Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – December 14-20

Published

5 years ago

December 23, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! It was again an eventful week in the USA, despite the still-active virus attack.

Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news, new partnerships and new acquisitions. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

New Jersey has become the first state in history to post a legal sports betting handle of more than $900 million. NJ sportsbooks generated $931 million in wagers in November, breaking the previous record of $803.1 million set in October and marking the fourth consecutive month the state has set an all-jurisdiction record for handle.

iTech Labs, a testing and certification laboratory for the global online gaming industry, has added Buenos Aires and Panama to its growing list of online gaming jurisdictions. With over 16 years of specialising in the online gaming space, iTech Labs has built a solid place for itself in the industry, with many of the world’s leading online gaming companies turning to iTech Labs for their certification needs.

Further to the announcement on December 11 from the Ontario provincial government that certain businesses in certain regions, such as casinos, will be restricted further for indoor gathering limits, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation has suspended the gaming operations at Elements Casino Grand River from December 13. Currently, only seven of the Company’s 26 properties are open with the 5 Ontario properties operating with a guest capacity of fifty, Casino New Brunswick operating with 25% of pre-closure capacity, and Casino Nova Scotia Sydney operating with 20% of pre-closure capacity.

Casinos in Pennsylvania have once again been ordered to close their doors as part of the new Covid-19 restrictions in the state. Governor Tom Wolf ordered the casinos to close until January 4. Wolf’s mandate covers other indoor entertainment venues, theatres, museums, gyms and activities in public gathering spaces. Indoor dining at restaurants is also prohibited.

Wind Creek Bethlehem casino closed for the second time this year, but it plans to continue to pay its active employees throughout the three-week shutdown. Wind Creek issued a statement pledging to pay its 1600 “active salaried and tipped employees.” The closure includes the casino, its restaurants and hotel. The Wind Creek Event Centre and Vision bar remain closed. The Outlets at Wind Creek Bethlehem will be open at a reduced maximum capacity of 50% in line with the new state requirements.

New Partnerships

BetWinner has entered into a partnership with ESPN’s flagship programme SportsCenter, a daily national and international sporting events highlights show, to increase its footprint in Brazil. The four-month partnership will see BetWinner’s imagery and QR code appear in the Sportscenter programmes.

FanDuel Group has entered a strategic business deal with The Cage Companies to launch online and retail sportsbooks in South America and the Caribbean. The new relationship brings together Cage’s experience in the region with FanDuel’s premier brand and industry-leading sports betting platform.

Las Vegas-based gambling firm GameCo has entered into a partnership with sports betting solutions company USBookmaking. The partnership will launch the first-ever dedicated esports sportsbook in the US and will be available digitally at Sky Ute Casino Resort for all players in Colorado.

New Acquisition

Genius Sports Group Limited has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Sportzcast, a leading manufacturer of sports scoreboard data distribution systems. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

New Appointment

Lia Nower, JD, PhD, Rutgers University Professor and Director of its Centre for Gambling Studies, has joined the Board of Directors of the National Council on Problem Gambling. Nower is currently Chair of the NCPG Research Committee and has served on several other committees. She is also Director of the Addiction Counselor Training Certificate Programme in the Rutgers School of Social Work and a research affiliate with the Gambling Treatment Unit at the University of Sydney Brain and Mind Centre.

eInstants

Kansas Lottery Partners with IWG to Expand iLottery with Retail-Inspired eInstants

Published

8 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Wladimir P.

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.

Retail Synergy: IWG will develop games specifically inspired by Kansas’ top-performing retail tickets, ensuring familiarity for long-time players.
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.
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

Published

8 hours ago

January 8, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

kansas-lottery-taps-iwg-to-deliver-retail-inspired-einstants-for-growing-ilottery-program

Instant Win Gaming (IWG), a leading independent supplier of eInstant games to NASPL and WLA-member lotteries, has further expanded its North American footprint after being selected by the Kansas Lottery to supply a full portfolio of eInstant games as part of a new long-term agreement.

With this contract award, Kansas becomes the 33rd NASPL/WLA lottery to partner with IWG, and notably, the 9th U.S. lottery to deploy IWG’s digital content. As part of the partnership, IWG will deliver a consistent cadence of high-performing eInstants through its InstantRGS (remote game server). A key focus of the roadmap will be reimagining classic retail scratcher mechanics as digital-first experiences—an area where IWG’s deep creative bench and dedicated development team are uniquely positioned to execute at scale.

IWG’s InstantRGS is already fully integrated with the Pollard Catalyst

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.

Kansas Lottery launched its iLottery program in early 2025, and this agreement marks a pivotal next step in expanding its digital games offering with high-quality third-party content.

“This is another important milestone for IWG as we continue to support the growth of iLottery programs across North America,” said Jason Lisiecki, Executive Vice President, IWG. “Kansas Lottery’s strategic focus on bringing proven scratch mechanics into the digital channel aligns perfectly with our leadership in this space. We look forward to delivering a steady stream of compelling eInstants tailored to Kansas players, and to helping the Lottery scale engagement in the months ahead.”

Stephen Durrell, Executive Director, Kansas Lottery, added: “As we evaluated partners for our long-term eInstant strategy, IWG stood out for their willingness to embrace our specific game requirements and their ability to consistently deliver highly engaging content within the boundaries we set. Their experience transforming retail scratch styles into successful digital formats made this partnership an easy decision. We’re excited for Kansas players to experience the depth and quality of IWG’s portfolio.”

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

Published

20 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

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.

Total Handle: $967,141,269 (New State Record)
Mobile Wagers: $961.4 Million
Retail Wagers: $5.7 Million
Gross Revenue: $82.0 Million (Before promotional deductions)
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:

Total Privilege Fees: $20.7 Million
Event Wagering Fees: $20.2 Million
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.