Gambling in the USA

Nebraska’s First Permanent Casino to Open in May in Columbus

Published

2 years ago

April 25, 2024

nebraska’s-first-permanent-casino-to-open-in-may-in-columbus

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Nebraska’s first full-fledged, newly built and state-sanctioned gambling casino is slated to open in Columbus next month, marking a milestone in the state’s rollout of casino gambling.

The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission last Friday approved a target opening date of May 13 for Harrah’s Columbus.

“This is a big deal,” commission Chairman Dennis Lee said.

The state’s three other casinos are open, but in temporary facilities. According to construction schedules, all should be open by early next year.

“We’re definitely excited to open the first permanent casino in the state,” said Don Ostert, Harrah’s Columbus general manager.

The 17,000-square-foot casino floor will feature 400 slot machines and 11 live table games, including roulette and craps, Ostert said. It will feature a Brew Brothers restaurant and will offer Caesar’s sportsbook and racebook, Ostert said.

For racing fans, the complex will feature the state’s only 1-mile horse track, though racing isn’t scheduled to begin until August 16. By June, officials hope to have some horses out on the track to test the new surface.

Ostert said officials hope to draw customers from Norfolk and Grand Island, but also from Omaha and Lincoln.

Columbus Mayor James Bulkley said that, from the city’s standpoint, “we are very excited to see it get started and become part of the community.”

The developers incorporated some Columbus history into the casino, he said.

“The location where it is used to be called Wishbones, and it was a venue for years for entertainment, and so people recognize that name, and they have kept that name for the sports bar,” he said.

He expects the casino will draw from Omaha. Although driving to Columbus from downtown Omaha might take close to an hour and a half, the drive from west Omaha is more like an hour, he said.

“I can hit Elkhorn in a short hour today, which is now western Omaha,” he said.

In a few months, Omahans won’t have to leave town to visit a brand-new casino.

At Horsemen’s Park in Omaha, Warhorse Gaming officials are aiming to open their new casino in early August. It will open with 900 gaming positions, including table games and a Sweetwater Cafe.

The post Nebraska’s First Permanent Casino to Open in May in Columbus appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Acquisition News

Xtremepush Acquires Scrimmage to Launch Industry-First Unified Loyalty and CRM Solution

Published

10 minutes ago

January 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

Xtremepush, the leading global customer engagement platform, has announced the strategic acquisition of US-based loyalty platform Scrimmage. The move enables Xtremepush to deliver a market-first, all-in-one solution that natively integrates real-time loyalty with its existing CDP, CRM, and free-to-play (F2P) products.

By bringing Scrimmage’s technology into its ecosystem, Xtremepush is launching XP Loyalty. This dynamic engine moves beyond traditional “points-only” programs, allowing operators to drive retention through a single data layer that supports live, granular personalization.

Solving the “Static Loyalty” Problem

The acquisition addresses a common pain point in the iGaming industry: generic loyalty programs that function in isolation. XP Loyalty replaces these “bolt-on” solutions with a unified system that utilizes:

Gamification Elements: Missions, challenges, and leveling systems.
Customization: Operator-specific currencies and personalized widgets.
Real-Time Execution: Targeted “loyalty nudges” delivered precisely when a player is most likely to engage.

Because the system is fully controlled by CRM and marketing teams, operators can iterate strategies in real-time, improving cost efficiencies by minimizing the “cost of generosity”—ensuring rewards are only given when they provide the highest return on lifetime value.

Leadership and Integration

As part of the deal, Dan Taren, Scrimmage’s CEO, has joined Xtremepush as Head of Loyalty Product. He is currently overseeing a rigorous integration process where every line of code is being audited to ensure it fits into Xtremepush’s “one data layer” philosophy.

“We endeavor to be the ‘experts in the room’ for our customers,” said Tommy Kearns, CEO and co-founder at Xtremepush. “Bringing Scrimmage into the fold ensures we cement that position. We want to move the industry away from static legacy schemes and connect operators to their players in real-time at the most personal level possible.”

Dan Taren added: “Xtremepush is the only market player successfully unifying CRM, F2P, and now loyalty in one platform. That is critical in the optimal rollout of these solutions, especially as partners look to differentiate ahead of major events like this year’s World Cup.”

The post Xtremepush Acquires Scrimmage to Launch Industry-First Unified Loyalty and CRM Solution appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Gambling in the USA

Xtremepush Acquires Scrimmage to Deliver Only All-in-One Loyalty, CRM, and Gamification Solution

Published

10 minutes ago

January 6, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Xtremepush has announced the acquisition of US-based loyalty platform Scrimmage to empower customers with a market-first, unified platform featuring a native, real-time loyalty engine to complement its already successful CDP, CRM, and F2P products.

This strategic move accelerates and enhances the launch of XP Loyalty, which will offer operator customers the seamless delivery of a dynamic engine which integrates directly into the same data layer on its platform. This positioning allows for live personalisation at the granular level, raising the bar of loyalty offerings from useful “bolt-ons” to key engagement and retention drivers, both critical at a time when taxation and regulation are posing brand differentiation and marketing challenges.

Dan Taren, Scrimmage’s CEO, has already joined the Xtremepush team as Head of Loyalty Product, where he is utilising his expertise in igaming loyalty technology to ensure the smooth progress of the integration, which will see every line of code audited to fit with the brand’s best practice approach of a unified ecosystem, agnostic to partner product requirements, size, or complexity.

Once Scrimmage’s technology is fully deployed, Xtremepush expects to solve a core industry problem of generic programmes that function in isolation and do little to attract and retain players. Moving from basic points-based functions to a dynamic engine – which utilises points, missions, challenges, and levels, as well as operator currencies and personalised widgets – will ensure a faster return on lifetime value.

XP Loyalty is sector’s first solution fully controlled by CRM and marketing teams, and will plug directly into Xtremepush-influenced customer journeys, allowing for real-time iteration and cost efficiencies through minimising the cost of generosity, ensuring the right reward or loyalty nudge reaches the right player at the right moment.

Tommy Kearns, CEO and co-founder at Xtremepush said of the acquisition: “We endeavour to be the ‘experts in the room’ to give our customers the best opportunity to realise the full potential of their brands from a CRM, gamification, and now loyalty point-of-view. Bringing Scrimmage into the Xtremepush fold, along with its key innovator Dan Taren, will ensure we cement that position when it comes to retention conversations, and we’re already hugely satisfied by the initial progress.

“Through all of our products, we want to move the industry away from static legacy schemes and instead connect operators to their players in real-time and at the most personal level possible. With Scrimmage underpinning our incoming XP Loyalty launch, we’re raising the bar once again in this regard, in turn giving operators the best chance of success both now, and in a few years’ time.”

“Joining Xtremepush is a major milestone for us at Scrimmage,” added Dan Taren, Head of Loyalty Product at Xtremepush. “This is the natural next step for our technology and a great synergistic step for both parties. Xtremepush is the only market player successfully unifying the key areas of CRM, F2P, and now loyalty in one platform working with one data layer. That is critical in the optimal rollout of these solutions, and our partners will be able to realise their benefits, to better engage and differentiate in the lead up to this year’s World Cup and beyond.”

The post Xtremepush Acquires Scrimmage to Deliver Only All-in-One Loyalty, CRM, and Gamification Solution appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

BETER

BETER Cracks Florida Market: Setka Cup Now Live on Hard Rock Bet

Published

2 weeks ago

December 23, 2025

Wladimir P.

beter-cracks-florida-market:-setka-cup-now-live-on-hard-rock-bet

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: Florida is a “monopoly market” controlled by the Seminole Tribe, meaning there is only one door in: Hard Rock Bet. By securing vendor registration here, BETER gains access to one of the most populous states in the U.S. without the fragmentation of competition seen in states like New Jersey. The immediate deployment of Setka Cup (table tennis) fills a crucial need for 24/7, fast-paced content during U.S. daytime off-hours.

The Full Story

BETER, the provider of next-gen betting content and data, has officially entered the Florida sports betting market after securing Vendor Registration from the Seminole Tribe of Florida (dba Seminole Gaming).

The regulatory approval allows BETER to supply its fast-paced betting products to the state’s sole authorized operator, Hard Rock Bet.

Day One Impact: Table Tennis Following the approval, BETER has immediately launched its exclusive Setka Cup table tennis tournaments on the Hard Rock Bet platform.

The Product: Setka Cup provides 24/7 live streaming, real-time data, and odds.
The Reach: Florida becomes the fifth U.S. state where Setka Cup is available to bettors.
The Metric: BETER covers approximately 700,000 fast-paced events annually, offering up to 50 betting markets per event with margins often exceeding market standards.

Next Phase: Esports While table tennis is live now, BETER has confirmed that its esports portfolio—specifically ESportsBattle—will be integrated into Hard Rock Bet in the “near future.” This will bring round-the-clock eFootball, eBasketball, and other fast-market disciplines to Florida bettors.

Management Commentary Chuck Robinson, Chief Revenue Officer at BETER, emphasized the strategic value of the exclusive Hard Rock partnership:

“Launching Setka Cup with our partner Hard Rock Bet is particularly significant, as it allows us to introduce our fast-betting content to Florida bettors through a highly trusted sportsbook platform. We see strong long-term potential in Florida… Our esports content, particularly ESportsBattle, will also be going live soon.”

Valeriia Tarchynska, Chief Legal Officer at BETER, noted the complexity of the approval:

“Obtaining vendor registration in Florida reflects the strength of our regulatory strategy… We are grateful to the Seminole Tribe of Florida dba Seminole Gaming for their cooperation throughout the registration process.”

This approval is part of a wider U.S. expansion strategy for BETER, which has already secured access in key states including Ohio, Arizona, and Kentucky.

The post BETER Cracks Florida Market: Setka Cup Now Live on Hard Rock Bet appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.