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New Study Reveals Economic and Social Risks of iGaming

Published

1 year ago

February 14, 2025

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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.

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Digicode to demo Diger Suite iGaming stack at iGB L!VE London 2026

Published

2 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Wladimir P.

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The company says it will show five modules covering RGS, PAM, payments, affiliates and an AI ops assistant at ExCeL London on 1–2 July.

Digicode will exhibit at iGB L!VE London 2026 on July 1–2 at ExCeL London, where it plans to showcase its Diger Suite modular iGaming technology ecosystem.

The company said the Diger Suite is built to help operators integrate multiple technology partners while maintaining player experience, compliance workflows and operational agility as they expand into regulated markets.

Digicode’s product lineup at the show includes DigerRGS (remote game server for launching, distributing and managing content across jurisdictions), DigerPAM (player account management covering player operations, compliance and responsible gaming controls), and DigerPay (payment orchestration supporting local payment methods and regulatory requirements).

It will also present DigerClick, an affiliate management platform with tracking, partner management, commission automation and analytics, plus DigerCompanion, described as an AI-powered operational assistant for automating customer support and internal workflows.

Digicode said its team will use the event to meet operators, game providers, affiliates and technology partners to discuss platform interoperability, modernization of legacy systems, and approaches to reducing vendor lock-in through modular integrations.

The post Digicode to demo Diger Suite iGaming stack at iGB L!VE London 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Million Games launches Skull King’s Treasure with partner studio Arcane Pixel

Published

2 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Wladimir P.

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High-volatility 6×6 cluster slot goes live to operators and aggregators via Million Games on 30 June 2026.

Million Games has launched Skull King’s Treasure, a high-volatility cluster slot developed in partnership with Million Stars studio Arcane Pixel. The game becomes available to operators and aggregators through the Million Games distribution network on 30 June 2026.

The title is Arcane Pixel’s first release under the Million Games brand. It runs on a 6×6 grid with a cluster pay mechanic, paying on connections of five or more matching symbols and using cascading wins to enable multiple outcomes from a single spin.

Gameplay is built around Wild generation and multiplier progression via the Skull King mechanic. Winning Wild symbols are absorbed to increase the multiplier for subsequent cascades, linking continued wins with increased payout potential.

A Free Spins mode triggers on four or more Scatter symbols and awards up to 10 spins. During Free Spins, the multiplier does not reset between spins.

“With Skull King’s Treasure, Arcane Pixel has delivered a confident first release,” said Thomas Nimstad, CEO of Million Games. “The game combines familiar cluster mechanics with strong multiplier progression, creating a clear and engaging experience with real upside. It’s exactly the kind of partner-driven innovation the Million Stars programme is built to support.” Million Games said the title has a maximum win potential of 10,000x the bet.

The post Million Games launches Skull King’s Treasure with partner studio Arcane Pixel appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Paysecure hires Entain’s Ganesh Iyer as Head of Product

Published

3 hours ago

June 29, 2026

Wladimir P.

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The payment orchestration platform also appoints Lili Piper as Senior Partnership Manager and adds infrastructure and blockchain leads.

Paysecure has appointed Ganesh Iyer, formerly of Entain, as Head of Product, as the payment orchestration platform looks to scale internationally across iGaming and global ecommerce.

Paysecure said Iyer will lead the next stage of product design. At FTSE 100-listed Entain, he led Global Payments across 20+ regulated markets, managing a team of seven Product Managers and distributed engineering squads.

The company also named Lili Piper as Senior Partnership Manager. Piper previously worked as Business Development Director at Volt.io and Senior Business Development Manager at Paysafe, and will focus on growing revenue from Paysecure’s partner network and adding strategic partners to expand payment method choice for clients.

Paysecure added that it has made further hires over the last two months, including Head of Infrastructure and Head of Blockchain, as it expands its technical footprint.

Ganesh Iyer, Head of Product, Paysecure, commented, “After time at Entain, I am pleased to join the Paysecure team and having worked on the operator side of the orchestration space, I can’t wait to get started. I’m looking forward to refining our products to clearly address the deep needs of our client personas, and surface clear product and functionality feature sets that differentiate us in our market as a challenger brand.”

Amit Hooja, Co-Founder and CEO at Paysecure, said: “We’re excited to welcome Ganesh and our new colleagues to the Paysecure team. Ganesh will spearhead our product development, and there’s a shared sense of purpose towards the work we are doing, which we believe is game changing in the payment orchestration space. We look forward to bringing new products to the market and continue to lead the way in the sector”.

The post Paysecure hires Entain’s Ganesh Iyer as Head of Product appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.