In an effort to address food insecurity in New Jersey, the Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) has launched the Casinos United Against Hunger campaign in partnership with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ). Atlantic City casinos collectively are donating more than $170,000 to support CFBNJ’s mission.

“Ending hunger will take all of us stepping up to do more for our neighbors. Atlantic City casinos are coming together to form Casinos United Against Hunger, a new campaign dedicated to strengthening our efforts to combat food insecurity in New Jersey. By supporting important organizations like the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, we will help address hunger by providing meals to families throughout the state,” said Mark Giannantonio, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey.

The donation was presented at CFBNJ’s Night of 300,000 Meals on May 1, 2025, a culinary event that brings together local chefs, restaurants and community members to help provide 300,000 meals for neighbors in need. Chefs from Atlantic City casinos participated in the annual event.

“Atlantic County has some of the highest rates of food insecurity in the state. We’re grateful to the Casino Association of New Jersey for helping to honor the FoodBank’s 50th anniversary with their generous support and for uniting the Atlantic City casino community to help address hunger. Through this partnership, we can provide more meals to local families in need and make a lasting impact in the area,” said Elizabeth McCarthy, president & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

In addition to the CFBNJ’s 50th anniversary, the partnership between the CANJ and CFBNJ comes at an especially crucial time given the level of food insecurity in New Jersey. Nearly 1 million people in the state, including more than 260,000 children, are at risk of hunger. Atlantic County, home to Atlantic City’s casinos, has some of the highest rates of food insecurity in the state, with 12.2% of residents and 17.4% of children affected.

The casinos involved in the Casinos United Against Hunger initiative – Bally’s Atlantic City Casino Resort, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Caesars Entertainment’s Atlantic City Resorts, Golden Nugget Atlantic City, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, Ocean Casino Resort and Resorts Casino Hotel – are joining a long-standing tradition of support for CFBNJ. Many properties in Atlantic City are longtime supporters of CFBNJ, and this collective effort demonstrates their commitment to addressing this critical issue. Through this partnership, CFBNJ will be able to distribute more meals to families in need, especially in areas that are most impacted. The $170,000 donation is a total of all financial, grant and in-kind contributions from each Atlantic City casino to the CFBNJ this year.

Action aims to safeguard Michigan players from unregulated, high-risk gambling practices

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has taken swift and decisive action against 13 illegal offshore gambling websites, which were found to be unlawfully targeting Michigan residents. The websites in question—Captain Jack Casino, Casino Brango, Ducky Luck Casino, El Royale Casino, Jazz Casino, Jazz Sports Casino Racebook, Looselines, Planet 7 Casino, Red Dog Casino, Royal Oak Casino, Silver Oak Casino, Skybook, and Slots of Vegas—were operating without proper state licenses, in clear violation of Michigan law.

The operators of these sites, based in jurisdictions including Curaçao, Costa Rica, and the Autonomous Island of Anjouan, have been issued cease-and-desist orders by the MGCB. The action comes as part of ongoing efforts to protect Michigan’s residents from unregulated gambling practices and ensure the integrity of the state’s gaming industry.

Protecting Michigan Residents from Illegal Gambling Risks “These illegal gambling websites put Michigan residents at significant personal and financial risk,” said Henry Williams, Executive Director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board. “Our priority is to maintain a secure and regulated gaming environment. These websites not only violate Michigan’s laws but also engage in deceptive practices that endanger consumers, including withholding winnings and imposing unfair wagering requirements.”

The websites, which allowed Michigan players to gamble using a variety of payment methods—such as credit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies—engaged in dishonest practices, such as restricting withdrawals and demanding players meet high, often unreasonable, wagering thresholds before accessing their funds. This leaves users vulnerable to financial exploitation and undermines the fairness of the gambling experience.

In addition to financial risks, these offshore operators do not meet Michigan’s standards for responsible gaming, consumer protection, or data security, putting users at further risk of fraud and identity theft.

A Strong Message to Offshore Operators

The MGCB’s action serves as a firm warning to illegal offshore operators attempting to skirt Michigan’s legal framework. The cease-and-desist letters instruct the operators to cease all unlawful activities within 14 days of receipt. If the operators fail to comply, the MGCB will work with the Michigan Attorney General’s Office to pursue legal action against these entities.

How Michigan Residents Can Protect Themselves

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The MGCB strongly encourages Michigan residents to be vigilant and only engage with online gambling sites that are authorized and licensed by the State of Michigan. To assist players in identifying legal operators, the MGCB provides a list of approved platforms on its official website at Michigan.gov/MGCB.

Residents who suspect illegal gambling activity or who encounter suspicious online platforms are urged to report it immediately. Tips can be submitted by calling the MGCB hotline at 1-888-314-2682 or by emailing [email protected].

Commitment to Ensuring a Safe Gaming Environment

The Michigan Gaming Control Board remains unwavering in its commitment to preserving the integrity of Michigan’s gaming market. The MGCB continues to monitor the online gaming landscape closely to ensure all operators comply with state regulations and uphold the highest standards of consumer protection, fairness, and security.

“These relentless actions are part of our ongoing effort to provide a transparent and trustworthy gaming environment for all Michigan residents,” Williams added. “We will continue to take necessary steps to protect players and maintain the integrity of Michigan’s regulated gaming industry.”

Gambling in any form is for entertainment purposes only. If you or someone you know may have a gambling problem, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER, text 800GAM, or visit www.1800gamblerchat.org. Help is available 24/7 and is free and confidential.

As it has been doing since 2005, Spectrum Gaming Group released its annual list of the U.S. Top 10 Trends in Gaming – the most significant issues that regulators, operators, and suppliers need to consider as they make plans for the coming year. This list, in alphabetical order, represents the issues that will be most impactful to economics and public policy.

Digital Sweepstakes Gaming: Whether legal or illegal or somewhere in between, states and the mainstream gaming industry alike will continue to watch this upstart form of gaming closely to determine whether it is a threat or an opportunity … and potentially a catalyst for states to legalize traditional igaming.

Historical Horse Racing: Where casino slot machines are not permitted, both states and pari-mutuel and gaming industries will continue to advocate for the legalization or expansion of historical horse racing. Kentucky, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Wyoming have demonstrated the potential of HHR machines, which have greatly narrowed the performance gap between them and slots.

iGaming: There appears to be little movement for igaming to be approved in new jurisdictions for 2025. Meanwhile, there are emerging indications that the continuing growth of igaming revenues in some of the seven current states may be slightly impacting retail gaming revenues, as seen in flattening year-over-year growth. In New Jersey, igaming revenues in October surpassed retail casino revenues – and the gap is narrowing in other igaming states. This deserves careful analysis in 2025.

Merging of Verticals: Operators are employing a single, cross-platform strategy as they seek new ways to leverage technology while gaining greater access to player databases. Examples include the acquisition of Jackpocket by DraftKings, the acquisition of NeoGames by Aristocrat, and distributed gaming operator Accel Entertainment moving into casino operations, which followed moves by casino operators Boyd and Penn Entertainment into route operations. More such acquisitions across verticals can be expected in 2025.

New York City: After delaying the process this year, New York State intends to award up to three full-scale casino licensees for the New York City metro area. A key decision will be whether the state essentially converts current racetrack gaming operations Empire City and Resorts World NYC into full casinos while also selecting a third winner, or awards the three licenses to other applicants.

Policy: Emerging generations of elected and appointed officials are modifying and establishing gaming policies that are increasingly at odds with past practices. A vivid example of this can be found in states that are considering authorizing new forms of gaming (as identified in this list) without regard to maintaining standards of licensure or focusing on the integrity of licensees. This trend raises the risk of reducing public confidence in gaming.

Responsible Gaming: Operators and regulators alike are trying to determine how best to prevent problems and get ahead of negative trends in a player’s gambling activities. However, this will require data sharing and new legislation and regulations. 2025 is likely to see this issue and how far to go with it as a topic that jurisdictions will grapple with, especially those that typically lead in player protections and health.

“Skill” Machines: Various states face an increase in machines that are referred to as “skill” machines, while the regulated gaming industry views them as a form of unauthorized, unregulated gambling. While the issue is being debated, the number of locations – as well as the number of machines – continues to increase. Proponents of these games are endeavoring to seek licensure and to be taxed, while opponents say they cannibalize existing forms of legal gaming, and do not meet the requisite standards for licensure.

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Sports Betting: Having expanded wider and faster than any other form of legal gambling in this country’s history, sports betting operators will continue to look for new products, bet types, and promotions while also keeping an eye on potential state gaming-tax hikes as states’ federal pandemic aid runs out.

Texas: As the Texas biennial legislative session resumes in January, there will be the usual hope for enabling casino legislation, led by Las Vegas Sands – as well as a push for sports betting in this state highly prized by the gaming industry. But it appears to be another uphill battle for proponents, and the legalization push may have strengthened efforts by opponents.