Casino News and Analysis

AGA Recruits FanDuel For New Safe Betting Campaign

Flutter Entertainment (FanDuel) has become the first US sportsbook and casino to sign up for the American Gaming Association's new responsible gambling campaign, “Have A Game Plan, Bet Responsibly.” Under the partnership, FanDuel commits to a multi-million dollar advertising drive to raise awareness of responsible gambling across all its products.

FanDuel and Boyd Gaming Announce Two New Online Casinos

FanDuel is making double headlines this week, announcing two new Stardust branded casinos, one in New Jersey, the other in Pennsylvania, in partnership with Boyd Gaming. The casinos are set to launch next month, pending final licensing approval.

Stardust Casino was once one of the most popular establishments on the Vegas strip, but the brand closed its doors over a decade ago. This exciting revival delivers a new casino option for NJ and PA players and offers slots, tables, video poker, live dealers, and Boyd’s B Connected Loyalty Club.

MGM Resorts and BetMGM Launch Responsible Gambling Series

Continuing this month’s trend of responsible gambling awareness, MGM Resorts has made an ongoing commitment to raising awareness within the industry and providing extra training to its staff.

Richard Taylor, BetMGM’s responsible gambling manager, said, “We’re committed to providing BetMGM employees with the responsible gambling tools, information, and empowerment they need to ensure the highest level of customer service and care possible. Throughout the month they’ll hear from experts about the nature of problem gambling, the importance of research and policy, and the role they can play in preventing problem gambling. We’re pleased to collaborate on this critical initiative.”

If you’re not up to date on the ins and outs of responsible gambling and the tools available to you as a player, then head to your casino of choice and start exploring. It is a licensing condition for casinos to educate players regarding responsible behaviors, the dangers of online gambling, and how to get help/use casino tools (like budgets, bet limits, and time outs), hence each casino has an onsite responsible gambling section.

Slot Game of the Week

Spin-Vention: Prize Line High 5 Games. RTP 96%.

This is an eccentric and beautiful steampunk-themed slot (if you enjoyed NetEnt’s Steam Tower Slot, you’ll love this game, and vice versa). The inventor at the heart of this game is Sir Lucien Callan, “an impassioned inventor whose musings led to the creation of an automatic fortune forging machine! The first of its kind, this prototype looks in need of manual intervention to kick start the process. That’s where you come in! Crank up the machine with a spin or two and you might get things working.”

With an all-new bonus feature, the prize line (see the bonus filled line running across the top of the reels that modifies game wins during free spins and occasionally in the main game), wilds, multipliers, wild reels, and free spins, plus max prizes (x10174), this game may just be a fortune forging machine!

To hit wins, you need to line up matching symbols as usual, but to start scoring those all-important bonuses, you need to use the prize line. The prize line is inactive on each spin unless you have a wild on the main reels. Wild activates the corresponding symbol on the prize line and awards it.

If you get a globe symbol on the prize line and a wild on the main reels, you’ll trigger free spins. The prize line moves to the bottom of the reel frame during free spins and delivers electrifying wins as there are more wilds on the reels! Set your bets from $0.20-100 and take this stunning, steampunk, high variance slot for a spin at High 5 Games Casinos!

News and Analysis

CT Governor Lamont and Mohegan Tribe Hash Out iGaming and Sports Betting Deal

This week, Connecticut Govern Ned Lamont has struck a deal with the CT Mohegan Tribe to expand gambling throughout the state (retail and online) after weeks of discussion. It gives the Connecticut state lottery the ability to regulate and authorize 15 new retail providers. Initial licenses will last ten years with a 20% tax rate on revenue.

Mohegan Tribe Chairman Gessner said of the deal: “This path will allow Connecticut to generate tax revenues from sports and online gaming that are competitive with other states, and help keep Connecticut with those states when it comes to growing our economy and benefiting the state budget.” So it’s an all-round win for everyone in CT this week.

In January, Lamont announced his intention to legalize iGaming within the state in his State of the State Address, but at that time had no formal agreement in place with the Mohegan Tribe. This deal overcomes significant barriers to affecting gambling reform in law and means that iGaming will soon launch in CT. The Mohegan Tribe will be crucial to the successful rollout of iGaming in the state.

Conscious Gaming Launches Bettor Safe: Gambling Campaign to Educated Players on Legal iGaming

An independent charity, Conscious Gaming, has launched a nationwide campaign this week called Bettor Safe. The program aims to educate gamblers about the differences between regulated and unregulated casinos and improving players’ awareness.

The campaign uses multi-media channels to empower players to independently spot unregulated sites from those legally licensed to operate and avoid rogue casinos. It comes hot on the heels of recent research from the American Gambling Association (AGA) that reported 35% of players were not aware of gambling laws in their state and had been duped by unregulated gambling operators in the past. An additional survey conducted by Conscious Gaming findings showed that 75% of NJ and PA players could not tell between legal and illegal online casinos.

Seth Palansky, Conscious Gaming’s VP of CSR, said; “Bettor Safe underscores Conscious Gaming’s commitment to consumer protection and safety by directly educating individuals about the risks of unregulated online betting […] This campaign comes at a pivotal moment when American sports fans are gearing up for the NCAA basketball tournament amid a pandemic that continues to push individuals online. Now more than ever, we must educate consumers and equip them with the tools to make more informed decisions about online betting.”

At Casino Cabbie, we take a firm line on offshore gambling and never recommend unlicensed casinos. As we are a licensed review site, we don’t need to recommend offshore casinos; the NJDGE and PGCB approve us to legally advertise and recommend US casinos. What’s more, as the US gambling scene is currently flourishing, there’re plenty of regulated and safe online casinos to take your pick from.

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Take a look at the top sites in your state using our state-by-state gambling guides - just click on the map to learn more. If you’re not located in a gambling state, then US sweepstakes casinos are all the rage, so there’s no need to play offshore anymore!

Sands Sells Las Vegas Empire for $6.25bn

This week, Sands Casino agreed to sell its Las Vegas casino empire for the sum of $6.25bn to Apollo Global. Sands plans to focus more on Asian Markets after seeing large land-based revenue drops in 2020.

FanDuel (Flutter Entertainment) Faces Class-Action Suit

FanDuel is facing a class-action lawsuit in Illinois from a player, Andrew Melnick, who claims the operator intentionally delayed real-time results causing players to lose money on bets. Challenging casinos and sportsbooks legally is a perfect example of why you should only ever gamble at licensed online casinos: they are subject to US laws.

Slots of the Week

Looking for top new game releases to start your weekend with a bang? Then check out these brand new slots and play for real money or in demo mode!

Wheel of Fortune Megaways: Big Time Gaming (BTG). RTP: 96.46%.

Wheel of Fortune Slot is one of IGT’s most popular productions and is based on a TV game show by the same name. This show, which was first released in 1975, was an instant hit. The Wheel of Fortune Slot released this week is a collab between IGT and BTG and gives this player-loved title a Megaways™ twist, stacked symbols, and free spins.

This game breaks records with its stats; not only does it feature an over-the-average RTP, but with up to a million ways to win and top-notch payouts that promise max wins up to 80,150x your bet! To hit up the highest-caliber wins, you’ll need to get to the bonus features, including free spins, Wheel of Fortune Megaways Wheel, and wild stacks.

This slot compliments the Wheel of Fortune Slot franchise but delivers more action, ways to win, and prizes than ever before, thanks to the borrowed BTG mechanics. Find a BTG Casino and claim your deposit bonus to start spinning to win today with Wheel of Fortune Megaways™ from $0.20-100!

Dragon's Fire Infinireels Slot: Red Tiger Gaming. RTP: 94.72%.

Red Tiger Gaming is a fresh face on the US games scene, but the studio is already impressing with its games. Dragon's Fire Infinireels (NetEnt’s trademark mechanic where new reels are added with each winning spin) delivers wilds, multipliers, free games, and ways to win that change with every spin, creating a grand prize potential of 10,413 x your stake.

Dragon's Fire Infinireels slot looks and spins awesomely and has the bonus symbols to boot with features including random fire eggs, random multipliers, fire wilds, and free spins with bonus symbols. Take this slot for a test drive in demo mode or for real money at these Red Tiger Gaming Online Casinos. Spins start from just $0.10, and the max cost is $10 - it’s a high volatility title.

Grand Loot Slot: Pariplay. RTP: 96.42%.

Alright folks, that's it for this week. Have a fantastic weekend and we'll see you next week for more news and fresh games.

News and Analysis

Will Illinois Become the Next Legal Gambling State?

All eyes are on Illinois this week as Representatives Robert Rita and Jonathon Carrol filed House Bill 3142, AKA the Internet Gaming Act of Illinois. The bill makes way for licensed land-based casinos to apply for online permits for up to 3 online skins at the cost of $500,000 per license.

Golden Nugget Makes Early Move on NY Market

Golden Nugget Online Gaming has agreed to an early deal with Tioga Downs Race Track (NY) that will see the two partner for an online gaming platform as-and-when NY legislation should support such a move. This comes hot on the heels of recent news that the NY Governor is proposing online regulation.

New for PA Players: Borgata Casino

Borgata Casino has launched this week for Pennsylvania players with licensing and market access from Rivers Casino. Operated by BetMGM, the casino is now live and delivers 150 gaming options, live dealers, an award-winning loyalty club, a $1000 deposit deal, and a $20 no deposit deal for those PA players who want to play risk-free. Find out more in our Borgata Casino Review and claim a welcome bonus!

Slots of the Week

Reel Desire: Yggdrasil. RTP 96%. High Vol.

Reel Desire from Yggdrasil takes players straight back into the midst of an 80s nightclub for the good old days of dancing, disco, and love. Inclusive of neon lights, an electrifying 1024 ways to win, two free spin modes (sticky wilds and multipliers), Reel Desire feature, sky-high max prizes of over a mill, and much more! Take this retro spinner for a test drive from $0.25-75 at our top-rated Yggdrasil Casinos or play for free in demo mode.

Divine Fortune Megaways™: NetEnt. RTP 96.09%.

Divine Fortune is a jackpot staple at almost all online casinos in the US, and it's one of NetEnt's most popular games. This week, NetEnt’s Divine Fortune Megaways™ (the key change is that the jackpot element is gone, but it swapped out for Megaways™) goes live for players in PA and NJ.

The 6-reel mythical-themed slot includes the same symbols as the original Divine Fortune, but this time it’s loaded with 117,649 Megaways™and max prizes of 4,502x stake. Gameplay features include falling wild re-spins, wild on wild expansions, and free spins! Play Divine Fortune Megaways™ from $0.10-100 at any of these NetEnt Casinos!

News and Analysis

Gambling States Continue to Smash iGaming Gambling Revenue Records

The American Gaming Association (AGA) has announced that US Gross Gambling Revenue (GGR) has hit its lowest point since 2003, but it's not across the board, as the online sectors report booming figures, beginning with Michigan.

Online gambling in MI is off to a flying start as the market records GGR of $42m accrued in just ten days of legal gambling ($4.3m of that goes straight to the state in taxes). Online casinos Michigan launched on January 22nd, leading the way thus far is BetMGM Michigan, as the highest-grossing casino.

Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, January continues a seven-month streak of record-breaking iGaming revenue for the state, with January alone up 476.1% on 2020’s records. In the PA market, DraftKings and BetRivers Casinos are leading the way.

New Jersey is no exception to the record-breaking trend, and in January, they became the first US state to see monthly online casino revenue surpass $100m, according to figures from the NJDGE. Although, with the pace set by Michigan Players, it might not be long until MI smashes through this record.

Playtech Expands US Presence with Greenwood Racing

Playtech software is currently offered at Bet365 and BetMGM in New Jersey. But, this week brings the exciting news that this award-winning casino games developer is expanding its US presence after hashing out a deal with Parx Casino operator Greenwood Racing. Under the agreement, Playtech replaced GAN as Greenwood’s platform provider of choice, bringing Playtech’s hit games to MI, NJ, and PA.

Slots of the Week

That’s it for this week’s serious news stories; without further ado, let’s jump in and take a look at the top 3 slots to spin this week.

Rome The Golden Age Slot: NetEnt. RTP 96.06% (variable).

Travel back to the Golden Age of the Roman Empire for promised prizes up to 100,000x your bet this week in NetEnt’s newest release. Set in an affluent Roman household, the reels look stunning: adorned with marble columns and statues, following a 3x4x5x4x3 formation and bets start from just $0.01 in this high volatility slot.

The main feature is the progressive multipliers (applied to free spins) that can reach as high as 1,000x, but first, you’ll have to collect coins in the base game: hence for once, you won’t want free spins to trigger too early. Whenever the Golden Age symbol appears on the reels, 4 points are added to the gold metre (top-left of the reel screen); when this reaches 200 coins, the bonus multiplier count (top-right of the reel screen) begins to increase. This multiplier is applied to free spin wins, triggered by collecting 3 scatter symbols.

During the free spins round (which begins with 3 spins), only golden Rome scatter symbols are present, and each new symbol sticks, renewing the number of spins to 3, plus the value of the symbol is added to the total coin win. When the round ends (either with no new symbols or a filled reel screen) the multiplier you earned before triggering the round is applied for bountiful payouts!

Ready to see if the Roman Gods favor you? Then take this brand new NetEnt slot for a spin at any of these top-rated NetEnt online casinos.

Spartacus: Super Colossal Reels: WMS. RTP 96.76%.

Sticking with the historical theme is our next slot of the week from WMS, Spartacus: Super Colossal Reels. As you may have guessed from the name, this slot is all about dual reels (the main set,5x4 with 25 lines, and the Super Colossal Reels 5x12 with 75 lines), which deliver 100 lines, stacked symbols, and multiple wilds.

Both sets of reels spin in unison with 4 different wild features (which can transfer reels, be stacked, stick, grant re-spins, and trigger colossal multiplier wins), making for juicy base wins. But keep your eyes peeled for colosseum Scatters, which trigger the free spins round where multiplier wilds can grow as high as 100x, plus finding more scatters can retrigger the round up to 220 spins!

The max prize for this slot is up to $250,000, but it’s a very volatile game and rather complicated slot to start spinning, so we recommend playing demo mode before staking real money at any of these WMS online casinos.

Sorcerer's Guild of Magic: Playtech. RTP 96.06%.

Our last game of the week comes from Playtech and hits magical notes with beautiful graphics and feature-filled gameplay. Set on 5x3 reels with 10 base-game lines, this game’s main feature is the elemental re-spins.

5 different types of elemental re-spins are available (each is triggered by the appearance of the corresponding Sorcerer on the reels), and each delivers an excellent feature such as extra wilds, multipliers up to 10x, increasing the paylines to 20, re-spin or removing lower-paying symbols to increase the win potential.

Score multiple Sorcerer symbols at a time (or even all 5), and you’re in for a treat as the bonus functions are combined or improved for even better results and bigger wins! There are no free spins, but with this many bonus re-spins making the base game action non-stop, you don’t need them: rather, enjoy the juicy base game of this brand new Playtech Casino release!

Alright folks, that's it from us for this week. We'll see you next Friday with more new and games, till then have a great gambling week!

News and Analysis

Newly Announced PlayStar Casino Signs GiG as Platform Provider

Last week we broke the news that a new online casino was coming to NJ, PlayStar Casino. While the operator is not going live for some time (launch exp. Q4 2021), things are heating up in the preparations department. This week, PlayStar secured its platform provider, striking a deal with GiG (current provider for Ocean Online Casino).

PlayStar Casino co-founder, Adam Noble said of the deal:

“Gaming Innovation Group has earned a reputation for being a very formidable and trusted technology partner in Europe, so when we were assessing platforms for our market entry into New Jersey, we were very confident in selecting GiG as our platform partner […] PlayStar Casino is setting out to offer an online casino experience with a difference that will stand out from the current offerings in the market. Our player experience focus, centred on a unique product offering, engaging frontend concept and personalisation will result in an immersive and entertaining experience for the player. We have big plans for New Jersey and other US states and look forward to making our debut in the Garden State later this year.”

GAN Announces Record Super Bowl Bet Revenue and Expands Deal with Parx Casinos

GAN registered an incredible 186% monetary rise in settled bets at last Sunday’s Super Bowl (that’s a $14.6m increase on last year). Surfing high on this success, GAN and Parx Casino also agreed to extend their current partnership with Parx licensing GAN’s new proprietary tech, the iBridge integration framework (a system to integrate online and offline reward schemes).

Golden Nugget Announces GGR (iGaming) up 65% in 2020

Golden Nugget online has announced its gross gaming revenue for 2020, reporting a booming 65.8% rise in its online sector revenues. This continues the US trend towards increased online gaming, which saw revenues soar across 2020 as land-based casinos closed. This comes hot on the heels of news from MGM Resorts, who reported a total revenue falls of 60% across 2020, mostly due to land-based closures worldwide, prompting them to announce a renewed iGaming drive for 2021.

Washington and Connecticut in Discussions Over Gambling Reform

Both Washington and Connecticut have seen movement towards iGaming reform this week. However, with tribal gaming pacts in both states (and considerable senate opposition in Washington), each is currently seeking a path forward for online gaming.

In CT, Governer Ned Lamont proposed a budget measure that would allow him to approve iGaming between 2022-23, amending current gambling pacts and opening up the market for online reform. Meanwhile, in Washington, Bill 5212 was heard in the chamber’s Committee on Labour and Tribal Affairs, where it was met with strong opposition. Arguments against reform asserted that it would take money out of the local economy, not bolster it.

New software: Pariplay Live at Rush Street Interactive Casinos

This week as well as having slots of the week, as usual, we also have the pleasure of introducing PariPlay software (from Aspire global) now live at US RushStreet Interactive Casinos. If you want to try PariPlay slots, head over to SugarHouse Casino NJ and give these top 3 games a spin: Pets, Fire VS Ice, X-O Manowar.

Slots of the Week

Dinosaur Rage: Quickspin. RTP 96.11%.

This is one of Quickspin’s hottest releases of the year and brings Anna the Explorer back from The Ark Of Mystery to the brand new slotscape of Lost Island in Dinosaur Rage Slot. This game is downright stunning and comes with both tested and new mechanics, including the much-loved Pay Anywhere feature, which pays out for symbols present in any formation (not left to right, and the symbols do not have to connect).

Set on 4x5 reels with 1024 ways to win, it’s a high volatility spinner with the chance to cash in on a whopping 17,000x your bet (bet from $0.20-100). Features include a pay anywhere bonus, dinosaur rage free spins, growing symbols, and a bonus buy - so you can buy instant access to dinosaur rage spins with giant dinosaur symbols and multipliers. This is our game of the week, and it’s a must-play release. Check it out at the best Quickspin Casinos.

Power of Gods Slot: PariPlay. RTP 95.99%

PariPlay hits the US market for the first time this week and goes straight for a double whammy, releasing a jackpot slot too. Welcome to Power of Gods Slot. It’s an ancient Egyptian inspired game, which is a fairly worn-out theme, but the gameplay and bonus reels offer a brand new, lucrative feature.

Spin from $0.50 -100 and use wild and stacked wilds to win more. Keep your eyes peeled for the golden falcon as when it lands on any reel; you’ll get the prize listed at the top of the reel frame, be in one of 3 jackpots, a coin payout, or free spins! And there are random multipliers available on any spin to give an extra kick of action! Check out PariPlay Slots at SugarHouse Casino NJ.

Betty, Boris, and Boo Slot: Red Tiger Gaming. RTP: 94.67%

Welcome to Betty, Boris, and Boo Slot. Offering high volatility, 30 ways to win, haunted reels, modifiers, sticky wilds, expanding symbols, and multipliers leading to payouts up 5,241x your stake - sounds pretty good, right? Well, it is, and the cartoon graphic style lends a lighthearted note to this spooky spinner. Set your bets from $0.20 -$20 and take it for a test drive at these US Red Tiger Gaming online casinos.

Still Looking for Something Extra to Spin? Try-out Either of these New Releases.

• Vegas Cash Spins - Inspired Gaming. RTP 95.9%.
• Hearts and Horns - AGS. RTP 95.34%.

Alright, folks, that's a wrap for this week; we'll see you next Friday for all the latest US gambling news and new game releases.

News and Analysis

PlayStar Casino is Coming to New Jersey

It’s rare to see new casinos launching in New Jersey as most land-based casinos formed online partnerships back in 2013, when the market launched, leaving little room for new operators. However, this week PlayStar Casino and Ocean Casino Resort (Atlantic City) have struck a deal that will see online casino start-up, PlayStar, launch in New Jersey towards the end of 2021.

While NJ players will have a while to wait before they can try out this new and immersive casino, there're plenty of options available in the meantime (take a look at our top-rated NJ online casinos). As always, we'll bring you the latest and greatest from PlayStar Casino as soon as this site opens its virtual doors - stay tuned.

PokerStars Michigan is Live

If you love poker, sports betting, and casino games all in one place, then you're going to love PokerStars MI. Open from this week, the desktop platform and cell app brings online poker tournaments and games to MI players for the first time! Find out more, read our PokerStars MI Review!

Super Bowl Sunday Set to Smash Betting Records

The American Gaming Association has forecast (based on weighted survey results) that this year’s Superbowl Sunday will attract up to $4.3bn in bets (both via formal and informal channels). Sunday’s game sees the Kanas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers go head-to-head for the Lombardi Trophy. If you’re yet to set a bet on this year’s Super Bowl, don’t worry; there’s still time, and you can even enjoy live bets during the game! Take a look at our top-rated online casinos with sports betting, and don’t miss out on the action this Sunday.

Sands Casino Exploring Market Access for Online Gaming

New Sand’s Chef Ex. Robert Goldstein has divulged that Sands Casino is looking for new ways to expand in the US market, which may include a move into the digital landscape and potentially further land-based expansion. Online gaming has been somewhat of a contentious issue for Sands, as the founder, Sheldon Adelson (who passed away in January), had always made clear his objections to the digital industry, which Goldstein now says was due to ethical concerns that it was too difficult to regulate online gambling and ensure that players used the service responsibly.

Slots of the Week

This week we’ve got three epic new slot games to share with you, and they come from three top providers: NetEnt, Yggdrasil, and Red Tiger Gaming. You can find all of these games at our recommended online casinos and start playing them today!

Fruit Shop Megaways: NetEnt. RTP 96.06%.

If you're looking to go mega with one NetEnt's classic slots, then this is the game that you should be spinning this weeķ. It’s a supercharged version of the 2011, original release with improved graphics and the addition of 6 Megaways reels, which alter the ways to win on every spin.

Set your bets from $0.20-100 and enjoy 2D fruit symbols, a retro slot vibe, wilds substitutions, free spins, and increasing multipliers as you play for prizes up to 10,000x your bet across a maximum of 117,649 ways to win! Find a NetEnt Casino in your state to play Fruit Shop Megaways now.

Gzira Infinity Reels: Yggdrasil & ReelPlay. RTP 96.45%.

Giza Infinity Reels is created by Yggdrasil and ReelPlay using ReelPlay’s licensed Infinity Reels mechanics. It’s a stunning slot to spin with low bet levels ($0.25-25), big prizes (max win is 10,000x your bet), infinitive possibilities, and free spins.

Based on the world's seventh wonder, Giza's Pyramids, this game delivers beautiful graphics and action-packed gameplay created by the Infinity Reels set-up. Play beings on a 3 x 4 reel grid, but the magic of this game are the infinity reels mechanic, which sees the reels expand into ‘infinity,’ offering numerous playing possibilities and increasing win multipliers with each new reel until you hit the jackpot prize of this game (when the reels expand to include the 15th reel, you’ll hit the jackpot win of 888x your TOTAL bet).

Giza Infinity Reels is a must-play slot for this week and going forward, plus there’s a lot of industry hype and excitement over this newer reel mechanic. We definitely recommend you take this slot for a spin at one of our recommended Yggdrasil Casinos, but take it for a test drive in demo mode first, so you get a feel for the stunning reel mechanics before playing for real money prizes!

Vault Cracker: Red Tiger Gaming. RTP 95.66% (variable).

Vault Cracker Slot is Red Tiger’s third slot release since obtaining a PA distribution channel under NetEnt’s license. Played on 5x3 reels with 10 lines, your mission should you choose to accept and spin this cartoon-styled slot, is to crack the vault for prizes up to 1,410x your stake.

As a low to medium volatility production, this slot promises regular reel action. It comes with two bonus features, a second chance wheel and a gamble feature that keeps the wins rolling in, especially during the heist re-spins round, where only cash safes appear on the reels before bursting open to award players with the cash win content!

Ready to take this brand new, fun-themed slot for a spin? PA players can set their bets from $0.10-100 and check it out at either BetRivers or SugarHouse Casinos!

Alright, folks, that's a wrap for this week; we'll see you next Friday for all the latest US gambling news and new game releases. Have a great week, everybody!

News & Analysis

Hawaii: The Next US Gambling State?

All Eyes On Michigan During First Week of Legal Online Gambling

Online casino gambling and sports betting went live in Michigan last Friday. The market is off to a flying start with six online casinos already launched, including BetMGM, Golden Nugget, BetRivers, Fanduel, WynnBet, and DraftKings. Find out more about gambling and online casinos in Michigan.

Pariplay Scores Interim Software License in West Virginia

Federal Lawsuit Targets Apple for Providing “Illegal Social Casinos”

Apple has been accused of providing illegal games via its US iStore in a federal lawsuit. The claim (which involves two plaintiffs, both of whom lost money playing such games, also names Facebook and Google) centers on the fact that the games or apps supplied allow virtual chips to be bought and lost. The lawsuit purports that these games are therefore illegal under California law as they do not use randomized results, and players can’t win money but can lose it through what they see as “deceptive gameplay."

Real Money Gambling Apps Soon Available in the US Google Play Store

From March 1st, 2021, licensed real money gambling apps will be available in the US Google Play Store. Until now, real money gambling apps were only allowed in the UK, French, and Irish Google Play Stores, but from March 1st, Android users in 15 additional countries, including the US, can download real money gambling apps from one location.

Games of the Week

Looking for the latest US slot releases to play? Then check out our games of the week; these are the best new releases from the last seven days!

Defenders of the Realm: High5Games. RTP: 96%.

It seems like every single week High5Games has a new and exciting slot hitting US casinos and this week is no exception as the studio releases Defenders of the Realm Slot.

Set on 5 reels with 4 rows, this slot machine is steeped in Norse Mythology and takes place in the stunning and ethereal Midgard. Asking players to join the defenders, there's double multiplier wins, locked wild reels, free spins, and up to 4237x your bet in prizes available!

Are you ready to defend the realm for doubled wins, free spins, and much more? Then set your bets from $0.20 to 200 and spin to win with Defenders of the Real at any of our top-rated High5Games Casinos!

Cluedo: Cash Mystery Slot: WMS. RPT: 96.51%.

Ever wanted to play a reinvented version of the classic murder mystery party game Cluedo? Well, thanks to WMS, you can. This isn’t the first shot the studio has taken at reinventing this player-loved game, but unfortunately, the first, Cluedo: Spinning Detectives, didn’t hold sway with players. That hasn’t stopped WMS, who are back with a better math model, higher RTP, and more visually pleasing attempt in Cluedo: Cash Mystery Slot.

The big draw with this slot is the bonus free spins that come with 180 ways to modify the round due to different scatter, room, and weapon combinations firing alternative bonus rounds to create a max win of up to 3,750x your bet.

We’re not going to delve into any more details as this is a complex game to play, but it’s also highly entertaining and delivers a good dose of nostalgia. Hence, it’s well worth taking this medium volatility 5x3, 20 line slot for a spin - check it out at our rated and recommended WMS sites.

Cosmic Voyager: Thunderkick. RTP 96.14%

Ready to head out to the cosmos for stellar line wins and prizes of up to 5000x your stake with Thunderkick? Then our last game of the week is for you. Set on galactic 5x3 reels, with 10 lines, this high volatility slot is filled with fun from the first spin thanks to its expanding symbols. Active in both the base game and bonus round, when you score all matching symbols on reel 1, any matching symbols on reel 2-5 will expand to cover the whole reel, causing explosive, high-worth line wins.

What’s more, you’ll have wilds on hand to assist you in making line wins and free spins that are triggered with 3+ scatter. The expanding symbols feature can be triggered with just a single symbol during free spins- making those out-of-this-world wins far more frequent! Take Cosmic Voyager for a spin from $0.10-100 at any of these top-rated Thunderkick Casinos.

That's it for this week, guys; we'll see you next Friday for the best new games and the hottest stories from the US gambling industry - have a great week!

News and Analysis

Michigan Online Casinos Go Live!

Whether you’re a new online player located in MI or a seasoned pro, you can discover the best MI online casinos, bonuses, and essential information about gambling in this state in our Online Casinos Michigan guide!

Indiana Pushes for Online Gambling with Bill 1406

Indiana House Representative, Alan Morrison, has filed Bill 1406 for consideration. The bill aims to legalize all forms of online casino gambling in the state and outlines implementation (licensing costs, setup ext). Should the bill pass successfully, it makes way for legal online casino gaming to go live from September 2021 and would allow each license holder three online casino skins. Come on, Indiana!

NJ Operators Receive a Warning Over Incentivising Reverse Withdrawals

The NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement has issued a warning to its online licensees after a gambling review uncovered that operators have been incentivizing players to reverse withdrawal requests. The NDGE had received complaints about slow withdrawals, which prompted the investigation, resulting in the NDGE finding that operators had been offering players bonuses to reverse withdrawal requests. The NJDGE issued the warning based on the following areas of regulation:

The NJDGE states that withdrawals should only be re-deposited at the player’s request and goes against NJDGE rules if incentivized by the operator. DGE Director David Rebuck added in his official statement, “

“The Division has determined that the current rules, taken as a whole, prohibit the practice of soliciting, either overtly or covertly, the rescission or reversal of withdrawals once requested by a patron. The encouragement or incentivization of such rescissions are inconsistent with the intent of having speedy and consistent withdrawals, with a minimal delay solely for the purpose of checking for fraudulent activity [….]. Operators should clearly understand that the Division will take regulatory action and impose civil penalties whenever patrons are improperly encouraged or incentivized to rescind their withdrawal requests for the purpose of resuming gaming activity,”

While it’s not great news that some online casinos in NJ are delaying patron withdrawals hoping they can convince the player to keep the money in the casino, it is great to see the NJDGE taking swift action based on player complaints.

Caesars and 888 Continue WSOP Partnership

888 holdings and Caesars Interactive have agreed to a multi-year extension to their Poker deal, which sees Ceasars using 888’s turnkey poker platform in the US. 888, which currently powers WSOP branded online poker and the US’s only interstate network, gains access to additional US jurisdictions through the extension, allowing them to offer poker and in-house casino products to all Caesars online casinos.

Wire Act DOJ Repeal Fails at First Circuit

The First District Court of Appeal has given its ruling on the 1961 Wire Act’s potential repeal, finding that it is not warranted and confirming that the act only applies to sports betting.

The case began after the DOJ issued a 2018 letter entitled, “Reconsidering Whether the Wire Act Applies to Non-Sports Gambling”; it concluded that the Wire Act was not only applicable to sports, affecting other areas such as lottery sales, and therefore required reform.

The court considered both interpretations of the Wire Act, which mostly came down to grammatical arguments about the wording and punctuation of two clauses (see below), before presenting its ruling that the Wire Act is only applicable to sports betting and therefore does not need repeal. The 1961 Wire Act is contentious because it’s somewhat ambiguous by modern-day standards. Essentially, the Wire Act prohibits any form of virtual gambling on sports, either interstate or offshore, by outlawing accepting bets remotely using “wire communications.”

“Whoever being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest.”

As the word contest is used in addition to “sporting event,” it’s been hotly debated and interpreted over the years as to whether this includes casino gaming. However, the presiding interpretation of wire communication does not include the internet. The new judgment confirms that the wire act is meant to only apply to sports betting, not the lottery or other gambling forms, although the DOJ may still challenge the ruling.

New Game Releases

We’ve only got one new game for you this week, but not to worry, it’s a juicy title that’ll keep you spinning through-out the next 7-days!

Frost Queen Jackpots: Yggdrasil. RTP 96%.

Released just yesterday, Frost Queen is the latest addition to US casinos from Yggdrasil. Get ready for a jackpot adventure into the cold and icy heart of Frost Queen’s kingdom as you spin the 5x3, 20 line reels.

Like all Yggdrasil games, this epic adventure slot combines beautiful graphics with excellent mechanics and features, including five different free spin games, an infinite treasure chest bonus round, click and pick bonus, and max prizes up to $50,000!

With stakes starting from $0.20-40.00, this new game is a low volatility slot, so you can expect frequent win hits! Take a look at this red hot slot in the trailer, then check out our top-rated Yggdrasil Casinos, where you can take it for a spin in real or in demo mode!

Ok, folks, that's it for this week, but well be back next week with more games and news. And if you're an MI player, don't forget to check out our brand new MI casino reviews to get the best bonuses on the market!

News and Analysis

Delaware Doubles Down on iGaming Revenue During 2020.

With the final figures for 2020 counted, it’s official, Delaware has more than doubled its iGaming revenue across 2020, showing a 113% increase.

Delaware Park Casino is officially the top-earning platform. What a terrific way for this state, which only has 3 online casinos, to launch into a new year!

NCPG Appoints Patrick Willard as New Director of Policy and Advocacy

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has this week appointed a new director, Patrick Willard. In this role, Willard will work with policymakers on measures to protect players from problem gambling in state and federal laws.

Willard, who brings a wealth of experience to this role, said; “The rapidly expanding landscape of sports betting and other gambling activities across the nation increases the need for strong, responsible gambling measures being put into place and for the critical supports to address the millions of families dealing with problem gambling […] I am also looking forward to working with counselors, health care professionals, and other affected parties to make sure the tools are in place to deal with what has, for too long, been an often-ignored mental health issue.”

Read more on this story and find out more about the critical work of the NCPG in supporting gamblers here.

Penn National Gaming and Choice Hotels Team Up to Offer Integrated Rewards

Penn National and Choice Hotels International have this week announced the merger of both brand’s loyalty clubs. The move allows Penn National Gaming’s loyalty club members (Mychoice Rewards) to earn loyalty points at Choice Hotels and vice versa. Essentially, this is a grand upscaling of the current rewards program, giving players even more access to great deals and hotel stays across the county.

Want to find out more about casino loyalty schemes and compare what they offer? Trust us; if you're not already a member of one, then you are missing out. Check out our bonus page on the topic: US Casino Loyalty Clubs.

New Game Releases

Multi Gem Slot: Bally. RTP 96.4%

Multi Gem Slot is a rare classic from Bally. Filled with colored gems, it’s set on 5x3 reels and features 10 betlines that pay both ways. The game stays true to the classic genre, with no bonus rounds but plenty of multiplier symbols on the reels, which can lead to genuinely epic wins of up to 400,000x your bet.

What’s more, after each win, players can choose to gamble their winnings on a card or ladder game, where they can double the money (really racking up the risk and rewards offered) or lose it all. This slot is certainly not for the faint of heart, and with bets ranging from $10 to $1000 (which is a sky-high betting limit, not usually seen with slots), it is only suitable for high rollers. That said, something is charming about spinning this slot, so we still recommend taking it for a spin in demo mode if you’re a lower budget player.

Otherwise, high rollers, are you ready to see if you’ve got what it takes to spin and win this slot machine? Then take a look at our top-rated Bally Casinos.

Loco the Monkey: Quickspin. RTP 96.15%

Moving away from classics towards the more modern is our next slot of the week, Loco the Monkey. He is a little bit crazy, definitely cute, and ready to rock the 5x4 reels of this medium to high volatility slot.

This jungleicious adventure is filled with greenery, exotic plants, and fruit symbols for players to create winning lines. Plus, there’re 2 bonus features: free spins (with locked wilds and multipliers) and respins (with sticky wilds) that could see you walk away with up to 6829x! Set your bets from $0.25-100 and get ready to get loco with this 50 betline slot from Quickspin.

Fort of Fortune: High 5 Games. RTP 92-97%

With two new releases last week and one this, High 5 Games are knocking out hit slots at quite the pace for US players. This is the last new release for this week and it's an adventure slot called Fort of Fortune.

Set in a mythical 5x3, 20-line kingdom, castle backdrop and all, Fort of Fortunes asks players to join the grand house and take to the battlefield for riches and glory (delivering potential max payouts 5712x your bet). The game offers the chance to level-up with bonus and base game reels (with different payouts) split symbols, tumbling reels and much more.

It’s a complex game from H5G, and it certainly takes some getting used to (demo play is a must), but as soon as you do, you’ll have a grand time spinning this game. Set your bets from $0.20 - 200 and take it for a test drive at H5G Casinos now.

Alright, folks, that’s all we’ve got for this week, but tune in next Friday for Cabbie Digest #21!

News and Analysis

Rush Street and Century Casino Partner to Launch WV Online Casino

Rush Street Interactive and Century Casinos’ Mountaineer Racetrack and Resort (WV) have partnered to create a new online casino, BetRivers WV. The launch is expected in quarter one of 2021 (post-licensing approval from the West Virginia Lottery) and brings the total count of online casinos in WV up to three (including BetMGM and DraftKings).

Whitmer Does It Again: Interstate Poker Legalized in Michigan

Governor Gretchen Whitmer hits another home run this week with the signing of Michigan’s Interstate Poker Bill. Senate Bill 991 will see cross-state online poker legalized for MI players, who will soon be able to join those in other approved states, which currently include New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware.

IGT and Playtech Hash-Out Distributor Deal for the USA

Playtech has agreed to a new US partnership with IGT. The deal will see the award-winning studio’s titles distributed under IGT and comes hot on the heels of Playtech securing independent licensing in New Jersey, with games already live at both BetMGM and Bet365 Casinos!

Chief Operating Officer at Playtech, Shimon Akad, said: “The agreement with IGT represents another significant milestone in the growth of our presence in North America as we build on the momentum of the past few months. We look forward to offering the US market more of our market-leading software and technology in what is a rapidly growing US market”.

Yet to try-out Playtech’s slots? Then start with the iconic, seven-part progressive jackpot series Age of Gods!

Connecticut Governor, Ned Lamont, Speaks Out in Support of Online Gambling Regulation for CT.

Yesterday, while giving his State of the State address Connecticut Governor, Ned Lamont spoke out in favor of legalizing online gambling (among other activities). In his own words, Government Lamont said, "Sports betting, internet gaming, and legalized marijuana are happening all around us [...] let's not surrender these opportunities to out-of-state markets or even worse underground markets".

Like many other US states, Lamont's remarks were made in response to what he called one of the most challenging and humbling years he and the state had faced due to COVID 19. While this is great news for players in CT, nothing is set in stone yet, and just last year, a gambling reform bill proposed by Joseph Gresko failed to make it through the CT State Senate. However, with the financial burden of COVID weighing heavy on most states, 2021 is quickly looking to be the year for fast-paced change.

New Game Releases

Gold Pile: New Years Gold: Playtech. RTP 96.45%.

Gold Pile: New Years Gold is the third installment of Playtech’s newest jackpot slot series: Gold Pile. Set on 5x3 reels with 25 lines, it offers an arcade-style appeal and grand jackpot chase feature that could see you winning up to 400x your bet.

Themed on Lunar new year, you’ll undoubtedly be hitting-up lucky money if you win in this slot, which features stellar payouts, a feature-buy function, sticky wilds and free spins (seeing returns of up to 2000x), plus jackpot chase re-spins feature with three fixed jackpots up for grabs! Check it out, as well as the preceding two slots in this series at any of our recommended Playtech Casinos where you can set your bets from $0.10- $50.00!

Kingdom of Gold: Mystic Ways Slot: High 5 games. RTP 96%.

Next up on our new release list is Kingdom of Gold: Mystic Ways Slot. It’s a brand new, beautiful, and down-right thrilling release from High 5 Games that’ll see you heading deep into the Amazon rainforest for mystic ways and magical wins. 

This slot’s main element is the reel mechanic, which alters the reel rows and symbols in-play from 6x4 with 4,096 ways to win to 6x10, thus creating an explosive one million ways to win! Potential payouts are sky-high at a max of 10,205x your bet in this epic and adventurous slot. Take a closer look at the game trailer below, then load and set your bets from $0.20 to-100 at any of our High 5 Games Casinos.

Gypsy 3: Triple Tarot Slot: High 5 Games RTP 96%.

With their second release in as many weeks, High 5 Games hits a double whammy with more high variance spins in Gypsy 3: Triple Tarot Slot.

Set on 5x3 reels with 243 ways to win and bets from $.010-100, Gypsy 3 Slot delivers magic vibes, wilds, scatters, free spins (taking place on new reels with up to 250 spins available), and max prizes up to 4249x your bet! Ready to see what the Tarot Cards have in store for you? Then check out either of the High 5 Games released this week at our recommended H5G Casinos.

Okay, folks, that it’s for us this week, but don’t forget to check back in with us next Friday, where we’ll have a top-notch selection of new slots to discuss, including:

• Multi Gem Slot: Bally
• Fort of Fortune: High 5 Games
• Loco the Monkey: Quickspin

1. Casino Cabbie’s Hittin’ the Road: Next Stop Canada.

Cabbie creator Alex Tester said of the expansion, “We can't wait to bring our unique Casino Cabbie review style to the online gambling community in Canada. Our spiritual home will remain in the US. Still, it’s exciting to be exploring new regions, especially as there are many more online casinos available to Canadian players at this moment.”

2. Michigan Online Casinos Are Raring to Go.

Last week, the state of Michigan issued provisional licenses to MI online casinos, giving them the green light to launch in Q1 of 2021, with the first casinos expected in January. Throughout this year, Michigan has been a prime example of a state motivated to bring gaming fun to the masses after barely a year has passed since Governor Whitmer signed a package of bills into law legalizing internet gaming. Thus far, successful licensees include:

As soon as gambling goes live in MI, you’ll have access to our detailed casino review for each new site. Casino Cabbie goes the extra mile, providing you with over 100 data points and everything you need to know about the online casinos legal in your state before you sign up.

3. More Games, More Licensing and More Providers in 2021

With all US gambling states showing tremendous revenue growth across 2020 and smashing records, there’s no denying that online gambling is hitting the US big time.

As the market develops further (and other states keenly watch the profits and tax revenue grow in NJ, PA, DE, and WV), 2020 will bring more regulation, more casinos, and more licensed game providers.

More Live Dealers

Live Dealer games have been relatively slow to emerge in the US, with NJ being the main base. However, recently Pennsylvania has licensed Evolution, and live games have hit PA sites. Evolution (who have had an incredible year after acquiring industry leaders, NetEnt) will continue to dominate the US live dealer scene with more games and more online partnerships.

More Licensed Software and Games

As the US is an emerging market and more complex (state by state gambling laws) than its European counterparts, there’re fewer games software available for players. Still, with the market’s enormous growth this year, more providers will be looking to stake their claim and make a mark with US players.

More Gambling States

According to Sigma (if you want to see the progress in each state, we recommend you take a look at the full article), the following states are most likely to see online gambling reform in 2021 are:

• Alabama: In discussion.
• Alaska: In discussion.
• Arizona: Movement to legalize online gambling, growing momentum but not formal action.
• California: Referendum planned on games of skill and gambling for 2021.
• Florida: Bill being discussed for sports betting.
• Georgia: Draft bill under consideration for online sports and casino gambling.
• Maine: Special session set for online gambling reform in 2021.
• Maryland: Bill 989 in review, no movement since 2019.
• Massachusetts: Investigating impacts of online gambling and with strong push toward online regulation.
• Missouri: Gambling reform expected in 2021.
• Nebraska: Online sports betting expected for 2021.
• Vermouth: Bill proposed for online gambling reform.

As always, we’ll bring you all the breaking news on new gambling states and reform as it happens!

A Note From the Cabbie Team

It’s been a magical year building Casino Cabbie from the ground-up, and we can’t thank you guys, our readers, enough for being part of it.

We can’t wait to bring you all the top stories, bonuses, new casinos, and game releases in 2021, but for now: stay safe and Merry Christmas from Lauren, Alex, and Alex (AKA the Casino Cabbie Team). See you next year, guys!

Roll up roll up, this week we’ve got big news as Michigan provisionally licenses 15 gaming providers, Hard Rock international expands to create a new division set on global gaming domination, Rush Street Gaming partner with Century Casino in West Virginia, and there's 3 brand new US slots to tell y’all about!

New Casino Announcements & Partnerships

Michigan Issues 15 Provisional Platform Provider Licenses

Last week we reported that Michigan was getting ready to launch online gambling after the state Legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted to waive the 15-day waiting period to approve the regulation.

Well, in the last 7-days, the Michigan Gaming Control Board has issued 15 provisional platform provider licenses. This means it’s now over to the platform providers, who still need to meet Michigan’s operational standards for games testing and internal controls before they can launch. Successful licensees include:

• GAN
• Golden Nugget
• Scientific Games Digital
• Parx Interactive
• Flutter’s FanDuel
• BetMGM
• Churchill Downs
• Penn Sports
• PointsBet
• Star Group: Fox Bet
• Wynn Sports
• Rush Street Interactive
• And DraftKings.

The next step before casinos can launch in the state is for the providers to conduct games testing and meet the operational standards set by the MGCB for internal controls. Richard Kalm (MCGB ex. director) said that the provider’s ability to meet the requirements will determine which operators launch first in the state, with the earliest casinos and sportsbooks expected in January.

Hard Rock Launches New Digital Venture

Former Stars Group and Fox Bet executives have been selected to lead a new Hard Rock Digital venture to expand the brand’s restaurant, casino, and digital gaming sectors, internationally. Specifically, the new division will focus on developing an omni-channel sports and iGaming product.

Rush Street Interactive and Century Partner for WV Casino

Rush Street Interactive and Century Casinos’ Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort have this week struck a partnership for a new West Virginia online casino, BetRivers. The casino is set to launch in early 2021, pending license approval from the WV Lottery.

Richard Schwartz, President of Rush Street Interactive, said of the deal:
“In neighboring Pennsylvania, RSI is the clear leader in online casino market share, thanks to our secure and reliable platform, player-first attitude, transparent approach to customer service, large game library, fast payouts, and innovative playing experiences. In partnership with Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort, we are pleased to have the chance to offer gaming fans in West Virginia the unparalleled experience and service our customers have come to expect via BetRivers.com.”

Rush Street Gaming is Mountaineer Casino’s first online partner since online gambling went live in the state on July 15th, 2020. Currently, there are only 2 live casinos in the state: DraftKings and BetMGM.

New Casino Game Releases

If you’re looking for a new slot to play this week, then you’ve come to the right place. There’ve been 3 new games released for US players this week, and each is a treat!

Atlantis Megaways™: Yggdrasil. RTP 96.10%.

“Many leagues under the sea, far away from human civilization – A world full of beauty and wonder is hidden in a sanctuary.”

Are you ready to journey into the depths and discover the ancient and lost civilization of Atlantis? Well, you and any casino player worth their salt should be because this jaw-dropping slot offers epic wins and action unlike any other, with 117,649 paylines, wilds, scatters (up to 42 on the reels in jackpot re-spins), and 4 jackpots up for grabs. Plus, the bet to prize ratio is a real treat, worth diving deep for (bet $0.25-25 and win up to $216,025 (8,641x))!

The action begins in the base with Megaways™ and exploding symbols continually changing the gameplay with every spin. Collecting 6+ scatters will trigger entry to the Jackpot re-spins, where all scatter symbols are sticky, and the 4 jackpots are available (the smallest of which can be won multiple times, the largest cannot but awards 2000x your bet). What's more, once you've entered the bonus round, it goes on for as long as you score scatters (initially awarding 3 spins, each new scatter returns the total spin to 3).

Ready to explore and win with Atlantis Megaways™? Then take it for a spin at any of our top Yggdrasil Casinos!

Rainbow Riches Midnight Magic: Barcrest. RTP 96%.

Fans of Barcrest’s iconic leprechaun will be glad to hear of their latest Rainbow Riches release, Midnight Magic Slot. This 5x3 reel, 10 line slot game takes players into the midnight forest for wild payouts, super dial feature (bonus buy), and free spins round where extra scatter symbols can trigger symbol upgrades and extra wilds for up to 625x your bet (Bets from $0.10-400).

Ready to take Rainbow Riches Midnight Magic for a spin? Check out top-rated Barcrest Casinos!

Santa King Megaways™: Inspired Gaming. RTP 95.56%.

Santa King Megaways™ is a brand new release from Inspired Gaming, and it’s a Christmas edition of Reel King Megaways™ (one of the first online slots we’ve seen that mixes a classic appeal and graphics with the Megaways™ mechanic). If you’ve played the original Reel King Slot, then the differences are minimal, aside from a few graphic touches, like adding snow to the symbols and reels.

Played out on 6 reels, bets start from $0.10, rising to $100, and there’s a max prize of 10,000x your stake offered. The action centers around triggering multiple reel cascades to win a Reel King bonus feature. How does this work? Well, for each consecutive reel cascade (winning symbols explode and replaced, giving the player a second chance to win), players earn a new “ding.” Once you’ve made 6 dings, you’ll trigger the Reel King Feature, which includes traveling along a bonus trail to earn payouts, play mini-slots, and trigger free spins. The more dings you earn, the more free spins and features you’ll get (there are 3 rounds to play: Reel King, Super King, and Mega King. Each comes with unlimited multipliers).

In an extra twist that we love (use with caution), this game allows players to gamble their free spins for double or nothing before entering the round! Ready to risk it all and see if you can beat the Reel King? Spin to Win with Santa King Megaways at Golden Nugget Casino.

Alright, folks, that’s all for this week’s news, but we’ll catch you next week, and don’t forget: if you're feeling festive, we’ve got plenty more Christmas-themed slots for you to play!

It’s been another busy week in US gambling, but most of the news surrounds sports betting. As we know you guys are all about online casinos and games; instead of diving into the details, this week we're changing up the format to give a brief round-up of the news, and then we'll move on to discussing the fantastic new slot games hitting the casinos this week!

Gambling Round-Up of the Week

This week DraftKings has secured early entry into the Connecticut online sports market, forming a partnership with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, which operates Foxwoods Resort Casino. While online sports betting is not yet legal in Connecticut, players and operators are keenly awaiting state legislation’s final passing. Once live, DraftKings offers mobile sports betting in 10 US states and is the USA’s most prominent provider.

Lastly, in land-based casino news, Caesars Entertainment plans to invest $325m in renovating Harrah’s New Orleans. Transforming and relaunching the casino as Caesars New Orleans in 2021. This comes after Caesars successfully being granted a license extension in the state until 2054.

New Game Releases

Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand: NetEnt. RTP 96.6%.

This week brings a new release from NetEnt, Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand Slot. Played out on 3x3 reels with 9 lines (up to 29 in free spins), this slot brings the old crew of Norse Gods back together. Enter Odin, Thor, and Freya.

Set on Midgard’s lush slopes, the main action is centered on Hot Spot Reels, which run either side of the central reels. Hot Spot Reels spin at the same time as the central reels but do not contribute to wins. Instead, if you match the two Hot Spot symbols with two on the main reels, you’ll trigger a Land and Expand Re-Spin where winning symbols expand to cover the entire reel and stick.

Plus, there are free spins which you can trigger naturally with 3+ scatter or choose to buy: feature buy costs approximately x80 your bet. During free spins, players can increase the rows of reels and therefore betlines (up to 29) by finding additional scatter on the reels and use extra wilds to make wins of up to 10,000x!

Check out these top NetEnt Casinos and set your bets from $0.10-100 with Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand Slot.

Cyberslot Megaclusters: BTG. RTP 96.36%.

Next up is Cyberslot, the latest release from BTG. It’s an action-packed, retro space-themed slot that uses the studio’s newest reel mechanic, Megaclusters. Megaclusters increase the ways to win by adding more symbols to the reels as you spin and win (game terminology: win reactions).

Each reel space is considered a potential cluster, and when you make a win, the symbols explode. Each empty reel space left behind then divides into 4 new spaces (providing extra mega cluster potential and more ways to win). In total, the Cyberslot reels have at full capacity, 321 places in-play. The number of Megaclusters active on each spin shows at the bottom of the reel frame.

Like with any cluster pay slot, the aim of the game is to build bigger clusters of symbols and achieve higher payouts. The more matching symbols in each winning Megacluster, the better, and in this game, payouts reach a whopping 30,000x your bet!

That’s not all this new slot has to give: the inclusion of cascading wins, golden roaming wilds that can traverse up to 80 reel places, and free spins make it a must-play. Start spinning Cyberslot Megaclusters from $0.20-$20 at any of these BTG Casinos.

Jingle Bells Power Reels: Red Tiger Gaming. RTP 94.68%.

Red Tiger Gaming debuted in the USA just 3 weeks ago, after forming a distribution deal with NetEnt. This is Red Tigers’ second new release since then, and it’s a real festive cracker. Set on 8x6 reels, with 40 paylines, it includes payouts up to 6,000x your bet and multiple bonus features.

Play with 5x6 Mega Wilds with guaranteed wins, multiplier Christmas Tree Stars, Santa’s Raining Wild Gifts, Winning Reels (all lower paying symbols removed), and free spins (where all the features mentioned above can be active).

Offering feature-filled gameplay, this slot excels graphically and delivers the perfect Christmas ambiance: it’s warm, inviting, nostalgic, exciting, and filled with prizes! Starting spinning Jingle Bells Power Reels from $0.20-10 at any of our recommended Red Tiger Gaming Casinos!

And don’t forget, if you’re feeling festive, you can check out 2020’s top Christmas Slots, including these fabulously festive titles:

• Big Bad Wolf Christmas Special (Quickspin, RTP 97.34%)
• Carol of the Elves (Yggdrasil, RTP 96.2%)
• Crystal Prince (Quickspin, RTP 96.17%)
• Aloha! Christmas Edition (NetEnt, RTP 96%)
• Rudolph Gone Wild (SG, RTP 95.33%)

That’s it for this week folks, but don’t forget to check back with us every Friday for your Casino Cabbie Weekly Digest!

New Casino Announcements & Partnerships

BetMGM Online Casino Launches in Pennsylvania

This week BetMGM launched in Pennsylvania! Kicking off with a soft opening from 1st-3rd of December (with limited daily operating hours), the whole casino goes live today and includes a bountiful welcome bonus of up $1000 matched or $25 no deposit bonus for new players!

Unibet PA Adds Live Games with Evolution Gaming

Racking up excitement levels in Pennsylvanian this week Unibet Casino increases its vast collection of casino games to include live dealers from Evolution Gaming. Unibet PA players can now log in and enjoy real-time games, including Live Blackjack and Roulette, with more titles expected later this year.

New Casino Game Releases

1717 Caribbean Pirates Slot: Edict. RTP 96.14%.

Ready to up the ante and cash in on pirate treasures? Then 1717 Caribbean Pirates from Edict should be the next title you chose to spin. Set on 5x3 reels, with 40 paylines and a busy, shop-lined background, this slot is set in a tropical pirate port town and is packed with a booty (max prizes 2000x your stake).

The theme celebrates the golden age of piracy (in 1717, all pirates were offered a pardon by King George I of Great Britain, with any pirate who refused to surrender considered fair game from 1718. This was the era of the infamous Blackbeard, who ruled the Caribean pirate scene from 1716-18). Players can start spinning from just 10 cents and enjoy wilds, scatters, and 4 treasure chest bonus.

Each bonus round takes place in a different Caribbean location and comes with different bonuses: Havanna (3-5 duels), Tortuga (10 free spins with sticky wilds), the Cayman Islands (14 spins with extra wilds and up to 25x multipliers), and lastly, Crooked Islands (spin with extra wilds and expanding wilds)! Don’t miss out; take 1717 Caribbean Pirates for a spin at Party Casino today!

Chicken Fox 5x Skillstar: Lightning Box. RTP 95.61%.

Chicken Fox 5x Skillstar Slot is a cheeky and fun-filled new release from Lightning Box. Set on 5x3 reels, it has 20 paylines and costs just 25 cents to spin with whopping max payouts of 18,950x your bet.

Providing a retro and arcade ambiance, this game is set on a farmyard and the main character- Mr Fox, is terrorizing a chicken coup that contains (you've guessed it) golden eggs and jewels.

The main bonuses are provided through the use of wilds, multiplier wilds, scatters, and free spins (with extra bonus symbols). Plus, there's the skillstar bonus game, where you'll embody the Fox and find golden eggs without dropping them for some killer payouts.

Ready to take it for a spin and see if you can collect golden eggs and fox multiplier to hit the highest payouts? Then check out Casino Cabbie’s top recommended Lightning Box Casinos!

Pirates 2 Mutiny: Yggdrasil. RTP 96.2%.

Rather unusually, this is the second pirate-themed slot launching this week, but this time it's engineered by Yggdrasil and comes with a slightly higher RTP. Following hot on Yggdrasil's March release of Pirates Smugglers Paradise, Pirates 2 Mutiny is the follow-up.

Action-packed, and promising wins with dropdown cluster pays, free spins, multipliers, and 3 bonus features: Mutiny, Cannon Blast and Tsunami!, this slot is guaranteed to have you glued to the screen as you walk the plant to winning opportunities!

With bets starting from $0.20-100, wins are formed in clusters of 6+ matching symbols for max payouts of 4,900x your bet, and with each winning spin, the dropdown reels eliminate all non-winning symbols to give you a second chance spin: this continues till no new symbols are added to your cluster- meaning a single spin offers multiple ways to win. At the same time, bonus features keep the action tense as tsunamis rearrange the reels and award multipliers, cannon blasts remove low paying symbols, and the mutiny feature awards extra high-paying symbols! And that’s not to mention the epic Pirates 2 Mutiny free spins!

Ready to start spinning? We certainly are! Check out Pirates 2 Mutiny Slot at Party Casino!

Feeling Festive?

If you’re ready to roll out the festivities, then take a look at Casino Cabbie’s top Christmas slots for 2020. We discuss each new release in depth, covering:

• Big Bad Wolf Christmas Special - Quickspin
• Carol of the Elves- Yggdrasil
• Crystal Prince - Quickspin
• Aloha! Christmas Edition - NetEnt
• And Rudolph Gone Wild - Scientific Games

Industry News and Events

Evolution Gaming Begins Product Integration with NetEnt After Successful Acquisition

After finalizing the deal's details on November 23rd, Evolution Gaming has begun it’s “total reorganization” of NetEnt. This includes shutting down NetEnt Live to concentrate solely on Slots. All of the Evolution Gaming acquired studios (Red Tiger, Ezugi, and NetEnt) will continue to produce games under their own labels but are now owned and operated by Evolution Gaming. Evolution Gaming bought NetEnt for a total of SEK19.6bn (roughly $2bill.) and now has 96.8% of NetEnt’s shares.

Flutter Entertainment Increase Stake in FanDuel US

Flutter Entertainment (owners of Paddy Power Betfair and Pokerstars) have this week agreed to purchase a further 37.2% stake in US gambling brand FanDuel. Flutter already had a 57% stake in the company and increases its shares to 95%.

New Jersey and Pennsylvania Online Gambling Revenue Continues to Smash Records

With figures in for October, it’s official: both New Jersey and Pennsylvania are seeing unprecedented rates of revenue. For the first time since the market was regulated, New Jersey passed the $90mil. mark, representing a 106% increase on October 2019! Meanwhile, Pennsylvania continues its winning streak, breaking revenue records for the third consecutive month in a row.

That’s it for this week folks, but don’t forget to check back next Friday for your Casino Cabbie Weekly Digest!

This week as winter settles in and Nevada (along with other states) limits land-based casino capacity again, it's a great time to look at the multiple new online slots released and find the perfect game to settle down with. It’s been a totally awesome week for online slots in the US, with not one but six new games being released.

• Crystal Prince from Quickspin.
• Hot Blox from High 5 Games.
• Rudolph Gone Wild by NextGen.
• Divine Fortune Megaways™ from NetEnt.
• 10,001 Nights by Red Tiger Gaming.
• Scroll of Egypt from Inspired Gaming.

New Casino Game Releases

Crystal Prince: Quickspin. RTP 96.04%.

Crystal Prince is a winter-themed slot from Quickspin that’s jam-packed with action and stars Jack Snow (The Crystal Prince) as you’ve never before seen him. Inclusive of magical powers (which are only used to help players win more), Jack Snow can change the weather creating mighty Multiplier Blizzards, Snowstorms that deliver Expanding Reels with each win, and Golden Wilds and Free Spins.

Whether you’re feeling wintery or not, this feature-rich game delivers top-class action on 6x8 reels with ways to win that expand as you play (beginning with 4,096 ways and growing up to 262,144).

The max win is set at 11,500x your bet (stake $0.20 - $100), and the game comes with a bonus bet feature, so those more impatient players can buy their way into the bonus rounds and top payouts! Check out our top Quickspin casinos and find the perfect place to play Crystal Prince Slot.

Hot Blox: High 5 Games. RTP 96%.

Taking a distinctly different approach to the cold winter nights, High 5 Games is heating things up with their latest release: Hot Blox. Played on fusion reels (a brand new reel mechanic) this online slot delivers high excitement and a brand new way to play.

Mixing unique and innovative gameplay, Hot Blox appeals to classic and stepper-style slot fans. Instead of matching betlines, wins are formed by matching 2x2 blox of smaller symbols (3+ matching blox creates a win, the reels are set up in 9 distinct bloxs).

Each blox of symbols has a heat meter surrounding it - this is the main appeal and bonus feature of the game. The meter clocks up the reel action on non-winning spins until it is charged, igniting to award multipliers up to 100x (with the probability increasing depending on how many blox are fused) on the next spin.

Are you ready to check a totally different type of slot? Take Hot Blox for a spin at any of our Casino Cabbie recommended High 5 Games casinos now.

Rudolph Gone Wild: NextGen. RTP 95.33%.

Hitting up all things fun and festive, NextGen kick-off the season this week with the release of their 5x4, 50 payline slot: Rudolph Gone Wild. It’s a fun-filled and playful affair, offering a video slot set-up and jackpot prizes of 250,00x your bet (stake $0.10 - $25).

As hinted to in the title, this slot’s bonus features rely heavily on multiple forms of wilds, including:

• Flying Wilds: random wilds are added to the reels.
• Snow Machine Wilds: 1-4 wilds are added per reel on up to 5 reels.
• Rudolph Wilds: essentially walking wilds from left to right on the number of re-spins it takes to cross the screen.

Along with the wild reel action, you can also trigger 6-20 free spins with Stacked Rudolph Wilds! Check out this Christmasy-themed title at a US NextGen casinos.

Divine Fortune Megaways™: NetEnt. RTP 96.09%.

Divine Fortune (click to play for free) is one of NetEnt’s most successful progressive jackpot slots. Originally released in 2017, the game has a mythical theme and proved a quick hit, continuing to remain so.

We’re presenting to you today with Divine Fortune Megaways™, a remastered version of the original with the progressive jackpot element swapped out for 6 Megaways™ reels, modifying the number of symbols falling on each reel (2-7) per spin, and therefore, the ways to win.

Aside from the missing jackpots (which may be slightly contentious with players), all the other features of the original gameplay make a return in this version, including Failing Wild Re-spins, Wild on Wild reel expansions, and Free Spins!

Set your bets from $0.20 - $100 and step into the world of myths and legend with Divine Fortune Megaways™ Slot at any of our top NetEnt casinos.

10,001 Nights: Red Tiger Gaming. RTP 94.73% (ranges).

Red Tiger Gaming this week makes its US debut with a brand new release that takes players into the heart of a warm Arabian evening. With 20 paylines, 5x4 reels, and stacked base game symbols, 10,001 Nights, delivers a sophisticated theme and execution with bets to suit low rollers from $0.10 to $8.

Magic Lamp symbols and meters deliver bonus features including Imperial Spins (low-value symbols are removed from the reels), Random Wilds, Multiplier Picks, and Mega Stacked Wilds. Free spins come in the form of Destiny Spins, which include more frequent Lamp symbols to increase win values up to 10347x your bet!

Scroll of Egypt: Inspired Gaming. RTP 95.5%.

Scroll of Egypt is a 5x3 video slot with 50 lines that pay both ways. Featuring bet limits from $0.10 - $50 it mixes classic and modern gaming beautifully. Based on "arguably the world’s most rich and interesting of ancient civilizations" (according to game's creators), Scroll of Egypt delivers fine gaming, with wilds, expanding symbols, free spins, and a bonus buy feature (so you can set your own pace).

Plus, if you feel like doubling your winnings, hit the gamble feature after every bet line win and see where your luck takes you!

New Casino Announcements & Partnerships

Golden Nugget Partner With The Greenbrier in West Virginia.

Online casinos in West Virginia went live over the summer, with first DraftKings and then BetMGM securing licensing and launching. With 15 licenses in total available in the state (3 possible online licenses for each land-based casino), we’re happy to announce this week that license number 3 has been granted to Golden Nugget in partnership with The Greenbrier Resort. The Greenbrier has already formed a partnership with BetMGM, meaning they’ve only got one online partnership left up for grabs!

Alright, folks that's all this week's top iGaming stories. We'll see you next time. Have great week!

New Casino Announcements & Partnerships

Red Tiger Gaming Debuts Online at BetRivers and SugarHouse Casinos.

If you’re keen for news of new slots games, then this should brighten your day no end: Red Tiger Gaming (a software producer that launched in 2014 and quickly became popular due to its Daily Jackpots mechanic and other innovative concepts) has launched in the US, beginning with Pennsylvania, under NetEnt's license.

Launching exclusively at BetRivers and SugarHouse Casinos, Red Tiger’s Daily Drop Jackpots (Daily Drops are progressive jackpots programmed to drop daily) are not currently available but will hit US markets at a later date. In the meantime, if you want to get a feel for Red Tiger Gaming, take a look at the results when they re-mastered NetEnt's Gonzo’s Quest Slot!

FanDuel and Golden Nugget Secure Illinois Market Access.

As things heat up in Illinois (post sports betting reform in early 2020), both FanDuel and Golden Nugget have this week announced new pathways to secure market access in the state, with both companies opting to build or buy a physical presence.

As a condition of legal gambling licensing in the US, online verticals must have a land-based casino partner with which they share a license. And in this rather unusual move, both Golden Nugget and FanDuel have decided to shake things up in Illinois as FanDuel significantly invests in Fairmount Park Racetrack and Golden Nugget commits to a new-build casino project.

While online casino gambling is not currently legal in Illinois, it is an expected future development, and this positions both companies to take instant advantage of the market as and when regulation comes into force.

New US Game Releases

Syncronite Slot: Yggdrasil. RTP 96%.

Syncronite Slot is a brand new Yggdrasil game hitting US online casinos this week. It’s Yggdrasil’s second slot to pioneer their proprietary Splitz mechanic following Neon Rush earlier this year.

Set on a splendid art deco backdrop, this game is all about syncing reels and splitting symbols (instead of 3 symbols per reel, a synced reel with split symbols can contain 8 characters) to increase the ways to win and achieve huge potential payouts of 64,000x the bet per spin (bets from $0.10-20).

Inclusive of 6x3 reels with 729 - 21,168 ways to win, this game delivers thrilling win anticipation as the reels merge and fill with Diamonds, Di and Casino Chips!

On each spin, a minimum of 2 reels are synched, but this increases to all 6 (randomly triggered), so there’s non-stop action, guaranteed. And depending on how the symbols split, you could be playing with a fantastic 21,168 ways!

Delivering highly-stylized design and gameplay with a dazzlingly fast jazz beat to play to, this non-stop slot is an excellent choice to play this week. Take a look:

Santa Stacked Free Spins: Inspired Gaming. RTP 95%.

If you’re looking to get in the festive spirit and score all-round top-notch entertainment this November, then Santa Stacked Free Spins is a brand new game that'll be right up your street. Produced by Inspired Gaming, it revamps that old player-favorite - the gamble feature.

With bets starting from $0.20-100, this 5x4, 40 line, Christmas-themed slot is a knockout on the reels. Featuring present, Christmas tree, stocking, snowflake, and candy cane symbols, plus substitution wilds and scatters (which trigger free spins containing only 4 symbols on the reels), it's an awesome play.

The star of the show comes in the form of the reimagined gamble feature, which can deliver either cash wins (up to half a million dollars) or free spins through the use of 2 gamble wheels - sounds pretty epic, right? Take it for a spin at these top Inspired Gaming Casinos!

Industry News and Events

Revenue Round-Up October 2020: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware Post Record Figures.

In New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, online gambling revenue is soaring according to each state’s respective regulating body. Showing a considerable increase for year-on-year gambling revenue.

In NJ the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement announced that the industry is up 26.1% with DraftKings, BetMGM, and Borgata taking the top spots as the highest earners in the state.

While in Pennsylvania, records are being set with a 13% total increase, which according to the PA Gaming Control Board is mainly due to the explosion of iGaming, with revenue growth of over $55m (2019 revenues were $4.9m, Oct 2020 they are $59.8m). From this, a whopping $40m was generated from online slots. In terms of the largest earners, BetRivers took the top spot, followed by DraftKings, Parx, and Mohegan Sun Casinos.

Meanwhile, in Delaware, the state lottery announced a year-on-year market growth of 161.6%, with online slots accounting for most of the revenue. In terms of the top-ranking platforms in this state, Dover Downs Casino stole the crown!

Tennessee Bets $27m in first 7-days of Legal Sports Betting.

We don’t typically focus on sports betting at Casino Cabbie. However, we couldn’t help share this juicy titbit of info with you: Tennessee, which opened for online legal sports betting on November 1st, has already grossed $27m in bets across the first 7 days. What a spectacular week of betting it’s been from Tennessee residents, let the good time roll!

Alright, folks that's all this week's top iGaming stories. We'll see you next time. Have great week!

It’s been another busy week in the iGaming world, and in this Cabbie Digest we’ll be covering:

• CSR: Both Caesars and GVC Holdings hit the headlines for charitable giving.
• Live Dealers: Caesars PA launches live dealer games after forming a partnership with Evolution Gaming.
• Safer Payments: Penn National Gaming launches PXP Financial Ltd payment processing.
• New Games: We’ve got 2 brand new slots to tell you about: Twin Spin Megaways and Fruits and Wilds 2.

New Casino Announcements & Partnerships

Caesars Commits Millions of Dollars to Charity in 2019 Through CSR Policy.

If you’ve not heard of CSR before, it stands for Corporate Social Responsibility and is based on the concept that profitable companies have a responsibility to give back to the communities they work in.

Caesars (which is well-known for its active CSR program: People Planet Play) has this week been taking stock of all their top-notch achievements in 2019 and the first half of 2020 with impressive findings:

• The company has spent a total of $67m on CSR in 2019.
• Caesars' staff has voluntarily contributed over 370,000 hours to projects.
• From every dollar the company earns, they contribute 46 cents to the CSR program, which is well over the industry standard.

All in all, this means that as well as having the best online casino loyalty club, Caesars is also the most generous and socially responsible casino brand that we’ve at Casino Cabbie. This means you can play more, earn more, and give more back when you play at Caesars Online Casino!

GVC Holdings Invests in University Training for iGaming Industry.

In more good news, it’s not just Caesars getting in on the CSR action this week as GVC Holdings also hit the headlines for philanthropic giving when they gifted the University of Nevada $256,000.

The money will go towards the university’s law department and will be used to develop courses aimed at operators, regulators, lawyers, and other legal professions in the iGaming industry. This is a wise move by GVC, who are not only supporting regulated and responsible gambling while also taking a stake in the quality of future regulators!

Caesars Strike PA Deal with Evolution Gaming.

This month has been a fascinating one for Pennsylvania online casinos and players as live dealers have finally launched in the state, and one-by-one different online casinos have added live titles to their lobbies.

This week, it’s the turn of Caesars Casino PA, who have hashed out a deal with Evolution Gaming to continue the growth of live dealer games in the state with titles including:

• Live Roulette
• Infinite Blackjack
• and Live Blackjack

This comes hot on the heels of Evolution also signing deals with FanDuel, Wynn Resorts, and William Hill this month.

Safer Payments: Penn National Gaming Joins PXP Financial Ltd.

The online branch of Penn National Gaming, Penn Interactive, has become the latest operator to join PXP Financial Ltd. Going live first in Pennsylvania, Penn Interactive will expand the payments system across all their online services.

PXP Financial Ltd. is a financial payment service offering connections to multiple payment methods, fraud, and data analysis services. Thus making payments safer, more secure, and increasing payment methods for online Penn National Gaming players.

New Game Releases

Twin Spin Megaways™: NetEnt. RTP 96.04%.

Twin Spin Megaways™ is one of NetEnt’s first Megaways™ productions and is a highly awaited release for this reason. Featuring 6 reels, explosive Megaways™ mechanic (which in this game alters symbol sizes with each spin) merged with the famous Twin Spin Avalanche Reels, plus, Free Spins, Wilds, Multipliers, and 117,649 ways to win, this game delivers non stop action!

Pegged as one of NetEnt’s top releases of the year, it’s a must-play game, holding particular appeal for players who love classic graphics but seeking big thrills from a high volatility slot!

Take a look at the trailer, check out our top NetEnt online casinos, and start spinning this slot!

Fruits and Wilds 2: Bally. RTP 96.21%.

Produced by Bally, Fruits, and Wilds 2 Slot delivers high volatility action, 3x3 reels, max prizes of 3200x your bet, wagers from 0.05c - $40, and 5 paylines. You’ve guessed it; it’s a classic fruit machine and one of Bally’s top releases for this year!

Delivering awesome fun, this simple slot comes with a funky soundtrack, classic fruit, and liberty bell symbols, multipliers wilds, and a gamble feature, allowing you to double your wins after every hit!

Fruits and Wilds 2 is a top-notch example of how a slot game can deliver non-stop action, but with a simple design and is one of the increasingly few 3-reeled slots on the market today! Check it out at Bally online casinos now.

That's it from us for this week, guys, see you next Friday!

It’s been a positively wild week all round as we keenly await the election results. As usual, there’s no pause in the iGaming industry, and this week FanDuel has teamed up with Evolution Gaming to continue the spread of live dealers across Pennsylvania casinos, while Yggdrasil, High5Games, and Quickspin have released new games. Let’s take a closer look at the top stories and the good news rolling!

New Casino Announcements & Partnerships

FanDuel and Evolution Gaming Form New Partnership Bringing Live Dealers to Pennsylvania.

This week FanDuel has allied with live dealer champions, Evolution Gaming to supply the studio's live dealer content to FanDuel’s US sites. This deal continues the recent expansion of live dealers in Pennsylvania casinos!

Jesse Chemtob, General Manager of the FanDuel Group, said of the deal: “We’re really excited to offer our loyal customers more live casino games. We see live casino as a key driver for continued online casino market growth in the US, and FanDuel will now have access to Evolution’s entire live casino portfolio.”

FanDuel is not the only US online casino that has struck a deal with Evolution Gaming, and recently Evolution's live dealer suite has also been licensed to PA rivals DraftKings, BetRivers, and Hollywood Casinos PA.

New Game Releases

This week’s also been a stellar one for slots, and from the depths of Hades underworld kingdom to unpredictable elements- there’s something for everyone. Take a look at this week’s hottest new games.

King of Charms Slot: Inspired Gaming. RTP 95.51%.

Hitting high notes this week is Inspired Gaming with their brand new mobile-only release, King of Charms Slot. Filled with charm and fortunes, this 10 line, 5x3 reel slot follows a mischievous Irish leprechaun who brings innovative slot mechanics and huge potential cash wins to players during the interactive Hot Spins feature, which delivers potential wins of 250,000x your stake!

Find an Inspired Gaming Casino and take this mobile slot for a spin in demo or real money mode!

Elemental Princess: Yggdrasil. RTP 96.66%.

Created in partnership with Dreamtech Gaming, Elemental Princess is a 25 line, 5x3 reel game with an all Asian theme. Discover adventure as you journey across the high volatility reels, encountering 4 elemental princesses (earth, water, fire, and air), each bestowed with a unique power and potential rewards. Inclusive of free spins, wilds, scatter, multipliers, wilds, and much more, this slot offers solid mechanics and a wonderfully high RTP that is over the market average.

Check out our top Yggdrasil Casinos and take Elemental Princess for a spin; you may just be lucky enough to hit the top prize of 250,000x your bet!

Cosmic Heart: High 5 Games. RTP 96%+.

Space-themed and featuring intergalactic wins, colliding stars create a brand new universe of prizes in High 5 Games' latest release, Cosmic Heart Slot. Set on 5x5 reels with an all-new Prize Line feature, multipliers, coin wins, multipliers, a click and pick bonus round, free games, and wilds, Cosmic Heart takes slot gameplay to new heights with scaled-up win and action and brand new mechanics!

What are you waiting for? Take a look at this stunning slot game in the Cosmic Heart Slot trailer, then give the prize line feature a chance to revolutionize your payouts at any of our recommended High 5 Games Casinos.

Titan Thunder Wrath of Hades: Quickspin. RTP 94.18 - 96.25%.

Boasting gorgeous graphics, 3 fixed jackpots, tons of features, and for the first time ever, multiple RTPs is Quickspin’s brand new slot release, Titan Thunder Wrath of Hades.

It is a 5x3 reel slot game, steeped in Greek mythology, and like all Quickspin games, it’s got an awesome theme. According to Quickspin, the story goes that, “two brothers, two bitter rivals. Zeus, the sky and thunder god, rules as king of the gods of Mount Olympus. Hades, the god of the dead, rules as king of the underworld. These brothers are constantly at odds with one another, fiercely protecting their respective realms”.

To succeed and win the most while playing this slot, you’ll need to befriend both Gods as Zeus is the keeper of the jackpots and Hades rulers of the underworld free spins. Are you ready to battle your way to a jackpot? Then check out our Cabbie recommended Quickspin Casinos!

Industry News and Events

While we’re sure you’re all dog-tired of election news, there is one nugget of gold that this vote has turned up: voters in Maryland, Louisiana, and South Dakota have all backed sports betting legalization verticals at the polls. Let’s hope this is the starting point of more great gambling news to come from these States!

Alright, folks, have a great week ahead, and don’t forget to check in with Casino Cabbie every Friday for your weekly gambling round-up!

As the whole country turns to the election this week, we’ve decided to ditch the usual new format to focus only on the top new game releases and offer our readers a touch of escapism. Without further ado, these are the US slot games released this week and ready to play!

New Game Releases

Chocolates: Big Time Gaming. RTP 96.60%.

Chocolates is the sequel to the 2018 BTG slot game, Donuts. Just as sticky, sweet, and exciting as the first installment, but with arguably better math (the RTP is considerably higher and payouts less volatile), plus incredibly sharp graphics, Chocolates delivers sticky symbols, multiplier wilds, free spins, mystery symbols, and much much more.

Set on 4x4 reels, with a stunning backdrop, this slot comes with 256 ways to win and a monumental max win per spin of 65,536x the bet (stakes from $0.20-20).

While Chocolates does not feature the usual Megaways™ mechanic that has dominated BTG releases for the last couple of years, it’s a breath of fresh air: offering an excellent shake-up, plus captivating gameplay. But be sure not to exhaust your bets before making it to the free spins round, where the reels can fill entirely with the chocolate box symbol and create golden wins!

Ready to hit the rolling hills of Switzerland and take a taste of the sweet treats delivered by this game? Then check out our BTG Casinos and find a US site to play at!

Vegas Night Life: NetEnt. RTP 96%.

Bringing Vegas to the doors (or mobile screens, should we say) of players everywhere with their latest release, NetEnt, delivers top-notch slot action across 5x3 reels with their brand new release, Vegas Night Life.

Set into a busy neon backdrop of typical Vegas sites and sounds, this game delivers both action and graphic finesse. With features including free spins, multipliers, instant wins (of up to 1000x the bet), cash stacker side game, mini, midi, and mega Jackpots (only the Mega Jackpot is progressive). Plus, just like a night in Vegas, it delivers on all levels, is packed with action, and will either leave your wallet feeling lighter or make it burst with a jackpot prize!

Ready to pack your bags and head off to virtual vegas? Check out these top NetEnt Casinos and start spinning!

 Cash Eruption: IGT. RTP 96%.

Looking for red hot wins, firey action, and a classic slot vibe? Then welcome to IGT’s latest release, Cash Eruption. Featuring 5x3 reels, 20 paylines, and nonstop action, this game promises a massive max haul of 625000x your bet as the reels erupt into jumbo symbols and release mega cash wins!

Equipt with free spins, re-spins, fireball features, reel goddess, and wilds, this game is one to play and provides a classic yet modern feel that players will love! Stake your bets from $0.20-40 and take this brand new slot for a spin at any of our recommended US IGT Casinos!

Hades: Yggdrasil. RTP 96%.

Turning up the heat, even more, this week is Yggdrasil with their latest release, Hades. This is our slot of the week and if you pick any game to play this week, it should be this one. Graphically stunning and dark, this slot takes players deep into the underworld to rock out on 6x6 reels with 50 lines and employs Yggdrasil’s Gigablox concept.

If you’ve not played a Gigablox slot before, it means that during the gameplay on any reel, the symbols can combine to create 2×2, 3×3, 4×4, or 5×5 giant symbol creating more significant wins. Still, it doesn’t end there, and like all good Greek tails and tragedies, this new release is filled with plot twists that come in the form of 2 bonus features: Hades’ wild hunt and free spins.

Hades’ wild hunt is a random main game feature (but also triggered on every free spin where each consecutive successful fight increases the prize multiplier), which sees Hades leaps from the reel frame onto the reels and duel with any higher-paying monster symbols. The battles that Hades wins turn wild, promising fiery wins. To reach the free spins of this slot and have the Hades wild hunt feature active on every spin, simply seek out those scatters on the reels!

With bets from $0.10-100 and max prizes of 11,129x your bet, there’s everything to play for in Hades Slot. Check it out at Party Casino.

Alright folks, we’ll be back next week with our usual weekly news format. Until then have a great week!

New Casino Announcements & Partnerships

Big Time Gaming Comes Onboard the OpenGaming ™ Platform (SG) for USA Distributor Deal.

Scientific Games and BTG have this week struck a deal that will see Big Time Gaming’s content available exclusively on the SG OpenGaming Platform. SG will be the sole US and North American distributor.

SVP at Scientific Games, Dylan Slaney, said, “Big Time Gaming’s content needs no introduction and securing this exclusive distribution deal will significantly strengthen our OpenGaming offering. Their games are some of the most sought after in the iGaming community.”

What does this mean for you, guys? The majority of US online casinos already use SG software (and the studio is licensed in each of the 5 online gambling states), so now these sites will also have the option of featuring BTG content. If you're not familiar with BTG, all you need to know is that they're the studio behind some of the most popular casino slots of the last 5 years!

Eldorado Casinos Join Caesars Rewards

This week Eldorado Casinos have signed up to join the Caesars Rewards program, making Caesars the most rewarding and widely applicable loyalty club for players. Caesars Rewards is an integrated rewards program that lets players collect points online and cash them in at over 55+ US Casinos and resorts, plus benefit from all sorts of other bonuses and perks (like free spins, reloads, and loads more). 

This is top news for bonus hunters, and well everyone, as Caesars Rewards just got even better, increasing their range of Reward Casinos by 20% and adding 18 new options of casinos to earn rewards, benefits from discounts, and spend your points at!

Find out more about the best online US loyalty clubs for players, almost every casino is offering one, so there are plenty of ways to collect extra bonuses when gambling online!

New Game Releases

Hyperburst Slot: Yggdrasil. RTP 96.02%

This week sees a brand new release from slot geniuses, Yggdrasil. Hyperblast is their latest red hot slot and comes with 6x4 reels and 25 paylines. Start spinning from $0.10-100 while the uptempo lava reels.

With high volatility spins and volcano/lava expanding colossal reels, this slot perfectly mixes high worth wins with a steady hit frequency of 1 in 5, making Hyperburst an awesomely exciting game to play. Plus, with max prizes of $1,280,000 - a superior 12,800x your bet - there’s everything to spin for.

The action-packed gameplay includes golden wilds, hyper respins, giant symbols, hyper-mode multipliers, and substantial max prizes, which can be won on a single spin. This slot is a must-play game and once again proves why Yggdrasil is an award-winning studio! Check it out at Party Casino now.

Industry News and Events

Pennsylvania and Delaware iGaming Revenues Continue to Grow

Online Casinos Pennsylvania

The iGaming market shows unstoppable growth this year compared with 2019, up over 1,200% from $4mill this time last year to $57mill in 2020. Its skyrocketing and online slots are once again proving to be the most popular US casino game, contributing $39mill in revenue. The biggest earners and most popular online casino in the PA market is:

• BetRivers Casino.

Online Casinos Delaware

Meanwhile, in Delaware, iGaming revenues in 2020 are up 118% with September alone showing a 44% increase compared to 2019!

Thanks for reading guys, we’ll see you next week!

This week's seen some top-notch new game releases, including the eagerly awaited Raging Rhino Rampage, Hammer of Vulcan, and Monopoly Electric Wins! Plus, as players standby for live games in Pennsylvania and upcoming online casinos in WV, there’s more good news on the horizon with software deal brokered - let’s take a look!

New Casino Announcements & Partnerships

Evolution Gaming and William Hill Announces Far-Reaching US Partnership

Evolution Gaming and William Hill have this week announced a new and far-reaching US distribution deal. The agreement covers the whole of the US and will see Evolution Gaming’s Live Dealer suite available to William Hill players beginning at their NJ Online Casino.

William Hill, which is currently the largest sports betting operator in the US (present in Nevada, New Jersey, Indiana, West Virginia, Iowa, Florida, Mississippi, New Mexico, Delaware, and Rhode Island), is expected to add online casino gaming to its New Jersey platform as early as Q4 2020.

Evolution Gaming and William Hill are already partnered in European markets with great success. This continues a growth streak for Evolution Gaming in US markets, coming hot on the heels of deals with BetMGM and PointsBet at the start of this year.

DraftKings and NetEnt Partnership Now to Include PA and WV

DraftKings and NetEnt (the current supplier of the online casino product for DraftKings NJ since August 2019) have hashed out a new agreement that will see NetEnt’s game suite available at DraftKings Casinos Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

This brings award-winning and iconic content to players in these states, such as StarBurst, Gonzo’s Quest, Narcos, Divine Fortune, and Dead or Alive 2. What’s more, NetEnt is globally renowned as a leader of online casino gaming.

NetEnt’s VP for Commercial America, Brian Kraft, said, “We’re proud to expand our relationship with such a well-known operator and look forward to continuing the success that we’ve achieved together so far. We are thrilled to have such a renowned operator on board as we enter new jurisdictions.”

New Game Releases

Raging Rhino Rampage: WMS. RTP: 96.20%

Raging Rhino Rampage (a WMS classic, remastered) goes live for US players in all states this week. What’s changed? Well, the original gameplay has been supped-up with Expanding Reels and growing ways to win, plus bonus features like the Bonus Jackpot Wheel!

Get ready to play in the Savannah once again as Raging Rhinos take to the 6x4 Stampeding Reels, rampaging to deliver 4,096 ways to win and an expanding number of rows (4-8). Speed up the action in Free Spins by scoring 3-6 Diamond Scatter anywhere on the reels, and you’ll proceed to the Jackpot Bonus Wheel, where top prizes are up to 50 FS or a Mini, Minor, or Major fixed jackpot (1,000, 10,000, or 100,000).

Additional spins are won with extra scatters during the FS round, and multipliers are also available, providing high worth wins and unbeatable slot action. While graphically, this slot may look the same as its predecessor, it’s a very different beast.

Should you play this game? Totally! Take it for a spin at these WMS online casinos!

Hammer of Vulcan: Quickspin. RTP: 95.81%

We’ve been eagerly awaiting this Quickspin title for several weeks now, and visually, it’s everything we hoped for and more. Totally immersive, this game will have rocking out to the reels as you spin. It’s a must-play slot that delivers on all fronts and has feature-rich gameplay.

Hailed as Quickspin’s most “volatile game to date,” where any spin can lead to a huge win, it boasts 4,096 ways to win and 20,000x your bet jackpot prize. Bonus features include free spins, wilds, multipliers, and even a feature buy entry to the Light Forge Bonus Round. Find a US Quickspin online casino now!

Monopoly Electric Wins Slot: WMS. RTP: 96.39%

Complimenting the Monopoly Slot series from WMS is their latest release: Monopoly Electric Wins Slot. Delivering 729 ways to win and boardgame plus a 6x3 reel layout, this game skillfully mixes classic Monopoly with slot gameplay to create an on-point game.

Bonus features include free spins, multipliers, and original game rules, like, Go to Jail, Free Parking, Community Chest, and others to bring the actual gameplay to life. With bets starting from $0.20, it’s well worth a spin - even if it’s just for the trip down memory lane! 

Crystal Quest: Deep Jungle. Thunderkick. RTP: 96.14%

Crystal Quest Slot is a stunning high volatility game from Thunderkick. It packs a punch with beautiful graphics, 15000x max prizes, exploding avalanche reels, and climbing multipliers, plus 4096 - 262,144 ways to win.

Set deep in the jungle with crystal rock-carved symbols, Crystal Quest delivers high-thrill action and so many ways to win. The bonus rounds keep the action tense with Wilds, Mystery Symbols, Free Spins, even and Wild Explosions promising big wins. Get ready for nail-biting action and potentially explosive action on the reels with bets from 0.01 to $100.

Alright right, guys, that’s all for this week, but we’ll see you next Friday!

It’s been a relatively quiet week in the world of US online casinos as sportsbooks and betting operators have taken center stage - monopolizing the limelight. Don’t stress; we’ve still got plenty of tasty titbits to fill your Friday lunchtime with!

New Casino Announcements & Partnerships

As the world of US casino partnerships remains ever-busy, this week we're covering these top stories:

• GAN and Wynn Resorts strike a new deal for a Michigan online casino.
• AGS games to join BetMGM-brand sites.
• IGT secures an extension as Minnesota’s lottery provider.

GAN and Wynn Partner for 10-Year Michigan Casino Deal

With online casinos in Michigan expected to launch during Q4 of 2020 (Oct-Dec), the market is alive with operators and software providers seeking out and securing partnerships with land-based casinos.

Tuesday saw GAN and Wynn Resorts strike a 10-year operator deal for its casino and sportsbook platform. This means GAN will provide its turn-key, GAMEstack platform, and content to the upcoming Wynn Resorts Online Casino (MI).

AGS Software Joins BetMGM Casinos

AGS strikes a deal to add its gaming content to all BetMGM-brand online casinos (BetMGM, Borgata, and partypoker). First, going live in New Jersey, the content will later be added to Pennsylvania and Michigan online casinos.

AGS vice president Matt Reback said: "This is an exciting development in the growth of our interactive business, giving us access to BetMGM's broad player reach and distribution of our engaging game content through the BetMGM, Borgata Online, and partypoker robust online casinos."

This deal comes barely a month after BetMGM signed Playtech to its growing list of software providers, showing a firm commitment to offering US players the best games and software.

IGT Secures Extension As Minnesota’s Lottery Provider

IGT secured has a two-year extension to their current agreement with the Minnesota Lottery. Under the extension, agreed until 2022, IGT will continue to supply Minnesota with instant ticket and lottery technology.

The existing partnership has proved fruitful for both parties since first established in 2010. IGT lottery products include Full of $500 and Power $10. The state of Minnesota uses lottery revenues to fund environmental and state services across its territory. It is an excellent example of how gambling tax revenue can be put to great use!

Industry Events and News

Michigan Passes Interstate Poker Bill

Michigan lawmakers have been hard at the gambling reform: recently they scheduled the final review of gambling regulations (find out more in Cabbie Digest #5), and this week the state Senate cleared the interstate poker bill (SB0991). The bill now awaits reading at the House of Representatives.

Should it pass, the bill will legalize interstate poker games in Michigan, with players challenging those in other states and continues gambling reform in Michigan, which sees online casinos set to go live over the coming months.

Upcoming Slot Releases

With no new US slots launching this week, check back in with us next Friday when we’ll be discussing the launch of these eagerly awaited titles:

• Hammer of Vulcan - QuickSpin.
• Raging Rhino - SG.
• And Crystal Quest - Thunderkick.

With the US election growing ever-nearer, the news is packed full of presidential talk and little else, but don’t worry, this is a politics-free, gaming-only zone. Instead, we’ll be taking a look at all the newest games and the latest US gambling stories of the week!

New Casino Announcements & Partnerships

Hard Rock NJ Launches New Partnership with SG.

Hard Rock has been busy this week, firstly, terminating their current software agreement with Gaming Innovation Group (GiG, the current supplier of online software for Hard Rock) and then signing a new contract with Scientific Games. 

The transfer of online services is expected in Q1 of 2021. It means that SG will provide Hard Rock Casino NJ and Hard Rock’s Iowa sportsbook with their OpenGaming and OpenSports technology solutions.

SG’s CEO, Jordan Levin said of the deal, “The Hard Rock brand is instantly recognizable on a global scale and to extend our partnership with them once again is testament to our product development capabilities across iGaming and Sports in the US."

Scientific Gaming Signs Exclusive Partnership With BTG and NetEnt For US Markets.

In another big win this week for SG, the company announced that it will become the supplier of NetEnt and BTG games in the US and Canada via the provider’s OpenGaming Platform. In the case of BTG, this relationship will be exclusive with SG as the sole supplier.

This deal sees NetEnt, BTG, and SG (traditionally competitors) come together to rock the US market. From the moment the deal becomes active, any online casino using SG software will also provide NetEnt and BTG content, which means you can play a fantastic roll-call of games and award-winning titles without switching sites.

What’s more, this partnership will be extremely attractive to online casinos seeking software, as these are 3 of the top US-licensed, game providers and their content will now be provided under one service, SG’s OpenGaming Platform.

New Game Releases

Candy Blasted: High 5 Games. RTP: 95.90%.

High 5 Games are a popular slot provider in the US, and their latest release, Candy Blasted, is set to be an instant success. Filled with sweet treats that will delight players and leave them craving more, this slot is unlike any other. 

Set on 10x10 reels, this game focuses on forming winning clusters, not paylines. Once you’ve created a cluster, it will trigger the base game main feature: Racking up riches. All non-winning symbols disappear and are replaced during this feature, potentially adding new symbols to the original cluster or creating a new group and providing the chance to quite literally rack up the riches! 

Racking up riches continues until there are no new matching symbols added, upon which the game then payouts the collective total. But that’s not all; if you manage to score 3+ star symbols in any cluster on the reels, it’ll trigger the sugar-sweet free games bonus of this slot that promises even bigger wins.

Dragon Spin Pick ‘N’ Mix: Barcrest. RTP 96%.

Dragon Spin Pick ‘N’ Mix is a medium to high volatility new release from Barcrest. It is a continuation of their 2015 release, Dragon Spin, and offers 20 paylines, 5x3 reels, gorgeous graphics, and 5 fixed jackpots! Plus, players can customize their gameplay by picking which bonus rounds they want active (when the slot starts, you can select 3 out 5 bonus features, including symbol eliminator, fortune eggs, persisting wilds, goliath reels, and expanding wilds). 

Spin this slot from $0.01-100 and score max payouts of 2,500x your bet. Plus, the Dragon’s Pot Pix ‘N’ Mix feature provides an additional bonus round where 1 of 5 jackpots can be won, so there’s everything to play for!

This epic new release from Barcrest is a must-play. Find it now at these Barcrest Casinos.

Pyramids of the Nile: Edict (Merkur). RTP 97.05%.

Edict is taking players on a journey back in time this week with their newest release, Pyramids of the Nile. This brand new slot is a fantastic play, harking back to an older video slot style and delivering unbeatable action with up to 100 free spins available!

Following a 5x3 video setup, this slot comes inclusive of 30 paylines, max prizes of 600x your bet level, 10-100 free games, wilds, and bets from $0.30-18, plus an ultra-high RTP of 97.05%. 

As Pyramids of the Nile has low bet limits and a lower max prize, it’s well suited to players on a budget and seeking top-class, prize-winning action. Ready to try your luck in Ancient Egypt and hunt down the treasures of the Nile? Then take a look at Party Casino.

Industry Events and News

5Dimes Case Settled with a $46.8m Fine From DOJ.

Coming four years after initial investigations started in 2016, the DOJ and 5Dimes (an offshore, Costa Rica-based betting operator that targeted US customers) have finally come to a settlement, with the DOJ issuing 5Dimes a $46.8m fine and providing a new legal pathway for 5Dimes to enter the US market. 

This case is one of the very few where the DOJ has successfully prosecuted an offshore iGaming company for targeting US players without licensing. The ruling can be considered mutually beneficial because it allows 5Dimes to apply for US licensing after the company restructures while allowing the DOJ to close the case and claim the settlement successfully.

Alrighty, that’s it from us guys but don’t forget to take this week’s newest releases for a spin and check in with us next Friday for your latest gambling round-up!

As the first days of fall arrive, it's been a manic week in the US iGaming industry. With the start of the new quarter comes a flurry of activity as experienced operators solidify their market share and new players buck out of the game before the final whistle. Without further ado, here's your weekly casino catch-up from Casino Cabbie.

New Casino Announcements and Partnerships

Pennsylvania

NetEnt Forges New Partnership with Wind Creek Casino, Pennsylvania

Wind Creek Casino, Pennsylvania (which launched just last month) is already making big moves to secure its market share in PA; this week announcing a new partnership with multi-award-winning software studio, NetEnt.

The contract between the local casino brand and the world-famous studio brings hundreds of player-loved games (including award-winning and iconic titles like Divine Fortune, Dead or Alive 2, Gonzo’s Quest, and Starburst) to Pennsylvania players at Wind Creek Casino.

What’s more, this move improves the position of both NetEnt and Wind Creek in the local market. Brian Kraft, NetEnt’s commercial vice president for the Americas, said, “The deal underlines our status as a go-to supplier in Pennsylvania both with established operators and emerging brands. […] Given the strong performance of our content with local players, this partnership will no doubt see Wind Creek make a big impact in the online landscape.” So, all in all, lot’s to look forward to for PA Players this week.

Rivers Philadelphia Re-Brands SugarHouse Casino PA

Additionally, hitting the gambling headlines in Pennsylvania this week is Rivers Casino Philly, having completed it’s the takeover of SugarHouse Casino PA, rebranding the site BetRivers. This move has been on the cards since late 2019 when they first announced the takeover, with the elapsed time spent transitioning key assets for the official switch over.

Are you a SugarHouse PA player? 

Don’t panic; you’ll still be able to access your casino account and credits to play at the platform, but Rivers Casino now operates it. Hence, the bonuses and loyalty clubs have transitioned to those offered by the Rivers Philadelphia brand.

New Jersey

Goodbye Betfair: New Jersey Sportbook set to Close its Doors to Players

Betfair, New Jersey, has announced that it’s closing its New Jersey Sportsbook from October 1st, permanently. According to Kip Levin, COO of FanDuel, who oversees Betfair’s US operators, the platform “never hit the critical mass needed for it to be viable.” This, twinned with the arrival of the State’s first betting exchange, means that Betfair will no longer operate the New Jersey sportsbook as of next week.

Playtech Announce BetMGM Software Partnership

Last week we reported Playtech’s first move into US gaming markets, forming a partnership with bet365. Well, Playtech has since been hard at work, and this week, announced a further deal to supply BetMGM with their casino suite in NJ.

Under this agreement, Playtech games will be available at leading online casinos, BetMGM, Borgata Online, and Party Casino. Plus, it doesn’t stop there: Playtech has big ambitions for the US according to COO, Shimon Akad; “This strategic deal demonstrates the strength of Playtech’s US proposition and the appeal of our gaming offering in the region as we continue to launch our pipeline of new US licensees.”

West Virginia

NetEnt and BetMGM Set to Take On West Virginia Market

BetMGM is proving its worth as a mover and shakers of the US gambling landscape this week.

Aside from bringing Playtech games to NJ and signing Oscar-winning actor and singer Jamie Foxx for their new advertising campaign, the company has also struck a deal with NetEnt to deliver the studio’s games and products to West Virginia.

BetMGM Casino West Virginia, which launched only last month, will add NetEnt games to the lobby and significantly increase the casino’s size and player appeal! Great news for West Virginia players!

New Game Releases

Valley of Gods 2: Yggdrasil. RTP 96%

Sequel to the highly popular Valley of Gods Slot (play now at Party Casino), Valley of Gods 2 draws players in to revisit the “mythical desert, and unlock its deepest mysteries”, of which there are plenty.

With ways to win that grow with every consecutive win (through the removal of blocker stones), players will spin to unlock lives, second-chance re-spins, multipliers, and wild reels across the paylines of the Egyptian-themed Valley of the Gods 2 Slot.

It is a graphically stunning and intricate game, starting with 240 ways to win and raising to 20160- take a look and watch the trailer video below to get a feel for the gameplay. Bets start from $0.10,, going up to $100 and max prizes are $500,000 in this high volatility new release available at Yggdrasil Casinos.

Slingo Lucky Streak Slot: Slingo. RTP 95%

Slingo has taken US players by storm! Often described as the perfect mix between slots and bingo, Slingo, is the top producer and singular specialist of this type of casino game. Inclusive of Irish theme and traditional arcade soundtrack, Lucky Streak Slot is set on 5x5 reels. To win, players must match at least 2 of the numbers in the main reels, with any of those in 5x1 reel running along the bottom- think of it like matching numbers in bingo, but you are the one spinning the cage, or in this case, reels.

Players start with two lives and each losing spin deducts one, each winning spin adds one. Additionally, each winning spin grants re-spins until there are no more wins, so there’s plenty of opportunity for a Lucky Streak, and you can enjoy supercharged bonus rounds!

Bets start at $0.25 and go up to $25 with a max payout of 200x your stake. Plus, if you run out of lives, you have the option to purchase more. Slingo Lucky Streak is a medium to high volatility slot, and you can find this game at these Casino Cabbie top-rated Slingo Casinos.

Industry News and Events

Michigan Regulators Get Ready to Review Proposed Gambling Rules

As online gaming operators patiently await the green-light to prepare their bids for licenses in MI, the Michigan Gaming Control Board prepares the final review of the newly proposed, state-wide gambling rules.

Since voting to regulate iGaming and sports betting in December 2019, the rules have passed preliminary readings and stakeholder feedback, which will now be considered before the final review by the Michigan Office of Administrative Hearing and Rules. It's great to see that MI legislators are taking such prompt action on the new gambling reforms!

Alrighty, folks, that’s all the news for this week! Don’t forget to check back with us every Friday for your 5 minute lowdown on the biggest gaming stories of the week!

As always, it’s been a busy week here at Cabbie, and even more so in the gaming world. It seems that all anyone can talk about this week is who’s losing the most revenue compared with last year, and who is coming out on top as the latest round of quarterly revenue reports are released.

But don’t panic, it’s not all doom, gloom, and financial forecasts hitting this week’s gambling headlines, there’s also been a whole round of brand new and exciting slots released, new casino partnerships announced, and even new regulations for online sportsbook advertising! Let’s take a look at this week’s top stories!

Casino News and New Partnerships

Bet365 Launches Playtech Casino Product

Bet365 launched its sports-only betting site in NJ in 2019, but this month they’ve announced a new deal which will see Bet365 and Playtech join forces to offer Playtech’s casino games at Bet365 NJ.

This is Playtech’s first entry into the US market and a significant moment for the award-winning games studio, especially as Playtech only received NJ licensing in August 2020.

Resorts Signs Multi-Year Deal With Scientific Games for NJ Casinos

This week, online casino operator, Resorts, has extended its deal with Scientific Games to supply the operator's New Jersey online sites with casino games software. This successful partnership provides both Resort’s online platforms (Resorts Casino and Mohegan Sun) with a games lobby of over 600 award-winning titles, and continues an industry-leading experience and has been in place since 2015.

Resorts CEO, Ed Andrews, said, “ Scientific Games has been an integral supplier for Resorts’ digital operations for a number of years, which helped make it a simple decision to maintain our successful partnership. The content provided seamlessly via OpenGaming plays a big part in making ResortsCasino.com one of New Jersey’s go-to online casinos.”

If you’re a New Jersey player and have not tried out either Resorts or Mohegan Sun Online Casino, then you must as they are two of our highest recommended places to play!

New US Game Releases

The Wealth Series: Play’n Go

Play’n GO hits a triple whammy this week, releasing not one but three brand new slots in a series the studio has named The Wealth Series. Consisting of Celebration of Wealth, Temple of Wealth, and Beast of Wealth, the three titles come together as one overall gaming experience unifying through the shared theme, wealth system symbols, and progressive jackpots offered. Find out more and try each of these games in demo mode at Play’n GO.

Rage of the Seas: NetEnt. RTP 96.04%

It’s been a big month for NetEnt Casinos with first the release of Disco Danny and now this week, Rage of the Seas Slot. Land-lovers, get ready to put on your sea legs and take to the waves with pirates, cannons, and big prizes because this game’s got it all.

Played out on 5x4 expanding reels that create 5488 ways to win, this slot offers spreading and stacked wilds, multipliers, free spins, and major and minor reel upgrades to create explosive gameplay at the next level!

Valley of Fortunes: High 5 Games. RTP 96%

Are you ready to travel back in time and spin to the ancient beat of this modern slot? Take the journey of a lifetime as you cross vast, hot deserts, uncovering hidden treasures and limitless winning options with the Racking up Riches Bonus Feature and symbol-filled reels of Valley of Fortunes Slot. 

With 3x5 reels, players need only to land any three matching symbols to activate the Racking up Riches Feature, which sees all non-matching symbols leave the reels and get replaced by new ones. Symbols only stop stacking when no more wins are made, but that’s not all successful players stand to gain as it’s possible to rack up even more prizes by gaining a win multiplier and using additional bonus features too! Check out our High 5 Games Casinos and find a site to play Valley of Fortunes Slot.

Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches: Thunderkick. RTP 94.27%

Thunderkick is once again proving their worth with their latest and graphically stunning release, Jin Chan’s Riches. Inclusive of 5x3 reels, 15 fixed lines, multiplier wilds, sticky wins, and a bonus round where you’ll tot up extra spins and multipliers, Jin Chan’s Pond is certainly filled with riches. Start spinning to win at any of our Thunderkick Casinos, but keep in mind that the biggest wins can be found in the bonus round!

Take a look at how to play Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches!

Industry News and Events

AGA Updates Sportsbook Operator Advertising Rules Just in Time for Responsible Gambling Education Week

As around the world gambling regulations are tightening up to suit modern trends, the USA’s American Gambling Association has also conducted a review regarding sports advertising. The review concluded with the creation of a new rulebook and code for operators called the “Responsible Marketing Code for Sports Wagering”.

The code brings in 3 main principles to govern sports betting advertising:

1. Advertising must not promote “irresponsible or excessive participation in sports wagering”.
2. Each advertisement must contain a responsible gambling message and information on where to seek gambling assistance.
3. And lastly, advertisements may not suggest that “social, financial or personal success is guaranteed by engaging in sports wagering”.

While these new rules may come as a shock to the system for US providers, they are already established practice in jurisdictions across Europe to tackle irresponsible gambling and overall are created to keep players safe!

That’s it for this week guys, but don't forget it's responsible gambling education week, so check out the latest responsible gambling tools and advice at your casino of choice!

This week has been a big one for slots with lots of new releases and a pioneering new licensed concept from iGaming goliaths, Big Time Gaming! Sit back and relax as we take you through this week’s biggest iGaming news!

New Game Releases

Slot Vegas Megaquads™: BTG. RTP 96.59%

Doubling down on impressive entertainment, this week has seen BTG bring Vegas and a brand new licensed concept, Megaquads™ to life. Megaquads™ allow players to spin 4 slots at once and deliver a whopping 16+ million ways to win in free spins!

Set on a Vegas backdrop, with 4 independent 4x4 reel sets (each provides 256 ways to play, during the base game the reels can merge horizontally, and during the bonus round both horizontally and vertically), Slot Vegas offers high volatility gameplay, bets from $0.20-20, max prizes of 45,000x your stake, and an above-average RTP. What’s more, bonus features include wilds, rainbow wilds, multipliers, and free spins, which creates unmissable action-packed gameplay!

This new slot mechanic is a must-try, and as a licensed concept, it may just be the next big thing to hit the market. Don’t forget that BTG is the creators of Megaways™, which have dominated online slots for the last 4 years. You can find out more about Megaquads™ and Slot Vegas from Big Time Gaming's CEO in this video or take a look at our top-rated platforms and select a BTG Casino to play at!

Disco Danny: NetEnt. RTP 96.04%

Get ready to get your groove on and feel the 80s disco beat as you spin to win across the reels of NetEnt’s latest release, Disco Danny. It’s a funky and simple classic slot set on 3x3 reels, that delivers big on the action with multi-level free spins, bonus symbols, and a golden multiplier.

With bets starting from $0.10-250, Disco Danny is a medium to high volatility slot that offers high limits and is perfect for classic slot lovers. Get ready to spin and win in time to the funky beat at any of our top NetEnt Casinos!

Gold Pile: Toltec Treasure Slot: Playtech. RTP- Not Yet Released.

Toltec Treasures is the latest in Playtech’s Gold Pile jackpot series. The game is themed around (you’ve guessed it) ancient Latin American treasures, more specifically the Toltec tribes (an indigenous people that flourished in Mexico before the Aztecs) and features beautiful graphics and original slot design.

The game plays out on 5x3 reels and comes with golden symbols, bonuses, free spins, and 3 fixed jackpots that promise big payouts. Spin to win the Gold Pile grand (800x your stake), maxi (32x), and mini (8x) jackpots as you fill-up the gold meter, discovering Toltec Treasures as you play! Take a look at Toltec Treasure Slot here:

This week has also seen the following slot releases (not yet available in the US):

• Racoon Tales by Evoplay
• Dark Woods by CT Gaming
• Book of Gold: Multichance, Playson

Industry Events and News

Kentucky Derby Sees 52% Revenue Decrease in 2020

Two weeks ago, we reported that for the first time in the history of the Kentucky Derby, the event would be held behind closed doors. Consequently, the Derby took place on Sept 5th (postponed from its usual May date) and saw a revenue decrease of 52% compared with 2019.

The event, which usually draws crowds of over 150,000 spectators, was held with only essential personal presents. Sadly, this drop in revenue reflects the general trend in land-based gambling in the US, which overall is down 23.9% compared with last year.

iGaming and Online Sports Betting Revenue Flourishes in the US

While land-based gambling and establishments may be struggling with closures and restrictions due to COVID, both online markets are flourishing. According to the American Gaming Association, 2020 has so far seen an increase of 86.2% in online sports betting and a 253% rise in iGaming. This monumental shift to iGaming is awesome news for online players as it means more investment and development in online markets in the near future!

That’s it for this week, folks, but as always, be sure to check in with Casino Cabbie every Friday for your gambling round-up of the week!

It’s been a relatively quiet week here at Casino Cabbie as we say goodbye to the last of summer, but fear not, we’re always ready to deliver your Friday update of all gaming and gambling news from across the USA. So, sit back and relax as we tell you about this week’s hottest game releases, new casino partnerships, and best iGaming news from the last 7days!

New Casino Announcements

Evolution Gaming Seals the Deal in US Partnership with BetMGM

BetMGM has this week sealed the deal, opting for Evolution Gaming as its live dealer provider. Initially, this will include BetMGM Casino, Party Casino, and Borgata Online.

Broadcast from New Jersey, Evolution Gaming delivers home-grown US live dealers and the most extensive range of live games (including classic table game variants like Blackjack, Roulette, and Poker as well as newer game show variants like MegaBall, Dream Catcher, and Deal or No Deal) compared with other live casino software.

Wynn Resorts and Scientific Games Extend Casino and Sports Partnership to Colorado and Illinois

Most of us are on the edge of our seats as casinos and Sportsbooks begin to partner-up, form deals, and decide on how the gambling outlook in these states will look.

For now, we know very little, except for this nugget of news delivered by Scientific Games and Wynn Resorts at the start of this week: Wynn Resorts will continue their partnership with SG (they launched Wynn Sports in New Jersey, July 2020), and plan to launch a sportsbook and casino platform and app in both Illinois and Colorado. The SG content aggregation system is home to over 2000 games such as 88 Fortunes, Raging Rhino, and many more- this is top news for upcoming Illinois and Colorado players!

Jordan Levin, Group CEO, Digital for Scientific Games, said; "We're thrilled to be working alongside Wynn Resorts and their exceptional team as our partnership expands. We look forward to developing entertainment opportunities and delivering unmissable sports betting and iGaming experiences for players in these states." We too are very excited Mr. Levin!

New Game Releases

Spartacus Megaways™ Slot: SG (WMS). RTP 96.32%

Scientific Games delivers big thrills with their first Megaways Slot this week; Spartacus. Bringing the battle to life, this brand new slot features 6 reels and up to 1 million ways to win per spin (that’s right, we said 1 million), an additional bottom reel, and a free spins bonus round. Spartacus is a high variance slot, so get ready for high excitement and epic action as you spin to win with this slot at one of our top-rated US online casinos!

This week has also seen the release of Money Train 2 Slot from Relax Gaming (not currently available in the US).

That’s it for this week guys, but don’t forget to check in with Casino Cabbie every Friday for all the latest news!

It’s been one helluva week here at Casino Cabbie, and in the gaming industry: there have been new game releases, the Kentucky Derby has announced it will take place behind closed doors, BetMGM has launched a brand new casino in West Virginia, and theScore has announced a new casino partnership with Twin River Holdings!!

New Casino Announcements

BetMGM Launches New Online Casino in West Virginia

BetMGM (jointly owned by MGM Resorts and GVC Holdings) has announced the launch of its brand new casino- BetMGM, West Virginia. The casino delivers 30 casino games, from top of the range blackjack and roulette to progressive jackpots and slots! BetMGM is one of the first online casinos to hit WV, since the state opened to online gaming in July 2020 with the launch of DraftKings WV.

Canadian Hot Shot, theScore, Announces New Jersey Casino Partnership

Canadian sports betting goliath, theScore, has formed a  partnership with Twin River Holdings to open a new online casino and sports betting app in 2021. It will join and compete against the likes of Resorts, Hard Rock, DraftKings, and Unibet in the NJ casino market!

New Game Releases

Hotline 2 Slot: NetEnt. RTP 96.05%

Released this week, Hotline 2 delivers on the success of the original 80s themed Hotline Slot from NetEnt and “offers up a wild return to the burning hot Miami streets.” Featuring 5x3 reels, 243 ways to win (growing up to 1944 during free spins) expanding wilds and reels, Hotline bonus-buy feature, and free spins, this slot is set to rock US players and NetEnt fans.

This week has also seen the following Slot releases (not yet available in the US)

• Fruits Gone Wild: Stakelogic
• Jellyfish Flow: Habanero
• Wild Candy: Pariplay
• Day & Night: True Lab

Industry Events and News

Kentucky Derby Set to Take Place Behind Closed Doors

Since the start of this year, the sports betting industry has taken many blows with canceled events and many taking place behind closed doors. 

The Kentucky Derby is the latest to announce that the event will not be open to the public this year. This is the first time in the events 150 year history for this to happen and is a change to the original plan to limit capacity, but still allow spectators. 

Organizer Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) released a statement saying; “Churchill Downs and all of our team members feel strongly that it is our collective responsibility as citizens of Louisville to do all we responsibly can to protect the health, safety, and security of our community in these challenging times and believe that running the Derby without spectators is the best way to do that”.

That’s it for this week guys, but don’t forget to check in with Casino Cabbie every Friday for your gambling round-up of the week!