Gambling in the USA
Virginia Lawmakers Debate Creating iGaming Agency
Virginia lawmakers are actively debating whether to establish a new regulatory agency to oversee iGaming. The joint subcommittee discussed a bill to create the Virginia Gaming Commission. It would manage all gambling verticals beyond the lottery.
Delegate Paul Krizek said: “The Virginia Gaming Commission is a step we need to preserve the good.”
Currently, the Virginia Lottery regulates sports betting and casinos, while other agencies manage charitable gaming and horse racing. Lawmakers also considered legalizing online casinos, including real-money platforms.
Delegate Marcus Simon introduced HB 2171 earlier this year. The bill aimed to authorize a real money online casino market under casino-lottery oversight. While the bill failed, Simon explained that the aim remains to curb illegal offshore platforms.
“My goal is to bring it under a regulated umbrella where we can have some oversight and supervision,” Simon said.
The subcommittee reviewed revenue projections estimating up to $5.3 billion in taxable income from online casinos over five years. The estimates included increased land-based casino revenue of 8.4%.
Experts raised concerns about real money online casino risks. Keith Whyte from Safer Gambling Strategies urged strong enforcement and safer gaming tools. Whyte noted: “Players could be encouraged… to take control through deposit limits, time limits, budget calculators, and personalized dashboards.”
Mental health advisor Brianne Doura-Schawohl backed up Whyte’s statement, warning that such products are dangerous without safeguards.
Former New Jersey regulator David Rebuck testified that iGaming complemented land-based casinos there. He pointed to New Jersey’s market, where online play boosted tourism and in-person casino revenue.
However, some Virginia legislators expressed skepticism, citing fears of cannibalization. They questioned whether online casinos might draw customers away from brick-and-mortar venues.
Industry experts countered that New Jersey and Michigan showed the opposite effect. Rebuck explained: “The evidence demonstrates iGaming expands the player base rather than cannibalizes physical casinos.”
Supporters argued that Virginia’s land-based operators could benefit from cross-promotion, loyalty programs, and expanded reach to players in rural areas.
The subcommittee must make recommendations by November 30, 2025. Officials expect the commission’s creation will precede legalization of online casinos. The Virginia lawmakers will review feasibility and revise HB 2171 before the 2026 legislative session.
The post Virginia Lawmakers Debate Creating iGaming Agency appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
IGT announced that its Wheel of Fortune Slots, Powerbucks, and MegaJackpots games awarded four momentous jackpots in January.
Lucky slots players won the following million-dollar-plus jackpots last month:
• On January 5, a Wheel of Fortune Slots player won $1,132,199 playing Wheel of Fortune Super Cash Link at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Miss.
• On January 8, a Powerbucks slots player won CA$1,657,823 playing Whitney Houston Powerbucks slots at Lake City Casino Vernon in British Columbia, Canada.
• On January 15, a Powerbucks slots player won CA$1,056,637 playing Gong Xi Fa Cai Grand at ACE Casino Red Deer in Alberta, Canada.
• On January 18, an online slots player won $1,247,834 playing MegaJackpots Cash Eruption on Caesars Palace Online Casino in New Jersey.
Wheel of Fortune slots have minted over 1200 millionaires and awarded over $3.6 billion in jackpots since their launch in 1996. IGT Powerbucks slots have paid 74 jackpots of CA$1 million or more since their Canadian debut in 2016.
The post IGT Games Deliver Giant Million-Dollar-Plus Jackpots in January appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
AI in lottery
Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering
Scientific Games has appointed Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering, reinforcing its commitment to advancing lottery systems technology and digital innovation.
Based in Atlanta, the global lottery provider continues to expand its technology leadership as one of the fastest-growing suppliers of retail and digital lottery solutions worldwide.
Leadership Experience from Amazon, Facebook and Stitch Fix
Wasserman brings more than 20 years of experience leading engineering, data science and product teams across high-performance technology platforms.
He previously held senior leadership roles at:
- Amazon
- Stitch Fix
At Stitch Fix, he served as Vice President of Engineering and Data Science, leading automation, AI-driven systems and platform optimization initiatives. Wasserman holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and a Computer Science degree from the University at Buffalo.
Driving Innovation Across Global Lottery Platforms
In his new role, Wasserman will oversee Product Engineering across Scientific Games’ global portfolio serving more than 150 government-regulated lotteries. His responsibilities include advancing:
- Retail lottery systems
- Digital lottery platforms
- Hardware and software innovation
- Data analytics and AI capabilities
- Consumer engagement technologies
CEO Pat McHugh stated that Wasserman’s experience scaling AI-powered platforms at world-class technology firms will help accelerate innovation and deliver next-generation lottery solutions focused on sustainable growth.
Strengthening Lottery Technology Leadership
Scientific Games continues to invest in technology, analytics and digital transformation to enhance consumer experiences across retail and online lottery channels. The appointment underscores the company’s strategy to integrate advanced analytics and machine learning into its global lottery ecosystem.
The post Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Gambling in the USA
Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering
Former Amazon, Facebook and Stitch Fix Exec to Lead Product Engineering for Global Lottery Provider
Scientific Games has named Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering. Wasserman brings more than 20 years of experience leading global engineering, data science and product organizations across complex, high-performance technology platforms.
As the industry’s fastest-growing lottery systems technology provider, Scientific Games continues to invest in technology and talent to deliver seamless consumer experiences across lottery retail and digital channels.
Wasserman previously held senior leadership roles at Amazon and Facebook, where he led large-scale systems powered by advanced analytics and machine learning. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Engineering and Data Science at Stitch Fix, leading integrated teams focused on automation and platform optimization. Wasserman holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and a degree in Computer Science from the University at Buffalo.
In his new role, Wasserman will lead Product Engineering across Scientific Games’ global product portfolio serving government-regulated lotteries, advancing hardware and software platforms to accelerate innovation, expand analytics capabilities and consumer-engagement to deliver long-term value for lottery customers worldwide.
“We’re excited to add Rich’s deep technical expertise scaling innovative, AI-driven platforms at world-class organizations to further strengthen Scientific Games’ technology leadership,” said Pat McHugh, Chief Executive Officer of Scientific Games. “As we continue investing in innovation and analytics across retail and digital lottery solutions, his experience and leadership will help us deliver the next generation of high-performance products that drive sustainable growth for our lottery customers worldwide.”
Scientific Games serves more than 150 lotteries globally with a comprehensive portfolio of retail systems, digital platforms, instant games and analytics solutions.
© 2026 Scientific Games, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
The post Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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