Gambling in the USA

Three Gambling Trends To Watch In 2021

Published

5 years ago

December 21, 2020

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.

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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 21^st 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.

Related Topics:BettingUSA.com gambling trends PASPA Steve Ruddock

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Gambling in the USA

Scientific Games’ iLottery Games Portfolio Expands as Pixiu Gaming Joins SG Content Hub

Published

3 weeks ago

July 21, 2025

Zoltan Tundik

Exciting New Hasbro-Licensed MONOPOLY and BATTLESHIP iLottery Games Coming Via SG Content Hub

Scientific Games welcomed Pixiu Gaming as the newest studio partner to the SG Content Hub. Pixiu Gaming joins the government-regulated lottery industry’s premier iLottery content delivery platform, featuring an expanding, highly curated selection of iLottery games from Scientific Games and partner studios around the globe. The games are available to lotteries in multiple languages and in a variety of play styles for all player segments.

Widely recognized as the leading supplier of Keno games in North American regulated gaming markets, Pixiu Gaming is a boutique developer focused on authentic, engaging and player-centric games. Founded in 2014 and based in London, UK with a remote global team, Pixiu is named after a fierce Chinese mythical creature that attracts and preserves great wealth.

Scientific Games, the world’s largest lottery games company, is collaborating with Pixiu Gaming to bring exciting new MONOPOLY and BATTLESHIP iLottery games to lotteries through its exclusive licensing agreement with Hasbro. Games created by Pixiu Gaming will be available in the SG Content Hub, in addition to games from Scientific Games’ own SG Studios and other premier partner studios worldwide.

Tony Plaskow, Pixiu Gaming Co-Founder, said, “Pixiu Gaming is thrilled to join the SG Content Hub to bring our games to more lotteries. We look forward to working with Scientific Games and Hasbro to create exciting, brand-sensitive MONOPOLY and BATTLESHIP-themed iLottery game experiences. These iconic brands are familiar worldwide, and each provides the perfect mix of strategy and luck. We will weave a true-to-brand digital game experience with fun, simple-to-understand content that entertains players.”

Matt Lynch, President, Digital for Scientific Games, said, “We are very excited to partner with Pixiu Gaming, an up-and-coming studio. Their unique approach to game development and artistic vision brings a differentiated offering to market that will add depth to iLottery portfolios by expanding game play options for existing players while bringing new game experiences to attract new players. Scientific Games is focused on creating an unparalleled range of playstyles and game mechanics for players with the SG Content Hub, and we are proud to soon include play experiences from Pixiu Gaming.”

SG Content Hub offers partner studios select exclusively licensed brands from the company’s portfolio of more than 100 licensed brands, which also includes other Hasbro-licensed games such as CONNECT 4, THE GAME OF LIFE and YAHTZEE. MONOPOLY is perennially the lottery industry’s top performer, with 33 lotteries worldwide offering MONOPOLY-themed games in fiscal year 2025, resulting in more than $2 billion in retail and digital sales during the year.

Scientific Games provides retail and digital games, technology, analytics and services to 150 lotteries in 50 countries worldwide. The company is a digital lottery innovator offering lotteries entertaining game content featuring the most extensive portfolio of licensed brands in the industry, and world-leading digital programs, including CRM, loyalty, promotions, second chance, mobile and web applications.

The MONOPOLY name and logo, the distinctive design of the game board, the four corner squares, the MR. MONOPOLY name and character, as well as each of the distinctive elements of the board and playing pieces are trademarks of Hasbro for its property trading game and game equipment. © 1935, 2025 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. Licensed by Hasbro.

Gambling in the USA

Caesars Entertainment Bolsters Online Casino Live Dealer Offering with the Launch of Branded Live Dealer Studio in Michigan

Published

3 weeks ago

July 17, 2025

Niji Narayan

Caesars Entertainment Inc. announced the launch of its third branded online casino live dealer studio, available now to players on Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Michigan. Developed in partnership with Evolution, the new studio reinforces Caesars’ commitment to delivering world-class, immersive experiences across its online platforms, inspired by the iconic atmosphere of its Caesars Rewards destinations.

The debut of the new studio marks Caesars’ third branded live dealer studio that has opened in 2025 and draws inspiration from table game play at the Las Vegas Strip’s most iconic casino, Caesars Palace. Its opening follows the successful launch of Caesars’ first branded studio with Evolution in Pennsylvania in January. In April, the Company also debuted its first studio inside a Caesars Rewards destination at Tropicana Atlantic City in New Jersey.

“Our third live dealer studio expands our fully customized live dealer experience that is already extremely popular in Pennsylvania and New Jersey into another key jurisdiction where our online casino platforms are live. The studio design takes inspiration from our flagship destination, Caesars Palace, to authentically recreate the atmosphere of Las Vegas for online players. We look forward to our Michigan players enjoying the new experience,” said Matthew Sunderland, Senior Vice President and Chief iGaming Officer at Caesars Digital.

The new live dealer studio in The Great Lakes State is composed of five blackjack tables, including a VIP-exclusive blackjack table, one roulette table, and one baccarat table. The tables are adorned with custom-branded felts featuring iconic Caesars destinations and each marquee online casino platform, including Caesars Palace Online Casino, Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino, and, for the first time, Tropicana Online Casino.

Select tables also feature custom felts co-branded through partnerships with professional sports teams. Like Caesars Rewards destinations across North America, the studio caters to VIP players with an exclusive high-limit blackjack table offering an authentic 1-to-1 live experience that could previously only be found in a physical casino.

“As the global leader in online live casino with nearly two decades of experience, Evolution is proud to partner once again with Caesars to launch this bespoke live dealer studio in Michigan. The studio brings the unmistakable character of Caesars’ iconic destinations to the online space, offering players in the state a polished, immersive entertainment experience that mirrors the energy and elegance of the casino floor. It’s another bold step forward in our shared commitment to innovation and quality at scale in the online live casino market,” said Marcus Huber, Chief Commercial Officer of Evolution North America.

Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino are available on iOS, Android, and desktop for those 21 and older in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ontario, and West Virginia. Each platform offers a dynamic online casino experience with a range of unique Caesars-branded games alongside hundreds of classic land-based casino favorites and core casino game mechanics, including high limit slots, private live dealer tables, linked progressive jackpots, variations of poker and roulette, and more.

Gambling in the USA

Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel Unveils Expanded Non-Smoking Gaming Floor

Published

1 month ago

July 8, 2025

Niji Narayan

Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel has officially opened its newly expanded non-smoking gaming floor, marking a significant milestone in the property’s continued commitment to exceptional guest experiences.

Located adjacent to the hotel lobby, the new, larger non-smoking slot floor will feature nearly 400 of today’s most popular slot machines in a fresh, modern environment designed exclusively for non-smoking guests. This addition enhances the casino’s dedication to providing smoke-free gaming options in a luxury setting. For convenience and ease of access, non-smoking guests can also take advantage of the smoke-free entrance via the hotel’s valet parking.

This new space complements Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel’s existing fully enclosed, non-smoking slot area near Falls Buffet and Snoqualmie Café & Deli, offering guests even more choice and accessibility when it comes to their preferred gaming environment.

In addition to these gaming enhancements, all restaurants on property are 100% non-smoking, making Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel a premier destination for guests seeking an elevated, smoke-free entertainment and dining experience.

“We’re thrilled to offer our guests even more smoke-free options. The expansion of our non-smoking gaming floor reflects our ongoing efforts to listen to our guests and create an atmosphere that’s both exciting and comfortable for everyone,” said Mary Lou Patterson, CEO of Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel.