About the Author
Alex Weldon
Who is Alex Weldon?
Alex Weldon is an expert on regulated US online gambling who serves as the Casino News Managing Editor for Bonus.com. He began writing about the online gambling industry professionally in 2014. Prior to that, he was a semi-professional poker player, board game designer and video game writer.
Working for Catena Media, he has also served as Managing Editor at Online Poker Report and contributed to PlayUSA, Michigan Sharp and NJGamblingSites.
Before joining Catena, he wrote for Part Time Poker and managed the GameIntel Poker Update, a subscription newsletter for industry executives, tracking and explaining changes in poker site traffic. A degree in astrophysics from Queen’s University has provided him with a solid mathematical foundation for analyzing gambling trends in a quantitative way.
Alex provides insightful content on the regulated online casino and poker industries, with an emphasis on legislation, regulation, responsible gambling and business strategy. His writing about poker has been cited by The Atlantic and has earned him multiple nominations for the American Poker Awards over the years.
Alex Weldon in the Media
- How New Federal Compact Rules Affect Future Of Tribal Online Gaming, Pechanga.net, Feb 29, 2024
- Dawn Wotapka’s Media Movers: Alex Weldon of Bonus, Talking Biz News, Nov 1, 2022
- Get to Know the Poker Media: Alex Weldon, Cardplayer Lifestyle, Aug 15, 2016
- Thinking Poker Podcast, Episode 135, Aug 4, 2015
Citations
- New Haven Register, Oct 11, 2023
- WSJ reports alleges disgraced UltimateBet attorney played larger role in FTX’s misuse of funds, Poker.org, July 1, 2023
- Chess is Just Poker Now, The Atlantic, Sep 17, 2022
- Flutter ‘Wholly Surprised’ by Bombshell $1.3 Billion Kentucky Supreme Court Ruling, Poker Industry Pro, Dec 18, 2020
- Poker’s Newest Face, University of Rochester, Sep 2014
Top Bonus.com Articles by Alex Weldon
- Skillz Accuses AviaGames of Using Bots to Cheat Users Amid Patent Lawsuit, Nov 15, 2023
- Penn State Study Shows Impact of Regulated Gambling on Black Market, March 30, 2023
- Projection: US Online Casino Revenue to Approach $6.5 Billion in 2023, Jan 31, 2023
- Gambling Advertising Overload Hurts the Chances of Further Expansion, Dec 21, 2022
- ‘I Should Have Won by Now!’ – The Mathematics of Losing Streaks, Nov 7, 2022
- The Chess World’s Latest Cheating Scandal Has Parallels to Poker, Sep 13, 2022
- Is Cryptocurrency Speculation Just Another Form of Unregulated Gambling?, July 28, 2022
Other Writing by Alex Weldon
- US Online Casinos Will Earn $7.8B This Year — 2024 Market Forecast, PlayUSA, Jan 8, 2024
- The Complex Reality Behind Problem Gambling Calls, PlayUSA, March 12, 2023
- CRYSTAL BALL: Catena Media Team Forecasts the Future of the US Online Poker Market, USPoker, June 24, 2020
Social Media & Professional Profiles
- Alex Weldon on Twitter (@benefactumgames)
- Alex Weldon on LinkedIn
- Alex Weldon on MuckRack
- Alex Weldon on BoardGameGeek
- Alex Weldon on MobyGames
- Alexander Weldon on IMDB (not to be confused with the visual effects artist of the same name)
Latest articles
Will the Illinois Sports Betting Tax Hike Hurt the Chances of Online Casino Legalization?
Both halves of the Illinois legislature have passed this year’s budget bill, which includes a new progressive tax on sports betting revenue. The largest operators, who will suffer the heftiest tax increase, have warned that it will change how they do business in the state. Unfortunately, these same operators are also a driving force for iGaming expansion, leading to […]
Americans Have Now Placed Over $1 Trillion in Wagers at Legal Online Casinos and Sportsbooks
It has gone unnoticed, but the US has just hit an important online gambling milestone: Americans have now placed $1 trillion in legal online wagers at regulated internet casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms. By my estimate, the bet that pushed the industry into ten-figure territory would have been placed sometime in the middle of this month, […]
WSOP Adds Michigan to Shared Liquidity, Is Once Again America’s Largest Multi-State Poker Network
Caesars-owned WSOP.com has added Michigan to its multi-state network, which once again comprises three states. That means it has reclaimed the title of largest online poker network—in terms of states served—which it temporarily had to share with PokerStars after losing Delaware earlier this year. The network has been operating since May 24, but the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) announced its approval this […]
Jackpocket Casino Off to a Promising Start in NJ as DraftKings Completes $750M Acquisition
Now that DraftKings has completed its acquisition of leading lottery courier Jackpocket, it may be pleased to note the early performance of the latter’s new online casino product in New Jersey. Jackpocket Casino earned nearly $1.6 million in casino revenue in April, its second full month of operations. That may not seem like a particularly big number, and it isn’t compared […]
Jackpot City Casino Sneaks Into New Jersey Market With Unannounced Soft Launch
US newcomer Jackpot City is now available in two states, though if you missed their presence in New Jersey, you’re not alone. Although the site’s front page makes it clear that it’s now available in New Jersey as well as Pennsylvania, there has been no marketing push yet to get the word out. Jackpot City announced its […]
Alabama’s Gambling Compromise Dies on the Finish Line as Senate Bill Sponsor Refuses to Budge
There will be no gambling referendum in Alabama this year. Thursday, May 9, was the last day of the state’s legislative session, and time has now elapsed, with the final version of the gambling bill still just one Senate vote short of making it to the Governor’s desk. In principle, any of the 15 Senators voting no […]
Scott Sibella Sentencing: One-Year Probation, $9,500 Fine for Bank Secrecy Act Violation
Former Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV) President Scott Sibella received his sentence today on a single charge of violating the federal Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). Although facing up to five years in prison, Sibella managed to avoid doing any time thanks to his plea deal, receiving only one year of probation. Likewise, the monetary penalty could have been as […]
Live Dealer Video Poker Coming to Pennsylvania Next Week as Flurry of New Games by Evolution Continues
Live dealer video poker is now available in the US for the first time, having launched in Pennsylvania. Evolution, the leading US supplier of live dealer products to online casinos, introduced the new product as part of the ongoing and rapid expansion of its offerings in the Keystone State. Evolution Live Dealer Video Poker was […]
Seasonal Effects Push BetMGM Into Loss Territory After Two Quarters of Profitability
MGM Resorts International’s financial report for Q1 2024 makes less mention of BetMGM than usual, perhaps because it marks the first time the joint venture has slipped back into the red after two profitable quarters to finish 2023. Although it’s unsurprising that the company would want to direct investors’ attention elsewhere, the loss isn’t particularly alarming. […]
Nevada Gaming Control Board Files Complaint Against Scott Sibella After Commission Joins Federal Probe
The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) is displeased with Scott Sibella following his guilty plea to federal charges and has asked the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) to impose fines and licensing action. That may impede Sibella’s plans to return to work in the industry, which he announced in January after admitting to violating the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). Sibella’s […]
