Florida’s Sportsbook Is Hard Rock Bet and Only Hard Rock Bet, With SCOTUS Dismissal
Hard Rock Bet is still legal in Florida because, on June 17, the highest US court declined to hear the appeal in a lawsuit brought by the competition to “Florida’s Sportsbook.” So Hard Rock Bet remains the only game in town for the 23 million-resident state. Meanwhile, online casinos and poker are illegal in Florida. […]
Email Problems Accompany Connecticut Online Lottery Launch
The CT Lottery has finally added internet sales to its capabilities, but the new products have come with additional technical difficulties. The Connecticut iLottery soft-launched on June 10 with an iOS app, but lottery representatives had to offer troubleshooting for online lottery players via email, SMS, and telephone. Meanwhile, Android users must wait until July […]
Connecticut Lottery Hires Former DC Lottery Head Suarez, Who Oversaw Controversial Intralot Contract
Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC) officials are “thrilled to welcome” Frank Suarez as the state agency’s new president and CEO. The June 13 CLC appointment announcement mentions his Aug. 1 start date and regards his tenure leading the DC Lottery‘s online sports betting marketplace as positive, rather than problematic. Suarez won out in an 11-month-long search […]
Hard Rock’s Casino in Rockford Set to Open on August 29, Plans for Illinois Online Sportsbook Still Unclear
Hard Rock International has revealed August 29 as the official opening date for its permanent casino in Rockford, Illinois. The property will open for business at about 3 p.m. that day, replacing Hard Rock’s temporary casino. Branded as Hard Rock: An Opening Act, the temporary property will continue 24/7 operations until then. The features of the […]
Pennsylvania Police Arrest Five Suspected of Cheating at Live! Casino Philadelphia
The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) have accused five people arrested in Philadelphia of participating in a $170,000 casino cheating scheme involving a table games dealer at Live! Casino Philly. According to a PSP release, dealer Khai Ho allegedly conspired with a group of players while dealing cards and tiles for baccarat and Pai Gow. Investigators […]
888 Casino, Poker Platforms Shutting Down in New Jersey Next Week
After an unexplained two-week reprieve, 888casino and 888poker will shut down New Jersey operations on June 17. To ensure no delays in recouping their money, 888’s New Jersey customers should transfer any remaining balance from their accounts before next week’s deadline. The closure of 888’s New Jersey platforms, initially scheduled for June 3, follows its […]
Illegal Online Gambling Site Bovada Targeted By State Gaming Regulators
Online gamblers love to ask Google, “Is Bovada legit?” State gaming regulators say “no.” So now they’re following Michigan’s lead in targeting illegal online gambling site Bovada with “cease and desist” orders. Bonus learned on June 13 that Connecticut’s letter will soon be sent to the illegal site’s owner, Curaçao-based Harp Media. Other state leaders […]
Proliferation of Skill Games in Pennsylvania Poses Logistics Challenges for Municipalities
Amusement devices of various forms provide a valuable source of tax revenue for Pennsylvania municipalities, but the growing popularity of gray market skill gaming machines is complicating the issue. The problem is that there are too many of them, in too many places. The typical approach is for officials to visit the types of locations that […]
Higher Jackpots, Automatic Megaplier Come Alongside MegaMillions Cost Increase
Mega Millions is slated to get an upgrade that will include an initial jackpot of $50 million—up from $20 million—and the Megaplier feature becoming an automatic inclusion. These positive changes accompany the upcoming price increase from $2 to $5. Jackpots for the lottery, which can already exceed $1 billion, are also expected to double on average thanks to […]
Illegal Gambling Site Ubet1288 Tied to Gambino Crime Family in New York Indictment
New York State authorities have issued an indictment linking 17 alleged ‘soldiers’ and associates of the Gambino crime family to a loansharking operation and an illegal offshore gambling site known as ubet1288. The 84-count indictment details activities that investigators say occurred across Staten Island and New Jersey between July 2021 and June 2023. The complaint, filed in […]
