Gambling in the USA

4 important reasons why you need to attend the virtual edition of Sports Betting & Casino Summit North America

Published

6 years ago

June 19, 2020

Reading Time: 4 minutes

With less than 5 days left until the Sports Betting & Casino Summit North America (Virtual Conference) will open its virtual doors between 23-24 June, we created an extensive list in order to highlight the 4 top reasons why you should attend!

1. +50 Top industry experts are sharing their insights about the North American gaming industry and talking about the post-COVID-19 era.

Sports Betting & Casino Summit North America (Virtual Conference) gathers more than 50 industry experts who are joining the discussions and sharing vital information with the participants. Here is the list of all confirmed speakers:

– State Representative Brandt Iden (61st District in the Michigan House of Representatives)
– Kip Levin (President of FanDuel Group)
– David Highhill (Vice President, Strategy and Analytics at National Football League (NFL))
– Jeremy Kleiman (Gaming Attorney and Member at Saiber LLC)
– Dr. Joerg Hofmann (Partner at MELCHERS LAW)
– Bill Pascrell, III (Partner at Princeton Public Affairs Group, Inc.)
– Joe Asher (CEO at William Hill US)
– Adam Greenblatt (CEO of Roar Digital, LLC)
– Benjie Cherniak (Managing Director of SG Digital’s Don Best Sports group)
– Nick Papadoglou (Chief Commercial Officer at Intralot Inc/US – Head of Sports Betting in the US)
– Evan Davis (Sports Wagering Consultant at Pivot Sports Group)
– Jon Kaplowitz (Head of Penn Interactive)
– Wayne Kimmel (Managing Partner of SeventySix Capital)
– Jay Kornegay (Vice President Race & Sports Operations – Westgate LV Resort & Casino)
– Seth Schorr (CEO of Fifth Street Gaming and Chairman of Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino)
– Matthew Holt (President at U.S. Integrity)
– J Moses (Investor & Board Advisor of Bet.Works)
– Grant Johnson (CEO at Esports Entertainment Group)
– David McDowell (Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at FSB)
– Mark Robson (Co-Founder at Champion Sports)
– Marek Suchar (Head of Partnerships at Oddin.gg).
– John Gordon (CEO & Co-Founder of Incentive Games)
– Araksi Sargsyan (Head Of Business Development at DS Virtual Gaming)
– Lazar Miučin (VP of Strategic Partnerships at NSoft)
– Martin Wachter (CEO at Golden Race)
– Jaka Repanšek (Media and TECH Law Expert).
– Dr. Laila Mintas (Advisor and C-Level Executive at Dr. Mintas Consulting)
– Sara Slane (Founder at Slane Advisory)
– Daniel J. Kustelski (CEO & Co-founder at Chalkline Sports)
– Dmitry Starostenkov (CEO at Evenbet Gaming – the leading poker platform provider)
– Ismail Vali (Chief Product & Marketing Officer at A GAME ABOVE ApS)
– Karen Marcela Sierra-Hughes (Director, Latin America and Caribbean Government Relations and Business Development at Gaming Laboratories International)
– Charles Harper (Head of North America at iGaming Academy)
– Pieter Remmers (Chairman of G4 (Global Gambling Guidance Group))
– Eric Weiss (Deputy Executive Director, Technical Services at N.J. Division of Gaming Enforcement)
– Kevin Quigley (Indian Affairs & Gaming Business Counsel at Foley & Quigley PLC)
– Tom Foley (Foley & Quigley Law PLC)
– Jonodev Chaudhuri (Chair, Indian Law & Policy Practice at Quarles & Brady LLP).
– Ilkim Hincer (Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer at Hard Rock International)
– Benjie Levy (President/COO at Score Media and Gaming Inc)
– Chantal Cipriano (Gaming & Regulatory Lawyer at Dickinson Wright)
– Fernando Saffores (Founder & Director at Focus Gaming News).
– Keith S. Whyte (Executive Director at the National Council on Problem Gambling)
– Martin Lycka (Dir. of Regulatory Affairs at GVC)
– John Millington (Head of US Operations for EPIC Risk Management)
– Jack Symons (Co-Founder & Director at Gamban)
– Mohit Kansal (Partner at the Clairvest Group)
– Julian Fialkow (Senior Investment Associate at DRIVE by DraftKings)
– Ahmad Nassar (Chief Executive Officer of OneTeam Partners LLC)
– Chad Stender (Managing Director at SeventySix Capital)
– David VanEgmond (Head of Strategy & Corporate Development at Barstool Sport)
– Lloyd Danzig (Founder & CEO at Sharp Alpha Advisors)

2. Quality discussions on important topics

The conference will feature 13-panel discussions that span over the two days (23-24 June). You can view the program on this link to check the timetable!

The panel discussions which are in the program are the following:

THE STRATEGY OF RESTARTING THE ONLINE SPORTS BETTING INDUSTRY
NAVIGATING THE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES IN US SPORTS BETTING & ONLINE GAMING IN AN EVER CHANGING WORLD POST COVID-19
THE FUTURE OF LEGALIZED SPORTS BETTING IN CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA AND TEXAS
OUTLOOK FOR US GAMING – WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THE US GAMING MARKET TO NORMALISE
LAS VEGAS – RE-LAUNCH OF THE STRIP
ESPORTS BETTING VS CLASSIC SPORTS BETTING IN NORTH AMERICA
VIRTUAL GAMING, IS IT GAINING TRACTION IN AMERICA AND CANADA?
INNOVATION DURING AND POST COVID-19 – HOW IS THE INDUSTRY ADAPTING?
COMPLIANCE AND CERTIFICATION DURING COVID-19
TRIBAL GAMING INDUSTRY – A NEW ERA
THE FUTURE OF ONLINE GAMING IN CANADA
RESPONSIBLE GAMING: LESSONS LEARNED FROM EUROPE AND VICE VERSA
THE CURRENT & FUTURE STATE OF THE SPORTS BETTING INVESTMENT LANDSCAPE

3. The right time to talk about online gaming in North America

The global online gambling market size was valued at USD 53.7 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.5% from 2020 to 2027.

The spread of COVID19 has accelerated the demand for online gambling. Moreover, increasing digitalization coupled with secure digital payment options are also some factors contributing to online gambling market growth. The market is further expected to gain momentum over the forecast period attributed to the rising use of digital currency and websites provided by companies for betting and gambling.

4. 8 hours of online networking, easy to use platform

We have enabled +8 hours of networking during which you can have one on one meetings with attending participants.

The free networking sessions are held between 8:00 – 12:00 AM (EDT – New York Timezone) on both day and give you the opportunity to create new contacts and possibly tie new deals and not miss out on the education, which starts at 12:00 AM (EDT – New York Timezone).

The virtual seats are limited, so hurry and register now to secure your seat(s)!

Do not miss this unique opportunity to attend a virtual conference that gathers all North American gaming industry experts for 2 days of discussions and networking. Register your seat now!

Gambling in the USA

Plaza Hotel & Casino to host downtown’s largest Cinco de Mayo party – now with DJ Exodus

Published

3 days ago

April 28, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

plaza-hotel-&-casino-to-host-downtown’s-largest-cinco-de-mayo-party-–-now-with-dj-exodus

The Plaza Hotel & Casino will again host downtown Las Vegas’ biggest party to celebrate Cinco de Mayo starting at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Plaza Hotel & Casino with lights on the outside Description automatically generatedMay 5, in and around its iconic Carousel Bar.

The Plaza’s Cinco de Mayo party is free to attend and will now feature Vegas’ popular DJ Exodus as the party’s entertainment. He will be spinning top radio hits with a mix of Latin music, all under the bright lights of the property’s iconic Main Street dome. DJ Exodus is known as one of the top resident DJs in Las Vegas playing at various venues as well as celebrity events.

The high-energy fiesta will also feature downtown’s largest piñata. Guests will be able to commemorate their fun by taking selfies inside the Plaza’s photo house that will include various festive props.

Fresh churros will be available for purchase from Churros 101 as well as street tacos and Mexican street corn salad (Esquites) from Fresh Mexican Grill.

Carousel Bar will offer holiday drink specials all night long, including Modelo Draft 16 oz ($11), Modelo Michelada ($14), Mi Campo Margarita ($14), Mi Campo Blanco Shot ($10), and Mi Campo Reposado Shot ($12).

Next to Carousel Bar, Pinkbox Doughnuts will feature fun and delicious Cinco de Mayo-themed doughnuts.

For more information visit: plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/cinco-de-mayo/.

The post Plaza Hotel & Casino to host downtown’s largest Cinco de Mayo party – now with DJ Exodus appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Gambling in the USA

New Research Shows Stark Reality of Tourism Decline in Las Vegas

Published

1 week ago

April 24, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

new-research-shows-stark-reality-of-tourism-decline-in-las-vegas

A new research has revealed the stark reality behind a notable downturn in tourism to the renowned resort city, Las Vegas, with the number of visitors falling sharply compared to previous years.

The study, conducted by leading casino and sports betting community OLBG, shows that Vegas has seen a drop off of around 264,248 tourists on average per month – a decline of approximately 7.6%. It means over a quarter of a million fewer people are heading to the city each month marking one of the most significant slowdowns outside of pandemic years.

Post-Covid recovery stalling

Despite a steady period after the 2020 lockdown, Las Vegas saw consistent growth up until 2024. Recent OLBG data however shows a clear reversal with average monthly visitors falling from 3.47million to 3.21million. The city is now facing renewed pressure to maintain its global appeal.

The drop in tourism is reflected across key hotel metrics. Average room occupancy has declined to 80.4%, down from 84.4% the previous year – the lowest level in four years.

At the same time, the average daily room rate has fallen by nearly 10%, indicating that hotels are reducing prices to attract visitors. Revenue per available room has also dropped by 13% year-on-year, reaching its lowest level in over nine years outside of the pandemic.

Gaming revenue shows some resilience

Gaming revenue has seen a modest increase of 3.8% year-on-year, reaching a monthly average of $1.11 billion (inflation-adjusted). However, this follows a decline the previous year and remains below earlier peak levels.

While the sector is holding relatively steady, it is not enough to offset the wider decline in tourism and hospitality performance.

The data also reflects broader changes in consumer behaviour. The continued growth of online gambling, combined with more value-driven travel decisions, is reshaping the global gambling landscape.

Shift toward lower-cost destinations

Rising travel costs and changing consumer priorities appear to be driving a shift toward more affordable gambling destinations. Travellers are increasingly seeking locations that offer similar entertainment experiences at a lower overall cost.

Destinations such as Atlantic City and Biloxi in the US, alongside European cities like Prague and Budapest, are gaining traction due to cheaper accommodation, lower travel costs, and competitive casino offerings. International resort destinations, including Sun City in South Africa, are also emerging as cost-effective alternatives.

This growing competition is putting pressure on Las Vegas, particularly among price-sensitive travellers.

An OLBG spokesperson said: “Las Vegas has been the benchmark for global gambling tourism, but latest figures suggest its dominance is being tested. Continued rising costs in terms of travel and accommodation, plus spending in the city, means many players are more selective on destinations.

“Destinations that offer similar casino experiences but at lower prices are becoming more popular – whether that’s still in the US in Atlantic City and Biloxi or across Europe in cities such as Prague and Budapest. Value is becoming the key driver for tourists’ decision-making.

“However, continued growth of online gambling is giving players more flexibility than they’ve ever had. In some cases, this reduces the need to travel altogether whilst others choose short, cost-effective trips with digital play.

“Sin City isn’t going anywhere, though. It remains a world class destination but it’s operating in a much more competitive global market compared to previous years.”

The post New Research Shows Stark Reality of Tourism Decline in Las Vegas appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Aristocrat Gaming

MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks by Aristocrat Gaming Makes its Official Debut at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino

Published

2 weeks ago

April 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

monopoly-big-board-bucks-by-aristocrat-gaming-makes-its-official-debut-at-yaamava’-resort-&-casino

Aristocrat Gaming has officially launched its new MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks slot game in the US, with Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel becoming the first casino in the world to debut the game.

Ushering in a new era, MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks is the first game title released by Aristocrat Gaming, under its newly awarded multiyear licensing partnership with Hasbro. Powered by the company’s industry-leading innovation, this first title brings nostalgia, iconic iconography and dynamic gameplay to the forefront.

“We are incredibly proud to see our introductory MONOPOLY title, Big Board Bucks, make its debut on casino floors. The journey to this moment has been filled with energy, excitement, and a deep appreciation for the opportunity to innovate with one of the world’s most iconic brands. Yaamava’ Resort & Casino truly embraced the significance of being the first to launch, and we’re kicking things off with tremendous momentum. We look forward to the continued excitement from players as the game rolls out nationwide,” said Craig Toner, CEO of Aristocrat Gaming.

With this historic game launch, Yaamava’ is hosting its largest promotion to date, culminating on May 29 when one Club Serrano member will receive the biggest single prize in the property’s history — the “Own It All” package valued at more than $1.6 million, including $500,000 towards a mortgage, $500,000 in travel credit and a Ferrari 296GTS worth over $640,000.

“Launching the World Premiere for MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks gives us the opportunity to do what we do best—deliver next-level entertainment paired with meaningful rewards for our players. From the immersive reveal to our largest promotion ever, this launch reflects our commitment to creating moments that feel big, celebratory, and uniquely Yaamava’,” said Kenji Hall, General Manager of Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel.

MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks infuses nostalgia into gameplay with the player experience feeling like playing the actual board game, including player-selectable game tokens, Mr. Monopoly, Free Parking, houses and hotels and even the famous game board itself. Players are presented with triple metamorphic gameplay with Extra Spins, Extra Properties and Extra Houses. These metamorphic features lead to the Big Board Bucks Bonus, and may be awarded individually, in pairs, or all together to enhance the bonus. Any of these triggers will lead to the Big Board Bucks Bonus. In the Big Board Bucks Bonus, players have the chance to trigger rewards around the game board and land money bags, properties, houses and hotels, Free Parking and even the GO Jackpot Wheel. There’s also an exciting fourth metamorphic with Free Games that will trigger once the meter bar has been filled.

MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks is available on The Baron Portrait cabinet and is available in a never-before-seen signage package, the Skyline, featuring LED-lit themed panel dividers and dual-tier LED toppers adorned with lit Monopoly signature property game pieces crowning the top.

The post MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks by Aristocrat Gaming Makes its Official Debut at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.