Gambling in the USA

Teamsters at Rio Hotel Ratify Strong Contract, Avert Strike

Published

1 month ago

January 20, 2026

teamsters-at-rio-hotel-ratify-strong-contract,-avert-strike

Workers at Rio Hotel and Casino, represented by Teamsters Local 986, have overwhelmingly ratified a strong four-year collective bargaining agreement. The group of 62 front desk workers, laborers, warehouse workers, and valet attendants secured higher wages, improved benefits, and stronger workplace protections.

“Our members stood strong, and management had no other choice but to deliver. This win belongs to every worker who refused to be ignored, and it proves that when we fight as one, we secure real improvements,” said Tim Vera, President of Local 986.

The four-year deal delivers a 15% wage increase, improved vacation policies, and continued coverage under the Teamsters Health and Welfare plan. The contract also includes job protections against technology and an option for workers to enroll into the Teamsters 401(k) plan.

“All we asked for was a fair contract that allows us to do our job without worrying. We didn’t want to strike, but we were ready if it came to that. Now we can come to work knowing that management listened and that our labor is respected,” said Malinda Zarcone, a front desk worker and steward at Local 986.

The agreement was reached after workers voted to authorize a strike on Nov. 10 over unfair labor practices. The vote followed nearly two years of stalled negotiations by Dreamscape, the property’s owner.

“Management dragged out negotiations and our members held them accountable. We don’t tolerate delays and disrespect toward our members. We’re always prepared to take action and win,” said Tommy Blitsch, Director of the Teamsters Convention, Trade Show, and Casino Division.

The post Teamsters at Rio Hotel Ratify Strong Contract, Avert Strike appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Gambling in the USA

IGT Games Deliver Giant Million-Dollar-Plus Jackpots in January

Published

5 days ago

February 25, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

igt-games-deliver-giant-million-dollar-plus-jackpots-in-january

IGT announced that its Wheel of Fortune Slots, Powerbucks, and MegaJackpots games awarded four momentous jackpots in January.

Lucky slots players won the following million-dollar-plus jackpots last month:

• On January 5, a Wheel of Fortune Slots player won $1,132,199 playing Wheel of Fortune Super Cash Link at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Miss.

• On January 8, a Powerbucks slots player won CA$1,657,823 playing Whitney Houston Powerbucks slots at Lake City Casino Vernon in British Columbia, Canada.

• On January 15, a Powerbucks slots player won CA$1,056,637 playing Gong Xi Fa Cai Grand at ACE Casino Red Deer in Alberta, Canada.

• On January 18, an online slots player won $1,247,834 playing MegaJackpots Cash Eruption on Caesars Palace Online Casino in New Jersey.

Wheel of Fortune slots have minted over 1200 millionaires and awarded over $3.6 billion in jackpots since their launch in 1996. IGT Powerbucks slots have paid 74 jackpots of CA$1 million or more since their Canadian debut in 2016.

The post IGT Games Deliver Giant Million-Dollar-Plus Jackpots in January appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

AI in lottery

Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering

Published

6 days ago

February 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

scientific-games-appoints-rich-wasserman-as-senior-vice-president-of-product-engineering

Scientific Games has appointed Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering, reinforcing its commitment to advancing lottery systems technology and digital innovation.

Based in Atlanta, the global lottery provider continues to expand its technology leadership as one of the fastest-growing suppliers of retail and digital lottery solutions worldwide.

Leadership Experience from Amazon, Facebook and Stitch Fix

Wasserman brings more than 20 years of experience leading engineering, data science and product teams across high-performance technology platforms.

He previously held senior leadership roles at:

Amazon
Facebook
Stitch Fix

At Stitch Fix, he served as Vice President of Engineering and Data Science, leading automation, AI-driven systems and platform optimization initiatives. Wasserman holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and a Computer Science degree from the University at Buffalo.

Driving Innovation Across Global Lottery Platforms

In his new role, Wasserman will oversee Product Engineering across Scientific Games’ global portfolio serving more than 150 government-regulated lotteries. His responsibilities include advancing:

Retail lottery systems
Digital lottery platforms
Hardware and software innovation
Data analytics and AI capabilities
Consumer engagement technologies

CEO Pat McHugh stated that Wasserman’s experience scaling AI-powered platforms at world-class technology firms will help accelerate innovation and deliver next-generation lottery solutions focused on sustainable growth.

Strengthening Lottery Technology Leadership

Scientific Games continues to invest in technology, analytics and digital transformation to enhance consumer experiences across retail and online lottery channels. The appointment underscores the company’s strategy to integrate advanced analytics and machine learning into its global lottery ecosystem.

The post Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Gambling in the USA

Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering

Published

6 days ago

February 24, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Former Amazon, Facebook and Stitch Fix Exec to Lead Product Engineering for Global Lottery Provider

Scientific Games has named Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering. Wasserman brings more than 20 years of experience leading global engineering, data science and product organizations across complex, high-performance technology platforms.

As the industry’s fastest-growing lottery systems technology provider, Scientific Games continues to invest in technology and talent to deliver seamless consumer experiences across lottery retail and digital channels.

Wasserman previously held senior leadership roles at Amazon and Facebook, where he led large-scale systems powered by advanced analytics and machine learning. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Engineering and Data Science at Stitch Fix, leading integrated teams focused on automation and platform optimization. Wasserman holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and a degree in Computer Science from the University at Buffalo.

In his new role, Wasserman will lead Product Engineering across Scientific Games’ global product portfolio serving government-regulated lotteries, advancing hardware and software platforms to accelerate innovation, expand analytics capabilities and consumer-engagement to deliver long-term value for lottery customers worldwide.

“We’re excited to add Rich’s deep technical expertise scaling innovative, AI-driven platforms at world-class organizations to further strengthen Scientific Games’ technology leadership,” said Pat McHugh, Chief Executive Officer of Scientific Games. “As we continue investing in innovation and analytics across retail and digital lottery solutions, his experience and leadership will help us deliver the next generation of high-performance products that drive sustainable growth for our lottery customers worldwide.”

Scientific Games serves more than 150 lotteries globally with a comprehensive portfolio of retail systems, digital platforms, instant games and analytics solutions.

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