Gambling in the USA
Churchill Downs Incorporated Partners with Scientific Games and Ainsworth on Advanced Historical Racing Machines
Churchill Downs Incorporated announced a partnership with Scientific Games Corporation and Ainsworth Game Technology to introduce a newly developed historical racing machine (“HRM”).
This newly engineered Scientific Games product, that has been granted approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, will operate on the Ainsworth proprietary HRM system. Scientific Games will supply its most popular titles from player-favorite slot series including 88 Fortunes, Tree of Wealth, Quick Hit, Lock It Link and Ultimate Fire Link, among others. The games will be showcased on their innovative and top-performing TwinStar family of cabinet platforms, including the Wave XL, J43, TwinStar 24/24/, TwinStar Slant and three-reel mechanical stepper.
CDI’s Derby City Gaming in Louisville, Kentucky, will be unveiling the new cabinets in first quarter. CDI’s other HRM facilities at Oak Grove, Turfway Park and Churchill Downs Racetrack will also feature a full complement of these new cabinets when these entertainment venues open.
“Scientific Games makes some of the best-performing games in the industry and we are delighted to add their product to our HRM properties,” said Austin Miller, Senior Vice President, Gaming Operations for CDI. “Our guests will recognize the Scientific Games themes and they will love the way the games play.”
“We have enjoyed a great partnership with the CDI team and are excited to bring in Scientific Games to this unique partnership,” added Ryan Comstock, Chief Operating Officer for Ainsworth. “The addition of Scientific Games and platforms on our proprietary HRM system will create an even more robust gaming mix for both of these properties.”
“The team at Scientific Games is extremely excited to partner with CDI and Ainsworth in this new venture,” said Robert Parente, EVP and Chief Revenue Officer for Scientific Games. “Both companies have been pioneers in opening up this burgeoning new segment of the gaming market and we are honored they have chosen to work with us in offering the very best in player experiences.”
About Churchill Downs Incorporated:
Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”) (Nasdaq: CHDN), headquartered in Louisville, Ky., is an industry-leading racing, online wagering and gaming entertainment company anchored by our iconic flagship event – The Kentucky Derby. We own and operate Derby City Gaming, a historical racing machine facility in Louisville. We also own and operate the largest online horseracing wagering platform in the U.S., TwinSpires.com, and are a leader in brick-and-mortar casino gaming with approximately 11,000 slot machines / video lottery terminals and 200 table games in eight states. We operate sports wagering and iGaming through our BetAmerica platform in multiple states. Additional information about CDI can be found online at www.churchilldownsincorporated.com.
About Scientific Games Corporation:
Scientific Games Corporation (NASDAQ: SGMS) is a world leader in gaming entertainment offering the industry’s broadest and most integrated portfolio of game content, advanced systems, cutting-edge platforms and professional services. The company is #1 in technology-based gaming systems, digital real-money gaming and sports betting platforms, casino table games and utility products and lottery instant games, and a leading provider of games, systems and services for casino, lottery and social gaming. Committed to responsible gaming, Scientific Games delivers what customers and players value most: trusted security, engaging entertainment content, operating efficiencies and innovative technology. For more information, please visit www.scientificgames.com.
About Ainsworth Game Technology:
Ainsworth Game Technology is a premier manufacturer of global gaming products committed to a culture of quality, innovation and excellence. Ainsworth distributes a range of gaming products, entertaining standalone progressives and linked games through its sales offices and distributors in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Americas, and Europe. Ainsworth is an Australian publicly listed company (code: AGI) headquartered in Newington, Sydney, Australia. For more information, please visit www.agtslots.com.au.
Kansas Lottery has officially selected Instant Win Gaming (IWG) as its primary partner for eInstant game content, marking a major expansion of the state’s digital lottery program. The agreement, announced on January 8, 2026, will see IWG supply its full portfolio of digital “scratch” games to Kansas players, building on the lottery’s successful iLottery launch in February 2025.
Strategic Milestone for Kansas iLottery
Kansas becomes the 33rd NASPL/WLA member lottery and the 9th in the U.S. to adopt IWG’s digital content. The partnership focuses on “digital transformation”—taking the mechanics players love from physical retail scratchers and reimagining them for the mobile screen.
-
Retail Synergy: IWG will develop games specifically inspired by Kansas’ top-performing retail tickets, ensuring familiarity for long-time players.
-
Constant Refresh: Using IWG’s InstantRGS (Remote Game Server), the Kansas Lottery will maintain a consistent roadmap of new titles to keep the digital lobby fresh.
-
Rapid Onboarding: IWG’s server is already integrated with the Pollard Catalyst
platform, which powers the Kansas iLottery system, allowing for a seamless technical rollout.
The “Catalyst” for Growth
The Kansas Lottery’s iLottery program originally went live on February 13, 2025, achieving the record for the fastest full-featured implementation in U.S. history (just 10 months from scoping). By tapping IWG, the Lottery is shifting from its “Loyalty-First” phase into a high-growth “Content-First” phase.
“Their experience transforming retail scratch styles into successful digital formats made this partnership an easy decision,” said Stephen Durrell, Executive Director of the Kansas Lottery. “We’re excited for Kansas players to experience the depth and quality of IWG’s portfolio.”
Market Impact and Roadmap
| Feature | Details |
| Partner | Instant Win Gaming (IWG) |
| Integration | Pollard Catalyst Cloud-Native Platform |
| Target Audience | 235,000+ “PlayOn” Loyalty Members |
| Game Strategy | Retail-to-Digital “Scratcher” Mechanics |
| U.S. Context | 9th U.S. State to deploy IWG eInstants |
Jason Lisiecki, Executive Vice President at IWG, noted that the Kansas strategy aligns perfectly with IWG’s leadership in the North American space, focusing on scaling engagement through high-performing, proven mechanics.
The post Kansas Lottery Partners with IWG to Expand iLottery with Retail-Inspired eInstants appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
platform, an effort completed in just a few weeks thanks to Catalyst’s modern, cloud-native architecture and the strong collaboration between both teams. This existing integration ensures a smooth, low-friction technical onboarding for the Kansas Lottery.The post Kansas Lottery Taps IWG to Deliver Retail-Inspired eInstants for Growing iLottery Program appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Arizona Department of Gaming
Arizona Sports Betting Hits New Record: $967 Million Wagered in October 2025
The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) has released its sports betting report for October 2025, revealing a record-breaking month for the Grand Canyon State. Total wagers reached approximately $967.1 million, marking a significant 22.2% increase year-over-year and a 13.6% jump from September 2025.
This performance solidified Arizona’s position as a top-tier U.S. betting market, ranking 6th nationally in total handle for the month, just behind Pennsylvania.
October 2025 Performance Breakdown
The surge in betting activity was driven almost entirely by mobile operators, which accounted for 99.4% of the total handle.
-
Total Handle: $967,141,269 (New State Record)
-
Mobile Wagers: $961.4 Million
-
Retail Wagers: $5.7 Million
-
Gross Revenue: $82.0 Million (Before promotional deductions)
-
Privilege Fees (Taxes): $5.2 Million collected by the state.
Top Operators by Market Share
The “Big Three” continue to dominate the Arizona landscape, with FanDuel and DraftKings locked in a tight battle for the top spot.
| Operator | October Handle | Mobile Handle | Adjusted Revenue |
| FanDuel | $317.1 Million | $317.1 Million | $13.4 Million |
| DraftKings | $297.8 Million | $293.7 Million | $22.7 Million |
| BetMGM | $102.9 Million | $102.0 Million | $5.0 Million |
| Fanatics | $88.2 Million | $88.2 Million | $4.8 Million |
| bet365 | $55.0 Million | $55.0 Million | — |
Note: While FanDuel led in total amount wagered (handle), DraftKings reported the highest adjusted revenue for the month at $22.7 million.
Fiscal Year-to-Date (FY26) Summary
Through the first four months of the 2026 fiscal year (July–October), Arizona has generated substantial revenue for state funds:
-
Total Privilege Fees: $20.7 Million
-
Event Wagering Fees: $20.2 Million
-
Fantasy Sports Fees: $462,576
The ADG also noted its continued focus on player protection, recently launching the “Too Young to Bet AZ” initiative to combat underage gambling and revoking Underdog Fantasy’s license due to concerns over its prediction market offerings.
The post Arizona Sports Betting Hits New Record: $967 Million Wagered in October 2025 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
iGaming News 20263 days agoSpinomenal Rings in 2026 with Japanese-Inspired “Kami Reign Ultra Mode”
-
Hold and3 days ago
Pragmatic Play Rings in 2026 with Joker’s Jewels Hold & Spin™
-
Five Elements Slot3 days ago
PG Soft Concludes 2025 with High-Volatility Launch: Mythical Guardians
-
Bespoke Gaming Studio3 days ago
CreedRoomz and Casumo Forge Strategic Partnership to Elevate Live Casino Experience
-
Latest News3 days ago
From ‘Mummyverse’ to Crash Games: Belatra Reviews a Landmark 2025
-
B2B gaming software3 days ago
Gamblers Connect and BetOxygen Announce Strategic B2B Partnership
-
Akshat Rathee2 days ago
Indian Esports 2026: Strategic Growth and the Asian Games Milestone
-
Aztec Slot2 days ago
Evoplay Unveils Sunstone Riches: An Aztec Adventure Powered by the Sun
