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Land-based closures spark 100% rise in US ‘online casino’ searches – BonusFinder research

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The closure of major US land-based gaming venues and cancellation of live sport has sparked a 100% rise in internet searches for ‘online casino’ across North America, BonusFinder.com research can reveal.

The research was carried out using Google Trends from February to the end of March this year and uncovered a sharp spike in players searching for ‘online casino’ following land-based venues switching off slot machines and sports events being rescheduled.

The tipping point came on 12th March when more US players searched for ‘online casino’ than ‘sports betting’ with numbers doubling in the following two weeks.

Since the repeal of PASPA in August 2018, 17 US states have regulated sports betting with only five, including Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania opening up igaming.

Combined sports betting and online casino ‘handle’ across those US States was more than $1.7 billion in February 2020.

Sportsbook handle is expected to dramatically shrink in March and beyond with operators and states urgently looking to mitigate losses and make up shortfalls. As a result of the surge in online casino interest, lawmakers in states that have already regulated betting could consider fast-tracking igaming.

According to VIXIO GamblingCompliance, New Jersey alone generated $482.7 million in igaming Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in 2019 and $52m in February 2020.

Industry trade group, iDevelopment & Economic Association, for example, is already urging states to allow online casino games to replace disappearing revenue, including exploring how governors can use emergency powers to quickly allow online casinos to operate.

Fintan Costello, Managing Director, Bonusfinder.com, said: “The five states that have opened igaming are seeing month-on-month revenue rises with New Jersey leading the way. It has a robust and responsible framework in place to protect players and has shown that online and offline casinos can operate together within the same territory and consistently generate very healthy returns.”

“This is a wake-up call for the 12 states that have already established an online sports betting regime. They should take note of the enormous interest in online casino from players and use this momentum to legislate igaming before we start seeing players turning to unlicensed, offshore sites and the black market.

“The demand will only continue to increase as this unprecedented situation continues, therefore now is the time to focus on providing best-in-class, regulated real-money online casino games that players can enjoy responsibly and that can also help state governments make up revenue shortfalls.”

Last month research carried out by BonusFinder.com monitoring the Swedish market uncovered a spike in Swedish players searching for a basket of black-market keywords. Almost a third of Swedish online casino players are searching online for ‘unlicensed casinos’, with growing numbers turning to black-market brands due to the market’s restrictive gaming regulations.

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eInstants

Kansas Lottery Partners with IWG to Expand iLottery with Retail-Inspired eInstants

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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.

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eInstants

Kansas Lottery Taps IWG to Deliver Retail-Inspired eInstants for Growing iLottery Program

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Instant Win Gaming (IWG), a leading independent supplier of eInstant games to NASPL and WLA-member lotteries, has further expanded its North American footprint after being selected by the Kansas Lottery to supply a full portfolio of eInstant games as part of a new long-term agreement.
With this contract award, Kansas becomes the 33rd NASPL/WLA lottery to partner with IWG, and notably, the 9th U.S. lottery to deploy IWG’s digital content. As part of the partnership, IWG will deliver a consistent cadence of high-performing eInstants through its InstantRGS (remote game server). A key focus of the roadmap will be reimagining classic retail scratcher mechanics as digital-first experiences—an area where IWG’s deep creative bench and dedicated development team are uniquely positioned to execute at scale.
IWG’s InstantRGS is already fully integrated with the Pollard Catalyst™ 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.
Kansas Lottery launched its iLottery program in early 2025, and this agreement marks a pivotal next step in expanding its digital games offering with high-quality third-party content.
“This is another important milestone for IWG as we continue to support the growth of iLottery programs across North America,” said Jason Lisiecki, Executive Vice President, IWG. “Kansas Lottery’s strategic focus on bringing proven scratch mechanics into the digital channel aligns perfectly with our leadership in this space. We look forward to delivering a steady stream of compelling eInstants tailored to Kansas players, and to helping the Lottery scale engagement in the months ahead.”
Stephen Durrell, Executive Director, Kansas Lottery, added: “As we evaluated partners for our long-term eInstant strategy, IWG stood out for their willingness to embrace our specific game requirements and their ability to consistently deliver highly engaging content within the boundaries we set. Their experience transforming retail scratch styles into successful digital formats made this partnership an easy decision. We’re excited for Kansas players to experience the depth and quality of IWG’s portfolio.”

The post Kansas Lottery Taps IWG to Deliver Retail-Inspired eInstants for Growing iLottery Program appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Arizona Department of Gaming

Arizona Sports Betting Hits New Record: $967 Million Wagered in October 2025

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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.

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