Gambling in the USA
West Virginia Poised to Become First US State to Allow Political Gambling
West Virginia appears poised to become the first U.S. state to allow political gambling, a move that would let people turn their Trump-versus-Biden predictions into cash.
The West Virginia Lottery said that officials initially approved a plan to let FanDuel and other sportsbooks offer political wagers, but needed time “to fully work through the implications and research it further.”
In a bizarre sequence earlier in the day, FanDuel went ahead and began offering bets on the presidential election, thinking it already had the approval it needed. But it halted the wagers after about 40 minutes and refunded customers’ money.
According to the odds that FanDuel posted, President Donald Trump is a slight favourite to win re-election, at -110. That means a $110 bet would turn a $100 profit. Senator Joe Biden, the likely Democratic nominee, has +125 odds, meaning a $100 bet would win $125.
FanDuel said it had plans to also let customers wager on who the Democratic vice presidential nominee will be and other national contests.
DraftKings Inc., a FanDuel rival, said it is assessing the situation.
“While we are excited about the possibility of offering odds on politics and elections to our customers in West Virginia, we are taking the time to ensure we evaluate the opportunity thoroughly before posting any lines,” Matt Kalish, North American president of DraftKings, said.
eInstants
Kansas Lottery Partners with IWG to Expand iLottery with Retail-Inspired eInstants
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.
eInstants
Kansas Lottery Taps IWG to Deliver Retail-Inspired eInstants for Growing iLottery Program
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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platform, which powers the Kansas iLottery system, allowing for a seamless technical rollout.