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New Study Reveals Economic and Social Risks of iGaming
In response to the increasing concerns over the social and economic risks of iGaming, the gaming and entertainment business leaders have joined forces to launch the National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG).
The organization is formed in opposition to the expansion of iGaming and its well-reported economic and social dangers and urges other local businesses, employee unions, and community groups to mobilize in their effort to protect local communities.
A new study for NAAiG by The Innovation Group, a research and advisory firm specializing in gaming, hospitality, and tourism that has previously conducted multiple studies of online gambling for state governments and industry stakeholders, debunks the myth that iGaming offers easy revenue for states. Instead, the study uncovers the damaging effects of iGaming expansion, exposing widespread job losses and significant declines in economic output across multiple states.
Main findings of the report:
Land-based casino revenue drops by 16% on average after iGaming is introduced, leading to substantial job losses, hundreds of millions of dollars in lost economic output and reduced tax contributions that fund public services.
States introducing iGaming face significant economic losses, with projected job cuts reaching 4921 in New York and 4733 in Illinois by 2029.
iGaming results in significant losses for states in economic output. All states analyzed would see massive GDP reductions, including Ohio ($602 million), Indiana ($428 million), Maryland ($372 million), and Colorado ($313 million).
States’ net tax gains from iGaming are limited, even before accounting for the increased social costs associated with its high rates of problem gambling and related social ills. For instance, Louisiana, Maryland, and Mississippi could all see negative net tax revenue due to displaced in-person gaming dollars and related impacts on state and local economies.
Brick-and-mortar casinos in every state would face significant revenue losses due to iGaming cannibalization. Projections reach up to $983.7 million in New York, $545.3 million in Illinois, $522.6 million in Ohio, and $342.6 million in Maryland by 2029.
The introduction of iGaming reduces in-person casino employment, with an estimated 2818 jobs lost in Ohio, 2642 in Louisiana and 1906 in Mississippi.
The job losses caused by iGaming will result in massive reductions each year in employee wages and related taxes for states. Annual labor income losses would reach nearly $110 million in Colorado and Maryland, $204 million in Ohio, nearly $300 million in Illinois, and nearly $450 million in New York.
States with iGaming experience an 8.3% decline in distributed gaming revenue, impacting taverns and small gaming establishments.
Projected U.S. gambling losses from iGaming are expected to surpass $1 trillion by 2028, straining local economies and public health resources.
“These statistics underscore the urgent need for action. iGaming’s unchecked access to gambling on cell phones is bad public policy that threatens local jobs and businesses and will cost states. When increased social costs caused by iGaming higher rates of underage and problem gambling are considered, the net tax revenue results are uniformly negative for every state,” said Mark Stewart, EVP & General Counsel of The Cordish Companies and NAAiG board member. “
“Beyond the lack of any real upside for states, iGaming puts vulnerable individuals at greater risk of problem gambling and financial instability. NAAiG is uniting stakeholders to push back and stop the spread of these harmful trends and advocate for responsible gaming policies,” said NAAiG board member Jason Gumer, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Monarch Casino & Resort Inc.
“iGaming is eroding our communities. This isn’t just about responsible gaming—it’s about protecting local family-sustaining jobs and preventing financial harm. In Maryland alone, iGaming could cost $372 million in economic output, $342.6 million in lost casino revenue and nearly $110 million in annual wages. We must act now to protect our state and local economies nationwide,” said Shannon McCracken, Senior Director of Government Relations at Churchill Downs Incorporated and NAAIG board member.
SX Bet is the fastest-growing on-chain betting exchange—built for the future of sports and crypto.
SX Bet has officially launched on Berachain, marking the next milestone in its cross-chain expansion strategy. With over 2 million bets placed, $675 million wagered, and 93% year-over-year growth in volume, SX Bet is reshaping the future of sports betting — and Berachain is the next big stage.
SX Bet’s Berachain launch comes with a unique incentive structure designed to reward bettors for their activity. Users can now place bets using the native $HONEY stablecoin and earn $SXBRT, a receipt token that can be staked to the SX Vault on BeraHub to generate weekly yields in $BGT, Berachain’s governance token. The more you win, the more you earn.
SX Bet will be hosting a summer Berachain betting tournament with a 69,420 bet credit prize pool from May 31 – July 14th and airdropping bet credits to top Berachain communities.
But the Berachain deployment is not just about incentives. It’s about creating a scalable global liquidity hub for bettors and builders alike. Builders can leverage SX liquidity to launch their own custom betting frontends and experiences.
“SX Bet isn’t just a single dApp — it’s a betting protocol anyone can build on. With this Berachain launch, we’re not just growing SX, we’re growing the entire Web3 betting ecosystem,” said Andrew Young, SX Bet Project Lead.
The cross-chain architecture enables shared liquidity across multiple blockchains, allowing users to place bets on their preferred chain without sacrificing odds or depth.
Already the top sports betting dApp by volume on Arbitrum, SX Bet has achieved sustained growth without relying on ongoing incentives — proving that sharp odds, fast UX, and a product-first approach win. Bettors choose SX for its peer-to-peer, non-custodial, on-chain model — a platform with the best odds, deepest liquidity, and a clear message: winners are welcome.
SX Bet is setting the standard for scalable sports betting infrastructure in Web3.
For bettors: more rewards, deeper liquidity, and better odds.
For builders: a plug-and-play liquidity engine to leverage and build upon.
For chains: a sticky, high-volume dApp proven to drive user growth and retention.
Start betting and earning on Berachain today: bera.bet
GAN Limited announced that it has completed its merger with an affiliate of SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS INC.
SEGA SAMMY through its affiliated entity SEGA SAMMY CREATION INC. acquired all of the outstanding securities of GAN for $1.97 per share in cash, which represents a premium of over 121% to GAN’s closing stock price on November 7, 2023 (the trading day prior to the announcement that GAN entered into a merger agreement with SSC).
Seamus McGill, GAN’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our acquisition by SSC is an exciting next step for GAN and the culmination of many years of hard work to deliver an unparalleled and unique gaming experience for our clients and players. GAN’s board of directors carefully evaluated a range of options to maximize shareholder value, and SSC’s recognition of the value of our assets and people leaves us confident that this transaction is in the best interest of our shareholders and provides a home for our assets to flourish. We look forward to seeing the company continuing to grow with the guidance of a global gaming and entertainment leader.”
Koichi Fukazawa, Senior Executive Vice President and Group CFO of SEGA SAMMY, said: “We are excited to be bringing the GAN team onboard. The team brings significant experience in the U.S. market, along with significant technical and development resources. This marks a new chapter in SEGA SAMMY’s operations, and we look forward to serving our customers with increased product offerings and resources.”
B. Riley Securities Inc. served as financial advisor to GAN’s Special Committee and Board of Directors and Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP is served as legal counsel to GAN. SMBC Nikko Securities served as SEGA SAMMY’s financial advisor and Greenberg Traurig acted as SEGA SAMMY’s legal counsel.
Century Casinos Inc. announced that its subsidiary, Century Casino & Hotel Cape Girardeau (Century), has entered into a long-term agreement with BetMGM to bring BetMGM’s sports betting platform to the Missouri market.
Under the terms of the agreement, BetMGM will operate an online and mobile sports betting application under Century’s license in Missouri. The agreement includes a percentage of net gaming revenue payable to Century, with a guaranteed minimum, as well as retail sportsbook options to be exercised at Century’s discretion.
“We are excited to partner with BetMGM, a leading online sports betting and gaming entertainment company with a dynamic and innovative brand. This partnership is another step forward in leveraging our Missouri licenses and delivering premium entertainment experiences for our customers,” said Erwin Haitzmann and Peter Hoetzinger, Co-Chief Executive Officers of Century Casinos.
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