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Gambling in the USA

Casinos Across the U.S. Continue to Close as COVID-19 Spreads

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More and more casinos across the United States are closing their doors as the nation goes into shutdown following the coronavirus outbreak.

Over the past few days, the rapid spread of the virus has forced millions of citizens to quarantine themselves at home. Offices, hotels, and venues across the country have had to cease operations, unclear when they can open again. The country is facing an economic crisis as a result and the gambling industry could be one of the worst-hit.

Both Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts International shuttered their Las Vegas casinos last week. However, full-time employees have been given assurances that salaries will continue to be paid during the period. The move follows recommendations from the CDC to limit public gatherings to no more than 10 people.

Speaking to CNBC, Vegas-based race and sports manager Duane Colucci of Rampart Casino highlighted the industry’s struggle to prepare for such a situation. “It’s so hard to fathom. You can’t prepare for something like this, especially in the race and sportsbook industry,” she said. She hopes that work-from-home regulations will be relaxed to allow casinos to take bets online.

On the east coast, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has closed all casinos, bars, and restaurants in Atlantic City, rendering the popular gambling hub a ghost town.

 

A move online

Online gambling has managed to continue through the struggles largely unaffected, with many digital casinos accepting US players around the world. Virtual horse racing also continues to operate online, along with certain sporting events in less-affected countries like Mexico and Russia.

Sportsbooks across the country have begun taking bets on all-and-everything in an attempt to pick up the slack. For example, the popular Costa Rican-based betting site Bovada has even been taking bets on the maximum temperature in various U.S. cities.

Sports betting sites like FanDuel and DraftKings are investigating new events on which to take bets. They both took some bizarre wagers on last week’s U.S political debate, including the amount and frequency of Trump’s tweets. Some other online betting sites have come up with some questionable solutions, like hosting simulated versions of real-life sports events that have been canceled.

Across the pond in the United Kingdom, physical casinos are also feeling the pinch. However, with the UK’s more favorable online gambling regulations, many are surviving through their online partner sites. eSports, where players compete entirely online, is another industry that has garnered increased popularity. Many sports betting sites are now enticing players to redirect their bets to eSports as a way to mitigate lost revenue on real-life sports.

 

A drain on savings

While online gambling might solve the problem of social distancing that COVID-19 presents, it doesn’t solve the problem of dwindling capital in most households. The longer that citizens are kept away from their work, the less likely they are to spend their savings on unnecessary activities. While gambling may be a favorite past-time for many, risky investments tend to reduce significantly during times of crisis.

The overall casino and gambling industry will struggle to survive this outbreak if the lockdown continues for too long. According to the UK paper The Guardian, around 35 companies are currently investigating a COVID-19 vaccine. However, it’s an arduous process that involves several critical testing phases in order to gain regulatory approval.

Annelies Wilder-Smith of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine believes a COVID-19 vaccine will take at least 18 months to develop, under the best possible conditions. During that time there is no telling how far the virus could spread and how devasting the effects on the economy could be.

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Gambling in the USA

GGPoker sets $300m guarantee for 2026 GG World Festival series

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Online poker festival runs May 3 to June 9 and includes a $3m leaderboard plus three $10m guaranteed flagship events.

GGPoker has announced the return of its GG World Festival tournament series, set to run from May 3 through June 9, 2026. The operator said the schedule will offer $300,000,000 in guaranteed prizes across the series, up from the $250m guarantee it offered last year.

The festival is split into four buy-in tiers: Low ($3–$25), Medium ($26–$150), High ($151–$1,050) and Super ($1,051+). GGPoker said the series will include hundreds of tournaments over five weeks.

GGPoker is also bringing back its festival leaderboard with $3,000,000 in additional prizes across the four tiers: $300K (Low), $700K (Medium), $1M (High) and $1M (Super).

Three events will anchor the schedule, each with a $10,000,000 guarantee: the $525 World Bounty Festival (Day 2) on May 18, the $10,000 GGMillion$ Main Event (Day 2) on May 25, and the $1,500 GG World Championship (Day 2) on June 1.

“Last year we set the bar at $250 million, and the community response was legendary,” said Daniel Negreanu, GGPoker Global Ambassador. “But at GGPoker, we don’t just want to meet expectations; we want to smash them over and over again. This year, we’re going to $300 million. Whether you’re playing a $3 Low Tier tournament or the $10K GGMillion$ Main Event, you’re part of the biggest thing to ever happen in online poker. This is the stage where legends are made.”

Relevant data as follows:

The post GGPoker sets $300m guarantee for 2026 GG World Festival series appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Gambling in the USA

GGPoker Shatters Records with Monumental $300M-Guaranteed GG World Festival

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The world’s biggest online poker series returns with a history-making prize pool, $3M leaderboard, and three $10M flagship events

GGPoker, the World’s Biggest Poker Room, today announces the return of the GG World Festival, the richest tournament series in the history of online poker. Running from May 3 through June 9, this year’s festival features a staggering $300,000,000 in guaranteed prizes, the largest total guarantee ever offered in a single online series, eclipsing last year’s record-setting $250M prize pool.

The 2026 edition of the GG World Festival has been designed by poker players, for poker players, with hundreds of individual tournaments running over five action-packed weeks. To ensure players of all bankrolls can participate in the record-breaking action, the schedule is divided into four buy-in tiers:

  • Low Tier: $3 – $25 buy-in
  • Medium Tier: $26 – $150 buy-in
  • High Tier: $151 – $1,050 buy-in
  • Super Tier: $1,051+ buy-in

In addition to the massive tournament guarantees, the GG World Festival Leaderboard returns with $3,000,000 in extra prizes, rewarding the most consistent performers across all four tiers throughout the series ($300K in prizes for the Low Tier Leaderboard, $700K for the Medium Tier Leaderboard, $1M in prizes for the High Tier Leaderboard and $1M in prizes for the Super Tier Leaderboard).

2026 Festival Highlights

The series is anchored by three marquee events, each boasting a $10,000,000 prize guarantee:

  • May 18 – $525 World Bounty Festival [Day 2] – $10M GTD: The fan-favorite format where any knockout could lead to a massive, life-changing mystery bounty
  • May 25 – $10,000 GGMillion$ Main Event [Day 2] – $10M GTD: The premier high-stakes showdown, attracting the world’s elite players and “Super Tier” specialists
  • June 1 – $1,500 GG World Championship [Day 2] – $10M GTD: The ultimate test of skill, crowning the 2026 champion with a massive eight-figure prize pool

“Last year we set the bar at $250 million, and the community response was legendary,” said Daniel Negreanu, GGPoker Global Ambassador. “But at GGPoker, we don’t just want to meet expectations; we want to smash them over and over again. This year, we’re going to $300 million. Whether you’re playing a $3 Low Tier tournament or the $10K GGMillion$ Main Event, you’re part of the biggest thing to ever happen in online poker. This is the stage where legends are made.”

Players can qualify for festival events through an extensive schedule of satellites and promotions at GGPoker. New players can also jump into the action with the GGPoker Welcome Bonus and the Honeymoon for Newcomers promotion.

For more information about this year’s GG World Festival, please visit: ggpoker.com/tournaments/ggpoker-world-festival

 

The post GGPoker Shatters Records with Monumental $300M-Guaranteed GG World Festival appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Plaza adds Monday Night RAW ticket raffle to WrestleMania 42 viewing party

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Downtown Las Vegas casino also brings in WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam for a live Q&A on April 18.

Plaza Hotel & Casino will host WrestleMania 42 viewing parties on April 18 and April 19 in its showroom in downtown Las Vegas, adding a ticket giveaway for WWE Monday Night RAW on the second night.

The casino said all guests attending the Sunday, April 19 viewing party can enter a free raffle to win two tickets to Monday Night RAW on Monday, April 20 at T-Mobile Arena, seated in one of the venue’s premier Loge Boxes.

On Saturday, April 18, the Plaza will feature WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Rob Van Dam (RVD) as a special guest. The property said RVD—also billed as “Mr. Monday Night”—will lead a live Q&A at 1:30 p.m. ahead of the WrestleMania 42 start time at 3 p.m., and will be available for autographs and photo ops.

Both events are 21+ and run in the Plaza showroom, with doors opening at 1 p.m. and the viewing party starting at 3 p.m. The Plaza said it will offer drink specials and buckets of beer priced at $30 for domestic brands and $35 for imported.

Tickets with seat selection are priced at $40 per person (plus fees and taxes), according to the casino, with details and purchasing available via the Plaza’s website.

Relevant data as follows:

The post Plaza adds Monday Night RAW ticket raffle to WrestleMania 42 viewing party appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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