Casino News Roundup: Caesars Takes The SuperBook & Texas Gambling Stalls Again
Welcome to the Casino Daily News Roundup - your briefing on the latest news from the global casino industry. We bring you the biggest stories from across the sector, covering everything from major business deals and revenue figures to new openings and regulatory developments.
Caesars Takes Over Iconic Westgate SuperBook In Las Vegas
It is one of the most significant shifts in the Las Vegas sportsbook landscape in years.
Caesars Entertainment has announced a deal to take over operations of the Westgate SuperBook - widely regarded as the world's largest race and sportsbook - ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
The partnership, announced on April 21 and pending Nevada Gaming Commission approval, will see Caesars Sportsbook assume full oversight of race and sportsbook operations and technology at the Westgate Resort.
The venue will retain its famous name, operating as the Westgate SuperBook powered by Caesars Sportsbook.
The deal brings one of Las Vegas's most storied independent sportsbooks into the Caesars empire and marks a significant consolidation in the city's competitive sports betting landscape.
It follows the departure of long-time SuperBook executive Jay Kornegay, who helped build the venue into a global brand over decades.
Under the new arrangement, Caesars will expand the betting menu to include same game parlays, additional parlay formats, and extensive live in-play wagering across professional and college sports.
Self-service betting kiosks will also be installed throughout the property, offering 24-hour access.
Guests will be able to register for the Caesars Sportsbook app on site and access the company's rewards ecosystem.
Critically, the SuperBook's identity and atmosphere - the vast screen wall, the legendary scale, the SuperContest handicapping competition - will be preserved.
"The Westgate SuperBook is one of the most recognisable sportsbook destinations in the world, and we are proud to partner with Westgate on the next chapter of its evolution," said Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital.
For those who prefer their action from the comfort of home, the secure online casinos in the US offer a wide range of games around the clock, with or without the iconic SuperBook backdrop.
Prediction Markets Controversy Is Giving Sweepstakes Casinos Breathing Room
There is an unintended beneficiary of the prediction markets storm dominating US gaming headlines - and it is the sweepstakes casino sector.
Just 18 months ago, dual-currency sweepstakes platforms were the gaming industry's primary regulatory target, fielding cease-and-desist orders, attorney general investigations, and a growing wave of state ban legislation.
Then Kalshi and Polymarket began offering sports event contracts, and the regulatory spotlight swung sharply in their direction.
The result is that sweepstakes casinos have been able to stay largely under the radar - continuing to operate in legal grey areas across much of the country while lawmakers focus their energy elsewhere.
The effect was visible this week in Maryland, where the state legislature adjourned on April 20 without passing its sweepstakes casino ban - the second consecutive year it has failed to get the legislation across the line.
A House bill targeting dual-currency platforms had gained traction earlier in the session, with penalties including fines of up to $100,000 and up to three years in prison for operators.
At least 13 bills targeting prediction markets have been introduced in Congress in 2026 alone, and the industry is now pouring money into Washington to fight them - hiring lobbying teams, opening government relations offices, and forming a new trade group called the Coalition for Prediction Markets.
For sweepstakes operators, every week that conversation dominates is a week their own regulatory threat recedes.
Those looking for fully licensed and regulated online slots available in the USA will find no shortage of options on legitimate platforms.
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Texas Gambling Expansion Stalls Again As Legislature Fails To Act
Texas remains one of the most stubborn frontiers for US gambling expansion.
Despite years of sustained lobbying from major casino operators, shifting public attitudes, and growing state budget pressures, efforts to legalise regulated commercial gambling in the Lone Star State have once again failed to gain meaningful traction in the current legislative session.
A constitutional amendment - required to put any gambling expansion to a popular vote - has not cleared the legislature, leaving Texas as one of the last large US states without a commercial casino market.
Operators including Las Vegas Sands have long identified Texas as one of the most significant untapped gambling markets in the country.
However, political opposition remains deeply entrenched, and the session looks set to end without a breakthrough.
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Evoke Confirms Takeover Talks With Bally's Intralot
The long-running strategic review at William Hill and 888 owner Evoke has reached a critical moment.
The company officially confirmed on April 21 that it is in takeover discussions with Bally's Intralot - the Athens-based entity formed after Greek lottery operator Intralot acquired the international interactive business of US casino group Bally's Corporation in 2025 - at a price of 50 pence per share.
That values Evoke at around £225million. Shares jumped nearly 16% on the news.
The proposed structure is an all-share combination with a partial cash alternative, and a deadline of May 18 has been set to finalise any agreement.
Financial advisers Morgan Stanley and Rothschild are evaluating the offer on Evoke's behalf. The backdrop could hardly be more challenging.
Evoke owes lenders around £1.8billion - roughly eight times its market value - and warned earlier this year that the UK's doubling of Remote Gaming Duty to 40% would cost it an estimated £135m annually.
It has already confirmed the closure of 200 William Hill shops from May. Bally's CEO Robeson Reeves talked up the opportunity, pointing to Evoke's complementary UK retail assets and flagging potential expansion into Italy and Romania through the combined group.
Not everyone is convinced.
Stifel analyst Jeffrey Stantial warned the integration could prove an "operating distraction" for Bally's, noting that Evoke's flagship brands have been losing consumer awareness and loyalty in the UK for several years.
He described the risk-reward as "skewed slightly negative" for the prospective buyer.
