Gambling in the USA
Live opportunity

Scientific Games’ recent purchase of Authentic Gaming was designed to benefit both parties in the growing live casino segment in the US. In this interview, SG Digital’s VP Game Development Rob Procter describes the rich potential for roulette and other live dealer games.
In buying premium live casino solutions supplier Authentic Gaming, Scientific Games added a vital missing piece of the puzzle to its product offering.
The live casino market is an increasingly important product vertical for players, with an estimated 30% of the entire iGaming market now revolving around immersive, innovative and entertaining games that build on experiences traditionally found in land-based casinos.
The appetite is particularly strong in the growing US market, where the live casino segment is expanding in popularity at a rapid rate.
In this interview, we talk to Rob Procter, SG Digital’s VP Game Development, to find out why the time was right for the acquisition of a live casino company, and how the deal can significantly strengthen the company’s hand when it comes to growth in the nascent American iGaming space.
Why is the US opportunity so important when it comes to live casino products?
The land-based casino experience in the US is mainstream entertainment and is often seen as a social event opportunity. The adult population almost have an understanding of games such as blackjack and roulette built into their DNA and groups of friends will regularly spend hours at tables together. Within RNG products, this is a quality that you will very rarely find.
It follows that the live dealer segment in the US offers greater value than in many other territories, because it replicates – and we would argue, enhances – the land-based experience that players have enjoyed over the course of many decades. We have seen through data from our OpenGaming platform that this notion is backed up by the figures: live dealer games can ultimately be as big as we would like them to be. It’s just a matter of how far you are willing to go.
The competitive advantage that we confer to Authentic is the scope of our expertise within the US. Regulatory changes, new state entries and solving compliance issues are factors we have overcome time and again. While such barriers have historically been related to different product verticals, this expertise is easily transferred to live casino.
Why was the time right for this latest acquisition by Scientific Games and how does it increase your growth potential in the US?
There is no getting away from the fact that the live casino market in the US is dominated by one major player and this does present difficulties for companies looking to enter this space. However, we believe that there are also certain niches that have been under-explored within a segment that is accelerating in growth.
The time was right for us to make the move. Our goal is to have a portfolio that covers all aspects of the online gaming market and live casino was the obvious gap in that regard. We considered our options very carefully over a number of months, but it became increasingly clear that Authentic Gaming was the perfect partner as we set out to make a major impact in the vertical. There are clear opportunities for major growth, particularly in the US.
How much autonomy will Authentic continue to enjoy under the Scientific Games umbrella?
Authentic’s market knowledge is second to none and theirs has been a story of success over a number of years. They will continue to do what they do best – produce great live casino content – and our role is to facilitate that while offering additional support that can help them really put their foot down on the accelerator.
From Authentic’s perspective, Scientific Games’ level of expertise in the U.S. market is invaluable. We can help them grow by providing an increased level of operational support where it is needed and by guiding them in what is a new market for them, but one that we have a very strong legacy in. It is a partnership that we believe will be characterised by mutual success, particularly in the strategically important US.
We could have gone down the route of building live casino products from scratch. Sometimes, though, it is better to leave it to the experts. Authentic will continue to move forward thanks to their high level of skill and product knowledge, now with the backing of the Scientific Games machine.
Why did you choose to acquire Authentic Gaming, over other live casino suppliers?
It was always clear during our negotiations that Authentic has a highly engaged, skilled and enthusiastic workforce. There is a level of attention to detail and real care built into their games that we found infectious.
Small can be beautiful, too. Authentic has a set of products that is far more compact that some of its major competitors, but the fundamentals are extremely solid. We saw their titles as being built upon solid ground in terms of technological build, while also offering us the opportunity to add extra value in the future.
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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