Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 5-11
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! It was again an eventful week in the USA, despite the still-active virus attack.
Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news, new partnerships and compliance updates. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Scientific Games has launched Mural cabinet, the most visually dramatic gaming cabinet in the company’s range of industry-leading products. The Mural cabinet captures the imagination with its stunning dual 55-inch, 4K resolution curved display, immersing the player in the game and creating an eye-catching attraction on the casino floor. Following the successful launch of Kascada, the next generation of the top-selling TwinStar J43 cabinet, the Mural cabinet’s massive display takes the evolution of Scientific Games’ cabinet building prowess a step further.
Sinclair Broadcast Group and Bally’s Corporation have formally rebranded Sinclair’s regional sports networks as Bally Sports. The rebrand comes on the heels of the November 2020 announcement of the enterprise-wide, long-term strategic partnership between Sinclair and Bally’s.
Scientific Games has launched its online iLottery subscription programme, Subscription Spot, for its longtime Canadian customer, Western Canadian Lottery Corporation. Subscription Spot is available via the WCLC website and is the first instance of a true digital offering for players, allowing the online purchase of lottery games and creating a pathway to digital modernisation with a larger online presence for the lottery.
New Partnership
BetMGM has become an official gaming partner of the Detroit Tigers under the terms of a multi-year sponsorship agreement. Highlights of the sponsorship deal include BetMGM branding on scoreboards throughout Comerica Park, fan-focused promotions, integrated social media content and more.
New Acquisition
Simplicity Esports and Gaming Company has acquired the assets of a gaming centre previously owned by a PLAYlive Nation franchisee in Vancouver. The gaming centre was originally opened in 2013 and has a database of over 17,000 unique customers. The venue is expected to reopen in mid-April.
Compliance Updates
The Brazilian authorities have launched an inquiry aimed at banning loot boxes in the country, on the recommendation of the National Association of Child and Adolescent Defence Centres. The association argued that randomised monetisation mechanics are a form of gambling, which is illegal in Brazil. The inquiry targets companies that sell loot boxes, including Activision, EA, Konami, Nintendo, Riot Games, Ubisoft, Tencent and Valve. If the ban is approved, Brazil could fine violators up to $706,000 per day.
The state of New York has announced it approved a budget for its fiscal year 2022 that would allow for legal online wagering in the state for the first time. Further reporting from the Action Network and the Buffalo News indicates the plan to implement online sports betting will be some form of a limited-operator model that has been championed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The Governor said he wants to run the state’s sports betting industry through the New York Lottery, which is run by the government.
Atlantic City casinos
New Jersey Gambling Revenue Increases in July

This summer is shaping up to be a strong one for Atlantic City casinos and their online gambling operating partners. According to the latest data collected by the state, the total gambling revenue for the casinos and their operating partners from in-state online gambling was nearly $250 million during July. That represents a nearly 27% increase over last year’s total revenue for July, and it comes on top of a more than 23% year-over-year increase measured during the month of June.
In all, revenue this year from online gambling through the end of July topped $1.6 billion, up 23.3% compared to the same period last year, according to a report from the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement, which regularly tracks gambling revenue earned legally in New Jersey.
The revenue gains from online gambling do not appear to have come at the expense of in-person gambling this summer, according to the DGE data. Revenue from gambling at the casinos also grew in both June and July, although at more modest rates, with year-to-date collections totaling $1.66 billion through the end of July, the report said.
Amid the online-gambling revenue upswing, state policymakers decided earlier this summer to increase the state tax levied on legal online gambling offered by casinos and their operating partners.
The online gambling tax hike, as well as an increase in the state tax levied on mobile sports betting, came as part of a broader plan to raise an additional $600 million in annual revenue for the state budget.
The two gambling tax hikes, which went into effect on July 1, are projected to increase the revenues the state collects from casino taxes and fees by more than $200 million annually, according to estimates from the Department of the Treasury.
According to the report issued by Stockton University, which is based in Atlantic County, the casino industry’s gross gambling revenues totaled nearly $5.7 billion in 2024.
Last year, the total from taxes and fees levied on casino operators in New Jersey topped $880 million, according to a report issued earlier this year by Stockton University.
This included $572 million in revenue that went directly into New Jersey’s Casino Revenue Fund, the report said. That fund, by law, benefits programs and services for senior citizens and disabled residents.
In all, online gambling on traditional casino games, like poker and blackjack, netted casino operators $2.4 billion in gross revenue last year, followed by slots, $2.1 billion; table games, $699.7 million; mobile sports betting, $486.5 million; and in-person sports betting, $6.5 million, according to the report, which cited state data.
And even before the increased state tax rates that were put in place earlier this summer, the tax revenue generated by casino gambling in New Jersey was trending up, the report said.
The post New Jersey Gambling Revenue Increases in July appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Gambling in the USA
Virginia Lawmakers Debate Creating iGaming Agency

Virginia lawmakers are actively debating whether to establish a new regulatory agency to oversee iGaming. The joint subcommittee discussed a bill to create the Virginia Gaming Commission. It would manage all gambling verticals beyond the lottery.
Delegate Paul Krizek said: “The Virginia Gaming Commission is a step we need to preserve the good.”
Currently, the Virginia Lottery regulates sports betting and casinos, while other agencies manage charitable gaming and horse racing. Lawmakers also considered legalizing online casinos, including real-money platforms.
Delegate Marcus Simon introduced HB 2171 earlier this year. The bill aimed to authorize a real money online casino market under casino-lottery oversight. While the bill failed, Simon explained that the aim remains to curb illegal offshore platforms.
“My goal is to bring it under a regulated umbrella where we can have some oversight and supervision,” Simon said.
The subcommittee reviewed revenue projections estimating up to $5.3 billion in taxable income from online casinos over five years. The estimates included increased land-based casino revenue of 8.4%.
Experts raised concerns about real money online casino risks. Keith Whyte from Safer Gambling Strategies urged strong enforcement and safer gaming tools. Whyte noted: “Players could be encouraged… to take control through deposit limits, time limits, budget calculators, and personalized dashboards.”
Mental health advisor Brianne Doura-Schawohl backed up Whyte’s statement, warning that such products are dangerous without safeguards.
Former New Jersey regulator David Rebuck testified that iGaming complemented land-based casinos there. He pointed to New Jersey’s market, where online play boosted tourism and in-person casino revenue.
However, some Virginia legislators expressed skepticism, citing fears of cannibalization. They questioned whether online casinos might draw customers away from brick-and-mortar venues.
Industry experts countered that New Jersey and Michigan showed the opposite effect. Rebuck explained: “The evidence demonstrates iGaming expands the player base rather than cannibalizes physical casinos.”
Supporters argued that Virginia’s land-based operators could benefit from cross-promotion, loyalty programs, and expanded reach to players in rural areas.
The subcommittee must make recommendations by November 30, 2025. Officials expect the commission’s creation will precede legalization of online casinos. The Virginia lawmakers will review feasibility and revise HB 2171 before the 2026 legislative session.
The post Virginia Lawmakers Debate Creating iGaming Agency appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Betr
DraftKings Introduces Credit Card Deposit Ban for US Customers

DraftKings has introduced credit card deposit ban for US customers. This decision aligns them with other major gambling operators, such as Fanatics Betting & Gaming, Betr, and Sporttrade, which have already banned credit card funding for wagering accounts.
It also comes on the heels of another major announcement by DraftKings. Starting September 1, DraftKings will charge a 50-cent fee for every mobile and online bet placed in Illinois using its Sportsbook platform. This change follows a similar move by FanDuel.
DraftKings CEO, Jason Robins, expressed his disappointment with Illinois policymakers for significantly raising the tax rate. He is worried that this could hurt the legal sports betting industry, while the illegal market continues to operate without paying taxes or providing any consumer protections.
DraftKings has informed its users that any saved credit card information will be disabled.
Moving forward, players will need to utilize alternative payment methods, including:
• Debit Cards
• ACH and wire transfers
• PayPal, Venmo
• Apple Pay
• Gift Cards
Bettors can also use cash at physical locations to fund their accounts.
DraftKings describes this step as a “strategic business decision” aimed at shielding customers from the high interest rates and cash advance fees usually associated with credit card deposits in gambling. Unlike regulatory demands, this decision was internally driven but coincides with growing scrutiny from regulators.
DraftKings has decided to stop accepting credit cards for deposits in the US due to worries about customer safety and more scrutiny from regulators. Recently, the company faced a significant fine in Massachusetts, where it is based. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission fined DraftKings $450,000 for allowing credit card deposits, which goes against state laws.
The post DraftKings Introduces Credit Card Deposit Ban for US Customers appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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