On-line sportsbook Motion 24/7 has ended its operations in Tennessee. The closure comes regardless of the corporate receiving help from Tennessee Home Speaker Cameron Sexton, who allegedly protected the house owners, Michael and Tina Hodges, from regulatory scrutiny.
The corporate introduced earlier this month that it will not settle for wagers. In a publish on X, it acknowledged, “Tennessee Motion 24/7 LLC is not accepting wagers.”
The platform had supplied betting on all main sports activities, together with esports, since Tennessee legalized sports activities betting in 2020.
In a press launch asserting the platform’s closure, Tina Hodges acknowledged, “Regardless of our easiest efforts and dedication, the present panorama for state-licensed on-line sports activities playing in the US has confirmed to be unviable and unprofitable for all operators within the trade. We’re perpetually grateful in your confidence and help.”
Ties to Payday Loans Led to Regulatory Scrutiny
The Hodges couple made thousands and thousands of {dollars} by way of their different firm, Advance Monetary, which supplied loans at exorbitant rates of interest. The agency’s ‘Flex Mortgage’ product reportedly supplied loans of as much as $4,000 at a 279.5% rate of interest.
After sports activities betting was legalized, the couple arrange Motion 24/7 and used Advance Monetary shops to advertise the platform.
In March 2021, Motion 24/7 got here underneath scrutiny by the Tennessee Schooling Lottery Corp., the state’s playing regulator on the time. Regulators have been involved that high-interest loans and sports activities betting have been being marketed side-by-side.
Home Speaker Intervened to Shield Firm
The board moved to droop Motion 24/7’s license, however ProPublica alleges Sexton intervened to guard the Hodges and their companies. The 55-year-old Republican acquired $105,000 in donations from the couple over the previous ten years.
As Motion 24/7 was underneath investigation, Sexton met with board chair Susan Lanigan to precise his frustration over a attainable license suspension. She resigned shortly after.
The board moved to droop Motion 247’s licence. Picture Credit score: Motion 24/7
Nonetheless, the board continued its investigation. Sexton then used his authority as one of many state’s strongest lawmakers to push by way of laws to take away its management over sports activities betting.
He claimed this was a coverage determination that included members of the lottery. The Tennessee Sports activities Wagering Advisory Council (SWAC) was created in 2022 to manipulate sports activities playing. It rapidly ended the investigation of Motion 24/7.
Buyers in Motion 24/7 With Ties to Sexton
ProPublica’s investigation revealed that, along with receiving marketing campaign donations from the Hodges, people with ties to Sexton invested in Motion 24/7.
The corporate mentioned over 90% of the funds invested have been from Tennesseans. This included Sexton’s marketing campaign advisor, John Saltsman, and Ward Baker, a marketing campaign adviser for Tennessee’s two U.S. senators.
Sexton denies any wrongdoing, writing in an electronic mail to ProPublica, “Regardless of what you might be insinuating, my focus and choices stay on the problems that matter to our state, our communities and to Tennesseans. My workforce manages marketing campaign logistics, supplies transparency, and ensures compliance with marketing campaign legal guidelines.”
With the closure of Motion 24/7, Tennessee now has 10 licensed sportsbooks working within the state. The neighboring state of Mississippi may launch on-line sports activities betting within the close to future, following the introduction of laws final week.
