Casino News Roundup: US Gaming Record & Senate Eyes Prediction Markets
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.
US Commercial Gaming Hits Record $78.6bn In 2025 As iGaming Leads The Way
The American Gaming Association's annual State of the States report has confirmed that US commercial gaming generated a record $78.6billion in gross gaming revenue in 2025 - a 9.1% increase on 2024 and the industry's sixth consecutive annual record.
Thirty-four states and Washington DC set individual revenue records. iGaming was the standout performer, growing 27.6% to a record $10.7bn across seven legal states - with annual iGaming revenue surpassing land-based casino revenue for the first time in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Sports betting rose 22.6% to $16.9bn, while traditional land-based casino revenue grew 2.3% to $51.1bn.
The Las Vegas Strip remained the largest single market, generating $8.6bn.
The record total produced $17.9bn in direct gaming tax revenue for state and local governments - up 12.3% year-on-year.
The AGA flagged prediction markets and unregulated sweepstakes casinos as the sector's most pressing competitive threats, estimating that illegal and offshore gaming generates $53.9bn annually - depriving states of over $15bn in lost tax revenue.
Those seeking the best of what the regulated market has to offer can compare the best online casinos to find licensed platforms that contribute directly to those public funds.
Senate Prediction Markets Hearing Set For May 20 As Federal Crackdown Looms
Senator Marsha Blackburn's landmark Senate subcommittee hearing on prediction markets is just days away, scheduled for May 20.
The Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy will hear testimony on competing legislation, including the Prediction Markets are Gambling Act - which would ban live-event wagering on platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket.
Also on the agenda is the Prediction Markets Security and Integrity Act, which would require platforms to register with the CFTC and meet the same anti-money-laundering and consumer-protection standards already imposed on licensed sportsbooks.
A coalition of 41 attorneys general has written to Congress urging regulatory clarity.
The AGA spent $730,000 lobbying on prediction markets in Q1 2026 alone - its heaviest single-quarter expenditure in over a year. Kalshi, meanwhile, has raised $1 billion at a $22bn valuation as it braces for the battle ahead.
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Evoke's Bally's Takeover Deadline Falls This Sunday As Clock Runs Out
The May 18 formal deadline under UK Takeover Panel rules for Bally's Intralot to either make a firm offer for Evoke - owner of William Hill and 888 - or walk away entirely falls this Sunday.
No formal announcement has yet been made.
Bally's Intralot has been in discussions with Evoke since April, with a proposed all-share combination at 50 pence per share valuing the company at around £225m against net debt of approximately £1.8bn.
If no deal is confirmed by Sunday's 5pm London deadline, Bally's will be barred from making another approach for six months under UK Takeover Code restrictions - a significant constraint given Evoke's deteriorating financial position and the 200 William Hill shop closures already under way.
