display manufacturers poised to cash in on the explosion of sports betting? Because each sports book will need to outfit their space with display tech to entertain and engage with the bettors they hope to attract. As borne out by countless gaming establishments across the country, sports betting digital signage play a critical role in the operation of casinos and sports books. There are a variety of reasons for this. One is that these spaces like to cultivate an atmosphere of luxury and glamour, of bright lights and dazzling imagery. LED displays are ideal for that purpose, as their digital dynamism wows audiences viewing from any distance or angle. The impressive technological abilities of LED displays align nicely with the aesthetic objectives of most casinos and sports books. Guests want to be blown away; LED displays will do that.

Beyond the coherent stylistic fit, LED displays provide necessary utility for casinos, and more specifically, for sports books. There are reasons why customers will opt for a sports book rather than a bar. Fans go to a sports bar to watch a game. They go to a sports book to invest in a game. A sports book therefore needs to deliver something beyond the gambling experience to separate itself, and the best way to do that is to make fans feel as though they are truly at the game. An example of a sports book that has done a great job in this regard is Red Rocks Resort Sports Book, which installed three NanoLumens displays in 2015, with each display measuring 31.5 feet by 17 feet. The massive display features are ideal for showcasing multiple sporting events at once, while also monitoring the status of various popular bets and providing a ticker for game scores across other sports. The displays are so large that sports fans are immersed in the action immediately upon entering the room. Red Rocks also uses their sports book displays to advertise events, shows, and specials in other areas of their resort. The typical sports book crowd is a bit different than what you might find elsewhere in a resort or casino, and by appealing to these new audiences a resort can double-dip on customers it hadn’t before attracted.

Resorts and casinos have long understood the invaluable role LED display tech plays in their operation, and many of the new sports books that open will do so as additions to these established resorts, casinos, or racetracks. To secure display projects for these future sports book enterprises then, display manufacturers will have to lean on their previous relationships with casinos. This is where the importance of having a partner channel shines through. NanoLumens maintains a healthy and productive channel, which ought to serve us well when many of our partners in the casinos and gaming vertical expand following the passage of imminent legislation. Our display solutions are ideal for use in the casino space, so if you’re going to bet on LED, you’d be smart to bet on NanoLumens. To learn more about how NanoLumens displays have transformed existing casinos and sports books like Red Rock, check out our work in that vertical here.