Maine lawmakers return to Augusta in early January facing two closely timed debates that could reshape the state’s approach to online gambling. At the center sits LD 1164, a bill approved by the Legislature that would legalize internet casino gaming, alongside a separate proposal aimed at banning online sweepstakes casinos. With the iGaming measure awaiting action from Governor Janet Mills,...
Macau closed 2025 with its strongest tourism performance on record, as visitor arrivals climbed to a new all-time high and cross-border travel volumes reached unprecedented levels. Preliminary figures released by the city’s Public Security Police show that total visitor arrivals for the year reached 40.06 million, marking a clear break from past records and confirming that travel activity has fully...
Jeju Dream Tower closed the 2025 financial year with a sharp increase in casino revenue, supported by a strong rise in visitor numbers, even as performance varied across individual business segments. Financial disclosures from operator Lotte Tour Development Co Ltd show that the foreigner-only casino resort on Jeju Island recorded casino sales of KRW476.6 billion, equivalent to approximately US$330 million,...
Macau’s casino sector recorded higher earnings in 2025, reaching its strongest annual performance since the Covid-19 pandemic, even as December revenue failed to meet seasonal expectations and showed a slight month-to-month decline. Data released by Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau and cited by GGRAsia showed that gross gaming revenue for the full 2025 calendar year totaled MOP247.40 billion, equivalent...
Kazakhstan is moving forward with plans to widen the geographic footprint of its regulated gambling industry, following the adoption of new legislation aimed at strengthening the tourism sector. The initiative, approved by lawmakers in late December, would allow casinos to operate in additional designated zones beyond the country’s current gambling areas. Officials say the effort focuses on drawing foreign visitors,...
A coalition representing some of the largest online sportsbooks in the United States has taken legal action against the city of Chicago, challenging a new tax and licensing framework included in the city’s 2026 budget. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court by the Sports Betting Alliance, seeks to stop Chicago from enforcing a 10.25% tax on sports...
Portugal’s government has moved to temporarily prolong existing casino concessions after an international bidding process for five properties failed to reach completion before the end of the year. The decision affects land-based casinos in the Algarve, Espinho, and Póvoa de Varzim gaming zones, where current operators Solverde and Estoril Sol will remain in place while the tender process continues. According...
Nevada’s gaming industry and its congressional delegation are intensifying efforts to overturn a federal tax change that is set to take effect in 2026 and would limit how much gamblers can deduct in losses. The provision, passed as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law in July by President Donald Trump, alters a long-standing rule that...
Bulgarian authorities have launched a large-scale review of hospital treatment records after identifying thousands of casino visits made by individuals who were officially registered as hospitalised at the same time. The checks follow data shared by the National Revenue Agency, which raised concerns over discrepancies between medical records and verified physical presence in gambling venues. The National Health Insurance Fund...
Iowa will change how it collects income tax on sports betting winnings beginning in 2026, shifting part of the tax obligation from annual filing to the payout stage for certain qualifying wins. The update follows the passage of Senate File 605, which Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law in 2025. The new requirements take effect on January 1, 2026. Under...