Gambling in the USA
Report: College Basketball’s March Madness brings Joy to Online Betting Companies

The American Gaming Association (AGA) recently reported that over $8.5 billion was wagered on college basketball’s “March Madness” by Americans in 2019 – via a mix of illegal and legal bets.
Of course, 2021 brings with it a new and very different landscape due to the ongoing global health pandemic and also due to the expansion of the legal sports-betting market in the USA.
This year’s NCAA March Madness has begun – but due to COVID-19, for the first time in the history of the competition, the entire tournament is being held in one single state (Indiana this year).
The National Championship Final itself is set to play out on April 5th 2021 at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
March Madness – Betting facts, figures, and trends
The latest research and analysis has brought some interesting March Madness sports-betting estimates, facts, and figures to light.
Three times as many Americans planned to wager on this year’s March madness via online sportsbooks compared to 2019.
The pandemic is unquestionably a factor in the huge increase of anticipated bettors, with 17.8 million people expected to gamble on March Madness this year compared with 5.8 million people in 2019.
Even so, 8.3 million bettors are expected to place a bet at a physical sportsbook, which is up 79% from 2019.
That figure is only expected to grow in the future with 45% of American adults now living in a state with legalized sports betting and more states opening up.
“We’ve seen a 200% increase in site searches related to March-Madness betting in 2021 – with sports fans looking for the latest odds & futures for the tournament”
- Tom Nielsen, CTO at sports odds website Vegas-odds.com
The dramatic growth in the popularity of sports betting over the course of the last two years can be attributed to the expansion of the legal market, as 73.6 million more Americans in 14 new legal jurisdictions can legally place bets on March Madness this year compared to the 2019 tournament.
A March Madness tournament bracket might be great fun, but it’s worth looking at more traditional wagers at more realistic betting odds on the Money Line, Point Spread and Totals for those hoping to realistically win a few dollars.
There could be a big jump in traditional bets on this year’s tournament compared to 2019, with 30.6 million Americans expected to wager such bets, up from 17.8 million two years ago.
Other March-Madness facts & figures:
- The odds of picking all 63 March Madness games correctly is 1 in 9.2 quintillions! (That’s 9,200,000,000,000,000,000)
- The longest streak of correct NCAA tournament bracket picks to start the tournament currently stands at an astonishing 49, with an Ohio resident correctly predicting the entire 2019 NCAA tournament into the Sweet 16.
- 47.4 million American adults plan to bet on March Madness (that’s more than 20% of the population), about the same number that indicated they would bet on the tournament in 2019.
- 30.6 million Americans expect to place more traditional bets on this year’s tournament, up from 17.8 million in 2019
- 17.8 million say they will place a bet online, up 206% from 5.8 million in 2019
- 8.3 million expect to place a bet at a physical sportsbook, up 79% from 2019
- Betting with friends/colleagues remains popular – March Madness will likely generate $4.6 billion of wagers from 40 million people betting with friends and colleagues through a total of 149 million brackets, the AGA said.
- Regulated Vs International Sportsbooks: The remaining $3.9 billion of wagers will come mostly by way of international websites and bookmakers, though 4.1 million people will also place legal bets through licensed U.S based casinos and sportsbooks in las vegas and other states with legal sports betting operators.
- Gonzaga University’s “Bulldogs” team is the betting favorite to win the tournament
Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 2-8

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Merkur Gaming is going to participate in this year’s Peru Gaming Show, taking place from June 18 to 19 at the Centro de Convenciones Jockey Plaza in Lima. Representatives from the company’s German headquarters and its local subsidiary, Merkur Gaming Peru, will be on site to present the latest product innovations and engage with customers and visitors alike. The main attraction at the Merkur Gaming stand will be the linked progressive jackpot system Clash Link. This system stands out for its wealth of unique jackpot mechanics, which keep the excitement level consistently high.
PENN Entertainment has launched a new PGA TOUR-branded Blackjack game in New Jersey and Ontario. PGA TOUR Blackjack, now available via online Hollywood Casino in New Jersey and theScore Casino in Ontario, is the first iCasino game featuring PGA TOUR branding across any platform. PGA TOUR Blackjack, created by PENN’s in-house game development studio, PENN Game Studios, offers classic blackjack gameplay, plus poker and pairs side bets. The golf-themed table features official PGA TOUR logos, custom playing cards, chips and golf-themed celebrations. The new title is available on the standalone Hollywood Casino and theScore Casino platforms and is also accessible through ESPN BET in New Jersey and theScore BET in Ontario.
International Game Technology PLC announced the launch of IGT PlayDigital’s MEGA VAULT offering – a new innovation on its player engagement solution. Powered by the IGT PlayDigital Engagement Platform, a customisable suite of player engagement tools, MEGA VAULT brings together its industry-renowned engagement tools—Prize Drops, Leaderboards, Marketing Jackpots and more—into a single promotional experience. Designed to maximise excitement, engagement and rewards, MEGA VAULT aims to deliver seamless high-impact campaigns that captivate players and drive long-term retention.
Partnerships
Zitro has installed its revolutionary CONCEPT cabinets at the Casino La Cima in Mérida, Yucatán. The CONCEPT cabinets feature the Magic Lighting system, which syncs lights and sound with gameplay for a fully immersive experience, and the largest Screen Deck button panel on the market, offering unmatched comfort and ease of use for players and operators. This launch is backed by some of Zitro’s most successful titles — Fortune Legacy, Legendary Sword and King Fu Frog — all proven crowd favourites known for their engaging mechanics and strong performance.
Aristocrat Interactive, under NeoGames US, signed a six-year contract with the Michigan Lottery to provide its full solution of iLottery product offerings, reaffirming its leadership in the U.S. iLottery industry. Under the contract, from July 2026, Aristocrat Interactive will provide services to the Michigan Lottery for six years, with six additional one-year extension opportunities. The relationship with the Michigan Lottery began in 2014 with the launch of its iLottery programme using NeoGames’ iLottery platform and games. This new deal will provide the Michigan Lottery with eInstant games, draw-based games and add-on offerings produced by Aristocrat Interactive’s NeoGames Studio, along with continuing to leverage the company’s iLottery technology. Aristocrat Interactive will also provide the Michigan Lottery with a new website and mobile application services with Gambyt – a software company specialising in the lottery, casino and sports betting industries.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 2-8 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – May 19-25

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa has been named the luckiest casino in the US according to a recent study conducted by Casinos.com. The resort claimed the top spot based on an in-depth analysis of Tripadvisor reviews, measuring the frequency of luck-related keyword mentions. With a 25.49% luck rate, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa topped the list thanks to glowing guest feedback, including frequent mentions of jackpots, hand pays and bonus wins. 50 reviews mentioned the word “jackpot,” and 19 even referenced a “hand pay.” Casinos.com tracked keywords such as lucky, luck, won, winning, success, jackpot, hand pay, winner, bonus, profit to determine which U.S. casinos inspired the most winning moments among visitors.
The Missouri Gaming Commission has announced that it has officially begun accepting applications for sports betting license. The Commission made the announcement following the unanimous approval of a resolution drafted Tuesday that approved the licensing process. The resolution passed after Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office reviewed it. The licensing period opens roughly six months after Missouri voters narrowly approved a constitutional amendment legalising sports betting. The measure passed by less than half a percentage point, with a margin of less than 7500 votes.
Underdog Fantasy has relaunched its draft-style daily fantasy sports (DFS) games in New York, nearly two months after it withdrew all of its DFS competitions from the Empire State. The decision to withdraw all DFS contests from New York in March came after a ruling from the New York State Gaming Commission in which the commission determined Underdog was not in line with the state’s current DFS law. An Underdog Fantasy spokesperson confirmed the company is still working under a temporary license. The New York State Gaming Commission agreed to allow the company to offer its draft DFS games with the temporary license. Most DFS companies in New York operate with a temporary license.
New Partnerships
Pollard Banknote Limited has congratulated the West Virginia Lottery on the successful launch of Royal Court Riches, its first eInstant game from the Pollard Digital Games Studio. Royal Court Riches has already demonstrated strong performance in multiple markets—in its first international launch, it achieved that jurisdiction’s highest tickets sold, total sales and gross gaming revenue within its first 30 days of release. Royal Court Riches is the first in a series of games from the Pollard Digital Games Studio slated to launch in West Virginia this year.
SYNOT Games has announced a new partnership with Caliente, one of Mexico’s top gaming platforms. This collaboration marks an exciting expansion for SYNOT Games, as it brings its acclaimed portfolio of gaming content to the Mexican market. It enhances Caliente’s offerings with an extensive array of high-quality slot games such as Respin Joker, Book of Secrets, Realm of Lions and Forest Maiden, designed to captivate players and boost engagement. Caliente with its strong presence in Latin America, is the perfect partner for SYNOT Games’ expansion into the region. The partnership aims to deliver an exceptional gaming experience, combining SYNOT’s visually rich, innovative games with Caliente’s extensive reach and reputation.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – May 19-25 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – May 12-18

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Scientific Games was recognised with three prestigious honours in the 23rd Annual American Business Awards. The global lottery company won two Gold ABA awards for its retail technology, SciQ and PlayCentral Powered by SciQ, in the Operations Management Solutions and Emerging Technology categories, respectively. Scientific Games’ recently retired VP, Instant Game Production, Joe Bennett, earned a Silver ABA Award for Achievement in Management—Manufacturing, recognising his career contributions in secure lottery instant game production. This year, more than 3700 nominations from organisations of all sizes and industries were submitted to the ABAs. Winners were scored by more than 300 professionals worldwide during a rigorous judging process evaluating innovation, integrity, effectiveness, creativity and growth.
MGM Resorts has announced that it has reached a new employment agreement with CEO & President Bill Hornbuckle through December 31, 2028. As part of his new employment contract, the Company has also agreed to offer Hornbuckle an advisory agreement at the end of the term to assist with its integrated resort project in Osaka, Japan until its opening. As CEO, Hornbuckle oversees all aspects of MGM Resorts’ strategy, operations and hospitality and gaming development projects. He leads the company’s global development efforts and its digital gaming strategy.
Minimum Deposit Casinos (MDC) has released new insights into the tightening regulatory landscape for sweepstakes-based gaming in the US. Recent moves by lawmakers in New York, Louisiana, and Montana suggest a coordinated push to eliminate or restrict these alternative online gambling models. In New York, Senate Bill 5935, introduced by Sen. Joseph Addabbo, has advanced through the legislative process and targets the operation and supply of sweepstakes-style platforms. The bill specifically addresses platforms that use two forms of digital currency — one of which can be redeemed for real-world prizes — a setup now under scrutiny by state regulators.
New Partnerships
Rush Street Interactive (RSI), in partnership with Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360), has launched a new initiative called Gaming Literacy Aiding Decisions (GLAD), an innovative programme designed to assist educators in enhancing high school student gaming literacy and promoting that cohort’s responsible relationship with this ever more socially prevalent activity. The GLAD curriculum will initially launch in New Jersey and Delaware where, this spring, RSI and IC360 have been working with educational districts on a speaker series and educator curriculum delivery. These initial efforts will help define success metrics and gather feedback to shape the programme’s future, which will ultimately be available to educators more broadly to curate the content that resonates best with students.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has selected Caesars Entertainment as the Service Provider in the Windsor Casino procurement process. This is the final procurement process in the OLG’s land-based gaming modernisation initiative. Caesars Entertainment and its predecessor companies have partnered with the OLG to operate Caesars Windsor (fka. Casino Windsor) since the opening of the temporary facility in 1994. Caesars Entertainment will assume responsibility for gaming and non-gaming operations of the Windsor casino on behalf of the OLG under a 20-year operating agreement, which is expected to begin in 2026.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – May 12-18 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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