Gambling in the USA
Casinos in Pennsylvania Can Now Return to Full Capacity
Memorial Day 2021 might be a big day for casinos in Pennsylvania. Operators within this jurisdiction were beset by the state’s orders issued on Memorial Day 2020.
The casinos were forced to shut down operations in a bid to contain the spread of the notorious coronavirus. However, according to statements made by Governor Wolf, the PA state government will be lifting all Covid-19 related restrictions apart from mask-wearing.
Governor Tom Wolf recently made a statement that PA casinos can resume 100% operations on Memorial Day. With the ban on restaurants and bars being lifted, the industry expects to witness a significant turnabout.
Review the map of Pennsylvania casinos found here. Then you could decide whether to promote the companies now that they’re back in business.
Philly Set to Review State Plan
After the Governor’s statement concerning the lift of Covid-19 bans in the state, Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley didn’t confirm whether the City of Philadelphia would follow suit. But, according to him, the Commission will have to review the state plan before giving a green light.
These statements from Farley triggered a violent reaction from the City’s council members. The furious council members argued that they are counting on the Farley’s reopening the City because Live Casino Philadelphia and Rivers Casino Philadelphia are within the City’s boundaries. As such, they are bound by the Commission’s rules.
There Lacks Absolute Certainty
You will realize that the operative word in these statements is “can.” Following last year’s closure of casinos in Pennsylvania for a hundred days, the PA Gaming Board released Covid-19 protocols for reopening.
However, with Wolf allowing these casinos to resume 100% operation, it remains unclear what the operators will do in light of added safety and health measures the gaming board put in place.
With many residents getting vaccinated and brick-and-mortar casinos resuming operation at 100% capacity, they have already begun hiring personnel. Valley Forge Casino was the first to hold a job fair. Other casinos in Pennsylvania have followed suit, with most posting job advertisements on social media.
Pennsylvania Casino Revenue Plunged in 2020
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, PA casinos witnessed a total of 1,500 closure days, about a third of the number of days they would have run normally cumulatively. With revenue from land-based casinos plummeting by about half, casino revenues in PA were bound to drop.
The State Gaming Control Board reported that fantasy sports operators and all the land-based casinos in the state generated a total of $2.65 billion last year, a significant (22%) drop from 2019’s year’s $3 billion collected from 12 casinos.
Land-Based Casinos Rebuild
At this point, it is worth noting that Pennsylvania is the second-largest gaming and gambling industry in the U.S after Nevada. The margin between these two states has grown wider since casinos in Nevada were legally allowed to offer full-scale iGaming services during the pandemic.
With the closure of brick-and-mortar wagering houses, gamblers turned to online casinos. These virtual casinos collected a gross iGaming revenue of slightly above half a billion dollars in 2020. However, since interactive iGaming platforms went live in mid-2019, there was no year-to-year comparison.
Wolf’s closure of brick-and-mortar casinos began in March last year, and gradual reopening commenced in June. By that time, the gaming revenue had dropped significantly. Table games and slots from developers like Relax Gaming generated a revenue of $1.86 billion last year. That was a 43% drop ($1.4 billion) from $3.26 billion gross gaming revenue recorded in 2019.
In light of the current developments, PA land-based casinos are getting ready to get back into business at full capacity. Pennsylvania National Gaming, the oldest operator in PA, will be launching two more venues, one in Morgantown and the other in York, later this year. According to the casino’s Q1 2021 report, it is currently experiencing high demand across the nationwide portfolio.
PA Residents Expected to Keep their Masks On
Wolf made it clear that lifting the bans did not mean that residents can return to the streets without wearing masks. Despite being vaccinated already, residents are expected to wear their mask when walking into land-based casinos.
The Governor says that he will lift the mandatory mask wearing order after 70% of the adults in the state has been vaccinated. According to the state Department of Health, about 50.1% of the adults had received at least one dose of the Covid-19 jab by May 6. In addition, 32.2% of the adults are fully vaccinated by taking a single dose of Johnson & Johnson or two Pfizer or Moderna vaccines doses.
The state department of health continues to make progress in the fight against Covid-19. With the evolving CDC guidance and more residents getting vaccinated, the state is committed to seeing its reopening efforts come to fruition.
However, the health agency is still calling upon Pennsylvanians to take all the necessary steps required to eradicate Covid-19, which means masking, social distancing, sanitizing, frequent hand washing and receiving vaccines.
Some Casinos are Enduring Better than Others
While not a single PA casino has managed to match pre-Covid revenue performance, the experience is different for each operator. In March, for instance, the statewide plunge in table and slots revenue from 2019 for casinos that had been in operation for at least two years was 21.5%, but Meadows went down 35.8%, Wind Creek 32,8%, and Mohegan Sun 13.9%.
McCraken and Frabbiele, two casinos on the opposite sides of Pennsylvania, both reported that part of their problems had to do with being in close proximity with other states that had adopted less restrictive measures. Meadows is also facing new competition from Live! Pittsburgh, a young but promising casino.
With the state allowing PA casinos to drop the 6-foot social distancing order and the resumption of full operation on May 31, operators within the state are filled with hope. According to state statistics, about 5,000 slot machines were not in operation as of March 2021 compared with March 2019.
The number of table game players had also been reduced from six to three. Casino executives suggest that cautious players be allowed to sit at a reserved table with three seats while others play on 6-player tables.
To surmise, PA casino operators need to be fully aware that the post-Covid world remains undefined.
Gambling in the USA
New “Reel Masters” Free Slot Tournament Has Launched – OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos.org Reports
Online gambling is constantly evolving, and one trend is dominating the scene in 2025 – free slot tournaments. Offering risk-free excitement and real rewards, OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos.org is leading the charge with the launch of The Reel Masters – Free Slots Tournaments.
Free slot tournaments, like Reel Masters, are gaining in popularity as players look to online platforms that offer a risk-free gaming experience. Reel Masters delivers both weekly and month-long tournaments, offering real-time gameplay and competitive challenges for all players.
Key Features of Reel Masters
• Real-Time Leaderboards: Players can stay updated with live rankings, keeping the competition unfolding in real time.
• User-Friendly Games: Reel Masters features a mix of engaging slot games from top providers, available 24/7 on any device.
• Non-Stop Action: Up to eight weekly tournaments running Monday to Sunday and high-stakes month-long competitions.
With online gaming growing at an unprecedented pace, players are looking for new ways to enjoy their favorite games without financial risk. Free slot tournaments offer the perfect blend of excitement, accessibility, and competition – a trend that’s already dominating in 2025. As more platforms embrace this model, players can expect innovative tournament formats, enhanced social features, and top rewards.
“We’re in the entertainment industry. So, we want our community to have fun trying out new slots’ games at no risk, and have a chance to win great prizes,” John Mehaffey, Editor-in-Chief at OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos.org, said.
The post New “Reel Masters” Free Slot Tournament Has Launched – OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos.org Reports appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
CT Interactive has secured certification for its top-performing games to enter into the Brazil’s newly regulated online gaming market. Some of the certified top titles include: 20 Mega Slot, 40 Mega Slot, Celestial Dragon, Chilli Fruits, Chilli Madness, Dancing Dragons, Giraffe Wild, Hot 7’s X 2, Lucky Clover, Pot O’ Luck, Purple Fruits, Star Girl, Treasure Chase, Wild Clover and Win Storm. This certification marks CT Interactive’s strategic entry into a jurisdiction that is set to reshape the global gaming landscape, opening up unique opportunities for both operators and content providers.
The Cordish Companies celebrated the highly anticipated grand opening of Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana, a $270+ million resort destination that marks the first land-side casino in the Shreveport-Bossier market.The Cordish Companies were joined by key stakeholders including Louisiana State Senator Sam L. Jenkins, Jr., State Representative Steven Jackson, Bossier City Mayor Thomas Chandler, Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Christopher Hebert, Bossier Parish Police Juror Pam Glorioso, Bossier Chamber of Commerce President Lisa Johnson, Louisiana-native Professional Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed, and many community and business leaders from around the region to celebrate the opening.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has reported that preliminary figures show $101,548,073 was wagered in the Commonwealth on the Philadelphia Eagles/Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl through retail and online sportsbooks. That was a 20.4% increase over the previous high for wagers placed in Pennsylvania for a Super Bowl achieved in 2023 when the Eagles and Chiefs also faced off. At the same time, patrons overwhelmingly placed winning wagers resulting in negative revenue for the sports wagering operators of $6,532,147. The PGCB noted in particular a high percentage of wagers placed on the Eagles to win. The Eagles defeated the Chiefs 40-22.
Partnerships
VIP Play has chosen White Hat Gaming to power their online gambling platform in Tennessee (currently operating as ZenSports) and in additional US states as VIP Play expands within the U.S. online gambling market. This announcement follows the recent partnership agreement between VIP Play and Kambi Group. VIP Play acquired the assets of the ZenSports platform in 2022, and has operated in Tennessee as ZenSports since July 2023. VIP Play boasts an innovative understanding of sports wagering and expects to use the White Hat platform, in addition to their own proprietary technology & Kambi Turnkey Sportsbook, to build an entirely customised version of the platform compared to what is available today.
Pollard Banknote Limited has congratulated the Kansas Lottery on the successful launch of its iLottery programmme powered by the Pollard Catalyst Gaming Platform, Pollard Banknote’s cloudnative, modular and API-first iLottery solution. The leadership and strong partnership of the Kansas Lottery, combined with Pollard Banknote’s deep iLottery expertise, enabled the launch to come only ten months after initial scoping, making this the fastest implementation of a full iLottery programme in U.S. history. Players in Kansas will now be able to play popular draw-based games including Powerball and Mega Millions, and an initial offering of nine eInstant games from the Pollard Digital Games Studio on the Lottery’s website.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – February 17-23 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) has launched QCI Heatmap, an advanced contour heatmapping tool that transforms the way casinos interact with slot performance data. This release represents a unique modernisation of classic data visualisation techniques, reimagined using state-of-the-art graphics processing, machine learning and QCI’s proprietary intellectual property. Heatmapping has long been a valuable tool for understanding gaming floor performance, but traditional implementations were often limited by static visualisations, sluggish responsiveness and an inability to scale dynamically. With QCI Heatmap, the company has re-engineered these foundational techniques using modern high-performance rendering technology, GPU acceleration and AI-driven insights, enabling real-time, interactive exploration at a level never seen before.
FanDuel has revealed that during the 2024-25 NFL Season nearly half of its customers, approximately 3.5 million, reviewed their play activity using My Spend, a new personalised responsible gaming dashboard. The growing adoption demonstrates that customers are engaging with RG tools that provide personalized insights that help them to manage their time and spending on the platform. My Spend provides customers with detailed insights on their deposit and betting activity, including amount deposited and net winnings over the last seven days, four weeks or three months. The My Spend dashboard also encourages customers to utilise the existing suite of responsible gaming tools FanDuel offers, including deposit limits and wager limits.
Partnerships
SCCG Management has entered into a strategic partnership with Tecpinion, a premier provider of custom development and ready-to-launch, 100% customisable iGaming platforms with full ownership. Tecpinion delivers state-of-the-art platforms for sweepstakes casinos, social casinos, sports betting, online casinos, fantasy sports, crash games and more, with integrated solutions such as multi-lingual support, payment gateways and referral systems that cater to a global audience. SCCG Management will provide business development support, sponsorship exposure and strategic distribution opportunities, leveraging its extensive global network to position Tecpinion as a go-to provider for gaming operators looking to scale efficiently.
Major League Baseball and Sportradar announced a long-term extension and expansion of their decade-long partnership, set to begin with the 2025 season, aimed at unlocking the full potential of MLB’s data and audiovisual (AV) content while growing America’s pastime worldwide. As part of the agreement, MLB has acquired an equity stake in Sportradar, further solidifying the partnership between the two organizations and supporting future growth opportunities. Under the new terms, Sportradar, in partnership with MLB, will exclusively distribute MLB’s ultra-low latency official data, media content, including MLB Statcast Data, and AV content across its global client network, which spans 800 sportsbook clients and 900 media companies.
SYNOT Games has entered into a new partnership with Novibet in Brazil. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in SYNOT Games’ expansion into the burgeoning Brazilian iGaming market. This deal introduced Novibet’s players in the Brazilian region to an impressive portfolio of 85 premium games, including some of SYNOT’s most popular and highest-grossing titles such as Fruity Gold 243 and 100 Stunning Fruits. The launch comes at an exciting time for the Brazilian online gaming industry, which is experiencing rapid growth thanks to increasing player demand and favourable regulatory developments.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – February 10-16 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Week 9/2025 slot games releases
Emerging Startup Adventura Gaming to Launch New Casino Table Game, Penn & Teller Casino Monte
Plaza Hotel & Casino hosting Nike Pickleball Camp, March 14-16
Playson cranks up the heat in 3 Chillies and Joker: Hold and Win
Fast Track has shifted its online presence to fasttrack.ai
Portside Game Assembly: Studios behind Dead Cells, Dungeon Clawler, Dorfromantik, Blasphemous on board and ticket sales for brunch and party launched
St8 agrees partnership to integrate Tequity’s White Label Originals
Bragg Gaming Announces Preliminary Unaudited Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 Strategic Initiatives and Guidance
DNSFilter Data Reveals Dangers to Fake Gambling Sites and Illegal Streaming in Lead Up to Super Bowl LIX
IBIA establishes innovative Payment Provider Forum to protect the integrity of the sports betting market in Brazil from financial fraud
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Softbroke collaborates with Asia Live Tech for the expansion of the service line in the igaming market
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Rick Meitzler appointed to the Indian Gaming Magazine Advisory Board for 2018
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REVEALED: Top eSports players set to earn $3.2 million in 2019
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French Senator raises Loot Boxes to France’s Gambling Regulator
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Exclusive Interview with Miklos Handa (Founder of the email marketing solutions, “MailMike.net”), speaker at Vienna International Gaming Expo 2018
