Adam Roarty is a journalist covering sports betting, regulation, and industry innovation for CasinoBeats. His coverage includes tax increases in the UK, covering breaking stories in the ever-evolving landscape of US betting such as the...
Read Full BioBetr has launched a series of real-money peer-to-peer games through Betr Arcade, offering “skill games” in 29 states.
The launch consists of four games: 21, Fruit Match, Crossout 21, and 5 Across. Jake Paul, co-founder of Betr, promoted the launch in a video on social media, where he can be seen playing 21.
The video was posted on X by fellow founder Joey Levy.
Betr Pushes Games of Skill Definition for Broader Appeal
The games will be launching in many states that have not officially legalized online casinos. Currently, only seven states have legalized iGaming, but many other states permit gambling through “games of skill.”
Betr Arcade claims that its games involve significant player decision-making and are therefore not purely based on chance. The addition of peer-to-peer games further strengthens the legality.
In 15 states, Betr only offers peer-to-peer games to comply with state laws. This includes California, Florida, and Texas. In California, there has been a clampdown on fantasy sports, with the state’s Attorney General Rob Bonta declaring against-the-house DFS illegal.
Last month, Bonta warned operators that enforcement action is coming. Betr has previously faced legal challenges in Florida, where it received a cease-and-desist letter, along with other DFS platforms. In response, the company moved towards its peer-to-peer version of fantasy games.
Betr Doubles Down in Battle With MIXI Australia
Betr is also still hopeful it can block MIXI in its bid to take control of PointsBet in Australia. The companies have been embroiled in a battle for months, with Betr challenging the shareholder vote that approved MIXI’s bid.
This week, MIXI submitted an improved offer to acquire 90% of shares at a rate of $1.31 per share. Betr had submitted an offer of $1.35, with some conditions, and has reiterated its opposition to MIXI’s bid this week.
Betr has extended the deadline for shareholders to accept its bid, and said it was rejecting MIXI’s bid as it believes its own offer “represents superior value to PointsBet Shareholders when compared to Mixi’s offer.”
Betr currently holds a 20% stake in PointsBet, while MIXI holds a 37.1% stake. The companies show no sign of coming to a compromise.
Betr Focuses on Micro Bets Amid Regulatory Scrutiny
Betr may be particularly keen to secure the PointsBet takeover and expand the company’s Lightning Bets trademark. At its launch in 2022, CEO Levy stated that the company aimed to focus on micro bets, which it viewed as the future of gambling.
Levy stated: “If we believe that micro‑betting will be the predominant way people bet on sports in the US, then someone should launch the world’s first micro‑betting focused app. This is why we are starting Betr.”
New Jersey lawmakers have proposed a ban on micro bets amid several betting scandals involving athletes. Betr’s launch of Betr Arcade looks to ensure it has a variety of products that can be accessed across states with differing betting laws.
