Latest News
New Study Reveals Economic and Social Risks of iGaming
In response to the increasing concerns over the social and economic risks of iGaming, the gaming and entertainment business leaders have joined forces to launch the National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG).
The organization is formed in opposition to the expansion of iGaming and its well-reported economic and social dangers and urges other local businesses, employee unions, and community groups to mobilize in their effort to protect local communities.
A new study for NAAiG by The Innovation Group, a research and advisory firm specializing in gaming, hospitality, and tourism that has previously conducted multiple studies of online gambling for state governments and industry stakeholders, debunks the myth that iGaming offers easy revenue for states. Instead, the study uncovers the damaging effects of iGaming expansion, exposing widespread job losses and significant declines in economic output across multiple states.
Main findings of the report:
Land-based casino revenue drops by 16% on average after iGaming is introduced, leading to substantial job losses, hundreds of millions of dollars in lost economic output and reduced tax contributions that fund public services.
States introducing iGaming face significant economic losses, with projected job cuts reaching 4921 in New York and 4733 in Illinois by 2029.
iGaming results in significant losses for states in economic output. All states analyzed would see massive GDP reductions, including Ohio ($602 million), Indiana ($428 million), Maryland ($372 million), and Colorado ($313 million).
States’ net tax gains from iGaming are limited, even before accounting for the increased social costs associated with its high rates of problem gambling and related social ills. For instance, Louisiana, Maryland, and Mississippi could all see negative net tax revenue due to displaced in-person gaming dollars and related impacts on state and local economies.
Brick-and-mortar casinos in every state would face significant revenue losses due to iGaming cannibalization. Projections reach up to $983.7 million in New York, $545.3 million in Illinois, $522.6 million in Ohio, and $342.6 million in Maryland by 2029.
The introduction of iGaming reduces in-person casino employment, with an estimated 2818 jobs lost in Ohio, 2642 in Louisiana and 1906 in Mississippi.
The job losses caused by iGaming will result in massive reductions each year in employee wages and related taxes for states. Annual labor income losses would reach nearly $110 million in Colorado and Maryland, $204 million in Ohio, nearly $300 million in Illinois, and nearly $450 million in New York.
States with iGaming experience an 8.3% decline in distributed gaming revenue, impacting taverns and small gaming establishments.
Projected U.S. gambling losses from iGaming are expected to surpass $1 trillion by 2028, straining local economies and public health resources.
“These statistics underscore the urgent need for action. iGaming’s unchecked access to gambling on cell phones is bad public policy that threatens local jobs and businesses and will cost states. When increased social costs caused by iGaming higher rates of underage and problem gambling are considered, the net tax revenue results are uniformly negative for every state,” said Mark Stewart, EVP & General Counsel of The Cordish Companies and NAAiG board member. “
“Beyond the lack of any real upside for states, iGaming puts vulnerable individuals at greater risk of problem gambling and financial instability. NAAiG is uniting stakeholders to push back and stop the spread of these harmful trends and advocate for responsible gaming policies,” said NAAiG board member Jason Gumer, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Monarch Casino & Resort Inc.
“iGaming is eroding our communities. This isn’t just about responsible gaming—it’s about protecting local family-sustaining jobs and preventing financial harm. In Maryland alone, iGaming could cost $372 million in economic output, $342.6 million in lost casino revenue and nearly $110 million in annual wages. We must act now to protect our state and local economies nationwide,” said Shannon McCracken, Senior Director of Government Relations at Churchill Downs Incorporated and NAAIG board member.
The post New Study Reveals Economic and Social Risks of iGaming appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
affiliate marketing
BOYLE Sports signs Mark Goldbridge for World Cup watchalong series
BOYLE Sports has agreed a World Cup content partnership with football creator Mark Goldbridge, covering the tournament from 11 June to 19 July.
The operator said the deal includes 32 branded watchalongs across Goldbridge’s football channels, including The United Stand and That’s Football. The schedule covers every England World Cup fixture, Scotland’s group-stage matches, and selected other games, starting with the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa.
Alongside the live watchalongs, Goldbridge will produce preview content for England’s group games and a “Game Changers” social series highlighting five players ahead of each round. BOYLE Sports said product integrations will run throughout the campaign.
BOYLE Sports said the partnership follows a prior campaign during the Premier League season and was supported by media agency Miroma Founders Network. The operator also pointed to the recent appointment of Olivia Buzaglo as its football ambassador as part of its summer football content plans.
Commenting on the partnership, Gill Blake-Swift, Director of Brand at BOYLE Sports, said: “Mark Goldbridge represents everything we stand for as a brand – passion for sport, confidence in your opinions and a deep connection with fans. His ability to engage audiences in an authentic, entertaining way makes him the perfect partner for this summer’s World Cup as we continue to build our digital presence and bring fans closer to the moments that matter.”
Mark Goldbridge added: “The World Cup is the biggest stage in football and I’m delighted to be partnering with BOYLE Sports across the tournament. The watchalongs are all about bringing fans into the emotion of the game in real time, and this partnership enable us to do that across some of the biggest fixtures of the summer. From England games to the standout matches across the tournament, we’ll be giving fans reaction, opinion, debate and plenty of moments to get involved in.”
The post BOYLE Sports signs Mark Goldbridge for World Cup watchalong series appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Conferences
Xsolla joins Gamesforum Hamburg 2026 with D2C commerce keynote and panel
Xsolla will take part in Gamesforum Hamburg 2026 on June 9–10 at NORD EVENT Panoramadeck in Hamburg, Germany, with Jane Startseva, Vice President of Business Development, EMEA, scheduled for a keynote and a panel focused on direct-to-consumer (D2C) web shops and measurement.
On June 9 at 10:00 AM, Startseva is set to join Adam Smart, Global Director of Product – Gaming at AppsFlyer, for a 30-minute keynote titled “Web Shops and Attribution: Closing the Revenue Gap.” The session will focus on how developers track revenue performance for web shops and how attribution impacts user acquisition targets and growth planning, according to the company.
Later that day at 4:30 PM, Startseva will appear on a panel titled “The Belonging Economy: How Mobile Games Build Value Through Player Relationships” alongside Oliver Lindahl, Strategist & Behavioural Scientist at Sagely, and Pedro Alvin, Marketing Lead at Supercell. Xsolla said the discussion will cover player messaging, store optimization, new monetization opportunities, and trust in out-of-game purchase experiences.
“Being an Exclusive Global Partner of the Gamesforum series reflects how seriously Xsolla takes the European games market and the developers building here,” said Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at Xsolla. “The shift to direct-to-consumer commerce is one of the most important things happening in this industry. Showing up at events like Hamburg, with partners like AppsFlyer, is how we help the industry move the conversation forward and build D2C businesses on a foundation video game studios and developers can actually measure.”
The post Xsolla joins Gamesforum Hamburg 2026 with D2C commerce keynote and panel appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Casino Content
Spinmatic launches Elemental Fusion Deluxe with instant Plinko bonus triggers
Spinmatic has launched Elemental Fusion Deluxe, a new slot built around instant access to its Plinko mechanic from the base game, the supplier said. The title was announced on 9 June 2026 from Malta.
Elemental Fusion Deluxe runs on a 5×3 layout with 25 fixed paylines. Spinmatic lists the game as medium-high volatility with a 96.04% RTP and 39.49% hit frequency.
The game’s feature set includes Gold Wilds, which can appear on any reel and substitute for standard symbols (excluding the Special Plinko Symbol and the Special Element Elixir Symbols). Spinmatic also says base gameplay uses “Instant Elixir Multipliers” linked to Fire, Earth, Water, Air, and Galaxy symbols.
Instead of an accumulator-style collection mechanic, the Plinko Feature Trigger activates when three dedicated trigger symbols land on reels 1, 3, and 5, launching a random Plinko bonus. Spinmatic says the Plinko bonus is split into four elemental modes after a selection wheel sets a starting pool of 10 to 100 balls: Water Plinko (low volatility, Mini Jackpot), Air Plinko (medium volatility, Midi Jackpot), Earth Plinko (high volatility, Maxi Jackpot), and Fire Plinko (very high volatility, Grand Jackpot), played on a 16-row pyramid.
The company framed the release around reducing time-to-feature: “In a market where a split-second delay can lose a player, the quality of your content delivery determines your bottom line.”
The post Spinmatic launches Elemental Fusion Deluxe with instant Plinko bonus triggers appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Compliance Updates6 days agoKingMidas Games Secures Peru Certification
-
Canada6 days agoSkillOnNet Goes Live with Ready Play Gaming Across Ontario, Mexico and Canada
-
Brazil6 days agoGaming Corps rolls out full game portfolio with KTO in Brazil
-
Canada6 days agoXSOLLA STRENGTHENS COMMITMENT TO ATLANTIC CANADA’S GROWING GAME INDUSTRY WITH EXPANDED EVENT PRESENCE
-
Business Development6 days agoXsolla expands Atlantic Canada event push with Game Invest East and XP Game Connect
-
Ben Scobie-Trumper Head of Sales at mkodo6 days agoGGPoker selects GeoLocs geolocation service for regulated Ontario market
-
Latest News6 days agoCrypto Platform 1win Welcomes Ilia Topuria as the 1win VIP Community Member
-
2026 FIFA World Cup4 days agoBetano Sends a Video Game Character into the Real World to Capture the Emotion of the World Cup



