New York mobile sportsbooks cleared another $2B month in February. State handle reached $2.09B, up 6% month-over-month, while gross gaming revenue came in at $177.5M, producing roughly $90.5M in tax revenue despite softer operator margins.
New York commercial casinos also posted a revenue lift. The state’s four full-scale casinos generated $53.2M in February revenue, a 4.2% year-over-year increase, led by stronger slot performance.
March Madness betting is projected to become a record revenue event. Analysts estimate $4B in legal U.S. handle, which at standard hold levels could translate to roughly $279M in sportsbook gross revenue over tournament play.

TRI-STATE HEAT

February handle stayed above the $2B mark for a seventh straight month, confirming New York remains the top U.S. betting market by volume.

GLOBAL GAMBLING BUZZ

Prediction-market volume is accelerating while sportsbooks hit seasonal softness. Industry analysts report event-contract platforms gaining traction during a slower post-football sportsbook stretch.
Massachusetts lawmakers are advancing tighter betting controls. A Senate proposal would restrict live betting and ban prop bets tied to individual player outcomes amid addiction concerns.
Fanatics Sportsbook is intensifying March acquisition spend. New tournament campaigns tied to major college basketball traffic are pushing aggressive customer-reward offers nationwide.

The biggest drama right now isn’t on the casino floor; it’s in the courtrooms and locker rooms.

MLS Lifetime Bans (March 2026): Major League Soccer just handed down lifetime bans to players Derrick Jones and Yaw Yeboah. An investigation found they bet on numerous matches—including their own. In one particularly brazen instance, they allegedly colluded to ensure Jones received a yellow card during a game to cash in on a “prop bet.”
The “Blackjack” War in California: A massive legal battle is erupting between California’s tribal casinos and private cardrooms. New state regulations (set for April 1, 2026) essentially ban “California Blackjack” and any game with “21” in the title. Cardrooms claim this will kill thousands of jobs, while tribes argue they have the exclusive right to house-banked games.
Loot Box Lawsuits: New York and Washington state attorneys general have filed landmark lawsuits against major video game developers. They argue that loot boxes (randomized in-game rewards) are unlicensed gambling, specifically targeting games with “cartoonish aesthetics” that appeal to children.

Lottery news lately has taken a turn toward the “cursed” and the fraudulent.

The “Cursed” $2 Billion Winner: Edwin Castro, the record-breaking Powerball winner, has been back in the news. While he’s been criticized by financial planners for a $100 million real estate spending spree (including three mansions and a vintage Porsche), reports surfaced in late 2025 that one of his Los Angeles homes was caught in the path of devastating wildfires.
The “Historic” $5 Billion Scam: A sophisticated scam recently went viral, impersonating Mega Millions to promote a fake “New Year’s Eve Historic $5 Billion Draw.” Officials have been scrambling to warn people that no such drawing exists and that any “winner” asked to pay “processing fees” up front is being targeted by a syndicate.
Missouri’s “VLT” Battle: In Missouri, a heated debate is raging over Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs). While the House wants to legalize them to fund education, the Senate President remains a staunch opponent, citing the “social damage” of expanding gambling into every gas station and retail shop.