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Illinois Casinos Benefit from Tax Break Approved During Pandemic

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The casinos in Illinois have reopened this month, but they are not paying as much tax to the state as they did before the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to a change Springfield lawmakers approved quietly.

The casinos were not supposed to see their tax rate cut until a newly approved casino finally opened in Chicago, ramping up competition for the existing facilities outside of the state’s biggest city.

But the change made during this spring’s session of the Illinois General Assembly moved up the date when the lower tax structure at existing casinos would take effect — to July 1. That turned out to be the same day the casinos across the state reopened.

Illinois officials and gambling-industry advocates said that they do not yet know how much lost revenue that change in the law will mean for the state.

State Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, is the point man on gambling legislation in the Illinois House and he was a House sponsor of broader legislation that included the sped-up tax cuts for casinos. State records describe the change as “the acceleration of the reduced tax rate for current casinos.”

According to General Assembly documents, the new tax structure for the 10 casinos across the state would begin this month “rather than the first day the [Chicago] casino conducts gambling operations.”

The Illinois Gaming Board, which regulates casinos and other legalized betting in the state, told lawmakers the change would “decrease state revenues.” But at the time of the vote, gaming officials said the lost revenue was an “unknown amount.”

Gaming board’s policy director, Joe Miller, said, “The tax change was implemented on July 1, 2020. The IGB has not conducted a subsequent analysis of the proposed tax changes as the IG does not forecast revenue projections.”

The reopening of the casinos means revenue from gambling is flowing again to the state’s depleted coffers. But the industry’s chief Springfield lobbyist said some casino executives fear their take could be down by more than half during the rest of this year because of the pandemic.

“We’ve been closed down so long, we wanted some kind of break in tax structure,” Tom Swoik, state-government lobbyist for the Illinois Casino Gaming Association, said.

Savings from the tax cut would go “toward promotion, to get people to come back now that we’ve reopened,” he added.

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Maverick Games Launches Sports Betting Operations in Ontario

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Maverick Games has launched sports betting operations in Ontario, through a partnership with Delasport.

Maverick Games will offer Ontarian players a premium sports betting experience, built on Delasport’s superior technology and known for its unique innovative features that players love including personalization, recommendations, gamification, quick bets, player engagement features, and more.

Maverick Games is the second brand to launch on Delasport’s technology in Ontario, with another full turnkey brand set to go live soon. Delasport also recently unveiled its innovative sports betting jackpot network game, SuperPot. The company will showcase this unique product at the Canadian Gaming Summit next month and begin rolling it out to Ontarian operators shortly thereafter.

“We are proud to see Maverick Games live and thriving with our one of a kind sportsbook solution at its core. They have been a fantastic partner from the start, and this launch further demonstrates how fast and efficient our technology is when paired with a clear vision and strong collaboration,” said Rosaire Galea Cavallaro, VP of Business Development at Delasport.

“Maverick Games’s sports vertical is a major step forward for us and launching it with Delasport has been the right move from day one. The platform’s performance and flexibility allow us to deliver the kind of user experience we believe Ontario players deserve. We’re excited to now bring that vision to life,” CEO Matt Rathbun said.

The post Maverick Games Launches Sports Betting Operations in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Tsleil-Waututh Nation Signs MoU to Acquire Casino Business at Hastings Racecourse & Casino

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Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to acquire the casino business and related real property interests at Hastings Racecourse & Casino (Hastings) in the City of Vancouver from Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (Great Canadian Entertainment).

“We are thrilled to take another important step towards economic self-determination for our Nation in our traditional territory, and we are eager to work with the senior management team at Great Canadian Entertainment to finalize due diligence and execute a definitive agreement, as well as working with the City of Vancouver to ensure the best long-term use of this important asset within the City. We believe that this opportunity is historic for us in many ways, and we look forward to entering the gaming industry in due course,” said Jen Thomas, Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation.

“We are excited about working with TWN on their potential acquisition of the casino operations and related real property interests at Hastings Racecourse & Casino. Recognizing that Hastings is part of the TWN’s traditional territory, we can think of no better entity to inherit this asset, and we look forward to supporting them in the transition after the anticipated close of the sale,” Matt Anfinson, Chief Executive Officer of Great Canadian Entertainment.

The agreement is subject to further due diligence, finalization of financial terms and the execution of a definitive purchase and sale agreement. Once a definitive agreement has been executed by the parties, it is anticipated that the transaction will be subject to customary closing conditions as well as customary approvals by gaming regulatory and other authorities, including certain approvals by the City of Vancouver given its ownership of the real property. It is expected that Great Canadian Entertainment will provide transition services to TWN for a period of time following the anticipated closing.

The post Tsleil-Waututh Nation Signs MoU to Acquire Casino Business at Hastings Racecourse & Casino appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Ben Clemes

High Roller Submits Gaming License Application in Ontario

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High Roller Technologies, operator of the premium online casino brands High Roller and Fruta, announced the submission of its Internet Gaming Operator license application in Ontario, Canada, targeting the launch of its flagship brand HighRoller.com in the second half of 2025.

“The submission of our licensing application to access Ontario’s regulated online gambling market is an important milestone in our Company’s journey. Once our application is approved, we anticipate that we will have the opportunity to launch our online casino product into the market later this year,” said Ben Clemes, Chief Executive Officer at High Roller.

Ontario is one of the largest regulated online gambling markets in the world as measured by gross gaming revenue. In 2024, regulated online gambling operators within the province generated approximately $2.3B in gross gaming revenue, and growth continues to be recorded in the first half of 2025. Recently, the province of Alberta passed enabling legislation to establish a regulatory framework for online gambling. Once available, the Company also intends to pursue licensure in Alberta to expand its regulated market footprint in Canada.

“Ontario is missing an elegant brand like High Roller. We’re excited to roll out the red carpet for our new customers, and we’re looking forward to showcasing our tremendous product,” said Clemes.

The post High Roller Submits Gaming License Application in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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