Gambling in the USA
Vegas Pickle Bowl at the Plaza Hotel & Casino to welcome NFL players and celebrities this weekend to benefit children’s charity
Tournaments are free to watch, amateur players can still register to play.
The Plaza Hotel & Casino is proud to welcome the Vegas Pickle Bowl benefiting the Inspiring Children Foundation this weekend.
The event includes a celebrity, athlete, and influencer tournament from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 9 followed by open play from 2 to 7 p.m.
Then on Saturday, Feb. 10, an amateur tournament with multiple divisions for all skill levels will be held starting at 9:30 a.m. The public is invited to watch both tournaments, and interested amateur players can register for the Saturday tournament online at https://www.inspiringchildren.org/vegas-pickle-bowl with fees starting at $100 per player. The event concludes with open play on Sunday, Feb. 11 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The celebrity tournament on Friday will be led by Matt Manasse, professional pickleball player and coach to the stars and pickleball professional commentator Kamryn Blackwood. Numerous NFL players, including former Pro Bowl and Super Bowl players, in town for Super Bowl LVIII will participate in the invitation-only tournament Friday including: Marcellus Wiley, Golden Tate, Cliff Avril, Trill Williams, Gehrig Dieter, and T.J. Edwards.
Other celebrities and athletes playing in the Friday invitation-only tournament, include:
- Logan Lisle – comedian
- Kelly Dod – cast member, The Real Housewives of Orange County
- Casey Patterson – Olympian
- Joey & Steven – AreYouKiddingTV
- Rick Brenkus – BrinxTV
- Joe Benavides – UFC fighter
- Tyler Wagner – former MLB pitcher
- Andrew Spencer – contestant, The Bachelorette and The Bachelor
- Taylor Nikolai – social media influencer
- Luke Sanson – model
- Carl Michael – magician
- Jenna Bandy – sports influencer
The event benefits the Inspiring Children Foundation, which provides physical, social, emotional, and mental health to at-risk youth. For 22 years, Jewel’s Inspiring Children Foundation (ICF) has been transforming the lives of at-risk youth in Las Vegas through a whole human approach to physical, emotional and mental health. ICF serves hundreds of youth in-person and millions online.
95% of students in their Leadership Program have earned college scholarships for academics & athletics (tennis) to some of the best colleges in the US.
Parts of the program are now being duplicated in 22 cities by other nonprofits. For more information, please visit https://www.inspiringchildren.org.
affiliate marketing
Media Troopers highlights prediction markets focus at Bitcoin 2026 Las Vegas
Affiliate says it has upgraded its Media Cruiser platform to support prediction market acquisition as partners expand beyond sports betting and casino.
Media Troopers said it reinforced its focus on prediction markets during the 2026 Bitcoin Conference, held April 27 to April 29 at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.
The digital marketing and customer acquisition group said it is seeing demand from long-standing operator partners that are expanding into prediction markets alongside sports betting and casino gaming, and positioned its attendance at the event as an opportunity to engage with platforms operating at the intersection of gaming and crypto.
“We’re seeing sustained demand from our partners in this space,” said Shmulik Segal, Chief Executive Officer at Media Troopers. “Prediction markets are no longer experimental. They’re becoming a meaningful part of the ecosystem, and we’ve been aligning our capabilities accordingly.”
The company said it has updated its infrastructure in recent months to support prediction market traffic across its network, including enhancements to its proprietary marketing technology platform Media Cruiser. Media Troopers said the updates are intended to provide operators with more detailed targeting, audience segmentation, and acquisition strategies.
“Prediction markets live exactly where gaming and crypto meet,” Segal added. “Being at Bitcoin 2026 allows us to connect with the operators and platforms shaping that future.” Media Troopers said it aims to support operators expanding into prediction markets across North America and other markets.
The post Media Troopers highlights prediction markets focus at Bitcoin 2026 Las Vegas appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Affiliates
Media Troopers spotlights prediction market push at Bitcoin 2026 in Las Vegas
Affiliate says it upgraded Media Cruiser to support prediction market acquisition as partners expand beyond sports betting and casino.
Media Troopers used the 2026 Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas (April 27–29 at The Venetian Resort) to highlight its growing focus on prediction markets and its work with operators moving into the category.
The affiliate and customer acquisition group said it is seeing demand from existing partners that are expanding into prediction markets alongside sports betting and casino gaming.
Media Troopers said it has updated its infrastructure in recent months to support prediction market traffic across its network. The company also cited enhancements to its proprietary marketing technology platform, Media Cruiser, aimed at “more detailed targeting, audience segmentation, and acquisition strategies.”
“We’re seeing sustained demand from our partners in this space,” said Shmulik Segal, Chief Executive Officer at Media Troopers. “Prediction markets are no longer experimental. They’re becoming a meaningful part of the ecosystem, and we’ve been aligning our capabilities accordingly.”
“Prediction markets live exactly where gaming and crypto meet,” Segal added. “Being at Bitcoin 2026 allows us to connect with the operators and platforms shaping that future.”
The post Media Troopers spotlights prediction market push at Bitcoin 2026 in Las Vegas appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
betting platforms
US Public Health Debate Intensifies as Boston Hosts Landmark Online Gambling Symposium
As scrutiny around online gambling intensifies in the United States, a landmark symposium in Boston is set to bring the issue of public health and regulation into sharper focus.
The Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) has announced it will host the country’s first international symposium dedicated to the public health impact of online gambling on April 24, 2026, at Northeastern University.
The event comes amid growing concern over the speed at which digital betting has expanded across the US, particularly in the years following the legalization of sports betting in multiple states.
From Market Growth to Public Health Debate
What began as a state-driven expansion of sports wagering has evolved into a broader ecosystem that now includes:
- Mobile-first betting platforms
- Micro-betting and in-play wagering
- Algorithm-driven and AI-supported betting tools
Public health experts argue that these developments have outpaced regulation, raising concerns about addiction risks, accessibility, and consumer safeguards.
Survey data continues to reflect mixed public sentiment, with a significant portion of Americans expressing concerns over the integrity of sports and the social impact of betting.
Policy Momentum Building Across States
The symposium will also highlight a wave of legislative efforts aimed at tightening controls on the industry. Proposals such as the SAFE Bet Act, alongside state-level initiatives in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Ohio, indicate a shift toward stricter oversight, including potential limits on high-risk betting formats like micro-betting.
Bringing Together Key Stakeholders
The Boston event will gather a broad coalition of stakeholders, including:
- US lawmakers and regulators
- Public health professionals
- Academic researchers specialising in gambling behaviour
- Policy advocates and legal experts
Key discussion points will include the limitations of current responsible gaming models, the need for federal safety standards, and strategies to reduce gambling-related harm.
Legal Pressure Adds to Industry Tensions
The symposium follows recent legal action involving major operators and sports stakeholders, underlining the increasingly complex relationship between rapid market growth and regulatory accountability in the US gambling sector.
As the conversation evolves, the Boston gathering is expected to play a role in shaping how policymakers and stakeholders approach the next phase of online gambling regulation in America.
The post US Public Health Debate Intensifies as Boston Hosts Landmark Online Gambling Symposium appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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