Two famous sports bettors have created American Bettors’ Voice (ABV), a non-profit organization

On Monday, two famous sports bettors created a non-profit organization called American Bettors’ Voice (ABV). The two gentlemen involved in founding ABV were Billy Walters and Gadoon “Spanky” Kyrollos. Walters is one of the most famous sports bettors in US history. He previously had a 30-year winning streak. Walters has since gone into business. Kyrollos has New Jersey roots and he is the founder of Betbash. Their goal for creating the Nevada-based organization is to give sports bettors a seat at the table. Around the country, the sports betting market continues to grow rapidly. As sports bettors themselves, Walter and Kyrollos believe that these bettors need to have their voices heard. 

The average person needs to have a say in what they believe the market should be. Not just the operators and regulators who make and control the laws. Spanky Kyrollos will serve as the chairman for ABV while longtime industry professional Richard Schuetz will be their CEO. Their five-person board will consist of Brianne Doura-Schawohl, Susan Hensel, Allison McCoy, Brett Smiley, and Eric Raskin. Smiley and Raskin were both previously employees of Better Collective. Billy Walters had this to say about why ABV was created.

“At this stage in my life, I am eager to give back to an activity that has given me so much,” said Billy Walters. “Bettors deserve to be treated fairly, and we at American Bettors‘ Voice are unwavering in our commitment to this cause.”

What are the main issues that ABV will look to tackle?

According to their website, the ABV plans to write “position papers” on several sports betting topics. One area they plan to write a position paper on is bet limiting. This is what ABV calls the “ban or bankrupt model.” Since sports gambling became fully legalized in the US, betting operators have had to limit certain bettors on wagering apps. Additionally, companies like the ABV are still trying to get industry operators to address why they limit bettors. For example, their gaming commission held a roundtable earlier this year in Massachusetts. However, all the major operators in the state refused to show up. These operators received a ton of backlash from other companies around the country. Now, the MGC and the operators in their state are expected to meet in the coming months.