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Sports Betting: States that have wagered the most

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In 2018 the Supreme Court removed the federal ban on sports betting, allowing states to legalize it if they choose. Since then, many states have legalized sports betting, and in the last four years there has been significant growth. States report the amount of handle (total dollars wagered) and gross gaming revenue (total dollars won by a sportsbook) monthly. Research by Sportsbook Review analyzed this data and calculated the states that have spent the most in total as well as breaking down the totals of 2021 and 2022.

Americans went from wagering $44 billion in 2021 to a whopping $74 billion in 2022 – an increase of 70%!

 

1 – New Jersey

Legal online sportsbooks began taking bets in August 2018, two months after the law was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy. Since then New Jersey has seen a huge increase in wagers Reaching the $31 billion mark in just four years since legalization. So far in 2022 New Jerseyans have wagered more than $8 billion, the second-highest total in the country.

Wagered: $ 31,570,491,826

 

2 – Nevada

Nevada has had legal sports betting for decades and was the only state with legal sportsbooks until 2018. Nevada is one of the top destinations for sports betting and since 2018 has seen $27 billion be wagered. With over $7.5 billion of that wagered this year.

Wagered: $ 27,723,080,786

 

3 – Pennsylvania

Online sports betting has been legal in Pennsylvania since 2019 and since then over $17 billion has been wagered by Americans in the state. Pennsylvania bettors have wagered $5.7 billion for the year as of October 2022, with the total expected to cross $6 billion by the end of the year.

Wagered: $ 17,348,076,597

 

4 – Illinois

Illinois has seven live sportsbooks available, giving residents plenty of options to bet from anywhere. Illinoisans have racked up $7 billion in bets so far in 2022, up from $5 billion a year earlier.

Wagered: $ 16,597,597,363

 

5 – New York

It hasn’t taken long for New Yorkers to show their love of sports betting. With nine sportsbooks kicking off online betting in 2022, NY has seen its handle grow from $176 million in 2021 to a nation-leading $14 billion in 2022 – an increase of 8,000%!

Wagered: $ 15,019,150,749

 

6 – Indiana

Indiana saw a healthy increase from $3 billion in 2021 to $4 billion in 2022, with further growth expected into 2023 and beyond.

Wagered: $ 10,071,140,268

 

7 – Colorado

Betting in Colorado has only been live since 2020, but within two years has seen massive growth, with over $9 billion being wagered in total.

Wagered: $ 9,144,348,841

 

8 – Michigan

Michigan only launched sports betting in 2021, but has seen swift and exponential growth with seven online sports books and $7.9 billion in wagers over that span!

Wagered: $ 7,917,820,319

 

9 – Virginia

Virginia also launched sports betting in 2021 – and similar to Michigan has seen massive growth in short order, going from $2.3 billion in 2021, to $3.8 billion in 2022.

Wagered: $ 7,114,851,026

 

10 – Tennessee

Tennessee went live in 2020 and has 13 different apps available for betting! This has played a major role in Tennessee generating $2.9 billion in wagers in 2022 alone!

Wagered: $ 6,013,390,107

 

A spokesperson from Sportsbook Review commented: “Sports betting has seen a huge increase since some states have legalised it within the last four years, with wagers increasing by 70% from 2021 to 2022. In the first year after the Supreme Court ruling, legal US sportsbooks took in $9 billion, in 2022 so far over $74 billion has been wagered, that’s a 744% increase in four years.

 

“It’s clear that as sports betting becomes more accessible across America the money wagered could increase exponentially as well. This is good for governments as they can tax it and utilise Americans’ love of betting to build and improve the nation at local and national levels. It’s important however to be aware of the risks of gambling and never gamble if you can’t afford to lose the money.”

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AGLC

Casino ATM Scam in Edmonton Reveals Money Laundering and Drug Links

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Law enforcement in Alberta continues to search for the last suspect in a sophisticated fraud operation that targeted ATMs in Edmonton-area casinos and resulted in over CAD 1 million ($720,487) in losses throughout Western Canada.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has confirmed that Hisham Ismaeel, 28, remains at large with a province-wide warrant for his arrest. He faces charges of fraud exceeding $5000 and possessing proceeds of crime. Police have already arrested four other men linked to the scheme. Investigators describe the operation as a well-planned effort to exploit financial systems and clean dirty money.

The accused, Elliot Miao, 42, Van Bau Ta, 39, Hassan Jaafar Haydar Ahmad, 37, and Dennis Jones, 42, showed up in the Alberta Court of Justice last week. They face charges from fraud and money laundering to owning criminal property. Miao also has a narcotics trafficking charge after police found cocaine when they searched with warrants.

Investigators claim the group made coordinated withdrawals at several casino ATMs, timing their transactions to avoid getting caught. This action messed up ATM networks in the area and showed flaws in the systems that banks and casinos use to stop misuse.

The RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region led an investigation that involved six search warrants in Edmonton. The Edmonton Police Service, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), and several banks supported this effort. Officials said the case shows how teamwork between public agencies and the private sector plays a key role in combating modern financial crime.

AGLC representatives pointed out that casino operators in the province must follow strict reporting and surveillance rules under Canada’s anti-money laundering laws. The specific casinos affected remain unnamed, but the Edmonton region has seven licensed facilities. AGLC said its policies helped spot problems and backed the RCMP’s investigation.

Compliance experts say this fraud shows how criminals change their methods to take advantage of weak spots in reporting limits and transaction checks. They claim that casinos, which deal with lots of cash, are still easy targets unless they keep improving their detection systems and teach their front-line workers to notice coordinated actions like several big withdrawals happening one after another.

For now, the case highlights both the money and crime aspects of casino-related fraud. Besides the million-dollar losses, finding drugs during the raids points to a bigger criminal operation where financial crimes and drug dealing overlap.

The post Casino ATM Scam in Edmonton Reveals Money Laundering and Drug Links appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Bragg Gaming

Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems

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Bragg Gaming Group, a leading online gaming technology provider, has confirmed a major cybersecurity incident that compromised its internal IT infrastructure in the early hours of Saturday, August 16, 2025.

The company detected unauthorized intrusion attempts that successfully breached its internal network, triggering an immediate and comprehensive incident response.

Key Takeaways

  • Bragg Gaming Group experienced a cybersecurity breach involving access to internal IT systems.

  • No customer personal data or payment information appears to have been compromised.

  • The company has enacted full containment and investigation protocols.

Details of the Breach

According to a preliminary forensic analysis by Bragg’s internal security team, the attack was a targeted breach aimed at the company’s internal computer environment. While the exact method of intrusion is still under investigation, early indicators suggest a sophisticated exploit of internal network vulnerabilities.

Fortunately, the company’s customer-facing systems, including sensitive user data and financial information, appear to have been unaffected. Bragg’s existing encryption protocols and access control systems successfully prevented the attackers from accessing customer information.

Immediate Response Measures

In response to the breach, Bragg launched a multi-tiered containment strategy, including:

  • Network Segmentation to isolate affected systems

  • Enhanced Monitoring of data flows across its Remote Games Server (RGS) platform

  • Security Audits of critical infrastructure, including the Bragg Hub and PAM systems

  • Engagement of Independent Cybersecurity Experts to assist in incident analysis and system hardening

Bragg’s Security Operations Center has also elevated its alert level, initiating 24/7 monitoring across all server clusters and network endpoints. In addition, company-wide penetration testing is now underway to proactively identify any residual vulnerabilities.

Business Continuity Maintained

Despite the severity of the breach, Bragg reports that its operations remain unaffected. All gaming services, including iCasino and sportsbook offerings across regulated markets, continue to function without disruption.

“While this incident is deeply concerning, we are confident in the rapid and thorough response initiated by our team,” a company spokesperson stated. “We remain committed to protecting our infrastructure, our partners, and most importantly, our players.”

Looking Ahead

As part of its response, Bragg has also launched mandatory security awareness training for all employees to reinforce best practices and prevent future incidents.

Cybersecurity analysts will continue working with Bragg to determine the full scope of the attack, improve system resilience, and maintain the trust of its users and stakeholders.

Bragg’s handling of the incident highlights both the evolving nature of cybersecurity threats and the importance of robust, responsive defense systems in the digital gaming sector.

Source: cybersecuritynews.com

The post Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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AGCO

AGCO Removes Cap on Seller Commission for Charitable Lottery Products

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has updated several lottery policies to remove the cap on seller commission for Paper Raffles and Media Bingo, along with removing the prohibition on Catch the Ace paper lotteries, to align with other charitable lottery products.

Licensed charities may now negotiate commissions directly with sellers and determine commissions, provided they are reasonable and tied to the cost of service provided by the seller.

These updates further the AGCO’s commitment to adopt an outcomes-based regulatory approach and reduce burden for the charitable gaming sector. Local charitable organizations will have greater flexibility to make decisions that best serve their fundraising objectives.

Important Reminders

• Charities must still receive approval for other expenses incurred under their licence and retain receipts for seller commission paid.

• Licensing authorities will not require documentation to be submitted as part of the application process, however, charities are still subject to audit to determine compliance.

• Charities are reminded of their legal requirement to meet their obligations under the Criminal Code and with respect to conducting and managing a charitable gaming scheme.

• As with all licensed charitable lottery events, charities must take the necessary steps to ensure that they are conducting and managing the lottery event within Ontario.

For charitable gaming-related inquiries, email an AGCO Eligibility Officer at [email protected] or call AGCO Customer Service at 1-800-522-2876, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The post AGCO Removes Cap on Seller Commission for Charitable Lottery Products appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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