Gambling in the USA

Gaming Industry Rebounded in First Half of 2023 but Deferred Student Loan Repayments Loom

Published

2 years ago

July 26, 2023

Participation in mobile sports betting rose slightly, from 11% in Q4 2022 to 17% in Q2 2023, according to new research by TransUnion (NYSE: TRU). Meanwhile, the broader gaming industry grew in Q1 2023 due to major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and March Madness. However, it was still down 12% compared to Q1 2022.

The trend is largely due to inflation’s impact on consumer wallets. More than half of bettors (53%) agreed that their income was keeping up with the rate of inflation while less than one-third (31%) said they disagreed. In contrast, just over a quarter of non-bettors (26%) said their income was keeping up with inflation while more than half (51%) said it was not.

The research comprised an online survey of 3,000 adults in late April to early May 2023 as well as an analysis of gaming industry performance and consumer liquidity, leveraging TransUnion’s proprietary CreditVision attributes. A full report of the findings is available in the new TransUnion US Gaming Report.

“The majority of the active betting population has experienced rising incomes that outpace inflation including the key millennial demographic so they have the means to spend on this type of entertainment,” the head of TransUnion’s gaming business, Declan Raines, said. “Conversely, most would-be bettors, whose incomes have not kept up with rising costs, are holding back from playing.”

Consumers Likelihood to Bet Based on Income Change

	Increased a Lot	Increased a Little	Stayed the Same	Decreased a Little	Decreased a Lot
Yes	69%	31%	17%	23%	22%
No	31%	69%	83%	77%	78%

Further in line with this finding is that consumers whose income has increased by a lot are not only more likely to bet but also likelier to bet much more. About a quarter (24%) of high-income consumers (those with incomes of $100,000+) whose income increased a lot said they deposit over $500 per month for betting activities, compared to only 9% of high-income earners whose income stayed the same and 10% of high-income earners whose income increased a little.

Uneven Impact for Student Loan Repayments

Beginning in October, student loan payments will resume for consumers who chose to defer payments under the pandemic-era student loan relief program. This will undoubtedly have an impact on consumer liquidity for most bettors and could reduce their level of activity.

However, it will likely be less of an issue for high-value bettors, those who deposit more than $500 per month for betting activities. Roughly two-thirds of student loan debt is held by prime and below consumers. High-value bettors, by contrast, are disproportionately in the above prime segments, suggesting student loan payments could have less of an impact on this group.

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Bettors at Heightened Risk for Fraud

The report also found that, while bettors and non-bettors were targeted by fraud schemes at roughly the same rate, bettors were more than twice as likely to have fallen victim to a fraud attempt. That risk varied among types of fraud, with the highest rate of bettor victimization stemming from online and phone fraud.

Consumers Who Fell Victim to Online or Text/Call Fraud Attempts in Past Three Months

Online High-Value Bettors	Online Bettors		Non-Bettors
22%	17%		7%

“Bettors’ risk of fraud has implications for operators as well,” Raines said. “Leveraging fraud solutions can help operators prevent account takeover and enhance account security for their players without applying unnecessary friction.”

Operators interested in protecting their business and players from fraud should consider leveraging TransUnion’s flagship identity and fraud solution line, TruValidate. For more information about the research, read the TransUnion US Gaming Report.

Research Methodology

This online survey of 3,000 adults was conducted April 25 to May 9, 2023, by TransUnion in partnership with third-party research provider, Dynata. Adults 18 years of age and older residing in the United States were surveyed using an online research panel method across a combination of desktop, mobile and tablet devices. Survey questions were administered in English. All states are represented in the study survey responses. To ensure general population sample representativeness across United States resident demographics, the survey included quotas to balance responses to the census statistics on the dimensions of age, gender, household income, race and region. Generations are defined as follows: Gen Z, born 1995 to 2005; Millennials, born 1980 to 1994; Gen X, born 1965 to 1979, and Baby Boomers; born 1944 to 1964. These research results are unweighted and statistically significant at a 95% confidence level within 1.79 percentage points based on calculated error margin. Please note some chart percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding or multiple answers being accepted.

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Gambling in the USA

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

Published

2 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

4 weeks 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.