News and Analysis

Celebrating 10 Years of Legal Gambling in the USA

It's November 2023, which means it's officially a decade since the first states, Delaware and New Jersey, launched legal online casinos. These two trailblazing states made history, forever changing the course of online casino gaming and poker in the USA. 

In celebration, the American Gaming Association reported on the state of affairs, sharing the following data:

• Since November 2013, six states have launched online casino gaming, grossing $16.32b in revenue and over $4b in taxes.
• Between 2019-2022, the US iGaming market grew by 865%; comparatively, revenue across the UK and EU increased by 48%.

For more economic industry highlights, check out the American Gaming Association's revenue tracker.

California Rising: Two Tribal SportsBetting Proposals Filed

Two ballot proposals have been submitted to the Attorney General in the Sunshine State. The first is called The Sports Wagering Regulation and Tribal Gaming Protection Act and seeks to amend Article IV, section 19 of the State's constitution. 

If approved, 15% of adjusted gross gaming revenue would go to the tribal sports wagering revenue sharing trust fund, with 10% going to the California homelessness and mental health fund. Under this proposal, Tribes would partner with online sports betting operators, which the Tribal Gaming Agency would license.

The second proposal, The Tribal Gaming Protection Act, would limit online sports betting exclusively to California state tribes. The proposals will now sit for 65 days, after which the submitting party/parties must gather the required signatures for the measures to appear on next year's ballot. In 2022, online sports betting was featured, but voters rejected the proposals, so it's uncertain how these new options will progress.

DGC Live at Caesars Michigan

Digital Games Corporation (DGC) has had an incredible year forming new casino partnerships. Now, they've struck a distribution deal with one of the biggest, Caesars Online Casino in Michigan.

Caesars players will soon have access to the entire DGC games suite, which includes hit titles like 9 Masks of Fire, Action Jack, and Gold Blitz slots. And that's not all; DGC and Caesars plan to roll out more games in further states soon. 

Here's what Neill Whyte, Chief Commercial Officer at DGC, had to say: "Caesars Digital is one of the biggest names in gaming in North America. We are delighted to have added our premium slot content to Caesars Palace Online Casino in Michigan.

Our games have been designed to set the standard for others to follow. They have been developed specifically with US player preferences in mind, and that's why they hit the mark with online casino fans in Michigan and beyond.

This integration with Caesars Digital adds another big-name operator to our roster of partners and is a testament to our games' popularity with players. We look forward to launching in other states over the coming weeks."

Game of the Week

Amazing Catch, DGC, RTP: 96.08%

Following in the footsteps of recent hits like Big Bass Slot comes the Amazing Catch, another fishy-themed number that'll see you cast your lines wide and attempt to haul some tasty treasures. 

Set on 5x3 reels, with 243 ways to win, this online slot drops you into the heart of a serene lakeside view. To start making wins, you need to match 3+ symbols on the reels from left to right. The higher-paying symbols are the catch of the day (four different color fish), with playing card symbols taking the lower-paying positions. The Gold Fish is the Money Symbol and pays from 0.5x up to a whopping 100x your bet for line wins.

There are two more bonuses: Free Spins, which are triggered with Scatters that can fall on reels 1, 3, and 5 in the base game, and the guaranteed win Super Wheel Feature, which contains Big (20x), Major (50x), Mega (250x) and Super (5,000x) fixed jackpot payouts.

During Free Spins, there are 3 extra symbols: the Collect, Free Spin Multiplier, and Golden Lure characters.

• Collect symbols can land on reel 5 and collect up and pay out any Money Symbols on the reels for that spin.
• Free Spins Multiplier symbols start at x1 and progressive with each level, multiplying line wins.
• Golden Lure Symbols are collected in the Free Spins Progression Meter, with every four symbols leading to a level-up and awarding an extra 5 spins, as well as increasing the Free Spin Multiplier - got it?

Why should you spin this slot? It's simple, serene, and offers some great prize-winning potential! Plus, it has a 24.34% hit rate, which means plenty of action!

Ready to play? Then pick a DGC casino, grab a welcome bonus, and set your bets from $0.20 up to $50!

News and Analysis

North Carolina Preps Sports Betting Rules

The North Carolina Lottery Commission has officially begun to prepare for the launch of sports betting in the state, which is due to go live by summer 2024. The Commission started the rule-making process on October 17th. It is currently open to public comment until November 1st.

HB 347 was passed into law in June, legalizing sports betting in NC and stating that the new regulations must be finalized by January 8th, 2024, with the market opening by June 14th at the latest (many speculate a February or March launch due to the SuperBowl and March Madness). The current proposals include banning fantasy sports, which will come into force unless challenged.

North Carolina is not the only state turning its attention to DFS, as earlier this month, New York regulators agreed on Rule 5602.1(a)(4) to ban fantasy sports games that mimic real money prop betting.

EveryMatrix and betParx Agree to Multi-State Content Deal

SlotMatrix (part of the EveryMatrix Group) and betParx have agreed on a multi-state content deal to expand betParx Casino's offering. The deal will provide betParx with content from the distributor's 22,500+ games and 300 partner studios aligned with the brand, cross-product bonuses, and gamification tools, including free spins and tournaments.

EveryMatrix holds supplier licenses in New Jersey. Michigan, West Virginia, and Connecticut, with an application underway in Pennsylvania. The aggregator already has agreements with multiple iGaming operators in the US.

Revenue Roundups, September 2023

New Jersey 

Gambling revenue in NJ is up 7.5% YoY for September, hitting $521.5m. This is slightly down on the previous month's earnings of $531.6m. Overall, YoY, land-based gaming was down 2.1%, with iGaming growing by 21.1% and slots accounting for most of the growth in this sector. Sports betting was also up by 13.4% YoY. 

Pennsylvania 

In PA, gambling revenue grew by 6.2% YoY in September, with total revenue at $476.3m. Online casinos in PA showed the most considerable growth, increasing by 41.5% to $159.5m and setting a new record for monthly iGaming revenue. Hollywood Casino was the frontrunner, followed by FanDuel, then BetRivers in third place. Conversely, sports betting revenue fell by 27.1% YoY.

Delaware 

Most unexpectedly, Delaware also saw monthly gains, with sports betting revenue up 208.9% on August 2023, while iGaming increased by 21.3% compared with the previous month. Sadly, this didn't compute YoY gains for sports betting, with figures down 65.5%. iGaming showed a slight increase of 3.4% YoY.

Michigan

Lastly, in Michigan, gross internet gaming and sports betting receipts from commercial and tribal operators increased 19.2% YoY, hitting $210.4m in September. Online casinos in Michigan generated the majority ($166.4m), representing a 29.3% YoY increase, while sports betting fell by 8%.

Game of the Week

Rich Little Piggies Meal Ticket by Light & Wonder, RTP: 96%

Enough of the serious business; it's time to turn our attention to online slots. This week, we're discussing Rich Little Piggies Meal Ticket from Light & Wonder. It's a medium volatility number, set on 5x3 reels, with 25 lines, a whopping max win of 12,500x. It's also among the most popular online slots currently available at US casinos.

When you open this slot, it's not much to look at and even feels a bit dated, but that's not why you're playing; this game is all about the jackpot and bonus appeal. To start making wins, you need to match 3-5 symbols on a bet line from left to right. The Wild symbol can help you create wins by subbing for any symbol that isn't a Blue, Red, or Yellow Coin  (these are the bonus symbols). The higher-value symbols are the Piggies and Vault. 

During any spin, a number of Mystery Symbols can fall on the reels and reveal matching symbols or coins. The coins are collected by the matching color Piggie sitting atop the reels. 

When coins are collected, they can either trigger the Red, Yellow, or Blue bonus round or enhance the round for the next trigger:

• Blue Coins correspond to free spins if they trigger the round; if not, each coin adds an extra spin to your next trigger. When you play the Blue round, you get the number of free spins shown on the meter, which maxes out at 100 and resets at 9. 
• Yellow Coins can lead to the jackpot free spin bonus round, where Mystery Symbols are collected and reveal jackpot prizes. If a Yellow Coin doesn't trigger the bonus, it adds 0.25x-6.75x the current bet to the Major, Maxi, Minor, or Mini jackpot meter. 
• Lastly, the Red Coin triggers free spins or removes a low-paying symbol from the Red Piggie Metre for the next free spins round. During the round, Mystery Symbols are active and reveal only high-paying symbols.

Ready to play and see what you can win? Then set your bets from $0.20 up to $24 and take it for a spin at these top-rated Light & Wonder Casinos in the USA!

News and Analysis

NCAA Launches First E-Learning Module

NCAA has been busy since it first published new results on college-athlete harm and harassment last month and has launched its first e-learning module. Aimed at educating student-athletes about gambling-related risks and harms, it covers problem gambling, integrity, social media harassment, and the NCAA rules. It is freely available here.

Last week, the NCAA asked all states to work with them and update regulatory rules to ensure that student-athletes are protected from harassment, citing that few of the 38 states that had legalized sports betting protected college athletes. 

3,700 Detroit Casino Workers Walk Out

Detroit casino workers have staged a strike over pay and healthcare disputes. The strike started on Tuesday 17th, and included 3,700 union workers from the city's three casinos. The union, UNITE HERE Local 24, approved strike action after a 99% approval rate vote. 

The union requests better healthcare, job security, retirement packages, and wage increases. Workers have reportedly said that they are willing to strike until they get "what we deserve," saying they have forgone wage increases and other benefits to allow the industry to recover from the effects of the pandemic, but now it is time to readjust. Since the pandemic, casino worker wages have risen 3% compared with a 20% rise in inflation. 

Union workers in Las Vegas are also planning to strike action due to similar problems with contract negotiations.

UKGC's Tim Miller Calls for International Regulatory Cooperation Against Illegal Operators

You often hear about the USA and UK's "special relationship," but how's this one for size? In a landmark moment for international gambling regulator cooperation, The Gambling Commission Executive Director Tim Miller called on regulators worldwide to target illegal gambling operators during a speech given to the industry at this year's Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas.

Miller said that in the last year, the UKGC has reduced traffic to illegal gambling sites by 46% through targeted collaborations with payment providers, game and software suppliers, and internet search providers, thus demonstrating the importance of collaboration.

"As more North American jurisdictions open up to online gambling or sports betting, we see more and more large British or European operators looking to establish themselves here, in your markets. Increasingly, we regulate the same companies; we address the same risks; we face the same challenges."

"The more gambling regulators know of each others rules, standards and markets, the more we are sharing information and best practices, the more we support each other, then the more effective we will be. This, in turn, makes it harder for uncooperative operators to circumvent a regulator's regime or means they are more likely to face difficult questions in their home jurisdiction if they act poorly elsewhere."

What does this look like in the US, and what do we think of it? Well, it's about time regulators acted in a more globalized nature, working together to enforce legal and safe gambling. We regularly see examples of how easy it is for offshore casinos to establish operations and quickly target consumers from different jurisdictions.

Moreover, AGA reports show a worryingly large share of the US gambling market goes to offshore markets, costing approximately $13 billion in yearly tax revenue. Increased communication between regulators can make it harder for those seeking to evade fair gaming and tax regimes to operate. 

A closer partnership with the UKGC can only be beneficial as it's known to have one of the highest levels of player protection worldwide and regularly undertakes first-hand gambling research. According to Miller, The Commission is concluding "a number of Memoranda of Understanding with US regulators, in order to establish clear working relationships," which can only be beneficial as most US regulators are new to the online game.

NCPG and Mindway RG Partnership 

The National Council on Problem Gambling is integrating Mindway's Gamalyze AI on ResponsiblePlay.org, its statewide responsible gambling site. Gamalyze is an innovative new program designed to identify risky gambling behavior and provide customized interventions on a player-by-player base. It employs gamification to re-design problem gambling diagnostic testing, making it fun.

The tool will help provide those seeking problem gambling support with a better service and empower them to make better gambling choices. It will also provide the NCPG with data it can use to improve its RG programs.

For some time, industry experts have been citing the need for more frictionless RG tools designed to be attractive to players and fit for the age of modern gaming. Gamalyze is an excellent example of this, so we're excited that the NCPG is rolling it out statewide. If you still need to try it, hit up the NCPG over the next month and have a go.

NBA and Inspired Partner for One-of-a-Kind Virtual Games Range 

Inspired Entertainment has won the rights to create an exclusive range of virtual games using archival NBA footage. The games will provide multiple virtual betting opportunities based on the actual footage. The range will cover all 30 NBA teams and the All-Star, Playoffs, and Finals. 

Inspired President and CEO Brooks Pierce said in the press release, "We are thrilled to offer basketball fans worldwide the one-of-a-kind experience of a Virtual Sports NBA game. Our use of archived NBA footage will produce a truly distinct virtual sports offering. This will be complete with fresh gaming experiences providing a unique way for fans to stay connected with the game. Our partnership with the NBA allows us to provide an incredible offering. It will elevate our customers' brands and expand their reach to millions of basketball enthusiasts worldwide."

Game of the Week

Scroll of Seth, Play'n GO, RTP 96.31%

Scroll of Seth is a 5x3, 50-line, brand-new slot from Play'n GO. It might feel familiar, and it should, as Play'n GO are masters of Ancient Egyptian-themed games. They've pretty much perfected the genre.

As soon as you enter this game, you'll spot a horizontal top reel, which is an open scroll called the Wild Reel. There are also 10-A symbols, two Seth Wilds (gold is Normal, iron Enhanced), higher-paying animal symbols, and two Scatters - the Ankh and Scroll.

Let's start with the Wilds. Normal Wilds land on reels 2 and 4, but Enhanced Wilds are available on the Wild Reel. The Wild Reel is triggered when a Scroll Scatter lands on reel 3.

The Wild Reel has two tiers: the base game where 1-3 Enhanced Wilds can land, turning all symbols in the reel below Wild, meaning multiple, filled wild reels and Free Spins mode. The second tier, Free Spins mode, activates when you land a Scroll Scatter on reel 3 during the round. The Scroll reel has 2, 4, and 11x Multiplier Wilds and 2-4 extra spin Ankh Scatters. 

To get to the free spins round, you need to land 3-5 Ankh Scatters in the base game for 8, 11, or 15 free spins. With the Wild Reel active, the round has a potential of up to 50 spins. Regarding gaming action, it's high volatility with wins up to 5,000x and bets from $0.10-100. 

Ready to play? Then check out our top-rated Play'n GO Casino recommendations.

News and Analysis

AGA: The State of the US Gambling Industry

A new report from the American Gaming Association and Oxford Economics has detailed the economic contributions of the US gambling industry using year-long data from 2022. The report is well worth diving into, as it describes the industry figures, analyzing the stats per sector.  

If you’ve not got time for that, here are the most interesting findings:

The analysis holds with public perception of gambling in the USA, in that 71% of American adults believe the casino industry positively affects the economy. 

GGA: Las Vegas Results Revealed

This year was the 10th annual Global Gaming Awards in Las Vegas. The event sees the best of the international and US gambling industry hit the awards stage, receiving recognition for their contribution to the industry over the last twelve months.

Here’s the winners list:

• Slot of the year - Jackpot Carnival by Aristocrat
• Customer loyalty club of the year - MGM Rewards
• Land-based operator of the year - Wynn Resorts
• Digital operator of the year - BetMGM
• Sportsbook supplier of the year - Kambi
• Digital product of the year - Live Craps by Evolution Gaming

Kentucky Takes $68m in Wagering in Week One 

We’ve been waiting for this figure to roll in since mobile betting went live on September 28th, and it’s now official: Kentucky players registered a massive $68m in wagering in the first week of legal sports betting in the Bluegrass State. 

Governor Beshear said the results surpassed expectations, with $68m wagered from Thursday to Sunday across retail and mobile sportsbooks. Of this, $66.5m came from 300,000+ mobile accounts, with $1.7m at retail locations. Retail sportsbooks launched on September 7th have taken almost $10m in bets for the month.

Michigan Licenses Third Live Dealer Studio

The Michigan Gaming Control Board has issued Authentic Gaming with a supplier license, mixing up the market and potentially changing the game for live dealers. Evolution Gaming is the most widely available live dealer casino software at legal US online casinos. While Playtech is licensed in several states, including Michigan, their live games feature at only a handful of casinos, with Evolution the clear market leader.

Authentic Gaming is a subsidiary of Light & Wonder. It is said to be ready to offer a complete collection of live titles in Michigan players, including live blackjack, baccarat, and roulette. The games will go live at BetRivers Casino first, then further expansion.

NCAA Calls for New Laws to Protect College Athletes

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has put out a national call to update current laws to offer more protection for college and student-athletes, following a recent NCAA report that showed a substantial increase in issues at schools, including harassment of student-athletes. 

38 states have legalized some form of sports betting since the 2018 repeal of PASPA, but according to the NCAA, many do not include rules that protect college sports and athletes. To rectify this, the NCAA has developed a new model of provisions it asks states to pass. The organization is also offering to work with states considering legalizing sports betting for early implementation of further protections.

Among the proposals are a harassment reporting hotline, increased penalties for those who harass student-athletes, mandatory education for operators, and a levy on sportsbooks to fund gambling harm education. 

Morgyn Wynne, Vice Chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, said, “We are in a time where student-athlete health and well-being is the main priority. With the legalization of sports betting, it is imperative that we take a proactive approach to protecting student-athletes from the potential of negative engagement with bettors.

“Some 38 states have clearly passed 38 different laws. But one thing that needs to be consistent across all is prioritizing the student-athlete experience and preventing harmful activity that jeopardizes the integrity of sports.” 

In Other News:

• MGM Resorts has announced that it expects losses of $100m from last month’s cyber attack.
• The Culinary and Bartenders Union members will hit the picket line this week in Las Vegas over contract and pay disputes with MGM and Caesars.

Game of the Week

Live Craps by Evolution Gaming, RTP:88.18 - 99.17%

We’re not talking slots this week. Instead, we’re celebrating the official GGA digital product of the year, 2023, Live Craps! Craps is a classic casino dice game over 250 years old, but Evolution Gaming has masterfully brought it into the 21st century for online players.

The basic rules of craps are that play starts with a pass-line bet. Pass line bets win if the come-out roll (the first dice roll) lands on 7 or 11. If it is 2,3, or 12, players who bet on don’t pass bets win. If neither outcome happens, bets remain in play for the next roll, and the outcome (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) becomes the point. The gameplay continues until the point is rolled again or a 7 (you can place additional bets throughout).

There are a couple of differences with Evolution’s version. Firstly, it’s the first live craps game available in the USA. Secondly, instead of a human shooter, a robotic arm is used. Lastly, the game’s design is as user-friendly as possible with a welcome vibe and features that include my numbers (used to track number combinations and payouts), tutorials, dealer assist (setting that makes the next round bet automatic), and game stats. 

Aside from the bespoke features this game offers, it can deliver sky-high returns on your bets of up to 99.17% if you employ strategic betting strategies. How much does it cost to play? The good news is that bets start from $0.50 at most casinos and range to $5,000.

Ready to play? Then check it out at any of our top-rated Evolution Gaming Casinos!

News and Analysis

New Dream Team Social Casino in the Works

"When two powerhouses come together, magic happens. This collaboration will set new benchmarks and bring forth innovative solutions for gaming aficionados worldwide."

Social casinos are the US trend that's officially taken over in 2023. These sites use virtual currencies that don't have value. Players can earn coins through bonuses to legally play games online in most US states (excluding Washington and Idaho).

This week, SCCG Management and Lady Luck HQ have kicked off the rumor mill by saying they will announce news of their new US social casino in the coming weeks. Why is this news so exciting? The potential is for an exciting new platform that revolutionizes what's already available by blending each company's specialty.

SCCG is a Las Vegas-based consultancy firm, and Lady Luck is a live-streaming content creator with over 400,000 YouTube subscribers, 470,000 FB followers, and 238,000 on TikTok. While live-streamed slots have proved widely popular in other gambling jurisdictions, they've not yet entered the US gambling scene. Hence, the potential here is enormous.  

Detroit Casino Workers Ready to Walk Out

Workers from across Detroit's three land-based casinos could walk out as early as next month should their negotiations regarding new worker contracts fail.

The United Auto Workers, representing most operational workers (slot and tables, maintenance, hospitality workers, etc.) at the MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino, and Hollywood at Greektown, has been discussing wage increases with the casinos since September.

The situation mirrors Las Vegas, where workers threatened to strike for wage increases just last week. Worker's contacts are set to expire in mid-October in Detroit. 

The Union said, ​​"Following COVID shutdowns, Detroit casino workers sacrificed raises and shouldered heavier workloads so the industry could recover. Now, workers are struggling to make ends meet, even as the industry generates all-time record high gaming revenues from in-person and online gaming."

AGA: Results of Gaming CEO Industry Outlook Survey 

Created in conjunction with the Fitch Rating, the American Gaming Association's Gaming Industry Outlook Report is a biannual survey undertaken of 33 US gaming industry executives. It provides "a snapshot of the current and future economic health of the industry based on executive sentiment, casino-visitation plans, gaming revenue, and economic indicators."

The results showed that:

• 42% found the current business situation as good, and 55% as satisfactory
• More than half, 58%, of all respondents expect the next 3-6 months to be the same
• 26% described access to credit as hard, responding to questions about current financial conditions. 
• Over half of executives cited inflation or interest rate concerns as limiting operations (58%).
• Overall, 26% of executives remain positive but expect the pace of revenue growth and hiring to slot.
• 44% of gaming suppliers remain optimistic about the pace of capital investment and the sale of gaming units for expansion and updating. 

WONDR NATION $250,000 RG Pledge

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation has pledged $250,000 towards responsible and sustainable gaming research undertaken by the University of Connecticut's School of Medicine. 

The $250,000 is a two-year grant. Associate professor of medicine at UConn School of Medicine said, "I am excited to work with WONDR NATION to examine the impact of rapid changes in the gaming landscape on our community and work toward enhancing responsible gaming strategies in online gaming environments." 

Anika Howard, President and CEO of WONDR NATION said, "We take responsible play very seriously and are proud to work closely with UConn researchers to increase player safety, fund critical research, and invest in our communities."

"At WONDR NATION, our mission extends beyond entertainment as we strive to pioneer a new era of responsible gaming. Teaming with UConn's medical school underscores our unwavering commitment to player safety and community development – a commitment that will redefine how we play and enjoy gaming." 

The funding aims to support students and the facility to conduct research regarding effective and preventative problem gambling treatment and strategies.

NJ Reports Problem Gambling Rate 3x National Average

Responsible gambling month might've ended, but the good news keeps rolling in as the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has announced a drop in the rate of high-risk problem gamblers. However, compared with national figures, the number remains above the average. 

The data was released in a Rutgers Center for Gambling Studies report for the NJDGE. It is the second-ever report (the first was published in 2017) on NJ residents (3,512 reporting via telephone and online survey), and findings show that:

• 61% had gambled in the last year, down from 70% in the preceding study.
• The number of respondents who exclusively gamble online has tripled from 5% in 2017 to 15% in 2023.
• Those partaking in mixed gambling (online and retail) doubled from 18% to 36%.
• Those exclusive gambling at land-based venues from 76% to 49%. 
• The lottery was the most popular form of gambling, with 73% (down 7%) of respondents partaking.
• The prevalence rate of high-risk problem gambling, analogous to gambling disorder, remained relatively stable at about 6%, three times the national average in population samples.

To assess the rate of problem gamblers, participants completed the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) of the Canadian Problem Gambling Index.

In other top stories this week:

• Fanatics inch closer to total control of PointsBet US operations after completing the Wyoming and New York acquisitions. Fanatics will continue to close off each state individually and has already received regulatory approval in most jurisdictions.
• Kentucky's legal online sports betting market launched with mobile platforms live and taking bets from last Thursday, the 28th of September. We can't wait for the first set of figures to roll in and show the results of early betting behavior in the state.

Slot Game of the Week

Granny VS Zombies: DGC Casinos, RTP: 96%

This slot is about as silly as they come, and in a zombie horror genre that's massively oversaturated, it's also a breath of fresh air. Granny vs. Zombies Lock n Win is set on 5x4 reels with 20 lines, free spins, lock n win reels, 5 jackpot levels, and multiple bonus wilds.

If you're ready to help Granny make it for as long as she can and hopefully survive a zombie apocalypse, this is the slot for you - grab your walker, set your bet, and click to spin. Manage to line up matching symbols, and you'll start making wins.

• Wilds: This title comes packed with wilds. There are regular wilds, granny wilds, and zombie wilds. All of these replace regular symbols on pay lines to help you win. When you land a granny wild and zombie wild on the reels simultaneously, the granny will immediately activate defense mode and toss a Molotov cocktail, blowing up the zombie wild and making new ones where the body parts land. You can also land expanded walking wilds on reels 3-5, which will then move one reel right with each consecutive spin. 
• Free Spins: You need three scatters to trigger free spins. The round begins with a choice of weapons, resulting in a different number of spins and damage level. During the game, you can use your weapon, which shows up on the reels as a wild symbol, to kill zombies and increase your spins and multiplier.
• Lock n Win: 6+ coin symbols trigger 3 lock n win respins. All symbols except coins are removed. Coins lock in place, and new ones can expand the reels, adding new rows and also reset the count to three. The round ends when the count runs out, or the reels are filled with coins.
• To win a jackpot, you must collect 3 star coins in a row during the lock n win round, kill the disco zombie in the free spins round, or fill the coin meter in the base game. This gets you a spin of the jackpot wheel, which has between 15x-5,000x your bet available. 

Ready to play? Then, bring in the spooky season with this action-packed and fun slot game at DGC Casinos. Stakes start from $0.10 up to $50 a spin.

News and Analysis

Cease-and-Desist Orders for Florida DFS Sites

This week, the Florida Gaming Control Commission has sent cease and desist letters to Underdog Fantasy, PrizePicks, and Betr, all of which are daily fantasy sports (DFS) platforms operating in Florida. According to the Florida Regulatory Watch, which broke the news, the letters stated:

 "Under Florida law, betting or wagering on the result of contests of skill, such as sports betting, including fantasy sports betting, is strictly prohibited and constitutes a felony offense unless such activity is otherwise exempted by statute." 

"Accordingly, in Florida, sports betting may be lawfully conducted only pursuant to a gaming compact. …Further, receiving such illegal bets and wagers and aiding or abetting such criminal activities constitute separate felony offenses."

Underdog sought further clarification from the FGCC, who confirmed that all forms of DFS betting were classed as illegal. However, both DraftKings and Fanduel, who also offer this service in Florida, have not been contacted. 

Multiple DFS operators have hired attorney John Lockwood, who said, "The commission staff confirmed to me that the language in the letter broadly applies to all paid fantasy sports contests, and they are not aware of any paid fantasy sports company operating legally in Florida. We disagree on the merits and will be working with the commission and potentially the Legislature so we can ensure Florida sports fans can continue to play," 

PointsBet Gets $25,000 Fine for Illegal Bets 

This week, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement issued PointsBet with a $25,000 civil penalty for allowing unauthorized wagers. The sanction is related to three different occurrences:

1. The first was a college basketball game at St Peter's University in May 2022 (betting on college games is not allowed in NJ). Betting was offered for 55 minutes with two bets placed. When the operator released the error, the market was closed, and the bets were canceled. PB has accounted for this as human error.
2. The second case occurred in 2021 when the operator allowed betting on a League of Legends World Championship event featuring a player 17 years of age (for legal betting, participants must be at least 18).
3. The last case pertains to an English Championship game between Cardiff and Millwall in 2021, where bets were allowed to be placed when the game's outcome was already known. According to the operator, the error was caused by communication issues with a third-party data provider they were using.

MGCB Destroys Illegal Gambling Machines

The MGCB has destroyed over 1,195 illegal gaming machines collected from 2015-2023 to prevent them from being resold or reused. According to MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams, "Illegal gaming continues to pose a threat to Michigan citizens and their communities, as it often leads to an increase in organized criminal activity, financial exploitation, and other related social issues. 

Unregulated gaming machines also result in a loss of state revenue. Operators running illegal gaming establishments are not reporting earnings or paying taxes — they are essentially robbing Michigan citizens of taxes and revenue used to support our schools through the School Aid Fund and our communities and local governments with essential state funding dollars."

American Gaming Association research has shown that nearly 40% of gaming machines in the USA are unlicensed. Destroying machines removes them from circulation while sending a clear message regarding illegal gambling operations in the state.

Las Vegas Threatens to Strike

Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, things are heating up between workers and employers as hospitality staff threaten to strike, potentially bringing the world-famous strip to a standstill. 95% of the 60,000 members of the Bartenders Union Local 165 and Culinary Workers Union Local 226 approved strike action after negotiations for higher wages and more safety protections didn't result in their favor. 

Negotiations with major US gambling brands began last year after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of Las Vegas hospitality staff. While there's no strike date yet, the major resorts involved (including Caesars, MGM, and Wynn) will likely bring a better offer to the table before one occurs.

Slot Game of the Week

Blobsters Clusterbuster, Red Tiger, RTP 95.7%

Blobster Clusterbuster is an intergalactic-themed online slot filled to the brim with cute aliens and played on a 9x9 grid with a 3x3 central block containing Blobby and his spaceship. Your aim is to create winning clusters of 5-35 symbols. When you hit a win, the cluster disappears, and new characters fall in its place, providing the chance to make consecutive wins. There are also three bonus features and a free spins round. 

You'll need to unlock the bonus features, and you can do this by hitting wins next to Blobby. When you do, you'll see the lights next to the winning line shine. When all lights on Blobby's spaceship are activated, one of three features will trigger on the next spin.

1. Upgrades: 8-31 low-paying symbols are upgraded to high-paying symbols.
2. Frenzy: 5-20 symbols become wild.
3. Supersize: 2-4 high-paying symbols transform into 3x3 giant or wild symbols and are counted as 9 regular symbols for payouts.

Once you've unlocked the reel features, they stay unlocked, and anytime you activate all the lights on the middle grid from there on in, you'll get 10 free invader spins. During the round, the bonus features are active at a better rate, and you can win more spins and multipliers, leading to max wins of 7,517x your bet.

Ready to play? Then check out this awesome online slot at any of our top-rated Red Tiger Casinos! It's available from $0.10 up to $10 a spin!

News and Analysis

After the Attack: MGM and Caesars

Last week, MGM experienced a cyber attack that the hacking group Scattered Spider has now claimed responsibility for. The admission was made via an unverified post on the ALPHV ransomware collective darknet leak site.

The post claimed, “We still continue to have access to some of MGM’s infrastructure. If a deal is not reached, we shall carry out additional attacks. We continue to wait for MGM to grow a pair and reach out as they have clearly demonstrated that they know where to contact us.”

MGM shut down its servers on September 10th in response to the initial attack on their system. While MGM hasn’t confirmed how it was compromised, social media posts reported that thousands of hotel rooms were affected and slot machines were frozen.

As of yesterday (September 20th), MGM announced it was still trying to normalize operations again, with all properties open and employees on hand to assist.

“Our resort services, dining, entertainment, pools, and spas are operating normally and welcoming thousands of guests each day. Our gaming floors, including slots, table games, and poker rooms are open. Visitors to our properties may use Slot Dollars and FREEPLAY, and our slots are recording gaming spend. Our slot ticket-in/ticket-out systems are up and running.”

However, they are not offering cash advances or check cashing, and areas of the MGM infrastructure, like the hotel booking system, still need to be fixed.

Interestingly, MGM was not the only company targeted, as Reuters has reported Caesars Entertainment was also attacked. Caesars detailed the attack to regulators, saying its loyalty program data, including driver's licenses and/or social security numbers was compromised, was compromised. 

While it hasn’t been confirmed by either Caesars or Scattered Spider, it’s being reported that Caesars paid the ransom, in contrast with MGM. Caesar’s have also taken further action:

“We have taken steps to ensure that the stolen data is deleted by the unauthorized actor, although we cannot guarantee this result. We are monitoring the web and have not seen any evidence that the data has been further shared, published, or otherwise misused. Nonetheless, out of an abundance of caution, we are offering credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to all members of our loyalty program.”

Scattered Spider is one of the most active and disruptive hacking groups in the US, according to Google’s Mandiant Intelligence, linked to over 100 hacks in the last two years. 

GeoComply: 242.3m Transactions Recorded in NFL Week One

We’re already two weeks into the NFL season, and data is rolling in from GeoComply regarding the betting stats from September 3rd to 10th. Detailing the data in a report named “From the Sideline to the Mainstream,” GeoComply recorded: 

• 242.3 million geolocated transactions were registered across US-regulated sportsbooks in week one, a 56% increase from the same period in 2022.
• 1.1 million new player accounts were created - a 40% YoY increase.
• When the Lions scored the season's first touchdown, GeoComply recorded a massive increase in traffic, totaling 4,200 transactions per second immediately following the score. This is the highest rate of volume ever recorded in the first week of NFL games.
• 97% of bets were placed via a mobile phone, with 75% of those transactions placed on an iOS device.

GeoComply also released data on the number of GeoComply requests in six unregulated states currently considering sports betting bills (Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, and South Carolina). 

The data show a significant demand for legal online betting options and led GeoComply to caution, “When a would-be bettor in one of these states is prevented from accessing a legal sportsbook, they often fall victim to unscrupulous online sportsbooks that aggressively advertise in these markets claiming to be legal and legitimate. GeoComply’s data is a clarion call to lawmakers in these states to take action in 2024. Legalization is the clearest path to put the state in the strongest position to protect consumers, establish accountability, and raise revenues.”

Revenue Reports for August from NJ and PA

New Jersey

The NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement has reported $531.6m, a 12.9% YoY increase in revenue from the state’s casinos, racetrack, and their partners for August 2023. 

The total breaks down to $280.3m generated by physical casinos, $155.3m from NJ online casinos, and $96m from sports wagering. In terms of the most popular online casinos by revenue, Resorts led the way, followed by Golden Nugget and Borgata Casino in third place.

Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, the state saw overall growth, with total revenue hitting $457.2m, a 7.5% YoY growth for August but a 2.1% drop on July’s monthly figures. Additionally, sports revenue fell by 35.1% YoY. The most popular online casinos in Pennsylvania by revenue were Hollywood Casino in first place, then FanDuel, and in third place Barstool.

Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Poker Games Festival

In our last piece of news for the week, we’ve got an upcoming event to tell you about - The Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival VI. The festival is hosted at Resorts World Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from November 26th to 30th, 2023. It includes two tournaments (a $260 Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament on Monday, November 27th, and a $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament on Thursday, November 30th, as the grand finale) and nonstop dealer’s choice cash games and other scheduled events.

If you’re a Poker fan, save the date, as this is the place to be. We had a chat with the event’s organizer and the founder of Cardplayer Lifestyle, Robbie Strazynski, who said:

"One of Cardplayer Lifestyle's most important missions is to help grow the game of poker beyond Texas Hold'em. Our sixth Mixed Game Festival is the perfect place to learn lots of other poker variants and have a blast playing for low stakes. 

Plus, we've got a HUGE grand prize on offer in the form of a WPT Voyage Prize Package, some great special events on the schedule, and tons more swag that we'll be giving out to our players. Resorts World Las Vegas is rolling out the red carpet for us to bring the world's largest home game to the world's best place to play mixed game poker."

Slot Game of the Week

Fire and Roses Joker, DGC, RTP Ranges: 86.70% to 96.01%

Our slot game of the week is one of the most spun slots in the USA for August 2023 - Fire and Roses Joker. It’s a retro-inspired title first released in March and has been rising in the slot charts since. 

Set on 3-4-5-4-3 reels, it comes with 720 ways to win and exudes classic slot vibes. But this doesn't mean you should expect less action; it’s packed with modern features, including pay both-ways reels, stacked wilds, a free spins bonus round, and 5 jackpots! 

As soon as you open the game, you’ll see the Joker on the left of the reels; this is Jolene, who hosts the game and is also the wild. She can move from the left of the reels to the center 3 to create more wins. Aside from Jolene, you’ll also see classic 7s, Cherries, Dice, Card, Clubs, Hearts, Spade, and Diamond symbols on the reels, all of which pay from 3-5 symbol matches.

To trigger the free spins bonus round, you must lock in a scatter symbol on each reel, which grants 6 spins. Before the round starts, each original scatter reveals an extra free spin or increases the round multiplier by x1 (the round maxes out at 10 spins and a 15x multiplier).

Need more action? Then, let’s cover the jackpots. Each golden rose symbol you score during gameplay adds to the jackpot totals by 0.5x and could trigger a spin of the jackpot wheel, where a jackpot payout is guaranteed (the jackpots correspond with the bet level, the biggest is seeded at 50,000 with a max cap of 250,000, which is 5,000x the bet).

If you’re ready to channel some classic slot vibes in a modern spinner, Fire and Roses Joker is the slot to play! Bets start from $0.20 up to $50 a round, and you can check it out at these DGC Online Casinos.

News and Analysis

MGM Out for the Count After Cyber Attack Takes Down Services

MGM Resorts has announced on social media platform X (previously Twitter) that it has identified a cybersecurity threat, forcing the company to shut down some of its systems, including the main MGM Resorts site, which has been down since Monday.

The company hasn't released the full details of which systems have been shut down or what type of cyber security threat/breach has been detected. Still, the issue has been reported to law enforcement and cybersecurity specialists. 

The post read: "MGM Resorts recently identified a cybersecurity issue affecting some of the Company's systems. Promptly after detecting the issue, we quickly began an investigation with assistance from leading external cybersecurity experts. We also notified law enforcement and took prompt action to protect our systems. 

Our investigation is ongoing, and we are working diligently to determine the nature of scope of the matter."

The attack comes one week after Stake.com revealed a hack that facilitated unauthorized transfers on the crypto-based casino and sportsbook user accounts.

Missouri on the March: New Petitions Filed

Four petitions to change the State Constitution have been filed in Missouri (2024-135, 2024-136, 2024-137, and 2024-138), once again kicking off the sports betting debate in the Show-Me State. 

Alixandra Cossette, a state-based attorney in law, has submitted all four proposals. They propose legalizing retail and online sports betting at a license cost of $250-500,000, a tax rate of 10% on gross gambling revenue, and making provisions for one license per operator. The proposed launch date would be before December 31, 2025. 

While many of Missouri's neighboring states have already permitted legal betting, the latest attempt in this state failed in April this year despite support from casinos and the professional sports sector. 

DraftKings Issue Apology Over Inappropriate NY Promo

DraftKings' has formally apologized to NY players after an advertising stunt on Monday, which marked the 22nd anniversary of 9/11, used the tagline "Never Forget" and the text "Bet on these New York teams to win tonight on 9/11". 

The brand quickly drew hoards of negative criticisms on X for misusing the messaging and taking advantage of the date, which saw over 3,000 US citizens lose their lives.

DraftKings took down the promo and issued a statement on X, saying, "We sincerely apologize for the featured parlay that was shared briefly in commemoration of 9/11. We respect the significance of this day for our country and especially for the families of those who were directly affected." 

NCAA Survey Reveals Worrying Trends in College Sports Betting Issues and Harassment

The National College Athletic Association released the results of a survey conducted of 546 compliance administrators at schools from July 18 to August 1, 2023, which collected usable data from 500 participants. The findings were compared to the results of the same survey undertaken in 2019.

The survey findings reported:

• There is a "substantial increase" in sports wagering issues at Autonomy Schools (AG5), with 27% answering yes to the question, "Has your athletics department dealt with a sports wagering and/or problem gambling issue within the past year?" Comparatively, only 3% answered yes in 2019.

• 25% of AG5 schools also answered yes to "During the past year, did you become aware of any student-athletes on your campus who were harassed (online or in person) by someone with gambling interests?" This question had not been included in the 2019 version of the survey.
• The survey also confirmed that 100% of all schools gave responsible gambling education to student-athletes in 2023, up from an average of 96.5% in 2019.

The survey continued, asking further questions about the frequency, topics, and delivery methods of responsible gambling education (read the complete results and data).  It's Responsible Gambling Month in the US, so this survey, which provides an educator perspective, will prove insightful for the industry and regulators.

Game of the Week

ARRR! 10K Ways Slot: Reel Play, RTP 96.1%

Set on 6x4 cascading reels, with 10,000 ways to win, a bootyful max haul of 20,000x the bet, and a charming pirate theme. Symbol payouts start from 3-6, and there are two high-paying Pirates, a Parrot, Kraken, and various lower-paying coins.

Jolly Roger wilds sub for other symbols to help you make wins. They can also have random 1-5x multipliers attached. Wilds can only land during cannon wild rounds. At the end of any non-winning spin, you might get a wild bonanza if the Cannon Wilds feature triggers, changing 1-3 symbols Wild with a multiplier. 

4+ Treasure Chest Scatter trigger 3 Bonus Re-Spins. Only prize symbols land during the round. Treasure chest symbols come with mystery multipliers of 1-100x. Kraken symbols get a multiplier value that's the total of the adjacent prize symbols, and Captain symbols get a multiplier worth the total value of all prize symbols on the reels at the time. The round starts with the triggering symbols revealing multipliers to get things rolling.

All prize symbols that land are sticky for the game during the round. When the round ends, because you've filled the reel with coins or run out of spins, you'll get your bet x the total prize symbol values. If you filled the reels, the round re-triggers.

Lastly, there's a Gamble Feature. Now, if you play like a real pirate, this chance to substantially increase your wins or equally decrease them based on a red/green wheel spin will be irresistible. Ready to play? ARRR! 10K Ways Slot is available at these ReelPlay Casinos from $0.20 to $25 a spin.

News and Analysis

Red Rake and Gaming Realms Enter Pennsylvania

Red Rake Gaming has received PGCB supplier licensing to launch at online casinos in PA. This is the studio’s first entry into the US online gambling market, although it has provided games for years as a social gaming operator. 

Nick Barr, Managing Director for Red Rake Gaming, said, “We could not be more thrilled to have been approved for operating in PA and already have seen a huge demand from operators for our content across the state. We are equally delighted to now being able to offer the players who have enjoyed our social games over the years to have the ability to play with real money in Pennsylvania. We are extremely confident about the US and the integral part it will play in Red Rake Gaming’s continued growth.”

Meanwhile, Gaming Realms has also been hard at sizing up the PA market and forging a deal for PA access with Bally’s Interactive. Bally’s recently launched in PA and offers its online platform in NJ and Delaware. 

Craig Falciglia, Director of Business Development in North America at Gaming Realms, said, “Bringing our Slingo games to Bally’s is a great accomplishment and will allow more US players than ever before to engage with our fan favorite games.” 

Fanatics Gets To Work Rebranding PointsBet

The Fanatics/PointsBet takeover is closed, and the rebranding has started as Fanatics has secured market access in multiple new states. The acquisition cost Fanatics Inc. $225m, making way for three products, depending on the state: Fanatics Sportsbook, ‘PointsBet, a Fanatics Experience,’ and PointsBet Casino.

• Ohio, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Maryland remain the straightforward Fanatics Sportsbook. 
• Maryland, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia transition to “PointsBet, a Fanatics Experience.”
• The PointsBet-operated online casinos in New Jersey, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania will remain PointsBet Casino.

NJDGE Reminds Bettors Against Laying Illegal NFL Bets

The NFL season kicks off today with the Kansas City Chiefs pitted against the Detroit Lions. Legal sportsbooks also launch in Kentucky - it’s a big day. In New Jersey, the NJDGE has proactively warned bettors against placing bets at offshore sportsbooks. 

First Attorney General Lyndsay Ruotolo said, “We know that the start of football season brings with it an uptick in sports betting and fantasy sports participation, and we want everyone to enjoy these activities safely and securely.

Sportsbooks and daily fantasy sites licensed and authorized to operate in New Jersey are subject to nation-leading consumer safeguards against fraud, identity theft, and unscrupulous actors; however, illegal sites have none of these protections. 

This season, we urge fans to stick with regulated websites to avoid scams and bogus offers. And for those who may need help with a gambling problem, know that help is available.”

DGE Director David Rebuck added, “The problems with illegal sportsbooks are numerous. They lack oversight to ensure customers are actually paid what they won as well as security protocols to safeguard sensitive personal and financial information, like social security numbers and bank data.”

On the note of legal online gambling, September is Responsible Gambling Month in the US.

AGA: Responsible Gambling Month and Consumer Trends Survey Results

September is all about encouraging consumers to gamble safely. With legal mobile and online gambling options spreading across the US, there’s never been a better time to bring offshore players into the legal, regulated, and safe gambling market by spreading awareness of the dangers of offshore gaming. It’s also a time for educating consumers on the available tools to manage gambling and red flags suggesting gambling harm.

The American Gambling Association spearheads Responsible Gambling Month in the US, and this year is the 25th edition. The month is divided into four key themes:

• Empowering customers to play responsibly (Sept. 1-10)
• Legal, regulated gaming protects players (Sept. 11-17)
• Building a responsible gaming culture within (Sept. 18-24)
• Advancing responsible gaming with research (Sept. 25-30)

Leading up to Responsible Gambling Month, the AGA also undertook a YouGov Survey between the 3rd and 10th of August, including a nationally representative sample of 2,018 Americans aged over 21. The Consumer Trends In Responsible Gaming Awareness Report detailed that:

• Consumers reported high levels of responsible gaming engagement, with 84% of past-year bettors (91% for sports bettors) aware of at least one responsible gambling tool.
• They also reported high confidence in the effectiveness of the tools: 85% for deposit limits, 78% for time limits, and 77% for wager limits.
• 53% of sports bettors reported increased responsible gambling advertising across the last year.

AGA Vice President for Responsibility Cait DeBaun highlighted in the report the importance of responsible gambling awareness and trust, “Our industry’s success is based on earning customer trust, providing safeguards for responsible gaming, and implementing tools that our customers engage to bet responsibly. Today’s data shows our united effort to elevate responsible gaming is clearly resonating with players and shaping a safer gaming landscape.” 

Game of the Week

Payday Express: Fantasma Games, RTP 94.46% 

This week, we’re hitting the reels for a red-hot Wild West train-robbing adventure created by Fantasma Games. Set on 5x3 reels, with 10 lines and a max win of up to 6,254x the bet ($0.20 to $30), it comes with payday doubling wilds, re-spins, sticky symbols, and free spins.

As usual, you’ve got high-paying and low symbols, 5 of each, plus a wild and a scatter. Wilds can land on any reel and sub for other characters to help you make winning lines. Get 3+ wilds anywhere on the reels, and you’ll trigger the payday wild feature, which doubles the number of wilds on the reels.

3+ train bonus symbols trigger the bonus rounds and give you 15 free spins. Any win triggers a re-spin with winning symbols and wilds locked in place during the round. This continues until no new wins are made.

Inpatient to get straight to the bonus round? There’s a bonus buy to solve that issue; it costs 70x the bet but guarantees your entry to the free spins re-spins payday bonanza!

Ready to spin? Fantasma Games is distributed via Light & Wonder in the US, so head down to any of our top-rated Light & Wonder Casinos to start playing.

News and Analysis

Kentucky: Sports Betting Licenses Issued and Pre-Registration Open

Kentucky's Horse Racing Commission has issued seven temporary sports betting licenses in preparation for the market launch on September 7th (online sportsbooks will follow on the 28th). The temporary licenses are active for one year, and mean bettors can place bets on the NFL kick-off, which also takes place on September 7th and sees the Detroit Lions go against reigning champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Seven online operators (BetMGM, Bet365, Caesars, Circa, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Penn Sports) and eight retail locations gained approval (Churchill Downs, Derby City, Ellis Park, Mint Gaming Hall in Corbin and Williamsburg, Newport Racing, Oak Grove, The Red Mile and Turfway Park).

Golden Nugget Becomes PA's Newest Online Casino

Pennsylvanian has a brand new online casino, and it's golden by name and nature. We are, of course, referring to Golden Nugget, which has become PA's 19th online casino and the second operator to launch under Pennsylvania's qualified gaming entity (QGE) program (its license is not linked to a land-based casino). 

PA is Golden Nugget's fourth online casino state, as the brand already operates in NJ, WV, and MI. The platform is already live, offering over 500 games, including DraftKings' exclusive titles, and welcomes new players with a 100% match offer.

State of the States: Revenue Roundup, July 2023

NJ

The NJ gambling market grew by 5.3% YoY (up 10.3% on June 2023), with a total gambling revenue of $506.2m. $290m came from land-based casinos, while NJ online casino revenue accounted for $155.2m, up 13% YoY. Borgata Casino took the top spot, with Resorts in second and Golden Nugget in third place. Meanwhile, total sports betting revenue was up 35.6% YoY, totaling $61.0m for the month.

PA

Pennsylvania also had a great month, with total revenue up 8.9% YoY to $467m (up 6% from June 2023). PA online casino and iGaming revenue grew an incredible 34.8% YoY, with online slots up 31.9%. Hollywood Casino led the way, followed by FanDuel in second place and BetRivers in third. 

MI

In Michigan, commercial and tribal operators reported $176.1m in gross receipts from internet gaming and sports betting ($153.6m for iGaming and $22.5m for sports). When adjusted for promotional spending, that's a total of $154.6m adjusted gross receipts (AGR), with $138.2m from iGaming and $16.4m from sports betting. YoY shows an 18% growth rate for iGaming and 16.8% for sports.

DE

Lastly, in Delaware, total iGaming and sports spending fell by 4% YoY, with a total wager amount of $36.4m ($24.6m on online video lottery games, $11.8m on tables, and $2.3m on sports betting). Online casinos generated $1.2m in revenue. Delaware Park remained the market leader, followed by Bally's Dover, with Harrington placing last.

Delaware Provider Update: RSI Wins the Day

Last week, we talked about who would be Delaware's new iGaming provider. Well, now we can announce that the Delaware Lottery Commission has awarded the contract to Rush Street Interactive for five years after 888 Holdings dropped out of the process.

Delaware was the first US state to legalize online casino games. Still, it is home to only three online casinos. It isn't a competitive market due to the single gaming license and restrictive tax laws that see the first $3.75 million of revenue taxed at 100%, after which slot revenue falls to 57% and table games to 20%.

Fanatics Sportsbook Live in Four States

In our last headline for the week, Fanatics Sportsbook has officially launched in Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Tennessee, following six months of beta testing. Fanatics is a challenger brand that uses an in-house platform and brings consumers simplified betting and transparent withdrawals. 

Fanatics Betting and Gaming Chief Scott McClintic said, "We are laser-focused on solving pain points facing customers by offering a faster, easier, and more rewarding sports betting experience. The strategic patience to build a product for the long term has given us an opportunity to redefine a customer's expectation of what a sportsbook should be. With the Fanatics Sportsbook product foundation built and wholly owned, customers should expect unparalleled speed of feature improvement, delivery, and innovation."

Slot Game of the Week

Cyber Wildz, Greentube: RTP 95%

This week, we're discussing a new slot game from Greentube, Cyber Wildz. This vibrant, electrifying, and dystopian slot looks downright awesome and plays like a dream. It's set on a 6x5 grid, with 15 pay lines, and it comes with plenty of multiplier action, free spins, and a whopping max win of 20,000x the bet!

There are 9 regular symbols and two special symbols: Kray-Z the Reaper, which is the wild, and Y-Pout the Assassin, which is used in the bonus round. Kray-Z characters help you make wins in the base game by subbing other symbols, and they come with random multipliers of 2, 3, or 5. If you land more than one multiplier on a winning line, they'll multiply each other for even bigger wins.

The bonus round is free spins, and you'll need to land 1 scatter symbol on reels 1 and 6 to trigger it. This takes you to a new set of reels, with multipliers sitting atop. Only Kray-Z and Y-Pout symbols land during the round, each with a multiplier attached. The multiplier is added to the total above the reel where the symbol lands and the spins re-set to 3. The round ends when your spins run out or no Kray-Z or Y-Pout symbols land. The total win for the round is then calculated as the bet x the sum of all the multipliers sitting above the reels.

Ready to take a look at what the future of slot gameplay looks like? Take Cyber Wilds for a spin from $0.20 up to $10 a round at these Greentube Games Casinos.

News and Analysis

WynnBet Bows Out

Wynn Resorts has this week announced that it will be closing its online casino and sportsbooks in states where it doesn’t have a physical presence (Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, New Jersey, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.). WynnBet will continue to operate in Nevada and Massachusetts. While the company has no physical presence in New York, it will continue to operate under review, and in Michigan, the sportsbook will be closed, with WynnBet online casino remaining.  

In the press release, Chief Financial Officer for Wynn Resorts, Julie Cameron-Doe, stated the following reasons for the closures: “In light of the continued requirement for outsized marketing spend through user acquisition and promotions in online sports betting, we believe there are higher and better uses of capital deployment for Wynn Resorts shareholders.”

“While we believe in the long-term prospects of igaming, the dearth of igaming legislation and the presence of numerous other investment opportunities available to us around the globe have led us to the decision to curtail our capital investment in WynnBET to focus primarily on those states where we maintain a physical presence.”

WynnBet players have until October 11th to withdraw any remaining funds.

Rush Street Gaming Makes Moves on Delaware

Big changes are abroad for online casinos and players in Delaware as Rush Street Interactive has been left the only bidder for the state gaming tender after 888 withdrew. 

888 has held the contract since online casinos in Delaware launched in 2013. The tender should have ended in 2020, but it was extended for two years due to the launch of multi-state poker in the jurisdiction.

The date of 888’s withdrawal and RSI’s launch is not yet clear, but the Delaware Lottery has requested it should be before November 1st, but it’s unclear if RSI will be ready at that point as they need to develop an online poker product to replace 888’s.

AGA: US Commercial Gambling Revenue Hits New Q2 Record

US gambling markets have long been called the new gold rush, and the figures would certainly suggest it to be accurate as the AGA announces Q2 revenue figures that’ve broken records for the second-highest quarter on record (the first was Q1 2023). 

Moreover, this is the 10th consecutive month of growth for the USA, with gross gambling revenue up to $16.07bn. The most significant gains of the year, compared with 2022, have been Sports Betting and iGaming, rising 66.5% and 22.6%, respectively.

Play’n GO Live at BetRivers MI and NJ

Swedish games developer and industry titan Play’n GO has formed a new deal with Rush Street Interactive to see the provider’s games go live at BetRivers Casinos in NJ and Michigan. As part of the agreement, Play’n GO will at first provide a smaller part of its portfolio, like Fire Joker and Rise of Merlin, before launching more hit titles, including Book of Dead, over the coming months.

Caesars Launches New Online Casino App

Rounding off the news on a high, Caesars Online Casino has a brand new app that puts casino players first. The app is Caesars Palace Online Casino and is already available to NJ, PA, MI, WV, and Ontario players. 

Rather than replacing the brand’s pre-existing mobile apps, it complements them, aiming to end the frustrations players experienced with the current app, which provides casino access through the sportsbook and makes it more difficult for casino players to collect Caesars’ rewards points. The new iOS and Android app streamlines this and focuses wholly on casino gaming, with no sports betting (this product is still offered via the original Caesars Sports app).

The app offers hundreds of games, the iconic rewards club, and other exciting bonuses. Plus, as it’s new, it features all the mod cons and is a tech step up. According to Senior Vice President of iGaming, Matt Sunderland, “Players in North America deserve an online casino-first experience that treats them like royalty, and that’s what we’ve brought to market with Caesars Palace Online Casino.”

Slot Game of the Week

10000 BC DoubleMax: 4ThePlayer, RTP: 96%

Today we’re bringing you a new slot game from one of our favorite state-side licensed producers, 4ThePlayer. This studio wows the experts and players with every single release - they’ve got a magic touch, honed and crafted through dedication to creating games stacked with new features, engaging graphics, and epic gameplay. Without further ado, let’s dive and see what 10000 BC DoubleMax delivers.

Set on 5x5 reels with 50 pay lines, this colorful and bright slot features a mind-blowing combo of epic features, including Gigablox, progressive multipliers, wilds, cascading wins, a bonus buy, golden bets, nudging and exploding reels, and free spins! In fact, this is the first slot to combine Yggdrasil’s Gigablox and Double Max mechanics.

As with most slot games, you want to land 3-5 matching symbols from left to right on any of the 50 pay lines to win. The reels are cascading, which means once you’ve made a win, those symbols are removed, and new ones fall in their place, giving you another shot to win. 

With each consecutive cascade, there’s a progressive multiplier that doubles (this is the Double Max feature) and is applied to spin should you win, plus a wild is added to the reels. You’ll also see giant Gigablox rolling around; these are giant symbols that make it easier to win. 

Let’s look at the bonus features:

• Mammoth Explode: Spin and lose rather than win, don’t worry; you’re still in with a chance as the Mammoth Explode feature may randomly trigger, bringing the beast on to the reels to create havoc and destroy symbols, creating a free cascade with a guaranteed win.
• Mammoth Shuffle: Also randomly triggering on losing spins when a Gigablox is on the last reel, this feature sees the Mammoth push the Gigablox reel across the grid to the leftmost position. For there, it will move one space to the right with each consecutive spin.
• Free Spins: Land 3 scatter symbols to trigger between 7-15 free spins, where the multiplier is not reset between cascades. 
• Golden Bets and Bonus Buy: Lastly, the Golden Bet feature doubles your chances of hitting free spins for the cost of 25% of your bet, and the Bonus Buy lets you buy your way straight in.

Are you ready to take this awesome slot for a spin and discover what you can win? There’s up to 10,000x your bet available, and wagers start from $0.10-10.00. Check it out at these 4ThePlayer online casinos.

News and Analysis

Hacksaw Hits the US Supplier Market

The West Virginia Lottery Commission has opened the doors to West Virginia for Hacksaw Gaming, granting the studio a full supplier license. This is the studio’s first foray into the US, available on Light & Wonder’s Open Gaming Platform; partnerships have kicked off with Rush Street Interactive.

Hacksaw was established in 2018 and is already active in over 20 global markets. The first games to go live in West Virginia are the iconic The Bowery Boy or Wanted Dead or a Wild, after which additional titles will be added to BetRivers Casino in West Virginia. 

CCO of Hacksaw Gaming, Gabrielle Star, said;

“As one of the first few states to adopt a forward-leaning approach towards igaming, West Virginia is the ideal market to begin our US journey and we have no doubt that our extensive game library will resonate with its BetRivers players.

This is just the beginning. We’ll be looking to explore more collaborative opportunities with RSI in our bid to become provider of choice for casino fans in West Virginia and across the country as more states liberalise their outlook on igaming.”

DGC Goes Live at FanDuel NJ, PA, and MI

In more big news for US software deals, DGC and FanDuel have agreed to bring DGC slots to FanDuel Casinos in NJ, PA, and MI. Here’s what Asaf Noifeld, Director of Casino at FanDuel, had to say;

“Content is the foundation of our online casino offering, and that’s why partnerships such as this with DGC is so important. DGC has quickly emerged as a must-have provider, and this integration adds some truly epic titles to our casino lobbies in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

DGC has been an incredible partner to date, with its portfolio of slots integrated into our platform quickly and seamlessly. We can’t wait to see our players fire up the likes of Gold Blitz and Adventures of Doubloon Island and enjoy the edge of the seat experience they provide.”

Meanwhile, DGC also considered the deal a success, with CCO at DGC B2B Division, Neill Whyte, adding, “Our games not only meet but exceed player expectations in the US and that’s because we go to great lengths to ensure they deliver the entertaining experience that players are seeking. 

Having our games live with one of the biggest online casino brands in the US is a huge coup for us and we are confident that this will be a fantastic partnership moving forward.”

DGC is a powerhouse in the USA, owning exclusive rights to Betway operations under the Games Global brand; the company also has several Microgaming assets. According to Eilers-Fantini, one of DGC’s most popular titles, Gold Blitz, was this month’s most-played online slot title in the US. Tipsy Tavern, another DGC title, sat in second place.

Twitch Expands Gambling Site Blacklist

If you caught our blog on the problems with Twitch online gambling and cheating, you’ll already have a good grounding for this news. If not, then here’s a quick catch up; after mass cheating and widespread advertising of unlicensed online casinos, in 2022, Twitch banned content from websites offering slots, roulette, or dice games that aren’t licensed in the US or other jurisdictions that “provide sufficient consumer protection.”

One year on, and after user feedback, it’s clear Twitch is still experiencing problems, as they have announced that there are still accounts circumventing the rules and advertising unregulated gambling products. To tackle this and provide better protection for viewers, Twitch created the blacklist, adding Stake, Rollbit, Duelbits, Roobet, Blaze, and Gamdom.

Since Twitch changed the rules, competitor sites like Kick.com have popped up and rapidly risen in popularity. Offering creators a better profit share and fewer rules, many popular casino game streamers have migrated away from Twitch. 

Fresh on the Scene: ESPN Bet 

ESPN and Penn Entertainment have struck a sports betting partnership that’ll see ESPN Bet replace Barstool as Penn’s sportsbook partner in autumn 2023. ESPN Bet will gain access to 16 states. Penn is dropping Barstool and selling the brand back to its owner, Dave Portnoy.

BetMGM Signs up for Market Access with Revolutionary Racing Kentucky

With preparations for the launch of legal sports betting in Kentucky (retail on 7/9, online on 28/9)  in full swing, BetMGM has struck out early and formed a licensing partnership deal with Revolutionary Racing Kentucky. The agreement will see BetMGM run the online platform and build a 5,200 sq ft sportsbook at Sandy’s Racing and Gaming facility in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.

Slot Game of the Week

Wanted Dead or a Wild. Hacksaw Gaming, RTP 96.38%

Hacksaw Gaming is among the freshest European developers to make it across the pond at strike out into the USA. This week we’re celebrating their brand new West Virginia online casino supplier licenses by making Wanted Dead or a Wild our slot game of the week.

Played on 5x5 reels with 15 pay lines and a max win potential of up 12,500x your bet, this supercharged, high volatility slot drops your straight back into the Wild West at dusk for tension and, hopefully, prize-filled wins.

The game comes with 3 bonus rounds along with base game wilds:

• Duel at Dawn: Score 3x VS symbols, and you’ll trigger a duel with 10 free spins. During the round, additional VS symbols can turn whole reels into a wild multiplier, awarding up to 100x.
• Dead Man’s Hand: Score 3x Dead symbols to trigger this round. In the initial phase, collect as many wilds and multipliers as possible in preparation for the showdown, the final 3 spins with all the Wilds on the reels, and the multiplier level awarded to wins.
• The Great Train Robbery: Lastly, land 3x Train Robbery symbols to trigger 10 free spins with sticky wilds clinging to the reels for the game’s duration.

Ready to set your stakes and see if you can make your fortune in old gold? Then load up the reels from $0.20-100 a spin and start playing at these Hacksaw Gaming Casinos in the USA.

News and Analysis

iGaming Revenue: Michigan Slips for June

Revenue figures are in from Michigan for June and show a month-on-month decline in overall online gambling revenue, with figures down 8.9% compared with May 2023. However, when compared year on year, the figures are up 23.7%. 

Michigan online casino revenue showed a YoY growth rate of 24%, while sports betting grew by 18.8%. Nether-the-less, compared with May 2023, sports revenue fell by 48%, making it Michigan's third consecutive month of dropping revenue this year.

Regulation: Massachusetts Casinos in Hot Water

Three commercial casinos in Massachusetts have received fines this week from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission for breaking college betting rules. MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park Casino both received penalties of $20,000, while Encore Boston Harbour was ordered to pay $10,000. 

Each casino broke state rules by allowing consumers to bet on regular-season games featuring college teams. It's only permitted to bet on college games when part of a tournament, where there are at least four teams. In all cases, betting was allowed due to data errors that misclassified the events. Kudos to Plainridge Casino, which self-reported the error to the Commission.

Sports: Fox Bet to Close by End of August

On Monday, Flutter Entertainment and Fox Corporation announced that a phased closedown of the Fox Bet Sportsbook has begun, with a completion date set for August 31st. Fox Bet forms part of The Stars Group (now owned by Flutter, with Fox Sports holding a minority, 4.99% stake) and provides sports betting in the US via Fox Bet and the PokerStars Casino platform. However, the relationship between Fox and Flutter hasn't been plain sailing (including a lawsuit brought by Fox), so the news of the closure won't surprise many.

Kentucky Derby Breaks Records for Total Handle and Attendance

According to the parent company, Churchill Downs, the 149th Kentucky Derby, which took place on May 6th, has generated record revenue figures. The entire program, spread across Derby Week, created a total handle of $412 million, surpassing 2023's $391.8 million, with Derby Day responsible for $288.7 million ($188.7 on the Derby Race, which saw Mage win, and a further $100 on other Derby Day races). Additionally, the event saw more attendees than the previous year.

Despite recent safety concerns regarding the Kentucky track, which caused Churchill Downs to relocate races earlier in the month, the record-breaking event went without a hitch.

Software: White Hat Studios Partners with BetParx and Bragg Gaming with FanDuel

White Hat Studios is now live at betPARX Casinos PA and NJ, and Play Gun Lake Casino MI after striking a deal with betPARX. The provider's most popular titles will go live across the following months and include Ted, Super Lucky Frog, Almighty Buffalo Megaways, and table games with the Jackpot Royale progressive mechanic (providing three jackpots, the lowest seeded at $5,000, the highest at $75,000 with 1% contribution rate).

Meanwhile, Bragg Gaming has also been busy, expanding its FanDuel partnership to Michigan and Connecticut and providing players with access to the company's proprietary content, titles from the Bragg Studio brands', including Atomic Slot Lab, Spin Games, and Indigo Magic, and third party content. 

Game of the Week

The Wild Hatter by Red Tiger Gaming, RTP: 95.79%

If you're looking for something a little different to spin this week, follow us down the rabbit hole and meet The Wild Hatter for some superb slot spins on 5x4 reels with 30 fixed lines and potential wins of up to 3,333x your bet!

The Wild Hatter was first released by Red Tiger in 2020, but it's brand new to US audiences, and it's the kind of fantasy-themed casino game you don't want to miss, especially if you're a fan of more straightforward slots; hence we're making it our game of the week. 

The gameplay takes place in the base game, with line wins awarded for 3-5 matching symbols (5 higher and 5 lower paying symbols), but you're looking for the wild symbol, the Hatter. When a wild lands, it triggers a re-spin with a progressive multiplier and one locked symbol. Only that symbol can land during the round, and each new one continues the re-spins, locks in place, and increases the multiplier by +1. If you land a wild during a re-spin, it upgrades the locked symbol to a higher option and gives another re-spin. You're limited to 3 upgrades per round.

It might not sound like a lot is going on with this slot, but it's got a 4/5 hit rate, so it guarantees some great action on the reels. Plus, the graphics are to die for. Are you ready to play? Then take it for a spin at these top-rated Reg Tiger Gaming Casinos. Spins start from $0.20, maxing out at $20. 

News and Analysis

Indian Gaming Revenue Hits New Highs

The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) has this week announced the total gross gambling revenue year totals for 2022, with figures showing a 4.9% yearly increase. Total revenue stood at $40.9bn, a new record for Indian gaming in the USA (there are 519 gaming sites run by 244 federally recognized tribes in the US). The increases were experienced in seven out of eight regional territories, with only one, Sacramento, reporting a fall of 1.4% YoY.

Chairman of the NIGC, E Sequoyah Simermeyer, commented, "This year's historic revenue reflects the resiliency of many tribal gaming operations, and how tribal gaming continues to rebound and remain strong. Tribal governments and the operations they licence continue to explore new and innovative ways to expand and deliver world-class experiences to cultivate sustainable economies." 

Meanwhile, Vice Chair Jeannie Hovland said, "We have cause to celebrate the opportunity successful Indian gaming operations affords tribes to invest in the future and improve the quality of life for individual Native people, and their families, and their communities." Unlike commercial gaming entities in the US, Indian Gaming operators reinvest profits in local communities, using gambling revenue to fund education and health projects.

Top 10 Performing Slot Games - July 23

Interested in which slots are performing best across US casinos in the last month? The latest Eilers-Fantini monthly Online Game Performance Report is in, and here are the top ten spinners according to the data.

The data includes 65% of the US market in terms of GGR, taking game data from 32 online casinos in CT, NJ, PA, MI, and WV. The full report is available for purchase, or you can follow Eilers-Fantini for more insights on Linkedin.

AGA: Celebrating 27th Months of Continuous Growth

In our last nugget of good news for the week, the American Gaming Association has also reported record numbers, with the US market recording its 27th month of consecutive commercial gaming revenue growth in May 2023. Total gross gaming revenue increased YoY in May by 6.4%.

Meanwhile, sports betting gross gambling revenue grew by over 41.5% in May, with iGaming up 22.4%. In terms of annual change to date, that's a massive 64.9% increase for online sports betting YoY and 22.3% for iGaming. According to the AGA, the increase in sports betting revenue is because Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Ohio launched legal sports betting markets last year.

Game of the Week

Gold Blitz Slot: Inspired Gaming (Fortune Factory), RTP 96%

Gold Blitz is one of the USA's best-performing online slots this month, so we're celebrating it by making it our slot game of the week. Played 5x4 grid reels with 4096 ways to win and max wins of 5,000x the stake; this highly volatile retro slot has been hitting the right note with players.

This money-themed title delivers on multiple levels with classic and modern vibes, and it features Gold Blitz spins, free spins, multiplier wilds, an awesome soundtrack to spin to, and cash collect symbols. The action starts in the base game, where line wins are awarded for 3-5 symbol wins, and wilds can fall on reels 2-6, subbing for non-bonus symbols.

There are cash symbols on the reels and a collect feature triggered by landing lightning bolt symbols on reels 1 and 6. Cash symbols are random and can include the minor (25x), major (250x), or mega (2,500x) jackpot prizes.

Like that wasn't bonus enough, land 3 scatter symbols, and you'll get the choice of two rounds; Free Spins or Gold Blitz Spins, with the specific offer depending on the number of scatter you land (3-6 scatter awards 8-30 free spins OR 2-7 Gold Blitz Spins). Free Spins come with multiplier wilds of 3-5x, while the Gold Blitz Spins have guaranteed prizes with one collect symbol minimum paying per spin. Only cash, jackpot, and blank symbols fall during Gold Blitzs, making this an electrifying bonus round.

Ready to play and get in on this month's most popular online slot? Then load up the reels from $0.20-50.00 and get started with a new player bonus from these Inspired Gaming US Online Casinos. 

News and Analysis

PA Market Hits New Highs for 2022-23

The financial year has drawn to a close, leaving the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to announce record-breaking figures in what has been a fantastic year for the market - here are the stats:

• Total gambling revenue for the year was $5.51bn, up 10% from 2021-22's $5.04nb. This is the most ever recorded by the PGCB.
• Retail slots generated almost half the income at $2.45bn, 1.7% ahead of the previous year, but not the highest on record (2011-12 at $2.48bn).
• Land-based table game revenue dropped by 4.1% YoY.
• iGaming grew 24.4%, with revenue at an all-time high of $1.53bn.
• The top three online casinos were Hollywood, BetRivers, and FanDuel.
• For June, the total market was up 13.% YoY, but down 8.1% from May 2023.

Keep up the hard work, Pennsylvania! Learn more about the competition and other online casinos in PA in our complete guide.

Playtech Expands: Making Good on US Plans

Playtech entered the US market in 2020 and shortly after, in 2021, opened a live dealer studio in Michigan. Since things have been relatively quiet, well, this week, the studio announced the launch of a new NJ live casino studio, with the first title to hit casinos, "Adventures Beyond Wonderland."

Playtech Live Chief Exec Edo Hatin described the expansion and debut as the first true game show experience in the US, adding: "Live casino is not just part of the gambling industry, but also part of the entertainment industry. It's here to stay. In the current gaming landscape, players rightfully expect and deserve cutting-edge, experiential content that provides enjoyable moments of entertainment. Adventures Beyond Wonderland not only meets but surpasses these expectations, delivering an innovative and captivating experience that lives up to all the excitement surrounding it."

Until now, Evolution Gaming has dominated the US live dealer industry, so further expansion from Playtech is a welcome diversification for operators.

Maine Announces Winter Sports Betting Launch Date

Maine's Gambling Control Unit has told the press that the legal sports betting market will launch by the end of 2023, with hopes set for November and Thanksgiving. The news comes despite internal upheavals that saw the MGCU Director, Milt Champion, placed on one week's leave due to two "controversial" tweets from his personal Twitter account. 

The MGCU has been preparing the market infrastructure since Governor Janet Mills passed the new sports betting legislation in May 2022. The MGCU does not expect the Director's absence to affect the expected November launch date for sports betting.

Delaware and New Jersey Revenue on the Rise

In Delaware, players spent the least last month of the entire financial year, but that hasn't stopped the overall year of gains for the state as iGaming rose 8.3% for the month YoY. This is, however, 14.3% lower than in May 2022.

Meanwhile, in New Jersey, the picture is very much the same: gambling revenue increased to $457.2m YoY for June (up from $401.5m in June 2022), with a month-on-month drop of 13.9%. Land-based revenue remained the primary source, up 5.4% YoY, with slots taking the most. 

In NJ iGaming, revenue rose 12.1% YoY, with Golden Nugget Casino leading the market, followed by Borgata, then Resorts Casino. Sports Revenue increased by 69.1% YoY up to $66.4m.

Slot Game of the Week

Chests of Gold Power Combo, All41 Studios (DGC Casinos) RTP 96.4%

If you're all about your slot stats, we'll kick off by telling you this game has a 38.79% hit frequency, variable RTP of 96.4%, a max win of 11,650x, and it costs only $0.20-20 to spin - got your heart beating? Us too.

Chests of Gold is a brand new slot game at US online casino, but it was first released in April 2023. It's the follow-up slot to hit spinner Kings of Crystal. It's got 5x4 reels and 40 lines, so a more traditional setup, but that's where the classic comparisons stop, as this game is feature and graphically rich. 

You can make line wins for up to 5 of a kind, and there's a wild that subs on reels 2-4, plus Chest Scatters that come in blue, green, or red, with each connected to a different feature. When a Chest lands, it produces a Coin, which is added to the corresponding color meter. The coin may or may not trigger the corresponding free spins round.

• Blue: Blue Chests trigger 5 free spins where each has a random multiplier of 2,3,5, or 10x applied to wins. Additional Scatters grant more spins.
• Green: Green is for gold! This Scatter triggers the jackpot spins round that starts with 10 free spins. When additional Coins land, they reveal a multiplier of 1-10x plus a letter corresponding to a jackpot (grand, major, minor, or mini). Spell out a jackpot, and you win; if not, the multiplier is applied to any line that wins.
• Red: This gives 5 free spins on a 7-row, 100-line reel set. Land additional Scatters for more spins and wilds, which can nudge to fill the entire reel.

This simple yet charming slot knows how to deliver excitement and a great maths model. Ready to hit the reels? Then take Chests of Gold Power Combo for a spin at these top DGC online casinos.

News and Analysis

Kentucky Sets Sports Betting Launch Date 

Kentucky Governor Andry Beshear, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC), and state lawmakers have set a date to launch legal sports betting. In-person retail betting will be available from September 7th (just in time for the NFL and college football seasons), and online betting going live three weeks later on September 28th.

Things are moving at break-neck speed in KT compared to other states that have already approved legal sports betting. HB 551, which legalizes retail and online sports betting, was only signed by Governor Beshear in April. In the time since, the KHRC has been preparing and onboarding new staff to deal with the processing of the upcoming license applications, which opened this week on July 11th. 

Under the new rules, each of the state's nine racetracks can offer retail betting and partner with up to three online operators, so there are 27 skins available and less than 60 days until the market is scheduled to go live.

NGCB Warning: Evolving Cash Cage Scam

The Nevada Gaming Control Board has warned all state operators regarding an ongoing scam that's seen Circa Casino alone lose $1.17 million. Since it has also been reported that Eureka Casino Resort, Mesquite, and Golden Nugget Casino, Laughlin, have been affected. So what's going on?

According to the NGCB, the racket works by "Criminal subjects use social engineering tactics to pose as casino executives. The subjects direct cage employees to withdraw cash from the casino cage and take the funds offsite for emergency payments on behalf of the casino. The imposters often pose as high-level executives".

In the case of Circa Casino, several withdrawals and off-premises exchanges took place. The NGCB has warned not only all Nevada casinos but also extended caution state-wide, saying the scam is evolving. 

4ThePlayer Gets Full Michigan License

There's a new software developer in Michigan, and it's one of our favorite slot creators, 4ThePlayer. The game developer has this week been granted a full license by the MGCB, following their provisional approval issued in October 2022. 

If you're unfamiliar with the studio, 4TP is a challenger brand focusing on innovation and creating slot games that stand out by putting player entertainment first. This has led to some of the most exciting slot launches of the year, with the studio's flagship titles' 9k Yeti' and '3 Secret Cities' already live at online casinos in Michigan.

Chris Ash, Business Development Director and co-founder of 4ThePlayer.com shared his enthusiasm; "We are overjoyed to announce this latest achievement in our US market strategy. Michigan's online casino market, one of the most successful in the country, presents an exciting landscape for us to share our unique and innovative games with a passionate audience. We are also actively working on expanding our presence into additional states, underscoring our commitment to regulated markets in general." Want to learn more about 4ThePlayer? We were lucky enough to interview them last year and get their exclusive take on creating slot games that resonate with players - check it out here.

Slot Game of the Week

Da Vinci Deluxe Ways Power Bet Slot: High 5 Games, RTP 96%

If you're a fan of Da Vinci or the iconic Da Vinci slot series (we've lost count of the number of titles, but it's one of the most popular vintage Vegas slot series available) and looking for a title that brings the franchise into the modern age, this is it. Da Vinci Deluxe Ways Power Bet is absolutely packed with innovative features and a brilliant math model that delivers up to 1,000,000 ways to win, up to 10,000x your bet in prizes, free spins, tumbling reels, a jackpot feature, and power bets!

Unlike other Da Vinci slots, this title comes with 6 reels, and a top row sits above the middle four reels (this is actually the seventh reel and is used in winning combos for reels 2-5). The number of ways in play can be seen at the bottom right of the screen and can vary between 729 and 1 million, depending on how many symbols are on the reels. 

You'll start making wins in the base game, with combinations paying from 3-18 symbols (like other Da Vinci slots, if a single character shows multiple versions of an artwork, it counts as the same number of symbols as the number of artworks - for example, if the Mona Lisa symbol only has one Mona Lisa is it's counted as one. If the tile contains two Mona Lisa's, it's two symbols in a single space). This means achieving 18 symbol line wins isn't as difficult as it might first seem - there are also wilds to help. The game also comes with tumbling reels, so after every winning combination, those symbols leave the reels, and new ones fall in their place, giving you a second chance to win.

To win a jackpot payout, you only need to land 4, 5, or 6 jackpot symbols on the reels, which payout out 100x, 1,000x, or 10,000x your total bet, respectively. Alongside the instant-win jackpot feature, there's also the free spins bonus round, which comes with an improved paytable and multiplier feature (each time a tumble takes place, the progressive multiplier goes up by 1, and it pays at that level for the remainder of the spins). How do you trigger the round? Simply land 3-6 scatter symbols on the reels for 8-15 spins (you can re-trigger the number the same way during the game).

Unbelievably, that's not it yet; there are still two more power bet features to cover - both are paid. One is the double and triple majors power bet, which removes all single symbols from the reels, leaving only double or triple versions. The second adds an extra top reel increasing the winning capabilities. Plus, if you score free spins with either power bet feature active, they continue in the round!

Ready to take this incredible new slot for a spin? Then it's time to play. Load up the tumbling reels from $0.20-100 and see what you can win at these top-rated High 5 Games Casinos!

News and Analysis

Ohio: Doubles Betting Taxes

The Ohio budget for 2024-25 is out, and Governor Mike DeWine has doubled taxes on sports betting operators from an initial 10% levy up to 20%. The legal Ohio sports betting market launched in January 2023. Since then June, Ohio bettors have placed more than $3.4 billion in wagers, with operator revenue over $500 million, equating to around $50,000 in tax revenue. 98% of this revenue goes to the Ohio Sports Gaming Profits Education fund, with 2% for responsible gambling. 

PGCB: Harrah's In Trouble

Harrah's is in hot water with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board this week for allowing underage gambling on their Philadelphia casino and racetrack. The fine was for $35,000 and issued as the PGCB found that under 21s could access the casino floor and wager. 

MGCB: Budget Bump for 2024

$50.7 million has been set aside in Michigan's 2024 budget proposals for the Michigan Gaming Control Board. The amount will be used for different areas, including:

• $3m to the Don't Regret the Bet MI responsible gambling campaign,
• $2.2m to employ 16 full-time staff, $2m to create a digital account received system that is compatible with the state's current financial system,
• and $63 to compensate board members, who are currently voluntary. 

MGCB Director Henry Williams commented, "A well-funded gaming control agency is crucial for ensuring fair and honest gaming in the State of Michigan, preventing fraud and illegal activities, and addressing problem gambling. I sincerely appreciate the support from Governor Whitmer and the legislature of a budget that will help the MGCB continue its responsible gaming messaging campaign, support our state's growing gaming economy, and allow us to grow our team and make investments into efficient systems that help strengthen our mission and integrity while supporting those we serve."

PointsBet: Going Once, Going Twice

In our last piece of news for the week, we can draw the PointsBet bidding drama to a close, as the company's shareholders voted to approve the proposed sale of its US operators to Fanatics Betting and Gaming. PB shareholders almost unanimously approved the sale, with only 0.84% of the vote against the notion. There is currently no set date for the completion of the deal.

Slot Game of the Week

Gonzita’s Quest: Red Tiger Gaming, RTP: 95.66%

Based on the back of the massive success of NetEnt's Gonzo's Quest franchise comes Gonzita's Quest by Red Tiger (if you're instantly thinking about brand issues, don't worry; the same parent company, Evolution Gaming, owns both Red Tiger and NetEnt). 

The base game is very familiar, following the same 5x3, 20-line avalanche reels (when you make a win, those symbols pay and explode, allowing new symbols to replace them and potentially a second win) set up as the original game, so what's different? The answer is the epic bonus round, that's both easy to trigger and stacked full of potential wins.

You'll enter the bonus round by collecting 3+ multiplier slate scatter symbols, which awards 3 free spins. These spins are played on separate reels, with Gonzita filling the middle reel. Only multiplier or blank slates can fall on the reels, and all the multipliers are collected during the round. Once a reel has been filled with multipliers, bigger sums can fall in their place (regular multipliers worth 1-7x, then gold 10-75x, and lastly, diamond at 100-750x). Every time a multiplier slab drops on the reels, it resets the free spins total to 3, so you've got the chance to build up some awesome wins. 

Gonzita's Quest is a great slot, both familiar and yet new, and with an absolutely awesome bonus round. Don't miss out on spinning this instant hit at any of our top-rated Red Tiger Casinos. Spins start from $0.20.

News and Analysis

WynnBet: Live in West Virginia

WynnBet hits the reels at the end of last week, joining online casinos in West Virginia on June 22nd. The site is already busy, offering players hundreds of slots, live dealers, table games, a full sports betting suite, bonuses, and Wynn Rewards. The platform becomes West Virginia's seventh licensed online to launch since the market opened in 2020.

NY: First $1bn from Mobile Sports Revenue for Education 

Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr (Chair of the Senate's Committee on Racing, Gaming, and Wagering) has now announced that New York's mobile sports betting industry has created the first $1bn in tax revenue for education. 

According to the NY State Gaming Commission, the tax was generated from when mobile sports betting went live on January 8th, 2022, until May 31st, 2023. Here's what Senator Addabbo has to say;

"Having an additional $1bn from our nation-leading mobile sports betting business to help our students get the best education possible is a tremendous milestone. We should continue to build upon these solid revenue-generating opportunities in order to make many additional improvements to our state's gaming ventures and addiction services. I look forward to greater results with the future eventual arrival of iGaming and iLottery in New York."

NJ: Land-Based Revenue Drops

Total gambling revenue for NJ in May has been recorded at $470.9m, a massive 9.4% increase year on year and almost 2% higher than last month. The continued growth is despite a drop in land-based revenue, meaning online gaming has carried the state's figures this month. NJ online casino gambling revenue increased by 18.7% YoY, with online slots showing an 18% jump.

The most popular gambling sites by revenue generation were Borgata ($44m), Golden Nugget ($43.5m), and Resorts Digital ($41.7m). Sports betting also recorded significant gains, with a 33.4% revenue increase YoY

While land-based gambling remains the state's largest source of revenue, generating 227.3m, the sector was down 2.4% YoY, with slots down 0.8% and tables by 7.3%.

Will Rhode Island Legalize Online Casinos?

It's looking likely that Rhode Island may become the USA's seventh iGaming state after the state's House of Representatives voted 57-11 in favor of legalizing the activity. It's now up to Governor Daniel McKee to either pass the motion legalizing online casinos or reject it.

How has this change managed to creep through so quietly? Well, we're not talking about a full iGaming market; hence there's been little controversy on the matter and no public ballot. If signed, the bill would allow only Bally's exclusive rights to provide online gaming in the state, and the offering would be a live casino, streamed using a simulcast from one of Bally's Twin River locations. Creating such restrictive rules makes the bill constitutional without requiring a public referendum. 

Fanatics: Back in the Game 

In April, PointsBet announced they were discussing with interested parties the sale of its US business (the seventh largest sportsbook in the US). It didn't take long before news of a Fanatics bid broke, with PB seriously considering the offer. Fanatics proposed buying the US brand for $150m in an agreement allowing PB to keep its Canadian and Australian business but hand over US operations. 

It was looking likely that PointsBet would accept the Fanatics offer, but then, over a week ago, in a surprise move, DraftKings submitted a proposal, offering $195m for the company - almost $50m more than the Fanatics deal that was on the table. Unsurprisingly, the offer turned heads, and within hours, the news had broken that PointsBet US was now considering a DraftKings takeover.

In a turn-up for the books, at the close of business on the 28th, Fanatics re-entered bidding with an increased offer that beat DraftKings' bid by $30m and up to $225m. On the same day, DraftKings released a statement detailing that they were no longer pursuing the acquisition and thanking PB for their time. 

As the only party left in the process, Fanatics is in a strong position, albeit a more expensive one than two weeks previous. We'll know more when shareholders vote on Friday.

PA: Gambling Revenue Continues To Rise

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board released gambling revenue figures for May, confirming continued growth for all sectors and a total gaming revenue reaching $479.4m - a 7% YoY increase. 

Land-based slots accounted for almost half of all revenue at $210.9m, while PA online casino revenue grew an incredible 24.4% to $141.0m. Online slots were up 28.6%, with table games also showing a 17.3% increase - what an incredible month from PA players!

The most popular online casinos in PA by revenue were Hollywood Casino, followed by FanDuel, and Rivers Casino in third place. Total sports revenue was also up by 17.4% YoY.

Michigan: Total Revenue up 15% YoY

Rounding off the week is news from the Michigan Gambling Control Board showing total gaming receipts up 15.5% YoY for May. However, this is the second consecutive month where total receipts declined. Compared with last year, online casino receipts were up 18.2% YoY, with sports up 5.1%; this generated $28m in taxes from online casinos in Michigan during May.

Slot Game of the Week

Goat Rush Slot, Fantasma Games (Light & Wonder), RTP: 94.25%

This week, our slot game to spin is the cheeky Goat Rush from Fantasma. This lively number delivers a good dose of humor and some awesome action on the 5x3 reels. Set in what looks to be an old mine, Goat Rush offers sublime graphics and a goat-enriched top reel reminiscent of Bonanza Slot by BTG. 

The game comes with 20 lines, and you can start making wins by matching 3-5 symbols from left to right. Each winning spin gives a re-spin, which continues until no new wins are formed. The top reel is a train filled with goat Wild symbols.

• Wild Trains, Dropping Wilds, and Walking Wilds: The wilds are the Goat symbols, and they are in the Wild Train. Wilds can only be added to the reels via the dropping function. The dropping function happens when a goat sits above a winning symbol. At the start of any re-spin, any wild on the reel starts to walk, one space to the left with each spin.
• Gold Multipliers: Each time a wild walks and makes it to the end of the reels, it adds to the progressive multiplier for the re-spins round (1-10x for the base game, up to 50x in the bonus). 
• Mystery Feature: On any spin, rocks can fall, leaving a trail of mystery symbols or wilds on the reels.
• Free Spins: Bonus symbols can land on reels 2, 3, or 4, and 3+ gets you 10 free spins. During the round, each additional scatter adds one extra spin.

What do we think of Goat Rush Slot? It's an epic and cheeky spinner that sets a great gaming tone. It's definitely worth a spin and a great introduction to the wild world of Fantasma slots! 

Fantasma Games is distributed via Light & Wonder in the USA, meaning players in every casino state have access to the game. Find a Light & Wonder Casino and take it for a spin on us by claiming a welcome bonus.

News and Analysis

Vermont and North Carolina Betting Bills Signed into Law

It's been a big week for US sports betting as not one, but two states join the fray, legalizing online sports betting in their territories - congratulations to Vermont and North Carolina. 

In Vermont, Governor Phil Scott signed HB 127 into force on June 14, with the market expected to open in January 2024. The bill allows up to six online sportsbooks regulated by the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery. Operators may submit proposals as early as August with successful licensees subject to a 20% tax rate on revenue.

On the same day, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed HB 347 into law after it cleared both the Senate and House in the preceding two weeks. There's a one-year deadline of June 14, 2024, for operators to go live in the state, with regulations published by January. 

The North Carolina Lottery Commission will head up regulations and licensing, with 10-12 licenses available. The tax rate on revenue will be 18%. $2m of this will be used for responsible gambling treatment, research, and education annually.

New Responsible Gambling Services for NJ Players

This week, the NJDGE has launched two new responsible gambling services for players. The first expands the current voluntary self-exclusion program, allowing players to register via a toll-free phone number or online via video chat, thus removing the barriers to registration (previously, the service was in-person). 

The second is an updated area dedicated to responsible gambling on the DGE website. Here consumers and other interested parties will be able to find information regarding best practices for responsible gambling and annual reports by Rutgers University regarding the breakdown of players and betting and the impact of online gambling in the state.

Meanwhile, according to the PGCB, the number of players registered for voluntary self-exclusion from retail and online casinos in Pennsylvania has hit 20,000 (21% affected a lifetime ban. The total breaks down as 12,811: 7,189 men to women).

Slots: New Bill Aims to Raise Tax Threshold on Winnings

Players love online slots. They are the most popular game, and they generate the most revenue, not just in the US but worldwide. In good news for slot players, a bipartisan US bill has proposed a law change to increase the tax threshold on slot winnings from $1,200 to $5,000.

The bill (Shifting Limits on Thresholds, or 'SLOT' Act) argues that the current limit harms the industry and players as it is burdensome and that raising the limit is appropriate as the original $1,200 threshold was set in 1977 and hasn't been adjusted for inflation since. We'll bring you more news on how the bill progresses as and when it's available.

CT Welcomes Design Works Gaming

Online casinos in CT, starting with DraftKings, can now offer DWG software. Connecticut is the studio's fourth iGaming state (DWG is already live at online casinos in MI, NJ, and PA). The deal will see games, including the player-loved 10x Fortune, Komodo Dragon, Break the Bounty, Wonders of Africa, and Lucky Tap, live at DraftKings.

DWG's CEO, Troy Zurawski, commented: "By collaborating closely with DraftKings, we're ready to bring the same elevated content and playing experience to Connecticut that we have to New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania."

Slot Game of the Week

Looking for something new to spin? Then check in with our slot game of the week.

Bass Boss Slot: Red Tiger Gaming, RTP: 95.7%

Bass Boss Slot is a hit title from Red Tiger Gaming that's new to US online casinos (although it was initially released in mid-2022). It's a fishing-themed slot based on Bass and set on 5x4 reels with 10 fixed lines. If you're feeling the summer heat and ready to hit the water, this slot might just be the perfect game to spin. Let's dive in and take a look at the features.

As with most online slots, you'll start making wins by 3-5 matching symbols from left to right on the reels. Emulating most real-life fishing trips, this is a relatively chill slot game (although it is high volatility) that comes with a relaxing outdoor backing track and two bonus features:  

• Instant catch-of-day multiplier cash payouts: At any point in the base game, the fisherman can randomly drop his hook and collect any fish symbols on the same level of the reel grid. If there are no fish on the level, the fisherman can nudge his hook to move up or down to try again, and if the hook has a multiplier attached (2-10x), this will be awarded. There are four fish in total in the game, the Grey Fish at 2-5x, the Blue at 10-15x, the Green at 30-50x, or the Orange at 100-200x.

• Contest catch spins: Land three bonus scatters to launch this round with 10, 15, or 20 spins. During the round, the fisherman has his hook in the water for the whole round (so you can collect the multiplier fish whenever they land), only moving up or down with each spin. For every 8 fish you catch, you'll move up a level, which awards you an extra 10 spins and a progressive multiplier awarded to all wins you make during that level.

Ready to reel in some potentially big fishes with multiplier prizes? Then take Bass Boss Slot for a spin from $0.10 - $20 at any of these Red Tiger Gaming Casinos.

News and Analysis

Iowa Bettors Welcome Bet365 to the State

Bet365 sportsbook is live and accepting bets in Iowa after forming a licensing partnership with Casino Queen Marquette. Iowa is the operator's fifth state as it's already live in Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey (online casino and sports), and Colorado. The site joins 20+ other sportsbooks already live in the state and opens with a new player welcome bonus worth up to $365 in bet bonuses. It's regulated and licensed by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.

No Horses on the Track: Latest from Churchill Downs, Kentucky

Churchill Downs has halted all racing at their Kentucky racetrack due to increased horse injuries in May 2023. An internal review has already taken place, alongside an investigation by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) and Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). Still, none has pinpointed the reason for the increase in injuries, which has led to 12 horse deaths.

Despite the lack of findings, Churchill Downs has decided to relocate the remainder of the Spring Meet, which runs until July 3rd, while they continue to investigate and review the track and safety protocols.

Catch Up: What's Happening With North Carolina's Legalization Effort?

This week North Carolina's state Senate approved HB 347 on its second reading. If the bill passes the last hurdles and is signed into force, it is set to approve 12 interactive wagering licenses under the remit of the North Carolina Gambling Commission.

Is the bill likely to progress further and make it to the finish line? It's uncertain, as two similar bills reached this point last year but did not gain the final approval required.

Greentube Gets Go Ahead Light from Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board

Greentube has gained permission to launch in its fourth US state, Pennsylvania, under a PGCB supplier license, meaning it can offer its games at online casinos in PA. Greentube has been active in the industry for 12+ years, creating over 400 casino games, the most popular of which include their Diamond Link™ and Cash Connect™ series and stand-alone titles, including Myty Elephant, Gangsters Paradise, and Wild West Slot.

Greentube's CFO, Michael Bauer, commented: "Receiving a license to offer our market-leading content in Pennsylvania is another important milestone for Greentube as it continues to expand its presence across North America. We are looking forward to working alongside operators within the state to serve players with our unique brand of entertaining content."

AGA: More Support for Responsible Gambling Required

With the NBA finals on the horizon, AGA CEO Bill Miller has called for more to be done to support those struggling with addiction and to protect those at risk. Speaking to USA Today, Miller offered three ways the industry could be doing more:

1. Additional funding for responsible gambling services
2. The prohibition of college sports betting partnerships
3. And making help more accessible

Miller also highlighted the need for targeted, not general funding, proactive consumer education, greater research, a national hotline and support service (over state-by-state options), and greater adherence to the voluntary AGA Responsible Marketing Code. 

Game of the Week

West Coast Cash Infinity Reels Slot: ReelPlay, RTP:96.16%

West Coast Cash is a new slot game from the all-star developer, ReelPlay. The game comes with the studio's Infinity Reels mechanic, packing attitude, and an authentic, although not branded, GTA-esk feel. Set somewhere on the West Coast, this slot calls to US players and comes packed with OG action, characters, and a banging soundtrack that perfectly sets the scene (make sure you play with the music on).

The reels are 3x4, and it's high volatility, so get ready for a longer playing session. Infinity reels mean that if you hit a win and the last symbol is on the rightmost reel, a new reel is added, continuing the spin and providing the chance to improve the win. The reels will continue to grow as long as you keep adding winning symbols to the reels. When no new matching symbol land, the game pays. Each new reel also increases the progressive multiplier by x1.  

If you manage to add 12 additional reels, you'll trigger the Infinity Bonus, which instantly awards a massive 888x your total bet. There's also a LevelUp Respins round. You'll need 3+ cash scatter symbols to start the game with 3 respins (any new cash scatter resets the total, and all scatters stick for the round). Once you fill a reel with cash symbols, a new reel is added on the right.

On each respin, Cash, Dealer, and Enforcer symbols get a $ sign added to them, and a symbol has 6 $ signs; it levels up, increasing the prize multiplier. Plus, every time a cash symbol levels up, it can also transform, leading to even bigger wins and extra in-round functions! 

Start spinning the brand new and epic West Coast Cash Slot at these rated ReelPlay Casinos. It costs $0.20 up to $20 a spin, and you might see yourself walking away with the top payout, which is a massive 20,350x your bet! This game's got some reel magic about it - it shouldn't be missed.

News and Analysis

WynnBet New Jersey Welcomes Bragg Studios' Content

Bragg Studios content is live at WynnBet Casino, New Jersey. As of this week, players can enjoy Bragg titles and those from the supplier's partner studios, like Atomic Slot Lab, Spin Games, and others. 

Here's what Bragg Gaming Group COO Kunal Mishra said about the deal; "we are confident our innovative proprietary and exclusive third-party games will help WynnBET continue engaging with their existing players at high levels and attract new players. This new content introduction highlights the continued successful introduction of our proprietary and third-party content with leading North American igaming operators."

PGCB Issues Fines For Two Operators

The PGCB has issued two fines, one to Hollywood Casino for $78,000 for failing to meet the minimum levels of security staffing on the premises and another of $22,000 to TCS John Huxley America for failing to file the proper licensing application.

The regulator has also affected state-wide casino bans using the involuntary ban system for five adults who left minors unattended while they gambled. In all cases, the children were left in vehicles while their guardians visited casinos.

DGC Signs Deal with Caesars Digital

DGC and Caesars Digital have hashed out a deal to see DGC game content live on Caesar's platforms across the US, starting with its online casino in New Jersey. DGC is incredibly popular, stocking hit titles like Thunderstruck, 9 Loaded Pots, 9 Masks of Fire, Assassin Moon, and 3 Tiny Gods.

President of iGaming at Caesars Digital, Matt Sunderland, said, "DGC's impressive and award-winning portfolio of premium games will deliver engaging and entertaining experiences for our players. We're excited to launch these titles on Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in New Jersey and look forward to bringing them to customers in even more states."

Fanatics Live in MA

In our last piece of good news for the week, sports bettors in Massachusetts have a new online sportsbook to wager with - Fanatics. While not fully live, the platform has launched in beta mode inviting some customers to test the platform.

Non-invited players must join the list and wait for the formal launch before accessing the sportsbook. However, Fanatic has released some early details, such as what their new bonus will be, and it's a terrific deal; spend $5, and you'll get $200 in bonus bets - talk about building the hype!

Game of the Week

Peaky Blinders Slot: Pragmatic Play, RTP: 96.50%

The first thing to mention is that this isn't a new online slot, but it's brand new to stateside casinos. It's based on Peaky Blinders, a hit UK TV show based on the real-life Birmingham gang that ran the streets from 1880-1910 and was involved in everything from gambling and racketeering to politics. 

The show has already aired in the US and has proved widely popular. Following its success, this month saw online casinos in the USA list the Peaky Blinders Slot, which is developed by Pragmatic Play and the studio's first-ever branded game. 

Set on 5x3 reels with 20 lines, this game brings all your favorite characters to life on the reels - that's Michael, Polly, Arthur, and Thomas. There's also a wild symbol that subs, and two types of scatter symbols, leading to three bonus rounds.

1. Shelby Betting Shop Bonus: Hitting a single betting shop bonus scatter on reel 5, and all character symbols on the reels will get an instant cash payout awarded.
2. By Order of the Peaky Blinders Bonus: If the By Order of the Peaky Blinders scatter lands on reel 5 with no other scatters on the reels, you'll get a re-spin where all character symbols and wilds transform into a single symbol.
3. Free Spins: Land two regular scatters (the game logo) anywhere on the reels with one of the other scatters on reel 5, and you'll get the corresponding free spins bonus round. It starts with 8 or 10 spins, depending on which type of scatter was on reel 5 and the bonus feature active.

Ready to play? Then it's time to get in on the action and set your bets from $0.20 to $100 at any of these ranked and rated Pragmatic Play Casinos.

News and Analysis

DraftKings MA in Hot Water Over Illegal Tennis Bets

DraftKings has self-reported a compliance failure to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission after offering bets on the tennis UTR pro-series, which hadn't been approved in the state. The betting took place over 12 days in March, with 864 illegal bets accepted, accounting for $7,867, which has now been returned to players (with winnings and losses canceled).

According to DraftKings, the error occurred as the operator copied markets from another jurisdiction without checking MA state compliance. The operator has implemented future compliance checks, but the Commission has expressed frustration with the situation.

California Signs Law AB 341 Preventing Card Rooms 

In 1997, California introduced a 25-year moratorium banning further card room expansion and issuing new licenses. AB 341, signed into force this week by California Governor Gavin Newsom, continues this prohibition on card room expansion until 2043. 

Cali card rooms and tribes support AB 341, so it hasn't ruffled any feathers. However, unlike its predecessor, it does allow for some expansion for the current licensed operators, in that it allows individual cities to approve card rooms that operate under 20 tables, to add two new tables in the first year, and an additional two every four years after. 

Man Charged with DraftKings Hacking

If you've got a keen memory, you'll remember us reporting in November of last year that a large number of DraftKings US accounts had been hacked; well, The Southern District of New York has charged a man, Joseph Garrison, with the crime.

The alleged crime is accessing approximately 60,000 accounts using a credit stuffing attack. Garrison is then said to have sold access to the compromised accounts on the black market, leading to over $600,000 in withdrawals from 1,600 accounts.

The official charges levied are conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, two counts of fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

State of the States in March 2023: Revenue Roundups from NJ and PA

Gambling revenue reports are in for April, and it's good news all around as NJ and PA see year-on-year increases.

• New Jersey: Gambling revenue in NJ for April was up 9.5% YoY, despite a drop of 5.1% compared with March 2023. Online casinos in NJ saw a 16.3% rise in slots revenue YoY, while land-based slots revenue fell by 3.2%. Borgata Casino NJ was the market leader for the month, with Resorts in second place and Golden Nugget in third.

• Pennsylvania: Revenue in PA followed a similar revenue pattern to NJ, with YoY increases of 3.3%, but less generated in April than the preceding month. Land-based slot revenue also saw a YoY decline in this state, dropping 2.2%. However, PA online casino revenue grew 21.3%, with Hollywood Casino leading the market, followed by FanDuel.

Game of the Week

88 Fortunes: Light & Wonder, RTP: 96%

This week we're covering a classic slot that's been a trailblazer since its first release in 2016. Standing the test of time, 88 Fortunes remains one of Light & Wonder's most spun slot titles. This game was originally a land-based slot, which proved so popular Light & Wonder decided to produce an online version.

It's a simple game steeped in superstition, based on Chinese culture, and stacked with prize potential. It's set on 5x3 reels, with 243 ways to win and bets from $0.08 to $88. The base game payouts are solid (it's a high volatility slot, so be prepared for some dry spins), but it's the bonus features you're holding out for, and there are two:

• Free Spins: You can trigger this round by landing 3 scatters anywhere on the reels to get 10 free spins. All lower-value symbols are off the reels during the round, with only high-paying symbols falling.
• Fu-Bat Jackpot Feature: You'll win a jackpot payout if you score one or more Fu Bat symbols on the reels (this is also the Wild). The more coins you bet, the bigger your chances of winning a jackpot, which will be randomly awarded or selected through a click-and-pick round.

Ready to play and see if you can light up the reels with golden Fu Bat Jackpot symbols? Then take this top slot for a spin at any of these Light & Wonder US online casinos.

News and Analysis

AGA: New Revenue Record for First Quarter 2023

US commercial gaming revenue has hit a new quarterly record of $16.60 billion for Q1 2023. According to the AGA, this makes it the eighth consecutive record-breaking quarter. The highlight was March, which accounted for $5.90 billion.

MA Sports Handle Over $566 Million in First Month

Online gambling in Massachusetts is off to a flying start as the official sports handle for the first month is $566.2 million! The MA legal sports betting market comprises six operators, BetMGM, DraftKings, Caesars, Barstool, WynnBet, and FanDuel, with DraftKings leading revenue, Fanduel in second, and BetMGM in third.

Fanatics and PointsBet: What's the Deal?

Fanatics Betting and Gaming have struck a deal to acquire PointsBet US for $150 million. PointsBet will retain its Canadian and Australian operations. The agreement is subject to regulatory and shareholder approval.

Texas on Sports Betting

The Texas House of Representatives has voted through a constitutional amendment bill allowing Texan voters to approve or say no to legalizing online sportsbooks. HJR 102 passed by 101:42 on May 11th. Should voters pass the measure on November 7th, the Texas Constitution will be amended to allow for legal sports betting. 

HJR 102 is accompanied by HB 1942, which introduces the infrastructure of the market and regulatory regime. The bill includes a 15% tax rate and a $2 million application fee, making the Texas Lottery Commission the licensing authority.

Game of the Week

Lock It Link Night Life Slot: WMS, RTP 96.02%

Lock It Link Night Life is a video slot that calls to players who love the classic luxury theme and jackpots. It has a retro glam touch across 5x3 reels, 50 paylines, a fantastic bonus free spins round, and the Lock It feature.

You'll start making base game wins by matching symbols along paylines but keep your eyes peeled for scatters. 3+ bonus scatter triggers free spins or the Lock It feature (you get to pick). If you pick the free spins, you get 6. During the round, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 WILD awards a multiplier of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8, respectively.

If you play the Lock It Feature, you get 1 spin with only heart symbols on the reels. Heart symbols can award up to 100x your bet as it's a jackpot round with a Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand jackpot up for grabs. 

Ready to play? Take Lock It Link Night Life Slot for a spin from $0.50 up to $50 at these WMS Casinos.

News and Analysis

US Gambling States Ask DOJ to Take Action Against Offshore Operators

One of the biggest stories this week is that many of the USA's gambling states (including New Jersey, Illinois, Nevada, Michigan, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Colorado) have come together and authored a joint letter appealing to the DOJ to take firmer action against offshore gambling sites targeting and accepting US players. 

The heads of the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) and Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) personally put their names to the letter, stating that the offshore market poses significant threats that the states couldn't handle alone. The letter also highlighted the risks of illegal gambling, including a lack of responsible gambling care, absence of age-gating and money laundering checks, and lack of fair play assurances. 

MGCB Director Henry Williams added, "State regulators like the MGCB ensure operators offer products that pass technical standards and testing, and we also require operators to comply with reporting requirements. Offshore operators flaunt state regulations and offer products that do not protect the public, which greatly concerns me and my fellow state regulators. Regulated operators recognize licensing is a privilege that can be taken away, but illegal operators do not face similar consequences for failure to follow laws and maintain integrity."

Earlier this year, the American Gaming Association (AGA) estimated that the size of the US offshore market spending in 2022 was $510.9B, costing the US a potential $13.3b in lost tax revenue. Players in non-legal gambling states can use sweepstakes casinos legally, but offshore casinos are not recommended as they are not secure.

AGA: 85% of Americans Agree with Repeal of PASPA

Five years have passed since the Supreme Court struck down PASPA, making it possible for each US state to decide independently whether to allow sports betting within their state lines. Last week the AGA released the results of a nationwide survey, showing rising approval rates as 85% of Americans now believe this was the right move. In 2019, only 63% agreed it was the correct choice. 

Moreover, 77% of respondents support the legalization of sports betting in their state. Interestingly, the report also showed that 78% of US bettors now use regulated operators, compared with 44% in 2019. While these stats confirm the growth of legal sports betting in the US, the AGA highlighted the need for continuous education for players regarding legal gambling operators vs. offshore sites and the threats they pose.

PointsBet on the Tracks

PointsBets has already hit the headlines twice this month amid talks of a potential US sale. However, in the turn-up for the books, this week, the company announced the launch of a new product, PointsBet Racing, which is already live in 25 states. PointsBet Racing is created in partnership with 1/ST Technology and includes live streaming. The app also features famous tracks (over 180) and races worldwide - from the US and UK to Hong Kong and Australia.

According to Johnny Aitken, CEO of PointsBet USA, "The launch of PointsBet Racing marks a significant milestone in our efforts to expand our product portfolio and capture the tremendous potential of the US horse racing market. We are optimistic about replicating the success we have seen in mature global betting markets where racing is a huge engagement channel next to sports. This new offering will contribute to the growth of online horse racing in the US, and we are excited to get live in advance of one of the most important racing events of the year."

Vermont Sports Betting Bill Passes Senate

Vermont's HB 127 has passed the Senate on its third reading and now moves back to the House for final confirmation. The bill which seeks to legalize sports betting in the state is bi-partisan and was first introduced in January. 

If the bill makes it through the final stage and to the Governor's office, which is now likely, it will allow for up to six online and mobile sportsbooks. There will be a licensing fee (an amendment added by the Senate) and a 20% tax rate on revenue. It's expected that Vermont players could be laying online bets from January 2024.

Game of the Week

Thunderstruck Stormchaser, Stormcraft Studios. RTP: 86-96.10%

This week, we're discussing an exclusive slot available at BetMGM, Borgata, and Party Casinos - ThunderStruck Stormchaser by Stormcraft Studios. This is the fifth slot in the top-rated ThunderStruck series. Need a refresher? Then check out this catch-up trailer released by the game studio. 

Based on Thor and his lightning powers, this game comes jam-packed with features, high volatility action, and prize wins of up to 10,200x your bet. The back story goes like this: Thor is on a mission to retrieve his father's (Odin) spear and take his seat on the throne of Asgard, which depending on the outcome of your gaming session, he will achieve or not. 

The graphics and backdrop set a detailed scene and drop you right into the action of Asgard, where you'll play on 5x4 reels with 1024 ways to win. The main features include Rolling Reels (aka cascading spins; once you make a win, the symbols disappear and new symbols fall, creating a second chance at winning), Multiplier symbols (from 2-20x), Wilds, Wildstorms (which trigger randomly and award up to 5 reels stacked with wilds), and Free Spins (up to 25, with progressive multipliers). 

If you're an impatient slot player and can't wait to get to the main action, there's also a feature buy button that'll add scatters to the reels to trigger the free spins round! Ready to play? Then set your bets from $0.25 up to $25 and start spinning at BetMGM, Borgata, or Party Casino now.

News and Analysis

Tropicana Online Casino Launched in PA

Tropicana has launched in the Keystone State, becoming Pennsylvania's newest online casino. Coming hot off the heels of news just weeks ago that Caesars had relaunched Tropicana Casino in NJ (after acquiring and revamping the platform), players in Pennsylvania can now enjoy hundreds of games, a new player welcome bonus, and the award-winning Caesars Rewards at the cutting-edge Tropicana mobile app or desktop platform.

Stakelogic Hits Pennsylvania

In more good news for Pennsylvania players, Stakelogic has received approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to start offering its games content in the state. Hit titles set to go live include; Greedy Fox, Money Track, Treasures of Ra, and Spartans vs Zombies Multipays.

Here's what Stephan van den Oetelaar, CEO at Stakelogic, had to say; "Our slots have topped the charts in markets across Europe and beyond, so we are incredibly excited to see them launch in the state of Pennsylvania.

This is one of the most successful igaming states with a growing and maturing market where players are now seeking more feature-rich games.

Our suite of video slots absolutely provides this, while our classic slots are great for those trying online play for the first time or simply prefer the style and gameplay of traditional slot machine games."

PointsBet US For Sale

Last week, the rumor mill was hard at work with news of a potential PointsBet USA sale. Well, it's now official as the Australian-based operator has confirmed it's in talks with several interested parties regarding selling the North American side of the business. According to reports, PointsBet is trying to cut costs in the face of overall projected losses for quarter two of 2023.  

Greentube Live at BetRivers Michigan

Greentube and Rush Street Interactive have agreed to expand their current supplier deal, which sees Greentube games at RSI online casinos in New Jersey to Michigan and Ontario. Greentube released the following statement;

"Having seen how popular our games have been for RSI's players in New Jersey, it's fantastic to extend our reach across North America with launches in Ontario and Michigan. Our content is proven to resonate with players in the region and we look forward to rolling it out to a fresh wave of players in conjunction with our long-term partnership with RSI."

Players at BetRivers Michigan can now enjoy Greentube jackpot and classic slots, including Diamond Cash, Mighty Elephant, Thunder Cash: Dolphin's Pearl, and more.

Nevada to Vote on State Lottery

Meanwhile, in Nevada, the state-wide ban on lotteries might end as the public will be allowed to vote on the matter in a yes/no referendum. If passed, Assembly Joint Resolution 5 (ARJ5) will amend the State Constitution to allow for the running of a state lottery and the sale of tickets.

Game of the Week 

Indiana Bones Slot Review: High 5 Games, RTP 96%

Indiana Bones is a new online slot from High 5 Games that delivers on all fronts. Let's start by talking about the theme as there's some comical side-stepping of the acquisition of a brand license with this game, meaning instead of Indiana Jones filling the reels; you'll meet Indiana Bones (a fortune-hunting canine explorer), and his pack, of adventurous mutts (who make up the higher paying symbols). 

Set on 5x3 reels with 20 paylines, there's nothing all too daring regarding this slot setup, but the bonus features and payouts are solid. The game comes with a whopping 6 different wild symbols (green, orange, and purple gems and 3 color corresponding totems - all substitute, but unlike the other wilds, totems can only land on reel 5). When you land at least one totem wild on the fifth reel, the Lasting Loot Activated Wild Feature leaps into action, transforming any matching color gem symbols into wilds, which stick for three spins.

To trigger the free spins bonus round, you'll need 3 chest scatter symbols, which can land on reels 2-4. You get 10 free spins, and the Lasting Loot Feature automatically triggers on spins 1, 3, and 5 with all wild symbols sticking for the entire round, leading to potentially epic wins!

Ready to take the first step on what might just be a prize ladened adventure? Then check out these top-rated High 5 Games Casinos and take Indiana Bonus for a test drive using a new player bonus!

News and Analysis

Penn Entertainment Revamps Loyalty System at Hollywood Casino

Penn Entertainment has rebranded and revamped its casino and sportsbook loyalty club from Mychoice to Penn Play. Penn Play introduces several improvements, including new rewards, Penn Cash, and more accessible perks.

The changes affect online players of Hollywood Casino, Barstool, and the Score (Penn Entertainment has over 26 million users signed up to its loyalty system), who can now collect Penn Cash (Penn Play’s new loyalty currency) online and in person, then spend at the brand’s marketplace.

According to Penn Entertainment, the new system is simplified, introducing tiers, and it also unites the brand’s land-establishments and online platforms under one loyalty club for the first time. 

New Jersey’s New RG Initiative

New Jersey’s Attorney General and Division of Gaming Enforcement Chief have announced new ad standards for gambling brands and self-exclusion measures in response to the state’s booming sports betting market, which grew 17.2% YoY for March 2023.

The new regulations include that NJ online casino and sportsbook operators must:

• clearly display the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline on all ads, 
• offer straightforward ways for players to opt out of gambling ads 
• stop using terms such as “guaranteed wins” or “risk-free.” 

NJ players can now register for self-exclusion via a video chat portal rather than in-person, making it more accessible to those wishing to join the list. Additionally, the DGE has created a senior new position for a responsible gambling coordinator who will head up responsible gambling efforts and protection in the state.

NJDGE Chief said of the new measures, “In the face of that boom, we have a duty to protect the public from advertising that could be misleading or harmful. And for those in the grip of gambling addiction, we need to offer as many exit ramps from their condition as possible.”

Atlantic City Casinos Worried by New York Plans

Hard Rock International Chairman Jim Allen has voiced concerns that New York’s plan to open three land-based casinos will remove revenue from Atlantic City venues, perhaps even causing closures. According to Allen, Atlantic City gets 20-30% of its “revenue from upstate New Jersey and downstate New York.”

The NY Gaming Facility Location Board opened requests for casino applications in January 2023. Several US-gambling companies, including Hard Rock, Caesars, Sands, MGM, Mohegan, and Wynn Resorts, have already expressed interest in the three licenses. The permits won’t be awarded until later in the year.

Inspired Gaming Joins FanDuel MI Lobby

Inspired Gaming is live at FanDuel Michigan with available titles, including the studio’s top-performing content, such as Big Fishing Fortune™, Big Santa Fortune™, Gold Cash Free Spins™, and Big Spin Bonus™. FanDuel and Inspired Gaming first partnered in Ontario, and thanks to the success of the studio’s content, the deal has now expanded to Michigan. In the company's press release, Brooks Pierce, Inspired Gaming President, said; 

“We are thrilled to partner with FanDuel in Michigan to deliver premium iGaming content,” said Brooks Pierce, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Inspired. “This agreement adds another operator we have partnered with in Michigan, making it seven in total. Michigan remains a very important market for us, as we have reached over 90% market coverage through our partners, and which now represents our biggest US state. It is a pleasure to work with the FanDuel team, and we congratulate them on this exciting launch.” 

Game of the Week

Invading Vegas: Play’n GO, RTP 96.2%

Invading Vegas is a cheekily-themed slot that's guaranteed to hit a sweet spot with US players. Based on an alien invasion of, you’ve guessed it, Vegas, this slot brings the bright lights straight to your mobile or desktop screen and delivers prize-winning action across 5x3 reels and 20 lines.

The reels are filled with larger-than-life characters, including an Elvis impersonator, and the game symbols pay well at 2-12.5x your stake for 5 symbol line wins. The main base game feature is Lock and Re-Spins, which are triggered if you land a full stack of symbols on reels 1 or 2. If you also land a stacked wild (the Alien is the wild symbol) on reel 3 during the spins, the stacked wild will walk across the reels, moving one reel right with each spin and awarding an extra re-spin when it reaches the end of the reels.

The bonus round is free spins, and you’ll need to catch 3 UFO symbols anywhere on the reels to trigger 12 spins. During free spins, walking wilds are active, but move left instead of right to increase your winning chances.

Invading Vegas is fun, the graphics are sharp and entertaining, and it delivers a good dose of humor and potential prizes (max payouts of 1,000x your bet). If you’ve not yet tried a Play’n GO slot, this title showcases Play’n GO at its best. Load up the reels from $0.01 up to $100 a spin and see what you can win at these US Play’n GO casinos!

News and Analysis

Kindred Gets Green Light for NJ Platform

This week, the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement has given the Kindred Group (Unibet) the official go-ahead to launch its proprietary platform in NJ. The platform will go live mid-May and replace Unibet Casino NJ's current software. 

According to the Kindred Group, the platform provides greater flexibility and performance, thus improving the player experience, backend capabilities, and safety features. The software is also expected to go live at Unibet PA in Q2.

Kindred Group Chief Executive Henrik Tjärnström said, "I am very pleased that we are now able to launch our own Kindred platform in New Jersey, and I am immensely proud of everybody at Kindred who has made this possible. Introducing the Kindred platform to our customers in New Jersey will provide the entertainment and experience enjoyed by our customers in Europe. We are now finally able to show off our true Unibet product."

NJ Revenue Growth for March

New Jersey’s gaming revenue figures are in for March and show continued growth across all verticals. According to the NJDGE, total gaming revenue for the month was $487m - up 15% YoY for March - with iGaming figures up 17.8% YoY. Resorts Digital, Borgata, and Golden Nugget were the three most popular online casinos in NJ by revenue. 

MA Sports Handle $540m+ for First Three Weeks of Legal Betting

Massachusetts’ legal online sports betting market launched on March 10th, and the figures are in for the first three weeks of internet betting. Players spent $584.1m, generating $46.7m in operator revenue and $9.1m in tax for the state. The most popular sportsbooks by spending were DraftKings ($267.6m handle), FanDuel ($181.1m), and BetMGM ($45.3m). However, when adjusted for revenue, FanDuel peaked ahead of DraftKings.

PA Revenue Hits iGaming Record for March.

Online casinos in PA set records this month as iGaming hit highs of $148.2m, up 25.5% YoY. It wasn’t just online casinos that set records, either, as total revenue hit over $500m for the first time (total revenue of $515.3m, up 11.4% YoY). 

Retail slots accounted for almost half of all revenue in the state, while internet slot revenue increased by 32.4%. Hollywood Casino remained the most popular online casino in PA, with FanDuel in second place and BetRivers in third. 

Meanwhile, sports betting revenue shot up by an incredible 66.6% YoY, with over 85% of spending done online. FanDuel was the most popular sports betting platform, with Hollywood Casino and Barstool in second and third place.

Slot of the Week

Gold Blitz Slot: DGC, RTP 96%

This week’s slot game is the epic Gold Blitz Slot from DGC. Currently trending at online casinos throughout the USA, this slot game is an absolute knockout. It’s set on 5x4 reels and features 4,096 ways to win, prizes up to 5,000x, multiplier wilds, a bonus game, and Gold Blitz spins!

The action starts in the base game, where you can make coin wins by matching 2-5 symbols on the reels. There’s a wild symbol (which can appear on reels 2-6) and a collect symbol, which triggers the Collect Feature, where all cash and jackpot symbols are rounded up on the reels and payout - meaning, yes, you can win a fixed jackpot payout in the base game.

To trigger the bonus round, you’ll need 3+ scatter symbols. Before you enter the round, you’ll get the choice of taking Free Spins or Gold Blitz Spins (you’re offered more Free Spins than Blitz Spins). The free spins round comes with 2-5x multiplier wilds and can be re-triggered if you land additional scatters. While the Gold Blitz feature comes with one guaranteed Collect symbol per spin and only cash, jackpot, and blanks on the reels, meaning wins are guaranteed! Plus, there's a bonus buy button, so if you want to pay more and skip straight to the bonus round, you can!

Ready to play? Then load up the reels from $0.20 to $50 and take Gold Blitz Slot for a spin at these DGC Casinos.

News and Analysis

Tropicana Casino NJ is Back

Tropicana online casino in NJ opened its virtual doors when legal gambling first kicked off in The Garden State in 2013. In 2022, the brand was taken over by Caesars, and the NJ casino stopped trading. However, last week Caesars announced the official relaunch of Tropicana, NJ. 

The new Tropicana Casino mobile app and desktop site feature enhanced functionality, an increased lobby of industry-leading titles, and players will have access to the Caesars Rewards Club.

Matthew Sunderland, Senior Vice President of iGaming at Caesars Digital, said of the relaunch, “Caesars has a legacy in New Jersey with a history of providing a best-in-class gaming experience. The relaunch of Tropicana Online Casino is an important step in our progression toward providing valued customers with the best iGaming products in the industry. We’re confident this new offering delivers an elevated online casino experience with rewards that can’t be matched, similar to the industry-best experiences customers enjoy at Tropicana Atlantic City.”

New York bettors spent $16.40bn on sports betting in 2022

Sports betting in New York launched on January 8th, 2020, and the official figures for the first full year of betting are in, with players spending a whopping $16.40bn (the FY runs from March until April).

Which were the most popular bookies in the state? FanDuel hit first place with $6.82bn in total wagers ($756m in revenue), with DraftKings in second (a $5.02bn handle ($397.5m revenue) and Caesars in third place (a total handle of $2.23bn, revenue of $152.9m). 

Operators have registered several concerns over the high tax rate of 51% for New York gambling sites. The average tax rate across US sports betting states is 19%, so comparatively, this is sky-high, presenting as a barrier to entry and profit generation in the market.

Texas Legislators Going for Sports Betting Gold?

Two Bills - HB1942 and HB 2843 - have cleared the Texas House State Affairs Committee. The next stage is the House Calendar Committee, where lawmakers decide whether the bills will be voted on.

HB 1942 looks to legalize online sports betting, establishing a $500 application fee and a 10% tax on revenue. The bill would be introduced with House Joint Resolution 102, amending the Texas Constitution to legalize gambling, which is currently prohibited. 

Meanwhile, HB 2843 seeks to regulate casino gaming and sports betting and create the Texas Gaming Commission. This bill would also have a constitutional amendment counterpart.

Either bill will require a two-thirds majority to pass, and as constitutional amendments are necessary, a public ballot is most likely needed.

DK Horse Live in 12 States

DraftKings’ new horse racing betting app, DK Horse, has launched in 12 US states, with more expansion planned before the Kentucky Derby’s kick-off on May 6th. The app was created with Churchill Downs Incorporated.

CO, FL, MA, MI, MO, OR, VI, WA, WV, and WY now have access to the pari-mutuel horse racing app available from DraftKings or Android/iOS stores. Live streaming of races will be available, alongside bonuses and plenty of betting action - check it out.

Kentucky Governor Signs off on Legal Sports Betting

Governor Andy Beshear signed House Bill 551, making way for legal sports betting in Kentucky. The Bill passed by 26 to 12, legalizing nine racetracks to offer on-site retail sports betting. Each may partner with up to three online operators, meaning 27 licenses are available from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. 

Slot Game of the Week

Ultimate Fire Link: Olvera Street: Light & Wonder, RTP: 96.2%

Set on 5x4 reels with 50 paylines and an over-the-average RTP of 96.2%, Ultimate Fire Link: Olvera Street features Fire Link Feature re-spins, free spins, multipliers, and wild stacks that’ll light up any gaming session. And, if you’re keen to head straight to the bonus rounds, you can use the buy pass feature!

The Fire Link Feature is the star of the show, and it’s a re-spins round that could see you fill the reels with sticky Fire Link multiplier symbols. You need to land 4 to trigger the feature, after which each new Fire Link symbol resets the spins total to 3 - the round ends when you fill the reels or run out of new symbols. Ultimately, each Fire Link symbol pays the multiplier to shows, leading to potentially massive wins. There’s also a jackpot prize if you manage to fill the reels.

But that’s not all; there are also Free Spins, and you’ll get 10 rounds with extra wild stacks on the reels for landing 3 scatter symbols in the base game. Ready to play? Then set your bets from $0.20 - $80 and check it out at these Light & Wonder Casinos in your state.

News and Analysis

AGA: Bans "Risk-Free" Terminology and Releases New Guidance for Protection of College-Age Bettors

The American Gaming Association has updated its Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering, banning members (the AGA comprises commercial and tribal casino operators and supplies in the US) from using "risk-free" in advertising. 

This is the most significant update to the code since it was first created in 2019; it also introduces other standards, including: 

• The requirement to review and update the code yearly, 
• Prohibition of college team sponsorship and NIL deals with amateur or college athletes,
• Age restrictions on those featured in gambling ads to 21+
• Changing references to the "legal age of wagering" to 21+

The changes take immediate effect, although operators have until July 1st to meet full compliance.

White Hat Studios Joins Caesars PA

White Hat Studios is live at Caesars Casino, PA. Players at this casino can now enjoy top game content from the provider, including Ted, Almighty Buffalo Megaways, Blackjack Player's Choice, American Roulette, and Deal or No Deal Megaways: The Golden Case! White Hat Studios is now live at online casinos Michigan and Pennsylvania!

Online Casino Bill up for Senate Vote in New Hampshire

Senate Bill 104 is up for a vote in New Hampshire. Seeking to legalize online casinos in the state, the bill requires a majority approval rate by the House of Representatives. If successful, it requires final approval from Governor Christopher Sununu. The bill doesn't cap the number of licenses, proposing a 35% tax rate, with proceeds used to fund a community college education scholarship. The vote will take place in the state Senate on Thursday.

Want to learn which US states will most likely approve online casinos in 2023? Read the complete Cabbie analysis.

PGCB: $60,000 Issued in Fines to Three Online Operators

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has issued fines to the operators of Hollywood Casino and Unibet Casino and the games content provider Evolution Gaming for responsible gambling failures. The most significant penalty, $45,000, went to Hollywood Casino for allowing five self-excluded individuals to join the casino. Unibet was sanctioned $7,500 for failing to suspend the account of one player who requested it, and Evolution $7,500 for allowing an unlicensed dealer to run several games. 

Vermont House Votes for Sports Betting

HB 127 has passed the House Vote in Vermont, meaning the state is one step closer to legal sports wagering. HB 127 aims to legalize betting by allowing the State's Department of Liquor and Lottery to operate sports betting through contracts with operators. The contracts would be up for bidding, with two to six license allocations. The bill has now moved to the state Senate for further consideration. We'll bring you more news from Vermont as it breaks.

Game of the Week

Capital Gains Slot: AGS, RTP: 95.96%

This week, we're bringing you a reinvented classic that's trending at US online casinos. Capital Gains is a high volatility, fixed jackpot slot that delivers retro vibes and maximum payouts of 2,000x your bet. We're calling it a classic, but don't be fooled into thinking this title is all about the base game; there's also wilds, a prize picker option, free spins bonus, a re-spins feature, and jackpot prizes up for grabs!

The action starts on 5x3 reels with 243 ways to win. To begin making wins, you'll need to line up 3+ matching symbols on the reels, left to right. The bonus vault symbol pays both ways. Scoring 3+ bonus vault symbols triggers one of two bonus rounds (pick a vault to reveal which you get); the free spins or money charge bonus feature. 

If you get the free spins, you'll randomly be awarded 6, 9,12, or 15 spins with an additional 50, 100, 150, or 200 wild symbols added to the reels. The round can be re-triggered any time 3 bonus symbols land on the reels, leading to potentially unlimited free spins! 

The money charge bonus feature starts with 3 re-spins. During the re-spins, you'll land more money charge symbols with coin payouts of 50 up to 75,000 credits attached. Every time a new money charge symbol lands, it locks, and the re-spins reset to 3. You can also win one of the game's jackpots by landing money charge symbols showing a jackpot prize instead of a coin win. The round ends when you run out of spins or fill all 15 reel spaces with money charge symbols.

What's great about this slot, aside from the action-packed gameplay, is that you can also trigger the money charge bonus from the base game by landing 6 money charge symbols on a single spin! Ready to play? Then load up the reels at any of these top AGS online casinos and play from  $0.50-50!

News and Analysis

Online Casino Bill Introduced in Iowa

House Bill 227 has been introduced, and it seeks to regulate online casinos in Iowa. If passed, each land-based casino in the state would be permitted up to two online skins, with licensing and regulation the remit of the Iowa Gaming Commission. Online sports betting is already legal in IA, so hopes are high that the bill could pass. If it does, IA will become the USA's seventh iGaming state.

Find out more about which states are most likely to legalize online casinos in 2023 by reading our complete analysis.

AGA: US Commercial Gaming Revenue Hits New Record in January 2023

According to the American Gaming Association, US commercial gaming revenue has hit a new US record of $5.05bn for January 2023 - a 21% YoY increase. This also represents the industry's 23rd consecutive month of growth. 

Sports betting revenue hasn't been left behind, with figures surpassing $1bn for the first time. The AGA said the rise in sports betting revenue is partly due to the launch of the Ohio and Massachusetts markets in January.

Kentucky Bans Gray Gambling Machines

Kentucky governor Andy Beshear has signed HB 594 into force, banning skill-based game machines, or "gray machines," throughout the state. These gaming terminals traversed current laws by including an element of skill but were essentially coin-operated video game machines with real money payouts. 

Missouri House Approves Sports Betting Bill 

Missouri has taken a step forward towards legal sports betting as HB 556 clears the House and moves to the state Senate for final approval. The bill would allow land-based casinos in the state to operate retail and online sportsbooks. It sets the tax rate for operators at 10% and would allow 3-6 skins per casino license. 

Oklahoma Tribal Betting Bill Passes First House Vote

HB 1027 has passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives by 66-26. The bill has now moved to the Senate for adjustments, after which the final version must pass a House and Senate vote. The bill seeks to amend the current tribal gaming compacts to make way for legal sports betting in the state.

NJ, PA, and DE Revenue Rises YoY in February

Revenue figures are in for February, and here's the state of the states for New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

New Jersey

NJ recorded growth in almost all gambling sectors for February, showing a 10.4% YoY increase. However, the total for February was down 5.7% compared with the previous month (total revenue for February was $412.2m, while in January, it was $436.9m). Online gambling revenue increased by 9.7%, with Borgata Casino in first place, followed by Golden Nugget in second place, and Resorts Casino in third.

Pennsylvania 

Pennsylvania's figures were up an incredible 21.6% YoY for February, driven mainly by PA online casinos and sportsbooks. However, figures didn't surpass January 2023's revenue totals, missing the mark by just 1.6%. YoY online slot revenue in the state increased by over 36%, and table games by 15%. Hollywood Casino remained the most popular option, followed by Fanduel and BetRivers Casino. 

Delaware

Meanwhile, the Delaware market didn't pull itself out of its current slump as sports betting figures hit a six-month low, and DE online casino revenue fell for the second month. iGaming revenue was $38m for February, down 13.8% on January's $44.1m. However, YoY, it's still a 55.7% increase on February 2022's spending. Delaware Park Casino remained the most popular online gambling site in the state. 

MA Sports Revenue Hits $2m in the First Month of Legal Betting

The legal sports market in MA opened retail betting on January 31st, 2023, and revenue amounted to $2m in the first month of betting. Online sportsbooks are now also live in the state but launched more than a month later on March 10th. 

Game of the Week

90K Yeti Gigablox Slot: 4ThePlayer, RTP: 95.5%

90K Yeti Gigablox Slot has gone live at NJ online casinos this week. Produced by 4ThePlayer, it's one of the studio's top-performing titles and the sequel to 9K Yeti. On top of the epic graphics and gameplay, it offers a jaw-dropping max win potential of 90,000x! 

The Yeti is back, and he's bigger than ever! 

Played with 46,656 ways to win, this new US slot game delivers 3 unique base game bonuses and a free spins game that can award up to 36 spins. You'll start making wins by matching 2+ symbols, left to right, on the reels. Any of the three bonus features can strike at any time. There's Yeti Reveal, which destroys snow block symbols to reveal wins; Snowstorms, which shuffle the characters on the reels to make a winning combo; and Giga Summons, which add one giant Gigablox symbol to the reels (Gigablox are colossal symbols of 4x4, 5x5 or 6x6).

To trigger free spins, you'll need to land 5+ scatters, and each scatter awards 1 spin. During the round, all snow block symbols are removed, and you're guaranteed at least 1 Snow Storm or Giga Summon feature, which makes for electrifying wins! If the thought of 90,000x wins is too tempting, you can also use the bonus buy feature to pay your way to the free spins round - this game has it all going on!

Ready to play? Then take 90K Yeti for a spin from $0.20-25 at these 4ThePlayer online casinos in the USA.