The Fire Joker has returned, his blazing grin wider than ever. Hes back in control of the reels, where classic fruits and symbols light up under his fiery touch. But this time, theres more than just mischief in the air. The heat has intensified, the stakes are higher, and this scorching slot is cranked up to a full 100.
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The Fire Joker has returned, his blazing grin wider than ever. Hes back in control of the reels, where classic fruits and symbols light up under his fiery touch. But this time, theres more than just mischief in the air. The heat has intensified, the stakes are higher, and this scorching slot is cranked up to a full 100.

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Five Years Post-PASPA: The Spread of Legal Sports Betting in the USA

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Five years ago, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was repealed by the Supreme Court, kicking off one of the fastest periods of gambling legalization ever seen in the USA.

The repeal of PASPA, which had prevented all but a handful of states from regulating sports betting, started a revolution in real money betting that has forever changed the US gambling industry.

Five years later, it’s time to look back at how the market has developed and the legal, economic, and social effects of this monumental change.

The Context: The Downfall of PASPA

PASPA was a federal law that came into effect in 1992. It included all states except Nevada, Oregon, Montana, and Delaware, which were excluded because their laws already had sports betting provisions.

PASPA outlawed sports betting in all other states, effectively banning it nationwide. This didn’t mean that sports betting wasn’t happening; it was just an underground, offshore activity.

PASPA remained in force until May 2018, when the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional. This was thanks almost entirely to the efforts of New Jersey, under the leadership of Governor Chris Christie, who brought the legal challenge after trying to legalize online sports betting in 2011 and 2014. New Jersey argued that part of PASPA violated the anti-commandeering doctrine (the tenth amendment), which, in overly simple terms, prevents the federal government from coercing states to adopt or enforce federal laws.

The District Court first heard New Jersey’s case, then the Third Circuit, with both ruling against them. However, upon appeal, the case was heard by the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) on May 14th, 2018. SCOTUS agreed that PASPA violated the anti-commandeering principle, rescinding the entire act and stating that PASPA was meant to work as a whole, meaning that if part of it was not legally viable, the whole act must be struck down.

Legal Outlook: 38 States Legal, 12 To Go

With PASPA gone, each state now had the right to decide whether to legalize sports betting, with a majority opting to. As of November 2023, 38 states have said yes, passing new laws that allow retail sports betting. Online sports betting is also available in 26.

There are 12 states left to legalize. Three of them (South Carolina, Alabama, and California) face strong opposition, and the remaining nine are looking to introduce bills in the 2024/2025 legislative sessions. North Carolina and Minnesota are tipped to be the next to join the fray, and Oklahoma introduced a new proposal two months ago.

The legal landscape remains complex, with different rules, regulators, and taxation regimes in each state. On top of this, in certain locations, the presence of tribal gaming compacts has conflicted with commercial interests (the ongoing case of Florida sports betting and tribal opposition in California serve as perfect examples).

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Growth of Online Casinos – Not Going As Planned

While there was no guarantee, many industry experts and commentators hoped that the legalization of sports betting would soon be followed by online casino regulation. However, thus far, only six states have legalized online casinos: New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, and Connecticut, the latest to join the ranks, passing HB 6451 in 2021. Since then, there’s been no further movement for online casinos.

Players outside the mentioned states may only use land-based casinos or free social gaming sites where available. Sweepstakes casinos are also available across the country, Idaho and Washington aside. As a legitimate gaming option, sweepstakes are taking the US by storm, but just like with real online casinos, players should use a review site to find the best options.

As sweepstakes casinos don’t require a license in the USA, expert advice such as Casino Cabbie’s Wow Vegas Online Casino Review highlights any security issues and the benefits and pitfalls of each site as well before players sign up, making them an invaluable resource.

Economics: More Than $220 Billion Spent On Sports Betting Since 2018

One of the biggest drivers of sports betting legalization is the promise of potential tax revenue. The US sports betting industry is enormous, and since 2018, more than $220 billion has been spent on wagers, contributing over $3 billion in state taxes. The revenue earned by states has been instrumental in funding local projects and new initiatives, as well as responsible gambling research and support.

More in-depth and up-to-date research focusing on the exact economic contribution of sports betting is thin on the ground, and the last comprehensive study by Oxford Economics was published in 2017. At the time, it detailed that the entire sports betting industry created over 216,671 jobs.

Due to the lack of current data, we’re left to turn to figures charting the impact of the entire gambling industry, which includes casinos and sports betting. According to statistics from the American Gaming Association in 2022, US gambling is a powerhouse industry, creating, in total, 1.8 million US jobs, with $104.2 billion in wages (these figures include the entire supply chain).

There can be no argument that over the last five years, US sports betting has been a substantial economic contributor, helping state governments recover from COVID-19, creating jobs, and stimulating economic growth.

Social: 77% of American Adults Support Legalization in their State

Legally and economically, things have changed rapidly in the States since the repeal of PASPA, but what about the social impacts?

Research shows that 85% of Americans think the removal of PASPA was correct, with 77% now supporting sports betting legalization in their state. Moreover, the number of Americans open to placing sports bets has grown by 24 million since 2019. With many enjoying the newly legal betting options available to them, public attitudes towards gambling as a whole have seemingly softened.

With many states also benefiting from increased government budgets brought through sports betting tax revenue, it’s important to recognize the benefits this has made to social provisions. Many states have used the influx to contribute more money to education funds and other social causes, like reducing homelessness.

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A proportion of the money is also used to fund state problem gambling assistance, with many running state-based hotlines and counseling services. Nonetheless, in many cases, this funding is not enough to offset the increased rates of gambling harms caused by legalization.

Future Outlook: Challenges and Concerns

Looking forward, the US online sports betting industry has a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.33% for 2023-2027, meaning there’s much more to come. However, this rapid growth will lead to some challenges.

Offshore gambling has been a considerable issue for the legal sports betting market. In 2022, The American Gaming Association estimated that Americans wagered $63.8 billion with illegal bookies, costing $3.8 billion in lost gaming revenue and $700 million in state taxes.

 

While offshore gambling is reducing, the latest data shows that 77% of online sports bets are now placed through regulated operators, compared to just 44% in 2019. However, things are not all rosy, and 48% of those who bet offshore believe they are placing legal wagers.

 

Gambling addiction also poses a considerable threat to the sustainability of the entire US gambling industry, with some states recently reporting problem gambling rates over 6%, which is three times the national average (to contextualize this figure better, the UK has a problem gambling rate of 0.2%). High rates of problem gambling twinned with rapid growth potentially represent a ticking time bomb that could rock the entire US industry.

 

It’s undoubtedly been an incredible five years for US bettors and sportsbooks; as a newer gambling market, the US must now look to more mature gambling jurisdictions to see what player protection methods work best and implement them sooner rather than later.

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MGM Resorts International and Technology Partner Playtech Expand “Live from Vegas” Offering with Launch of Family Feud

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MGM Resorts International and Playtech announced that they have expanded the “Live from Vegas” offering with the launch of Family Feud, a licensed adaptation of Fremantle’s classic gameshow, streamed live and in real time from a studio located on MGM Grand’s casino floor in Las Vegas.

This is the first interactive game show of its kind to be broadcast live from a Las Vegas casino floor and is available to operators in regulated markets, outside of the US. The studio also broadcasts a variety of interactive table games, including blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, all hosted in a fully transparent glass studio visible to the public 24/7.

“MGM Resorts, with Playtech and Fremantle, is at the forefront of digital gaming bringing the iconic Las Vegas experience to people around the globe. The live dealer studio marks a major step in our growth strategy and pursuit of being the world’s premier gaming entertainment company. We will continue working to create unforgettable moments and new ways to enjoy what the Las Vegas Strip has to offer,” said Gary Fritz, President of MGM Resorts International Interactive.

Building on the successful launch of “Live from Vegas” in June 2024, which saw the introduction of multiple live dealer table games being broadcast from both MGM Grand and Bellagio Resort & Casino, this marks the second phase of MGM Resorts and Playtech’s strategic partnership, a significant milestone in the delivery of new and distinctive live gaming experiences.

Mor Weizer, Chief Executive Officer at Playtech, said: “We’re proud to unveil our full suite of live-streamed experiences from Las Vegas, now featuring Family Feud. This next phase of our collaboration with MGM Resorts and Fremantle represents our shared ambition to redefine live gaming entertainment. Together, we’re introducing a new category of immersive and engaging content to support growth in regulated markets, built on a foundation of robust compliance and player protection.”

Suzanne Lopez, Chief Operating Officer at Fremantle, said: “Our partnership with MGM Resorts and Playtech brings together world-class entertainment, technological innovation, and gaming excellence. For the first time, Family Feud has been integrated into a live dealer environment, powered by actual survey questions from the official Family Feud franchise. This collaboration delivers a truly unique and authentic game show experience.”

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Fantasy Sports

FanDuel Debuts New Peer to Peer Fantasy Product “FanDuel Picks” in Select States

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FanDuel, North America’s premier online gaming company, is introducing FanDuel Picks, a new peer-to-peer fantasy sports product. FanDuel Picks offers fans a simplified way to engage with their favorite athletes and a chance to win up to 1000x their entry fee by building lineups and selecting whether the athletes will beat their projected stats during games. Customers new to FanDuel Picks who play $5 will get $60 in bonus funds.

With FanDuel Picks, customers can pick three to six players, select “more” or “less” on the players’ projected stat lines and set their contest entry amount. Customers earn points for every correct selection, and customers with the highest score win a share of the prize pool.

“Just in time for NFL season, we are excited to bring fans a social way to engage with the sports and athletes they love with the launch of FanDuel Picks. The ‘more’ or ‘less’ selection model offers a streamlined fantasy sports experience, and we look forward to offering our customers another way to interact with games this season,” said Rob Cullen, FanDuel Picks General Manager.

FanDuel Picks is now available in 17 states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin.

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Canada

iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO

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The iGaming Ontario Board of Directors has announced Joseph Hillier as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2025. Joseph’s depth in the Ontario igaming market combined with successful public and private sector careers make him the ideal President and CEO at this critical point in iGaming Ontario’s growth.

Joseph was most recently Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Secretary at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), where he delivered significant strategic and regulatory initiatives across the province’s alcohol, cannabis, gaming, and horse racing sectors. Prior to the AGCO, he served as Chief of Staff to Ontario Attorney General Hon. Doug Downey and led the development, launch and implementation of Canada’s first private sector-driven igaming market and the creation of iGaming Ontario. Joseph also spent more than a decade working in the financial and legal services sectors.

The Board expressed its sincere thanks to David Smith for serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since Martha Otton’s retirement.

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