Gambling in the USA
New Jersey’s Sportsbooks Hit $800m While Online Casinos Surpass Milestone of Their Own, According to PlayNJ

New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks enjoyed their first-ever $800 million month, putting the state on the path to the best year in terms of wagering of any legal jurisdiction, a shocking achievement in such an unusual year, according to PlayNJ analysts.
“The record-setting pace has now continued even as October’s sports schedule returned to something more resembling normal, which is a great sign for the industry’s near-term,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst at PlayNJ.com. “New Jersey is now clearly the standard-bearer among legal sports jurisdictions, and the state seems to only be widening the gap.”
New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks combined to break their own monthly all-jurisdiction record for the third consecutive month with $803.1 million in bets in October, according to official data released Friday. Those bets beat the record $748.6 million handle gained in September and are up 64.6% from $487.9 million in October 2019.
October’s bets yielded a record $58.5 million in gross operator revenue, up 26.1% from $46.4 million in October 2019 and breaking the previous record of $53.6 million set in January. Last month’s revenues injected $7.4 million into state coffers.
Despite months of retail sportsbook closures and sports stoppages, New Jersey sportsbooks have now generated $4.1 billion in bets so far this year. That puts New Jersey on pace to surpass Nevada’s all-jurisdiction record of $5.3 billion, set in 2019.
New Jersey’s embrace of online betting, which accounted for 92.6%, or $743.9 million, of October’s handle, is a chief reason. October’s online handle is up from $678.7 million in September and $417 million in October 2019.
“The pandemic has crystalized the difference between Nevada and New Jersey, where online betting is paramount,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst at PlayNJ.com. “New Jersey was almost certain to grow into the nation’s largest market. But with 90% of bets coming through online sportsbooks in New Jersey, it was simply better prepared for the events of 2020.”
Football generated $278.9 million in bets in October, baseball added $93.9 million, while basketball chipped in $28.5 million.
FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet topped online operators with $29.3 million in gross revenue, up from $25.1 million in September. Retail sportsbooks generated $59.2 million in bets, down from $69.8 million in September. Borgata led with $1 million in revenue.
“October represented a return to normal, of sorts, with a football-driven schedule spurring interest and operators announcing fresh investments,” Gouker said. “October’s results suggest a new permanent trajectory for New Jersey, with no apparent signs of letting up.”
Online casino and poker
New Jersey’s online casinos and poker rooms reached the $90 million plateau for the first time, generating a record $93.5 million in October revenue. That is up 106.7% from $45.2 million in October 2019, yielding $14 million in state taxes.
The Golden Nugget’s October revenue again topped all online casinos with $28.6 million. But one of the bright spots this year has been the growth of other operators. Borgata grew its October revenue 184.6%, to $22.1 million, year over year. And Resorts Digital jumped 109.2%, to $21.6 million.
“Catching the Golden Nugget is a tall task, but operators such as Borgata and Resorts Digital have made important gains,” Ramsey said. “Operators have been forced to drive revenue through their online portals to supplement what has been lost in the retail market.”
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 companyâs efforts to expand its footprint throughout the Western Hemisphere. His role will include market development, strategic partnerships, regulatory positioning, and the promotion of Abbiatiâs legacy of Italian innovation, craftsmanship, and integrity.
âThis partnership is about more than market entry â itâs about building deeper awareness, driving product adoption, and reinforcing Abbiatiâs commitment to quality across every pit and poker room in the hemisphere,â said Hawkins.
Giorgio Abbiati, CEO of Abbiati Casino Equipment, said: âWe have proudly served clients in the Americas for many years, but the time is right to deepen our focus. Rogerâs knowledge of our products and his insight into the market make him the ideal partner to lead this next phase.â
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, cafÊ, 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.
âThis 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,â 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.
âOnce again, I want to thank the Cleveland County, City of Kings Mountain, federal and state leaders who have supported the Catawba Nationâs efforts develop the casino resort in its ancestral lands in North Carolina,â 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 âjackpot,â and 19 even referenced a âhand pay.â
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.
âI hit 4 jackpots. I stayed one night. I had a blast. The machines are as loose as anywhere else,â wrote one Tripadvisor reviewer, noted Casinos.com, capturing the essence of why the casino landed in the No. 1 spot.
âWeâve always known this was a lucky casino, but itâs exciting to see that recognized through data-driven research. Itâs a testament to the vibrant energy on our casino floor and the unforgettable experiences we strive to create for every guest,â said Steve Bonner, President of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.
The ranking reinforces Seminole Hard Rock Tampaâs 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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