Gambling in the USA
March Madness Pushes New Jersey Sportsbooks to Record Month, According to PlayNJ.com
New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks scored a record win and near-record monthly handle in March as the industry crossed the $2 billion mark in bets since legalization. The spike was fueled overwhelmingly by the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, according to PlayNJ.com analysts.
“The first week of March Madness generated more action than the Super Bowl, and even the First Four games attracted enough betting to rival a busy weekend of NFL regular season football,” said Dustin Gouker, lead sports betting analyst for PlayNJ.com. “That is unquestionably a massive success and shows clearly the importance of college basketball to the Northeast’s legal sports betting markets.”
New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks accepted $372.5 million in March bets, just shy of the record $385.3 million in January, according to official reporting. New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks have now accepted $2.3 billion in bets since legalization in June 2018.
March revenue was $31.7 million, up 150 percent from $12.7 million in February. The win and a high-water gross revenue mark for the state’s online casinos combined in March to generate more than $70 million in monthly revenue.
“$2 billion in bets in nine months shows just how much pent-up demand for legal sports betting existed in New Jersey,” Gouker said. “As quickly as the industry has ramped up, though, the next milestone should come more quickly. $3 billionis certainly within reach by the industry’s first anniversary in June.”
New Jersey’s online sportsbook brands accounted for $298,3 million, or 80.8 percent, of total March bets. That’s even with the 80.8 percent of bets that flowed through online sportsbooks in February.
FanDuel Sportsbook/Pointsbet was the dominant online sportsbook, beating rival DraftKings Sportsbook, with $13.3 million in gross revenue, up from $6.59 million in February. DraftKings fueled Resorts’ $7.3 million in March, up from $3.7 million in February.
FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands remained tops in the retail market with $4.3 million in March gross revenue, up from $1.5 million in February. Monmouth Park followed FanDuel with $986,251.
“Online sports betting will continue to drive the market, and product innovations will likely bear much more fruit in the near future,” Gouker said. “New Jersey’s sportsbooks already offer the most advanced online product of any legal sports betting jurisdiction, and bettors have continually responded.”
LEGAL ONLINE CASINOS
New Jersey’s online casino and poker industry extended its run of record-breaking months of March, nearly reaching the $40 million gross revenue threshold for the first time. Legal online gambling generated $39.1 million in March gross revenue, up 53 percent from $25.6 million in March 2018 and up 23 percent from $31.8 million in February.
The industry generated $1.3 million per day during the 31 days of March, up from the $1.1 million per day in the 28 days of February. With the new record, the industry has now posted an all-time monthly revenue record in every March since New Jersey launched online casinos in late 2013.
“Online sports betting is clearly driving online casino growth,” said Steve Ruddock, lead online gambling analyst for PlayNJ.com. “March has become a predictable spark for New Jersey’s online gambling industry and a first-half indicator for what gains the industry will make in the second half of the year. That pattern should continue this year.”
For more, visit PlayNJ.com/news.
About the PlayUSA.com Network:
The PlayUSA.com Network and its state-focused branches (including PlayNJ.com and PlayPennsylvania.com) is a leading source for news, analysis, and research related to the market for regulated online gaming in the U.S.
SOURCE PlayNJ.com
Gambling in the USA
Abbiati Casino Equipment and Hawkins Holdings Form Strategic Alliance to Expand Presence Across the Americas

Abbiati Casino Equipment, a globally recognised leader in premium casino equipment and technologies, announced a strategic partnership with Hawkins Holdings to strengthen its presence across North and South America. As part of this initiative, seasoned gaming executive Roger Hawkins has been appointed Brand Ambassador and Strategic Consultant for the Americas.
With more than 20 years of executive leadership in the global casino and gaming industry, Hawkins will spearhead the company’s efforts to expand its footprint throughout the Western Hemisphere. His role will include market development, strategic partnerships, regulatory positioning, and the promotion of Abbiati’s legacy of Italian innovation, craftsmanship, and integrity.
“This partnership is about more than market entry – it’s about building deeper awareness, driving product adoption, and reinforcing Abbiati’s commitment to quality across every pit and poker room in the hemisphere,” said Hawkins.
Giorgio Abbiati, CEO of Abbiati Casino Equipment, said: “We have proudly served clients in the Americas for many years, but the time is right to deepen our focus. Roger’s knowledge of our products and his insight into the market make him the ideal partner to lead this next phase.”
Gambling in the USA
Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort Rising in Kings Mountain as First Year of Construction is Completed

Significant construction has been completed during the first year of work on the $1 billion Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort in Kings Mountain, N.C., a site off Interstate-85 only 35 miles from Charlotte and close to the South Carolina border.
Construction on all aspects of the project is in full swing, with the foundations for the casino complex and hotel completed several months ago, the casino complex at its full height and expanding horizontally, and steel continuing to rise for the 24-story, 385-room hotel. The hotel tower framing is now 10 stories high, with an additional floor being added nearly every week. At completion, the hotel will be connected to the casino complex.
The casino complex includes the introductory casino on the first level, three levels of covered parking, a back-of-house level and top level with the main casino floor and restaurants. The introductory casino, set to open in spring 2026, will include 1350 slot machines, 20 table games, a 40-seat restaurant, a bar, sports betting kiosks, and Lucky North Rewards desk.
The introductory casino will replace the current temporary (prelaunch) casino, which continues to grow in popularity as it nears its fourth anniversary on July 1.
The main casino complex is targeted to open in 2027. It will be about 2 million square feet and feature:
• 4300 slot machines
• 100 table games
• 11 dining outlets, including a steakhouse, Italian restaurant, marketplace with six venues, café, and grab-and-go outlet
• A players lounge
• 11 bars, including a center bar and sports bar
• A 2700-space parking garage built under the casino complex and 800 surface parking spaces
The project has created hundreds of construction jobs. Upon completion, the casino resort will employ an estimated 2200 regional residents and citizens of the Catawba Nation.
“This casino resort will be an economic game changer for Catawba citizens and a force to drive the economy of Cleveland County and the City of Kings Mountain. This project is a testament to our resilience, our commitment to self-sufficiency, and our determination to build a better future for ourselves and our future generations,” Catawba Nation Chief Brian Harris said.
Harris noted the temporary casino is contributing to many community and charitable organizations in the region, and that will only increase as the full casino resort opens.
The project is being led by the Catawba Nation Gaming Authority under Vice President Trent Troxel, with Yates-Metcon as the construction general contractor; Delaware North as the gaming management, development and hospitality consultant; and SOSHNY Design architects.
“Once again, I want to thank the Cleveland County, City of Kings Mountain, federal and state leaders who have supported the Catawba Nation’s efforts develop the casino resort in its ancestral lands in North Carolina,” Harris said.
Work has also been completed on two key infrastructure projects for development of the permanent casino resort that were funded by the Catawba Nation: doubling the size of the Dixon School Road Bridge over I-85 near the casino entrance and installing new sewer lines near the casino.
Gambling in the USA
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa Named Luckiest Casino in US by Casinos.com

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa has been named the luckiest casino in the US according to a recent study conducted by Casinos.com. The resort claimed the top spot based on an in-depth analysis of Tripadvisor reviews, measuring the frequency of luck-related keyword mentions.
With a 25.49% luck rate, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa topped the list thanks to glowing guest feedback, including frequent mentions of jackpots, hand pays and bonus wins. 50 reviews mentioned the word “jackpot,” and 19 even referenced a “hand pay.”
Casinos.com tracked keywords such as lucky, luck, won, winning, success, jackpot, hand pay, winner, bonus, profit to determine which U.S. casinos inspired the most winning moments among visitors.
“I hit 4 jackpots. I stayed one night. I had a blast. The machines are as loose as anywhere else,” wrote one Tripadvisor reviewer, noted Casinos.com, capturing the essence of why the casino landed in the No. 1 spot.
“We’ve always known this was a lucky casino, but it’s exciting to see that recognized through data-driven research. It’s a testament to the vibrant energy on our casino floor and the unforgettable experiences we strive to create for every guest,” said Steve Bonner, President of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.
The ranking reinforces Seminole Hard Rock Tampa’s reputation as one of the premier gaming and entertainment destinations in the US. Seminole Hard Rock Tampa was not involved in the study and was unaware of it until the results were publicly released.
Over the past year, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa has paid out nearly 839,000 jackpots totaling more than $2.45 billion, continuing to deliver thrilling high-stakes gaming. Since May 1, 2024, the casino resort has awarded 375 jackpots of $100,000 or more, amounting to an impressive $61 million in winnings. Notably, 47 of those massive wins stemmed from bets of $5 or less and nine came from wagers of $3 or less.
Seminole Hard Rock Tampa offers a fully integrated casino experience with a sleek, modern design and welcoming atmosphere of 245,000 square feet of gaming space and entertainment. With 5230 of the hottest slot machines and a full range of table games such as poker, blackjack and baccarat, there is no shortage of opportunities to win. Additionally, guests can enjoy live craps, roulette, and sports betting at their leisure.
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