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Idaho Lottery Celebrates 35 Years with Record Dividend to People of Idaho
During a community celebration at The Village in Meridian, the Idaho Lottery commemorated their record-breaking 35th Anniversary by returning the single largest dividend in their history to the people of Idaho. The Idaho Lottery Commission presented Governor Brad Little with an $84,000,000 dividend check, a 2.4% increase over last year’s dividend.
“In 1988, Idahoans voted at the ballot box and approved establishing a state lottery to benefit public education. The Lottery has been a success for players, and it has created economic opportunity for Idaho businesses. Most importantly, the Lottery team has contributed nearly $1.3 billion for the benefit of Idaho public schools and buildings,” Governor Brad Little said.
Historically, Idaho Lottery dividends have been used by school districts for building maintenance, repairs, and operational projects. A change in statute during the 2024 Legislative session changes how Lottery dividends are utilized by the State’s school districts.
“Idahoans who play the fun and entertaining games from the Idaho Lottery help build communities in Idaho. Today we are in the West Ada School District where last year’s dividends are being used by local builders and tradesmen to repair roofs, replace HVAC systems, and make school facilities more accessible. Today’s Idaho Lottery dividends will benefit future public school district facilities and provide property tax relief by paying down voter-approved bonds and levies,” said Jeff Anderson, Idaho Lottery Director.
Governor Little and Idaho Lottery Commission Chairman, Craig Corbett, awarded the largest single check ever from the Idaho Lottery to support public education in the Gem State. On behalf of Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction, Debbie Critchfield, the Department of Education’s Chief Financial Officer, Gideon Tolman, accepted a check for $52,500,000.
“The 35th anniversary of the Idaho Lottery is the perfect time to celebrate all the good it has done for Idaho’s public schools. For years, the lottery has helped support K-12 education and once again, on behalf of Idaho schools, I want to thank Idahoans for these additional resources that will continue to benefit public school operations in our state,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction, Debbie Critchfield.
Dale Reynolds, Chairman of the Permanent Building Fund Advisory Council, accepted a check for $31,500,000 on behalf of the State’s Permanent Building Fund. Permanent Building Fund dollars support maintenance and capital projects for State-owned facilities and Idaho’s public college and university buildings.
“Over the past 35 years, the Lottery has proven its resourcefulness and partnership by contributing well over half-a-billion dollars for Idaho’s state-owned facilities. Lottery revenue each year enables us to preserve our historical facilities, provide safe work environments for the Gem State’s employees, and improve the quality of Idaho’s collegiate campuses,” said Reynolds.
This year’s dividend comes after Idaho Lottery sales exceeded the $400 million threshold for the second consecutive year.
“This is all made possible with funds from the Idaho Lottery, not tax dollars,” added Anderson.
In addition to the dividend record, the Idaho Lottery also awarded a record amount to their network of over 1200 brick and mortar retail locations who earned $24.7 million in commissions.
The Indian Gaming Association is introducing TribalBond, an exciting new initiative designed to foster meaningful connections between tribal gaming casino executives and solution providers at this year’s Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention, taking place March 31-April 3 in San Diego, CA. This innovative program will feature a dynamic “speed networking” format, aimed at creating efficient, valuable interactions and personalized experiences for participants.
As the largest gathering of tribal leaders and casino executives in the country, the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention is the meeting place where the community gathers to learn, network, and create new connections. TribalBond was created with tribal casino executives in mind, designed to bring operators and solution providers together through structured meeting sessions that cater specifically to their unique needs. By facilitating targeted networking opportunities, TribalBond empowers attendees to build connections, share insights, and unlock new opportunities. A special focus will be put on equipping solution providers with knowledge and insights on how to effectively engage and build long-lasting relationships with the tribal gaming industry.
The Indian Gaming Association has tapped into the extensive industry knowledge and experience of Frances Alvarez, to lead this program. Alvarez is a highly respected leader in the tribal gaming industry, with over 24 years of service. She remains engaged and influential in Indian Country through her roles as Chairwoman of the Tribal Gaming Protection Network, President of the National Native American Hall of Fame, and Gaming Commissioner for the Wilton Rancheria Gaming Commission. In these capacities, she builds strong relationships and fosters opportunities for collaborative success. Through her firm, Rezonate LLC, Alvarez demonstrates her unwavering commitment to service while actively working to reshape the conversation surrounding tribal relations.
Indian Gaming Association Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr said: “We are excited to introduce TribalBond at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention. Our goal is to provide Indian Country with the best experience to foster meaningful connections and support their communities. This program will be a game-changer to support the innovation that tribal gaming is known for. We could not think of a better person than Frances to help us introduce this program to the event.”
The highlight of TribalBond is its engaging speed networking format. This fast-paced, efficient program ensures participants maximize their time at the tradeshow while establishing meaningful professional relationships. The 2025 event will feature five rounds of speed networking over the course of April 2 and 3. Participants in the TribalBond program will enjoy exclusive benefits designed to enhance their experience as well as their professional growth.
“As a long-time supporter of the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention, I’m excited to lead the TribalBond program. My aim is to support the tribal gaming community by connecting them with innovative products and insights to enhance their operations and communities. Equally important, I will provide solution providers with the knowledge and resources needed to foster meaningful, lasting partnerships with Indian Country. I am encouraged by the positive feedback we have already received from the tribal gaming community regarding TribalBond,” Alvarez said.
Relax Gaming, the iGaming aggregator and unique content supplier, continues its successful expansion into Latin America upon entering both the Brazilian and Peruvian markets on 1st January.
This landmark move comes after the company made its highly anticipated debut in the region by entering Mexico in 2021 and Colombia in 2022, bringing its popular content portfolio to players.
In line with its long-term expansion strategy, the studio is now offering over 40 of its top-performing titles to several operators, including Kaizen, Bet365, and Paddy Power Betfair in Brazil and Betsson and SkillOnNet in Peru.
As part of its deployment in these key LatAm markets, Relax will also begin delivering a number of leading games developed by select partners from its Silver Bullet aggregation program.
These market entries further showcase the company’s commitment to the fast-growing Latin American landscape. Additionally, Relax Gaming’s presence at the SBC Rio Summit further highlights its commitment to enhancing its regional presence.
Alexia Smilovic Rønde, Chief Regulatory Officer at Relax Gaming, said: “Brazil’s move towards regulated online gambling is one of the industry’s most exciting developments, and Peru has always been a region that holds great importance and promise. With the licensing and responsible gambling framework in place, Relax Gaming is well-positioned to capitalise on these growing markets.
“Relax Gaming will now focus its efforts on expanding its footprint across this part of the world, aligning with its broader growth strategy in regulated markets.”
Established as one of the industry’s leading B2B suppliers, Relax Gaming was recently named the Best Mobile Gaming Software Provider at the EGR B2B Awards, Casino / Slot Developer of the Year at the SBC Awards, and was awarded GGA’s Product Launch of the Year for Dream Drop Jackpots in February.
Relax Gaming provides more than 4,000 online casino games, from its high-performing proprietary slots to a significant, varied library of content from hand-picked third-party studios via its partnership programmes.
Michigan commercial and tribal operators reported a combined $331.2 million total internet gaming (iGaming) gross receipts and gross sports betting receipts in January. Gross receipts increased 25.4% compared to December.
Monthly Gross Receipts
January iGaming gross receipts totaled $248.2 million, the highest to date. The previous high was $244.0 million recorded in December 2024. January gross sports betting receipts totaled $83.0 million, which is an increase from the $20.2 million recorded in December.
Monthly Adjusted Gross Receipts
Combined total iGaming and internet sports betting adjusted gross receipts (AGR) for January were $287.9 million, including $233.1 million from iGaming and $54.8 million from internet sports betting — representing an iGaming increase of 6.1% and a sports betting increase of $54.5 million when compared to December 2024. Compared to January 2024 reported revenues, iGaming AGR was up by 42.0% and sports betting was up by $36.0 million.
Monthly Handle
Total internet sports betting handle at $555.2 million was down by 7.1% from the $597.7 million handle recorded in December 2024.
Monthly State Taxes/Payments
The operators reported submitting $46.8 million in taxes and payments to the State of Michigan during January, of which:
iGaming taxes and fees = $43.7 million
Internet sports betting taxes and fees = $3.1 million
Monthly City of Detroit Taxes/Payments
The three Detroit casinos reported paying the City of Detroit $12.8 million in wagering taxes and municipal services fees during January, of which:
iGaming taxes and fees = $11.8 million
Internet sports betting taxes and fees = $1.0 million
Monthly Tribal Operators’ Payments
Tribal operators reported making $5.0 million in payments to governing bodies in January.
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