Gambling in the USA
PlaySugarHouse.com and BetRivers.com Announce April Madness With Free-To-Play Bracket For NBA’s Horse Challenge
In the absence of regular season games, the NBA is staging a HORSE competition between current and former NBA stars, as well as a couple of WNBA stars. The NBA’s Horse Challenge is set-up as a single-elimination bracket where Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young will face off against former NBA Champion Chauncey Billups. The winner of that match-up will face the winner of the battle between former WNBA star from the Indiana Fever, Tamika Catchings, vs. Utah Jazz’s Mike Conley Jr. On the other side of the bracket, current Chicago Bull, Zach LaVine, will play against former Boston Celtics great, Paul Pierce, and current Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star, Chris Paul, is facing WNBA Chicago Sky star, Allie Quigley.
PlaySugarHouse.com in NJ and PA and BetRivers.com in PA are offering all their players a free to play bracket with a $1000 pool on each site for the winners. Players can make their picks starting Saturday morning, April 11, until 7 P.M. Sunday evening April 12th. It works much like a March Madness bracket but with only 8 participants. Players will earn a point for each correct pick in the quarterfinal round, 2 points for each correct pick in the semifinal round and 3 points for picking the correct winner. The winners of the bracket will receive a share of $1000 bonus money.
“We are happy to offer our NBA bettors an alternative while the season is suspended,” said Mattias Stetz, C.O.O of Rush Street Interactive, which operates PlaySugarHouse.com and BetRivers.com. “The NBA has been very creative with this HORSE Challenge and we think our bracket will add some additional excitement for our bettors.”
Quarterfinals will be aired on ESPN on Sunday April 12 between 7 and 9pm ET. The semifinals and Championship game will be aired on ESPN (and streamed on the ESPN app) on Thursday April 16 at 9pm ET.
SOURCE Rush Street Interactive
Key Findings
- Nevada recorded the highest combined casino game search interest nationally, achieving a perfect 500/500 score in 2025, the only state to do so.
- Home to Las Vegas—the world-renowned center of casino gaming and entertainment—Nevada recorded casino game searches 181% above the national average last year, reinforcing the city’s dominance in gambling culture.
- Michigan led all legal online casino states for overall search interest across major casino game categories.
- The most-searched casino games nationwide were slots.
- Search interest across legal online casino states was closely matched last year, led by Michigan.
- The District of Columbia showed the lowest search interest, searching 38% below the national average.
Casino Game Online Search Results
| Game | Score
*Maximum 5,100 |
Search Interest |
| Slots | 2831 | 31.2% |
| Casino | 1717 | 18.9% |
| Roulette | 1607 | 17.7% |
| Poker | 1594 | 17.6% |
| Blackjack | 1329 | 14.6% |
Legal Online Casino States Where BetMGM Operates
| Legal Online Casino States | Casino Game Search Interest Score (Out of a total of 500) | National Ranking |
| Michigan | 172 | 20 |
| West Virginia | 171 | 21 |
| Pennsylvania & New Jersey | 169 | 22 |
Key Insights from Legal Online Casino States
Here are a few of the key findings from this research:
1. Slots Dominate Regulated Markets
Slots are the top-searched casino game in every legal online casino state except New Jersey, reinforcing slots as the primary driver of online casino interest in regulated U.S. markets.
2. New Jersey Stands Out with Roulette-Led Interest
New Jersey is the only legal online casino state where roulette outranked slots as the most searched game in 2025. This indicates a more diversified player base with a stronger interest in live dealer and table games.
3. Search Interest is Tightly Clustered Across Legal States
Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey all ranked closely together nationally (positions 20–22), with very similar search interest scores.
Methodology
BetMGM Casino analysed Google search trends to assess nationwide interest in casino games over a 12-month period, covering January 1 to December 31, 2025.
Search interest was measured across five core casino game categories:
- Casino
- Slots
- Poker
- Blackjack
- Roulette
Only the generic category terms (for example, “slots”, “poker”, and “casino”) were analyzed. No modifiers such as “online”, “real money”, or brand-specific keywords were included. This approach ensures the data reflects overall interest in casino games, rather than being influenced by regulatory differences, platform availability, or other variables in individual states. It is critical to note Google Trends is strongest when you compare high-volume, generic terms.
Google Trends scores were used to compare relative search interest by state, with values scaled from 0 to 100 per category, where 100 represents the highest level of search interest observed during the period analysed.
This methodology allows for a consistent, like-for-like comparison of casino game popularity across the United States, highlighting regional interest patterns and broader gambling trends rather than online-only behavior.
Play Your Favorite Online Casino Games at BetMGM
Whether you search for online slots, casino table games, or live dealer casino game experiences, you can find your favorite online casino games at BetMGM Casino.
When you sign up to enjoy any of these great games, you’ll also get access to great ongoing and limited-time promotions, as well as the BetMGM Rewards loyalty program that offers both online and in person benefits for BetMGM players.
The post BetMGM Reveals 2025’s Most Searched Casino Games appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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.
Gambling in the USA
MONOPOLY Table Games Progressive from Galaxy Gaming debuts at the Plaza Hotel & Casino
MONOPOLY Table Games Progressive brings the beloved classic to life in the casino pit, transforming every round into a dynamic and rewarding experience. Mr. Monopoly is the star of the show, randomly selecting hands and providing exciting multipliers up to 10x, keeping players engaged and on the edge of their seats.
Details
Designed to deliver high energy and volatility without compromising house edge, the MONOPOLY Table Games Progressive is unlike anything the industry has seen. With nostalgic animations and familiar visuals, this theme adds a fresh layer of excitement to the table—and best of all, it’s compatible with nearly any Galaxy Gaming progressive.
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The post MONOPOLY Table Games Progressive from Galaxy Gaming debuts at the Plaza Hotel & Casino appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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