Gambling in the USA
EquiLottery Games Partners with Major League Baseball
New Lottery Game – Baseball Bucks – will allow lottery players to purchase tickets based on live MLB games
EquiLottery Games®, North America’s live sports lottery game developer, announced an agreement with Major League Baseball (MLB) that will see EquiLottery launch a new officially-licensed lottery draw game titled Baseball Bucks™. Under this multi-year agreement, Baseball Bucks will feature the official brand marks of MLB and the 30 MLB Clubs. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“We are pleased to be working with one of the most iconic leagues in professional sports worldwide,” said EquiLottery Games CEO Brad Cummings. “We have already hit the ground running and the early response from lotteries to Baseball Bucks has been exceedingly positive. I want to thank MLB for being exceptional to work with through this process as we develop a game that will increase the engagement with baseball across the U.S. while also returning more money to the good causes lotteries support. As with all of our games, Baseball Bucks is designed to be a win for all parties involved.”
“We are always aiming to work with partners who share our goal of providing innovative ways for fans to engage with live games,” said Kenny Gersh, MLB Executive Vice President, Gaming & New Business Ventures. “Baseball Bucks is a completely new gaming opportunity for lottery players and baseball fans. We’re looking forward to working with Brad and EquiLottery Games to bring Baseball Bucks to as many jurisdictions as we can.”
Based on the patented game platform developed by EquiLottery Games, Baseball Bucks marks the first time a U.S. professional sports league has entered the lottery draw game category. Lottery players will purchase a quick pick ticket that features 10 games from that day’s MLB regular season schedule. Winning tickets will match anywhere from 7 out of 10 winning teams to 10 out of 10 winners, with four prize tiers and overall odds of just 6 to 1.
Joining other live sports lottery games offered by EquiLottery Games such as Win Place Show® and Race Car Cash™, Baseball Bucks will utilize a quick pick gameplay style that makes it a pure game of chance. This appeals to a different kind of lottery player than traditional sports gaming and expands engagement with baseball fans.
This partnership also will see the parties potentially collaborate on other lottery games based on live baseball, including designs that offer life-changing jackpots similar to popular mainstays such as Powerball® and Mega Millions®. EquiLottery Games, the pioneer of live sports lottery games in North America, has already announced a partnership with Speedway Motorsports to develop a game based on live auto racing tentatively called Race Car Cash and has several other league deals in the works. EquiLottery Games recently launched Win Place Show, a lottery game based on live horse racing, through the Kentucky Lottery on a pilot basis.
About EquiLottery Games:
As the developer of the first daily lottery game based on a live sporting event to be offered through a U.S. lottery, EquiLottery Games is the pioneer of this exciting new game of chance sports category in lottery and gaming. This first-of-its-kind company offers a series of games based on popular sports such as auto racing, baseball, basketball, football, golf, hockey, and horse racing and partner with leagues and racetracks to integrate their iconic branding and valuable IP with the convenience of government lottery systems. Protected by US and Canadian patents, EquiLottery Games supports its lottery offerings through a series of products and services that make its games plug-and-play for its state lottery customers. These include central gaming systems, data licensing, horsemen negotiations, intellectual property licensing, mobile apps, multi-channel marketing support, second chance raffle prizes, sports calendar development, sports league licensing, systems integrations, and video streaming.
About Major League Baseball:
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Major League Baseball is the best-attended sport in North America, and since 2004, MLB has enjoyed its best-attended seasons in the history of the game. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB currently features record levels of labor peace, competitive balance and industry revenues, as well as the most comprehensive drug-testing program in American professional sports. MLB remains committed to making an impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world, perpetuating the sport’s larger role in society and permeating every facet of baseball’s business, marketing and community relations endeavors. With the continued success of MLB Network and MLB digital platforms, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America’s National Pastime and a truly global game. For more information on Major League Baseball, visit www.MLB.com.
Gambling in the USA
New Jersey Gambling Revenue Increases in July

This summer is shaping up to be a strong one for Atlantic City casinos and their online gambling operating partners. According to the latest data collected by the state, the total gambling revenue for the casinos and their operating partners from in-state online gambling was nearly $250 million during July. That represents a nearly 27% increase over last year’s total revenue for July, and it comes on top of a more than 23% year-over-year increase measured during the month of June.
In all, revenue this year from online gambling through the end of July topped $1.6 billion, up 23.3% compared to the same period last year, according to a report from the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement, which regularly tracks gambling revenue earned legally in New Jersey.
The revenue gains from online gambling do not appear to have come at the expense of in-person gambling this summer, according to the DGE data. Revenue from gambling at the casinos also grew in both June and July, although at more modest rates, with year-to-date collections totaling $1.66 billion through the end of July, the report said.
Amid the online-gambling revenue upswing, state policymakers decided earlier this summer to increase the state tax levied on legal online gambling offered by casinos and their operating partners.
The online gambling tax hike, as well as an increase in the state tax levied on mobile sports betting, came as part of a broader plan to raise an additional $600 million in annual revenue for the state budget.
The two gambling tax hikes, which went into effect on July 1, are projected to increase the revenues the state collects from casino taxes and fees by more than $200 million annually, according to estimates from the Department of the Treasury.
According to the report issued by Stockton University, which is based in Atlantic County, the casino industry’s gross gambling revenues totaled nearly $5.7 billion in 2024.
Last year, the total from taxes and fees levied on casino operators in New Jersey topped $880 million, according to a report issued earlier this year by Stockton University.
This included $572 million in revenue that went directly into New Jersey’s Casino Revenue Fund, the report said. That fund, by law, benefits programs and services for senior citizens and disabled residents.
In all, online gambling on traditional casino games, like poker and blackjack, netted casino operators $2.4 billion in gross revenue last year, followed by slots, $2.1 billion; table games, $699.7 million; mobile sports betting, $486.5 million; and in-person sports betting, $6.5 million, according to the report, which cited state data.
And even before the increased state tax rates that were put in place earlier this summer, the tax revenue generated by casino gambling in New Jersey was trending up, the report said.
Gambling in the USA
Virginia Lawmakers Debate Creating iGaming Agency

Virginia lawmakers are actively debating whether to establish a new regulatory agency to oversee iGaming. The joint subcommittee discussed a bill to create the Virginia Gaming Commission. It would manage all gambling verticals beyond the lottery.
Delegate Paul Krizek said: “The Virginia Gaming Commission is a step we need to preserve the good.”
Currently, the Virginia Lottery regulates sports betting and casinos, while other agencies manage charitable gaming and horse racing. Lawmakers also considered legalizing online casinos, including real-money platforms.
Delegate Marcus Simon introduced HB 2171 earlier this year. The bill aimed to authorize a real money online casino market under casino-lottery oversight. While the bill failed, Simon explained that the aim remains to curb illegal offshore platforms.
“My goal is to bring it under a regulated umbrella where we can have some oversight and supervision,” Simon said.
The subcommittee reviewed revenue projections estimating up to $5.3 billion in taxable income from online casinos over five years. The estimates included increased land-based casino revenue of 8.4%.
Experts raised concerns about real money online casino risks. Keith Whyte from Safer Gambling Strategies urged strong enforcement and safer gaming tools. Whyte noted: “Players could be encouraged… to take control through deposit limits, time limits, budget calculators, and personalized dashboards.”
Mental health advisor Brianne Doura-Schawohl backed up Whyte’s statement, warning that such products are dangerous without safeguards.
Former New Jersey regulator David Rebuck testified that iGaming complemented land-based casinos there. He pointed to New Jersey’s market, where online play boosted tourism and in-person casino revenue.
However, some Virginia legislators expressed skepticism, citing fears of cannibalization. They questioned whether online casinos might draw customers away from brick-and-mortar venues.
Industry experts countered that New Jersey and Michigan showed the opposite effect. Rebuck explained: “The evidence demonstrates iGaming expands the player base rather than cannibalizes physical casinos.”
Supporters argued that Virginia’s land-based operators could benefit from cross-promotion, loyalty programs, and expanded reach to players in rural areas.
The subcommittee must make recommendations by November 30, 2025. Officials expect the commission’s creation will precede legalization of online casinos. The Virginia lawmakers will review feasibility and revise HB 2171 before the 2026 legislative session.
Gambling in the USA
DraftKings Introduces Credit Card Deposit Ban for US Customers

DraftKings has introduced credit card deposit ban for US customers. This decision aligns them with other major gambling operators, such as Fanatics Betting & Gaming, Betr, and Sporttrade, which have already banned credit card funding for wagering accounts.
It also comes on the heels of another major announcement by DraftKings. Starting September 1, DraftKings will charge a 50-cent fee for every mobile and online bet placed in Illinois using its Sportsbook platform. This change follows a similar move by FanDuel.
DraftKings CEO, Jason Robins, expressed his disappointment with Illinois policymakers for significantly raising the tax rate. He is worried that this could hurt the legal sports betting industry, while the illegal market continues to operate without paying taxes or providing any consumer protections.
DraftKings has informed its users that any saved credit card information will be disabled.
Moving forward, players will need to utilize alternative payment methods, including:
• Debit Cards
• ACH and wire transfers
• PayPal, Venmo
• Apple Pay
• Gift Cards
Bettors can also use cash at physical locations to fund their accounts.
DraftKings describes this step as a “strategic business decision” aimed at shielding customers from the high interest rates and cash advance fees usually associated with credit card deposits in gambling. Unlike regulatory demands, this decision was internally driven but coincides with growing scrutiny from regulators.
DraftKings has decided to stop accepting credit cards for deposits in the US due to worries about customer safety and more scrutiny from regulators. Recently, the company faced a significant fine in Massachusetts, where it is based. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission fined DraftKings $450,000 for allowing credit card deposits, which goes against state laws.
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