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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.
content deals
QTech signs InOut Games distribution deal for emerging markets
QTech has signed a content distribution agreement with supplier InOut Games to roll out the studio’s games to operators in emerging markets via QTech’s aggregation platform. The companies announced the deal on 3 July 2026.
Under the agreement, QTech will integrate InOut Games’ portfolio, which the supplier said now totals nearly 70 titles in under two years. InOut Games is best known for its crash game Chicken Road and has since expanded into slots, including Chicken Royal, Joker Pyre, Ice Fish, and Fruits Love Fever.
Vlad Snak, CEO at InOut Games, said: “QTech Games is a hotbed for superior games and a rarefied air for the player experience. We are rapidly widening our gaming suite and scope across developing regions and their market-leading platform provides an agile pathway to some previously overlooked territories. Needless to say, agreeing this new deal tracks our core strategy to fully leverage our reach, and we look forward to seeing how new audiences embrace our games.”
Philip Doftvik, CEO at QTech, added: “After a breakout beginning in the crash games domain, InOut Games is now proving itself as a broader provider of thrilling and innovative casino content, with a focus on creating quality, cutting-edge slots that are delivered reliably to our partners via our premier platform – on time, every time. Like us, they understand that localised solutions comprise the key to success across this patchwork quilt of opportunities.”
The post QTech signs InOut Games distribution deal for emerging markets appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Buffalo 250 Anniversary
ICONIC21 launches Buffalo 250 Anniversary slot themed around US 250th
Fourth of July-themed release reflects the studio’s push for market-specific content in regulated US-facing iGaming.
ICONIC21 has launched Buffalo 250 Anniversary, a Fourth of July-themed slot created to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary.
The game is centered on a buffalo and set against Independence Day fireworks, using imagery associated with US identity and the country’s upcoming semi quincentennial.
ICONIC21 said the release reflects its focus on building content around themes and player preferences that resonate in specific markets, with the US described as an increasingly important market for its partners and a key source of player engagement. The company develops live casino, RNG and slots content for regulated operators.
“The Fourth of July is one of those occasions that is recognised far beyond the United States, and the country’s 250th anniversary makes it especially significant,” said Edvardas Sadovskis, Chief Product Officer at ICONIC21. “The theme combines a distinctly American symbol with a moment that has real cultural relevance for players and operators alike.”
ICONIC21 added that it works with operators to shape its roadmap around player data, market demand and local relevance, and that it assesses follow-on titles using internal views, performance data and operator feedback. The provider said it has expanded beyond a classic casino portfolio — including roulette, baccarat and blackjack — into RNG and slots while keeping a market-specific focus for regulated environments.
The post ICONIC21 launches Buffalo 250 Anniversary slot themed around US 250th appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Betsson CEO Pontus Lindwall
Gaming in the Nordics launch event sets annual Copenhagen conference from 2027
Invite-only Copenhagen event at Better Collective HQ featured Nordic regulators and operators discussing compliance and channelisation.
Gaming in the Nordics has set plans for a full-size annual conference in Copenhagen starting in June 2027, following an invitation-only launch event held at Better Collective’s HQ in Copenhagen.
The launch event focused on the Nordics’ role in Europe’s iGaming market, with sessions on regulation and compliance. Morten Ronde, CEO of the Danish Online Gambling Association and Partner at Nordic Legal, said the region’s “pragmatism and willingness to be early adopters” could make Nordic jurisdictions the first to deploy “the next generation of innovative iGaming regulation.”
Anders Dorph, Director of Danish regulator Spillemyndigheden, discussed operator compliance, the role of Big Tech, and player monitoring. On the benefits of a regulated market, Dorph said Danish-licensed operators “are all very eager to be compliant. The industry [in Denmark] wants to be compliant. And that is a fact.”
From an operator perspective, Betsson CEO Pontus Lindwall and Immense Group CEO Jesper Kärrbrink addressed market channelisation and player protection. Lindwall outlined three prerequisites for a healthy market with high channelisation: “1) a competitive product; 2) meaningful player protections; and 3) real enforcement.” He added: “We are in a business where there is harm,” and argued that protecting players requires channelisation because “We also need to be able to reach these players, which we can only do if they are inside of the regulated system.”
Gaming in the Nordics founder Willem van Oort said: “I think the Gaming in the Nordics Launch Event was a fantastic success… I am very much looking forward to repeating this experience next year on a larger scale.” Other speakers listed by the organiser included Better Collective co-founder and co-CEO Jesper Søgaard, Birgitte Sand (Birgitte Sand & Associates), Pekka Ilmivalta (Nordic Legal – Finland), Josh Hodgson (H2 Gambling Capital), Daniel Valiollahi (BOS), Rasmus Kjaergaard (Mindway AI), Jeffrey Haas (Blask), and day chair Peter-Paul de Goeij (QuodBonum.se).
The post Gaming in the Nordics launch event sets annual Copenhagen conference from 2027 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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