Gambling in the USA
Illegal Gambling Opponents Call on State, County Health Departments to Order Immediate Shutdown of ‘Games of Skill’ Machines
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An advocacy group battling against the explosion of illegal gambling across Pennsylvania is calling for an immediate shutdown of so-called ‘games of skill’ due to public health concerns related to spread of Coronavirus.
The unregulated and illegal machines, which have proliferated in gas stations, corner stores, restaurants, clubs and bars throughout Pennsylvania, pose risk as conduits of the Coronavirus. The National Institutes of Health this week released a study that found that virus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is stable for several hours to days on surfaces. The scientists found that the virus survives for up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.
“At a time in which Pennsylvania casinos have made the difficult but appropriate decision to shut down to protect the health of their patrons, employees, and the public, these machines continue to attract gamblers of all ages,” said Peter Shelly, spokesperson for Pennsylvanians Against Illegal Gambling (PAIG). “You don’t have to be a health expert to know that the extended period of times in which players interact with these machines could accelerate the spread of Coronavirus to some of our most vulnerable citizens.”
PAIG is calling on the Pennsylvania Department of Health as well as county health departments throughout the Commonwealth to order business owners to immediately shut down any machines operating in their establishments.
While Gov. Tom Wolf has ordered the closure of non-essential businesses, many of these machines exist in businesses that remain open because they offer essential products and services. Shelly noted that the Governor’s order (issued on March 19) mandates that “Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries” must close.
Shelly emphasized that the emerging threat underscores the risks associated with unregulated gambling, which likely is being magnified by gamblers having fewer options amid the crisis.
The estimated 20,000 illegal machines operating in Pennsylvania divert revenues from the Pennsylvania Lottery that provide vital programs for older Pennsylvanians as well as casino revenues, a portion of which is distributed to counties for public improvement projects and programs.
Lottery officials recently testified that the machines could divert $200 million in funding this year for senior centers, low-cost prescription drugs, and programs such as Meals on Wheels. Lottery officials estimate that for every games of skill machine placed in a Lottery retailer, the Lottery loses approximately $2,284 per machine per month.
“With casinos shuttered and Pennsylvanians making the wise choice to stay at home we are already facing a perfect-storm scenario that will negatively impact revenues available to help older Pennsylvanians and our communities,” Shelly said. “The continued operation of these machines pose enormous risks to the short-term health of Pennsylvanians and the long-term health and stability of the entire Commonwealth.”
SOURCE: Pennsylvanians Against Illegal Gambling
Gambling in the USA
New “Reel Masters” Free Slot Tournament Has Launched – OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos.org Reports
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Online gambling is constantly evolving, and one trend is dominating the scene in 2025 – free slot tournaments. Offering risk-free excitement and real rewards, OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos.org is leading the charge with the launch of The Reel Masters – Free Slots Tournaments.
Free slot tournaments, like Reel Masters, are gaining in popularity as players look to online platforms that offer a risk-free gaming experience. Reel Masters delivers both weekly and month-long tournaments, offering real-time gameplay and competitive challenges for all players.
Key Features of Reel Masters
• Real-Time Leaderboards: Players can stay updated with live rankings, keeping the competition unfolding in real time.
• User-Friendly Games: Reel Masters features a mix of engaging slot games from top providers, available 24/7 on any device.
• Non-Stop Action: Up to eight weekly tournaments running Monday to Sunday and high-stakes month-long competitions.
With online gaming growing at an unprecedented pace, players are looking for new ways to enjoy their favorite games without financial risk. Free slot tournaments offer the perfect blend of excitement, accessibility, and competition – a trend that’s already dominating in 2025. As more platforms embrace this model, players can expect innovative tournament formats, enhanced social features, and top rewards.
“We’re in the entertainment industry. So, we want our community to have fun trying out new slots’ games at no risk, and have a chance to win great prizes,” John Mehaffey, Editor-in-Chief at OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos.org, said.
The post New “Reel Masters” Free Slot Tournament Has Launched – OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos.org Reports appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – February 17-23
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Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
CT Interactive has secured certification for its top-performing games to enter into the Brazil’s newly regulated online gaming market. Some of the certified top titles include: 20 Mega Slot, 40 Mega Slot, Celestial Dragon, Chilli Fruits, Chilli Madness, Dancing Dragons, Giraffe Wild, Hot 7’s X 2, Lucky Clover, Pot O’ Luck, Purple Fruits, Star Girl, Treasure Chase, Wild Clover and Win Storm. This certification marks CT Interactive’s strategic entry into a jurisdiction that is set to reshape the global gaming landscape, opening up unique opportunities for both operators and content providers.
The Cordish Companies celebrated the highly anticipated grand opening of Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana, a $270+ million resort destination that marks the first land-side casino in the Shreveport-Bossier market.The Cordish Companies were joined by key stakeholders including Louisiana State Senator Sam L. Jenkins, Jr., State Representative Steven Jackson, Bossier City Mayor Thomas Chandler, Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Christopher Hebert, Bossier Parish Police Juror Pam Glorioso, Bossier Chamber of Commerce President Lisa Johnson, Louisiana-native Professional Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed, and many community and business leaders from around the region to celebrate the opening.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has reported that preliminary figures show $101,548,073 was wagered in the Commonwealth on the Philadelphia Eagles/Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl through retail and online sportsbooks. That was a 20.4% increase over the previous high for wagers placed in Pennsylvania for a Super Bowl achieved in 2023 when the Eagles and Chiefs also faced off. At the same time, patrons overwhelmingly placed winning wagers resulting in negative revenue for the sports wagering operators of $6,532,147. The PGCB noted in particular a high percentage of wagers placed on the Eagles to win. The Eagles defeated the Chiefs 40-22.
Partnerships
VIP Play has chosen White Hat Gaming to power their online gambling platform in Tennessee (currently operating as ZenSports) and in additional US states as VIP Play expands within the U.S. online gambling market. This announcement follows the recent partnership agreement between VIP Play and Kambi Group. VIP Play acquired the assets of the ZenSports platform in 2022, and has operated in Tennessee as ZenSports since July 2023. VIP Play boasts an innovative understanding of sports wagering and expects to use the White Hat platform, in addition to their own proprietary technology & Kambi Turnkey Sportsbook, to build an entirely customised version of the platform compared to what is available today.
Pollard Banknote Limited has congratulated the Kansas Lottery on the successful launch of its iLottery programmme powered by the Pollard Catalyst Gaming Platform, Pollard Banknote’s cloudnative, modular and API-first iLottery solution. The leadership and strong partnership of the Kansas Lottery, combined with Pollard Banknote’s deep iLottery expertise, enabled the launch to come only ten months after initial scoping, making this the fastest implementation of a full iLottery programme in U.S. history. Players in Kansas will now be able to play popular draw-based games including Powerball and Mega Millions, and an initial offering of nine eInstant games from the Pollard Digital Games Studio on the Lottery’s website.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – February 17-23 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – February 10-16
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Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) has launched QCI Heatmap, an advanced contour heatmapping tool that transforms the way casinos interact with slot performance data. This release represents a unique modernisation of classic data visualisation techniques, reimagined using state-of-the-art graphics processing, machine learning and QCI’s proprietary intellectual property. Heatmapping has long been a valuable tool for understanding gaming floor performance, but traditional implementations were often limited by static visualisations, sluggish responsiveness and an inability to scale dynamically. With QCI Heatmap, the company has re-engineered these foundational techniques using modern high-performance rendering technology, GPU acceleration and AI-driven insights, enabling real-time, interactive exploration at a level never seen before.
FanDuel has revealed that during the 2024-25 NFL Season nearly half of its customers, approximately 3.5 million, reviewed their play activity using My Spend, a new personalised responsible gaming dashboard. The growing adoption demonstrates that customers are engaging with RG tools that provide personalized insights that help them to manage their time and spending on the platform. My Spend provides customers with detailed insights on their deposit and betting activity, including amount deposited and net winnings over the last seven days, four weeks or three months. The My Spend dashboard also encourages customers to utilise the existing suite of responsible gaming tools FanDuel offers, including deposit limits and wager limits.
Partnerships
SCCG Management has entered into a strategic partnership with Tecpinion, a premier provider of custom development and ready-to-launch, 100% customisable iGaming platforms with full ownership. Tecpinion delivers state-of-the-art platforms for sweepstakes casinos, social casinos, sports betting, online casinos, fantasy sports, crash games and more, with integrated solutions such as multi-lingual support, payment gateways and referral systems that cater to a global audience. SCCG Management will provide business development support, sponsorship exposure and strategic distribution opportunities, leveraging its extensive global network to position Tecpinion as a go-to provider for gaming operators looking to scale efficiently.
Major League Baseball and Sportradar announced a long-term extension and expansion of their decade-long partnership, set to begin with the 2025 season, aimed at unlocking the full potential of MLB’s data and audiovisual (AV) content while growing America’s pastime worldwide. As part of the agreement, MLB has acquired an equity stake in Sportradar, further solidifying the partnership between the two organizations and supporting future growth opportunities. Under the new terms, Sportradar, in partnership with MLB, will exclusively distribute MLB’s ultra-low latency official data, media content, including MLB Statcast Data, and AV content across its global client network, which spans 800 sportsbook clients and 900 media companies.
SYNOT Games has entered into a new partnership with Novibet in Brazil. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in SYNOT Games’ expansion into the burgeoning Brazilian iGaming market. This deal introduced Novibet’s players in the Brazilian region to an impressive portfolio of 85 premium games, including some of SYNOT’s most popular and highest-grossing titles such as Fruity Gold 243 and 100 Stunning Fruits. The launch comes at an exciting time for the Brazilian online gaming industry, which is experiencing rapid growth thanks to increasing player demand and favourable regulatory developments.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – February 10-16 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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