Gambling in the USA
Conscious Gaming Selects Leading Data Encryption Specialist IXUP to Bolster Responsible Gaming Exclusion and Sports Integrity Capabilities

Conscious Gaming and GeoComply Solutions Inc. are pleased to announce that, after a successful technical due diligence process, it has agreed to a Pilot Collaboration Agreement (the Agreement) with IXUP Limited, that will leverage IXUP’s secure database collaboration technologies in the US online gaming and sports wagering markets (the Collaboration) to support sports integrity and deliver self-exclusion capabilities across platforms and jurisdictions throughout the US.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- IXUP has entered into a Pilot Collaboration Agreement with Conscious Gaming and GeoComply Solutions Inc. to jointly develop a technology solution to address next generation needs for Responsible Gaming and Sports Integrity Solutions
- Conscious Gaming is a Nevada-based non-profit organisation founded by GeoComply that leverages technology to create a safe and responsible online gaming environment
- GeoComply, based in Canada, is the global market leader in geolocation security, the leading specialist in fraud prevention and cyber security to U.S. based sports betting operators, and services nearly 100% of the U.S. iGaming market
- Consistent with Conscious Gaming’s mission, GeoComply will strengthen its existing innovative “PlayPause” product by incorporating IXUP’s secure data collaboration technologies
- “PlayPause” was initially designed and developed by GeoComply for the fast-growing U.S. digital sports betting markets for use by major sporting leagues, sports betting operators and regulators
- Key shared objective of the Collaboration is to help facilitate safe and responsible gambling for industry stakeholders, and strengthen betting integrity, by providing leading edge exclusion and self-exclusion tools
- Discussions are underway with major U.S. sports leagues, sports betting operators and regulators for participation in pilot program activities
- Rapidly growing sports betting market in the U.S., together with applications globally, offer a significant total addressable market opportunity
Details of the Collaboration
The Collaboration will provide market-leading encryption-based security and scalability to GeoComply’s “PlayPause” Multi-State Self-Exclusion product, by incorporating IXUP’s secure data collaboration technology and associated capabilities. This will ensure players, coaches, support staff, their families, and related entities (Impermissible Bettors) as well as individuals that would like to take a break or exclude themselves from gambling or wagering are excluded from participating in online betting, gaming and wagering activities, with both IXUP and GeoComply bringing essential elements to the update of “PlayPause”.
Under the terms of the Agreement, IXUP will be responsible for contributing its world-leading secure data collaboration technology, as well as developing, operating and maintaining the jointly developed product. GeoComply will contribute its existing “PlayPause” product and will be responsible for assisting with all regulatory matters, as well as overseeing all sales and marketing efforts with its existing extensive customer base with the major U.S. online betting operators.
GeoComply has successfully deployed the solution in Pennsylvania via a partnership with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and is engaging with additional gaming regulatory agencies as well as major U.S. sporting leagues regarding the provision of this exclusion product in a fully operational Proof of Concept (POC) trial focused on restricting impermissible bettors.
Marcus Gracey, CEO of IXUP, commented, “For some time now we have been assessing opportunities for our secure data collaboration technologies within the lucrative U.S. sports data and sports wagering and gaming markets, which are experiencing once in a generation growth rates due to more states introducing legal online gaming. This Collaboration with GeoComply and Conscious Gaming is an ideal opportunity to showcase the application of our technology within this highly regulated market, where the handling of sensitive data is paramount, with serious consequences for non-compliance. The collaboration will involve the secure interaction of databases containing sensitive personal information supplied by the teams and leagues themselves, which will then form the basis of excluding Impermissible Bettors from making bets with sports betting operators.
We commend GeoComply for its corporate social responsibility vision being expressed through Conscious Gaming, which is committed to leveraging technical solutions to advance responsible gaming. We’re pleased to leverage
our technology to address this and other issues.
We are proud to be working with GeoComply to deliver this world leading and essential product solution and I am confident in our ability to execute, given the team we have brought together during the last 12 months, which includes our strategic advisors Matt Davey and Ian Penrose who are domain experts when it comes to sports betting technologies and associated international markets. This opportunity is also directly aligned with our strategy to leverage our core technology into the growing sports data and wagering markets and to use our technology for social good, where there are suitable opportunities to do so.”
Anna Sainsbury founder of GeoComply and Conscious Gaming, commented, “With the significant growth of sports betting in the U.S. market, it is imperative that stakeholders proactively mitigate problem gambling and effectively manage Impermissible Bettors. Whether a player has self-excluded or if they are prohibited from betting due to regulatory restrictions, a technology solution will be available that gives operators the confidence that they are compliant. IXUP’s unique secure data collaboration technology will be key to bolstering PlayPause, and we are extremely excited to be working with them to deliver this Proof of Concept and ultimately make this product available across the broader North American sports betting and iGaming landscape in coming years”.
Background to the PlayPause Opportunity and GeoComply
Consistent with the objectives of IXUP’s Collaboration Agreement with Tekkorp and Matt Davey, which included the identification of opportunities for IXUP technology within the growing U.S. digital gaming and wagering markets, Tekkorp introduced IXUP to GeoComply, to consider the potential application of IXUP technologies to the challenges associated with problem gambling and responsible gaming. After discussions and a successful period of technical due diligence, the parties have agreed to enter into the Pilot Collaboration Agreement.
GeoComply, based in Canada, is an organization with a focus on fraud prevention and cybersecurity solutions that detect fraud and help verify a customer’s true digital identity.
GeoComply’s location-based fraud detection and geolocation compliance tools have been utilised in various U.S. markets to ensure online customers are who they say they are, prior to approval of a transaction. GeoComply’s technology solutions have relevance in an online commerce setting, where it is essential that the risk of customers transacting is minimised due to the high incidence of fraud that can occur in a setting where there is no physical customer verification step.
GeoComply has nearly a 100% market share in the U.S. market within the gaming and wagering sector and has also created a non-profit, Conscious Gaming, which has been established to focus on leveraging technology and innovation to propel social responsibility initiatives including responsible gaming and consumer protection.
In the U.S. (and globally), operators are required to restrict Impermissible Bettors, from placing bets on the outcome of sporting events that involve their team. Traditional efforts to stamp out this integrity concern have focused, to a large degree, on the honesty of the Impermissible Bettors, who are asked to declare a list of all online betting accounts to which they are associated.
GeoComply saw the potential to develop a revolutionary new solution focused on creating a more streamlined and transparent process for consumers to take a break from their play as well as enabling effective restrictions on Impermissible Bettors. To make this solution more robust and less open to manipulation, GeoComply recognized the importance of utilising a database of Impermissible Bettors sourced from the sporting teams and/or leagues themselves..
The use of databases of Impermissible Bettors, supplied by the sporting teams, introduces significant data security risks and concerns related to the sharing of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) data, which led GeoComply to IXUP, which is a global specialist in the sharing and analysis of secure (encrypted) datasets.
The Product
The final IXUP enhanced “PlayPause” product is intended to be deployed as a distributed, fully encrypted, and highly secure cloud platform to enable Impermissible Betters to be registered and queried in a privacy preserving manner. The platform will use a blend of military grade encryption techniques (including homomorphic encryption) to ensure data is protected and controlled by data owners at all times, yet still enable the data to be searched to identify an Impermissible Bettor. The scalability of the cloud platform will ensure the solution can support the growing size of the sports betting market and the significant amount of data that will need to be queried in real time as a result.
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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