Trends, News & Interesting Reads

Criminals have always been attracted to any activity in which money is involved and the multi-billion dollar sports betting business is no exception. The internet has made it easier than ever for criminal gangs to bribe referees and pay off players, thus fixing matches and walking away with millions in online casinos sports bets wins.

West Virginia has set a new record for the highest sports betting handle ever recorded in its state and the credit is being placed on the doorstep of the casino sign up bonus and newly-operating online sports books.  For months, West Virginia was struggling to cope with an underperforming sports betting industry. However, now that DraftKings and FanDuel have opened in the states, the sports betting market in the states has ignited.

Despite widespread backlash among consumer advocates on social media, a number of Vegas casinos are not only maintaining their add-on charges – they are raising them. Despite backlash, Vegas resorts are continuing to add extra costs on to the basic overnight fees for parking, in-room and resort-wide Wi-Fi access, fitness center access, boarding pass printing, local and toll-free calling, parking, newspaper services and more. 

The traditionally conservative Southern United States has seen a lot of opposition to legalized gambling over the years.  Georgia has no casinos at all and casino developers in other states have had to contend with powerful lobbies who oppose gambling on religious and social grounds.

Now that the Illinois legislature has legalized casino development in Chicago, the race is on to determine which locales will be chosen to receive the go-ahead to start the process of casino development.

The Department of Justice’s 2018 interpretation of the Wire Act as it relates to Vegas casino online gambling continues to be controversial and confusing. Opponents of the Act, including online casino operators, have already filed suit in Federal Appeals Court to halt the Trump administration’s interpretation, which bans interstate internet gaming. However, most observers expect that the issue will ultimately reach the Supreme Court.

Every day, hundreds of New Yorkers stream into the Hoboken train terminal. These commuters aren’t heading to jobs – they have come to sit in the terminal for a short period of time while they place bets on sporting events with New Jersey’s mobile online casino and mobile sportsbooks.  Then, without ever leaving the station, they hop back on the next train back to the Big Apple.

Downtown Las Vegas is neglected no more. The area, which now sees most of its revenue coming from welcome bonus casino activity, is experiencing a number of positive changes resulting from casino owners’ investments in the area. Analysts say that the changes are noticeable – data from the Nevada Gaming Control Board showed that in July 2019, gaming in downtown Las Vegas rose 5.83 percent over 2018 even while it fell 0.3 percent on the Strip.

The 2019 football season is the second NFL season in which Vegas casino online sports betting is legal in the United States. The industry is growing and, much to the NFL’s dismay, the division of the sports betting industry that is growing the fastest is the online betting sector.

Tribal gaming in the United States is booming. According to the National Indian Gaming Commission, Indian gaming, including Indian online casinos, brought in a total of $33.7 billion nationwide in 2018.  That’s an increase of 4.1 percent over 2017.