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.
Football
Stake releases ‘It’s All At Stake’ football tournament hero video
Stake on Monday, 8 June 2026 released its 2026 global football tournament hero video, starring brand ambassadors Sergio Aguero, Patrice Evra, Iker Casillas and Eden Hazard. The ‘It’s All At Stake’ creative is running across YouTube, Instagram and X, with the major tournament a week away.
The video places the four ex-players in short scenes built around football culture. Casillas is shown grabbing the attention of a fellow nightclub guest, Aguero helps a player off the deck in a five-a-side game, Hazard plays a coach, and Evra appears in a tattoo parlour where he inks a customer with the slogan “I love this game”.
Stake said the campaign is part of its wider tournament activity, with ambassadors positioned at the centre of its marketing around the event. The company said the creative is designed to capture the “highs and lows experienced by fans throughout the competition” and includes “humour, nostalgia and the personalities” of the four players.
Stake Director, Jarrod Febbraio said: “The 2026 global football tournament is one of the few sporting events that genuinely captures the attention of fans across every corner of the globe. We wanted to create a campaign that reflects the excitement, anticipation and passion that supporters feel throughout the competition while also bringing together some of football’s most iconic personalities.
“Having Sergio Aguero, Iker Casillas, Eden Hazard and Patrice Evra involved gave us the opportunity to create something entertaining, relatable and unmistakably football. The result is a campaign that celebrates the moments, emotions and conversations that make moments like this such a unique cultural occasion.
“At Stake, we aim to put our millions of customers at the heart of sport’s biggest moments. Whether fans are watching from the stands, at home or with friends, this campaign reinforces what it’s like when it’s all at Stake.”
The company also reiterated its position on responsible gambling, stating it is “committed to ensuring that our customers are educated on our various responsible gambling tools available for use”.
The post Stake releases ‘It’s All At Stake’ football tournament hero video appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
Spinomenal releases Story of Alice 2 slot with four-stage Free Spins Journey
The 5×4 title adds respins, shifting reels and extra Wilds across successive bonus stages hosted by Wonderland characters.
Spinomenal has released Story of Alice 2, its latest slot title set in a Wonderland-themed garden. The game runs on a 5×4 layout and features characters including the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the Caterpillar, the Queen of Hearts and Alice.
In the base game, Wilds substitute for all symbols except the Free Spins symbol, and five on a line pay x300 the bet. The game also includes win multipliers that can appear while the reels are spinning, multiplying wins by x2 or x3.
The main bonus is a four-stage “Free Spins Journey” triggered by three or more full-sized scattered Free Spins symbols. Each retrigger moves players to the next stage, with each stage tied to a different character.
The sequence starts with the White Rabbit’s Winning Symbols Respin, where new winning combinations trigger respins and only the last respin pays. It then moves to the Mad Hatter’s Extra Wilds, adding three to five Wild symbols per spin, followed by the Caterpillar’s Shifting Reels Respin where wins trigger a respin and reels shift down by one row. The final stage is the Queen of Hearts’ Stacked Wilds Respin, where a fully landed stacked Wild on reels one to four triggers a respin; the company says five Wild symbols on a winning line pay x300.
Spinomenal CO-CEO, Omer Henya commented: “We are excited to welcome players back to Wonderland with Story of Alice 2. The Free Spins Journey gives the game a real sense of adventure and progression, and combined with its fantastic visuals, we expect players will be eager to chase the next feature.”
The post Spinomenal releases Story of Alice 2 slot with four-stage Free Spins Journey appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
PopOK Gaming partners with Ronaldinho for new slot title Ronaldinho da Sorte
PopOK Gaming has partnered with footballer Ronaldinho Gaúcho to launch a new online slot, Ronaldinho da Sorte. The supplier said the title is now available for integration and is aimed at the .com market.
PopOK Gaming said the game runs on a 3×3 grid with five paylines and is built around low volatility. The company listed an RTP of 96.19%, a hit frequency of 23.94% and a maximum multiplier of 5,000x.
Speaking about the launch, Ronaldinho said: “It makes me so happy, you know? To see that my football style becomes a game, it makes me really happy. I hope the fans will like it and will have fun and good moments.”
On gameplay, PopOK Gaming said Wild symbols substitute for other symbols, while a randomly triggered bonus feature selects a symbol (excluding Wild) and respins with only the chosen symbol, Wilds or blanks. The supplier added that landed Wilds and chosen symbols lock in place and that a second-chance re-spin is awarded if no symbols land on the first re-spin. PopOK Gaming also flagged Money symbols, multipliers, a dedicated bonus game and a bonus wheel as additional features.
The post PopOK Gaming partners with Ronaldinho for new slot title Ronaldinho da Sorte appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Asia6 days agoEGT Brings High-Impact Asian-Themed Portfolio to SiGMA Asia 2026
-
Africa6 days agoGaming Realms expands into three African markets via SportyBet partnership
-
Africa6 days agoGreentube partners with World Sports Betting to expand in South Africa
-
Conference6 days agoDanish regulator to speak at Gaming in the Nordics launch event
-
BETER6 days agoBETER expands US footprint with Illinois approval
-
Argentina6 days agoStake continues Latin American expansion with Argentina launch
-
affiliate marketing6 days agoCasinoCanada partners with LolaJack Casino to expand Canadian visibility
-
Ben Wood CCO at Playson6 days agoPlayson strengthens North American footprint with Caesars Entertainment partnership



