Gambling in the USA
Three Gambling Trends To Watch In 2021

With the calendar about to mercifully flip to 2021, Steve Ruddock, content director at BettingUSA.com, offers up his thoughts on what 2021 has in store for the US gambling industry
The COVID-19 pandemic upended industries across the globe. The gambling industry was one of the hardest hit. Lockdowns, occupancy limitations, and various other COVID-related restrictions have taken their toll on the industry.
But there is a bright side. Vaccines have arrived and should be widely available by the end of H1 2021. Online gaming proved itself a reliable source of revenue and a backstop against future calamities. And the industry was forced to do some self-reflection.
2020 gave us a little bit of everything, and 2021 is shaping up to be another interesting year for the gambling industry.
Sports Betting Will Have A Good But Not Great Year
Legalized sports betting has swept across the US, and hopes are high the already considerable gains will pick up even more steam as states struggle to plug massive budget holes brought on by the pandemic.
There’s momentum in several key states, including:
- The prospect of retail and online legalization in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Ohio;
- The addition of mobile betting to New York’s current retail betting locations; and
- The possibility of retail sports betting coming to California.
That has led to speculation that a run on the bank, with sports betting showing up everywhere from Florida to Texas to Maine, is in the cards. And that’s where a bucket of cold water makes its appearance.
If a state hasn’t legalized sports betting at this point, then there has to be a reason, or more likely, reasons. What might seem like a simple solution to the masses (legalize sports betting, launch sports betting, print money) is a far more complicated process than most people realize.
At the top of the list is money. The notion of generating more revenue through legal sports betting seems like a no-brainer. Still, problems bubble up when the discussion shifts to how that money gets divvied up among stakeholders and the state, as well as anyone with the most tenuous connection to the issue holding out their hand hoping to catch some loose change.
Once you get beyond money, it’s a simple matter of dealing with legal hurdles and navigating existing laws, considerations of public sentiment and legislative appetite, and the fact that gambling is controversial and low on the legislative priority list.
When you dig into each state’s particulars, you find most states that haven’t passed sports betting legislation are struggling with several of these factors.
Bottom line: If a state hasn’t passed sports betting in the run-up to the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down PASPA or the two and a half years since the ruling, it’s safe to say it’s not a simple issue. Progress will be made, but 2021 isn’t the year when the bulk of the US legalizes sports betting.
Land-Based Casinos are Ready to Enter the 21st Century
Before 2020, US casinos were viewed as a revenue-generating, job-creating juggernaut. Casinos were an unstoppable force that could brush off any impediments in its path. With that as the backdrop, is it any wonder the industry has been quite resistant to change?
Then the reality slap of COVID-19 landed, and an industry that believed it was invulnerable quickly had its defects laid bare.
When things are going well, it’s easy to overlook or justify underperforming aspects of your business. But when the fit hits the shan, companies tend to examine everything. In the case of land-based casinos, that self-examination uncovered the inconvenient truth that the business model has gone mostly unchanged since Steve Wynn ushered in the amenity era in the 1990s. Since then, it’s mainly been stagnation. That’s no longer the case.
COVID has accelerated the industry’s acceptance of cashless gaming products and online and interactive gaming options. And it’s led to casinos instituting long overdue measures like guest tracking and refocusing on the guest experience.
That trend is likely to continue.
A Shakeup in the US Sports Betting Hierarchy?
One of the early surprises in the US sports betting industry has been the performance of DraftKings and FanDuel. The two daily fantasy sports giants smoothly transitioned to sports betting and have been the industry’s runaway leaders, getting the better of their more experienced competitors from Europe.
According to recent estimates from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, DraftKings and FanDuel constitute 70% (22% and 48% respectively) of the New Jersey sports betting market. Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reports show the two operators boast about 60% of the market, and in Colorado, their combined market share is closer to 85%.
That said, we are still in the early stages of the legal US sports betting experiment, and challengers have started to emerge.
Since a significant product overhaul and rebrand, BetMGM has been cutting into DraftKings and FanDuel’s lead and looks to be a major force in the space. In Colorado, BetMGM has carved out 11% of the market, and its sports betting products are closing in on a double-digit market share in New Jersey, according to E&K Gaming.
Another challenger is Penn National and its Barstool Sportsbook. The Barstool Sportsbook app is live in Pennsylvania, where it’s already grabbed a significant market share (nearly 12% in November), and will considerably expand its footprint with early 2021 launches in the key states of Michigan and Illinois.
And then there are the European heavyweights that have quietly entered the US market, seemingly biding their time. With their experience, it’s likely one or more will breakthrough in the US.
Gambling in the USA
Bruce Smith Enterprise and The Cordish Companies Break Ground on New Live! Casino & Hotel in Petersburg, Virginia

Bruce Smith Enterprise and The Cordish Companies celebrated the groundbreaking of the new LIVE! CASINO & HOTEL VIRGINIA in Petersburg. The milestone officially commences construction on a transformative project that will generate billions of dollars in economic benefits and spinoff development, create thousands of new jobs, and set a new standard for gaming, hotels, and entertainment in the Commonwealth. Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia is part of a larger $1.4 billion master plan by the partnership, scheduled to be developed in phases, that will bring a world-class mixed-use resort destination to Petersburg.
Executives from Bruce Smith Enterprise, The Cordish Companies, and Cordish Gaming were joined by Petersburg City Mayor Sam Parham and members of Petersburg City Council, Virginia State Senator Lashrecse Aird, Virginia State Delegate Kim Taylor, and many other business and community leaders at the project site in Petersburg. The development site, ideally located on Brasfield Parkway at the intersection of Wagner Road and Interstate I-95 just 20 miles south of Richmond, will provide easy access on and off the East Coast’s major north-south interstate.
“It has been a source of immense satisfaction and pride to partner in this incredible development. For far too long people have simply driven by the City of Petersburg, but today marks the beginning of a new era in which Petersburg will become a prime destination. This pivotal project will ignite tourism, create jobs, and ultimately deliver on the promise of greater opportunity and upward mobility for local families. As a champion of Petersburg and its residents, I am happily confident that this historic development will uplift, empower, and enrich this community for years to come,” said Bruce Smith, founder of Bruce Smith Enterprise.
Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia is slated to open in 2027. A temporary gaming facility will open by the end of 2025 to immediately begin creating an estimated 500 new jobs, vendor opportunities and economic benefits for the City. In its first 10 years, the project is expected to generate $2.8 billion in economic stimulus to the region; $504 million in tax revenues including $240 million to the City of Petersburg; $802 million in economic benefits during construction; $201 million in annual economic benefits each year after opening; and 7500 new jobs including 6100 during construction and 1400 new permanent jobs.
“Today marks a monumental day for The Cordish Companies as we expand our Live! brand into the Central Virginia region with the development of Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia. Our company is a national leader in successfully developing and managing large-scale urban revitalization projects across the country. Live! Casino & Hotel will be a transformative development that will bring a world-class gaming and entertainment experience to millions of visitors, create significant new jobs, and generate millions of dollars in economic benefits for the community that will provide a beneficial impact for generations. We look forward to making an immediate impact on the region with the construction of a temporary gaming facility that will be operational before the end of 2025, so that we can begin creating jobs, vendor opportunities and economic benefits for the City,” said Zed Smith, Chief Operating Officer for The Cordish Companies.
Gambling in the USA
PENN Entertainment Launches Stand-alone Hollywood Casino App in New Jersey

PENN Entertainment announced that its stand-alone Hollywood Casino app has launched in New Jersey. The new Hollywood Casino platform is available on Android, iOS, and desktop and can also be accessed via the ESPN BET app. Customers can login to Hollywood Casino using their ESPN BET credentials, allowing for a seamless experience across PENN’s online betting and casino platforms.
Ranked by Eilers & Krejcik as the #2 overall iCasino product in the US, Hollywood Casino offers a variety of online slots, table games, and live dealer content, including original titles from PENN Game Studios, the company’s in-house casino game development studio. Hollywood Casino also includes bespoke live dealer tables and exclusive games such as the recently launched Devils Blackjack, an original title leveraging PENN’s partnership with the New Jersey Devils.
“We’re thrilled to introduce our dedicated, casino-first experience to customers across New Jersey. Hollywood Casino delivers a best-in-class experience with an extensive game library, seamless gameplay, and exclusive content from our in-house studio. This launch builds on the strong momentum we’ve gained since introducing our enhanced standalone app in December,” said Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer of PENN Entertainment.
The stand-alone Hollywood Casino platform debuted in Pennsylvania last December and is also available in Michigan.
Gambling in the USA
Bitline and Everi Announce Crypto Liquidity for Choctaw Casinos & Resorts in Industry First Development

Bitline, the only provider for casino chip access directly from cryptocurrency, has announced its first major collaboration in the U.S. casino market, teaming up with Choctaw Casinos & Resorts through its collaboration with Everi, a premier provider of financial technology and gaming solutions. This collaboration introduces cryptocurrency and digital assets as a new source of liquidity for casino patrons and marks the first time that such a functionality has been enabled within the American gaming industry.
Leveraging Everi’s CashClub’s comprehensive payment infrastructure, Bitline’s solution is able to efficiently board, screen and verify patrons looking to leverage their digital assets whilst also allowing patrons to move screened assets into custody within minutes. Bitline’s integration with Everi Cash Club, the leading financial access services suite for casino payments, will enable the technology for the benefit of Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, and is the first time that such a functionality has been possible in the U.S. regulated casino market.
Catering to the growing demand for greater cryptocurrency and digital asset integration within the casino industry, the collaboration between Bitline and Everi’s forms a transferable blueprint that offers casino operators and their patrons an alternative way to manage funds, access liquidity, and leverage the benefits of cryptocurrency and other digital assets.
This milestone reflects a strategic shift in how casino operators view and manage financial interactions with their guests. The introduction of cryptocurrency as a liquidity solution provides additional options for guests and lays the foundation for Choctaw Casinos & Resorts as it looks to the future of gaming sector finance, setting a new standard in financial accessibility and convenience.
“Working with Choctaw Casinos & Resorts and Everi to make this a reality is a historical moment for both the casino and blockchain industries. Bitline was conceptualized to advance the gaming sector and offer a wider variety of financial options for the casino industry,” said Richard Jones, CEO at Bitline. “We’re entering an era where digital assets can fundamentally enhance the gaming experience, providing casino operators with a future-ready financial framework that can expand and evolve as the industry does. This collaboration is just the beginning of our vision to modernize casino payment capabilities on a global scale.”
Victor Newsom, SVP Product Management, Payments Solutions at Everi comments “This unique integration combines BitLine’s additional payment accessibility options with Everi’s ability to enable seamless, secure, and regulatory compliant financial transactions for casino patrons. Designed from the ground up to exceed the rigorous compliance demands of the industry as well as the discerning expectations of gaming VIPs around the world, Choctaw’s patrons are now no longer limited to the access, times, amount, and speed constraints of the legacy financial systems. This also significantly reduces risk for our casino customers, such as Choctaw.”
“We are excited to be the first casino in North America to offer our guests another way to play,” said Thomas McDonald, Senior Director of Cage and Credit at Choctaw Casinos & Resorts. “Through our long-term relationship with Everi, a leader in fintech solutions, we will continue to invest in innovative offerings that provide the discerning gaming VIP access to funds in a safe and secure manner.”
The Choctaw Casinos & Resorts integration represents only the first phase of Bitline’s broader mission to bring cryptocurrency solutions to casinos and casino patrons worldwide. As cryptocurrency and digital assets continue to gain traction in the gaming sector, Bitline’s easy to integrate and patented payment model stands poised to become a key player in transforming gaming finance. Future plans include expanding services across other major casinos and gaming markets, both domestically and internationally, establishing cryptocurrency as a new standard feature of the gaming experience.
The solution is to be formally rolled out on March 7, 2025, with the first transaction taking place at Choctaw’s Durant, Oklahoma, location.
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