Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – August 25-31
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
DraftKings has introduced credit card deposit ban for US customers. This decision aligns them with other major gambling operators, such as Fanatics Betting & Gaming, Betr and Sporttrade, which have already banned credit card funding for wagering accounts. It also comes on the heels of another major announcement by DraftKings. Starting September 1, DraftKings will charge a 50-cent fee for every mobile and online bet placed in Illinois using its Sportsbook platform.
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. Currently, the Virginia Lottery regulates sports betting and casinos, while other agencies manage charitable gaming and horse racing. Lawmakers also considered legalising online casinos, including real-money platforms.
This summer is shaping up to be a strong one for the Atlantic City casinos and their online gambling operating partners. According to the latest data collected by the state, the total gambling revenue for the casinos and their operating partners from in-state online gambling was nearly $250 million during July. That represents a nearly 27% increase over last year’s total revenue for July, and it comes on top of a more than 23% year-over-year increase measured during the month of June. In all, revenue this year from online gambling through the end of July topped $1.6 billion, up 23.3% compared to the same period last year, according to a report from the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement, which regularly tracks gambling revenue earned legally in New Jersey.
The Uruguayan Government has taken an important step towards legislating and taxing gambling activities. A new decree, decree number 167/025, gives life to a special tax on bets placed with electronic game machines and automatic betting systems installed within casinos and authorised entertainment spaces. It was signed into law by President Yamandú Orsi and Minister of Economy Gabriel Oddone and is a careful step in the direction of allowing more direct contributions to the state’s fiscal system. The new regulation imposes a 0.75% tax on the total amount of each wager. That is, regardless of whether the wager is placed in chips, coins, bills, e-money or other equivalent sources, the initial amount wagered by the player is subject to tax.
Leading gambling companies Caesar’s Entertainment, MGM Resorts International and Las Vegas Sands have recently been spotlighted in the 2025 “Low-Wage 100” report. This annual publication by the Institute for Policy Studies and Inequality.org identifies S&P 500 companies that show the smallest median wages for their employees compared to the large earnings of their top executives. These pay gaps have sparked ongoing criticism of the casino industry. Since 2019, the top executive pay at Caesar’s has more than doubled, surpassing the 40% wage increase seen among its workforce. Though MGM and Las Vegas Sands have also raised executive salaries at a faster rate than employee wages, their growth was less dramatic compared to Caesar’s. Industry critics suggest these pronounced salary gaps damage employee morale and complicate talent retention, ultimately hindering long-term growth.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – August 25-31 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Kansas Lottery has officially selected Instant Win Gaming (IWG) as its primary partner for eInstant game content, marking a major expansion of the state’s digital lottery program. The agreement, announced on January 8, 2026, will see IWG supply its full portfolio of digital “scratch” games to Kansas players, building on the lottery’s successful iLottery launch in February 2025.
Strategic Milestone for Kansas iLottery
Kansas becomes the 33rd NASPL/WLA member lottery and the 9th in the U.S. to adopt IWG’s digital content. The partnership focuses on “digital transformation”—taking the mechanics players love from physical retail scratchers and reimagining them for the mobile screen.
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Retail Synergy: IWG will develop games specifically inspired by Kansas’ top-performing retail tickets, ensuring familiarity for long-time players.
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Constant Refresh: Using IWG’s InstantRGS (Remote Game Server), the Kansas Lottery will maintain a consistent roadmap of new titles to keep the digital lobby fresh.
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Rapid Onboarding: IWG’s server is already integrated with the Pollard Catalyst
platform, which powers the Kansas iLottery system, allowing for a seamless technical rollout.
The “Catalyst” for Growth
The Kansas Lottery’s iLottery program originally went live on February 13, 2025, achieving the record for the fastest full-featured implementation in U.S. history (just 10 months from scoping). By tapping IWG, the Lottery is shifting from its “Loyalty-First” phase into a high-growth “Content-First” phase.
“Their experience transforming retail scratch styles into successful digital formats made this partnership an easy decision,” said Stephen Durrell, Executive Director of the Kansas Lottery. “We’re excited for Kansas players to experience the depth and quality of IWG’s portfolio.”
Market Impact and Roadmap
| Feature | Details |
| Partner | Instant Win Gaming (IWG) |
| Integration | Pollard Catalyst Cloud-Native Platform |
| Target Audience | 235,000+ “PlayOn” Loyalty Members |
| Game Strategy | Retail-to-Digital “Scratcher” Mechanics |
| U.S. Context | 9th U.S. State to deploy IWG eInstants |
Jason Lisiecki, Executive Vice President at IWG, noted that the Kansas strategy aligns perfectly with IWG’s leadership in the North American space, focusing on scaling engagement through high-performing, proven mechanics.
The post Kansas Lottery Partners with IWG to Expand iLottery with Retail-Inspired eInstants appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
platform, an effort completed in just a few weeks thanks to Catalyst’s modern, cloud-native architecture and the strong collaboration between both teams. This existing integration ensures a smooth, low-friction technical onboarding for the Kansas Lottery.The post Kansas Lottery Taps IWG to Deliver Retail-Inspired eInstants for Growing iLottery Program appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Arizona Department of Gaming
Arizona Sports Betting Hits New Record: $967 Million Wagered in October 2025
The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) has released its sports betting report for October 2025, revealing a record-breaking month for the Grand Canyon State. Total wagers reached approximately $967.1 million, marking a significant 22.2% increase year-over-year and a 13.6% jump from September 2025.
This performance solidified Arizona’s position as a top-tier U.S. betting market, ranking 6th nationally in total handle for the month, just behind Pennsylvania.
October 2025 Performance Breakdown
The surge in betting activity was driven almost entirely by mobile operators, which accounted for 99.4% of the total handle.
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Total Handle: $967,141,269 (New State Record)
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Mobile Wagers: $961.4 Million
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Retail Wagers: $5.7 Million
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Gross Revenue: $82.0 Million (Before promotional deductions)
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Privilege Fees (Taxes): $5.2 Million collected by the state.
Top Operators by Market Share
The “Big Three” continue to dominate the Arizona landscape, with FanDuel and DraftKings locked in a tight battle for the top spot.
| Operator | October Handle | Mobile Handle | Adjusted Revenue |
| FanDuel | $317.1 Million | $317.1 Million | $13.4 Million |
| DraftKings | $297.8 Million | $293.7 Million | $22.7 Million |
| BetMGM | $102.9 Million | $102.0 Million | $5.0 Million |
| Fanatics | $88.2 Million | $88.2 Million | $4.8 Million |
| bet365 | $55.0 Million | $55.0 Million | — |
Note: While FanDuel led in total amount wagered (handle), DraftKings reported the highest adjusted revenue for the month at $22.7 million.
Fiscal Year-to-Date (FY26) Summary
Through the first four months of the 2026 fiscal year (July–October), Arizona has generated substantial revenue for state funds:
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Total Privilege Fees: $20.7 Million
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Event Wagering Fees: $20.2 Million
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Fantasy Sports Fees: $462,576
The ADG also noted its continued focus on player protection, recently launching the “Too Young to Bet AZ” initiative to combat underage gambling and revoking Underdog Fantasy’s license due to concerns over its prediction market offerings.
The post Arizona Sports Betting Hits New Record: $967 Million Wagered in October 2025 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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