Casino & Gambling Legislation Drama
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New York City Casino Approvals: The New York gaming facility location board has approved three proposed casino bids in New York City: Hard Rock Metropolitan Park (Queens), an expansion of Resorts World (Queens), and Bally’s Bronx. This decision follows the rejection of all bids for Manhattan casinos. The move is controversial, with proponents touting jobs and tax revenue, while critics warn of increased gambling addiction and a potential drag on existing local businesses, citing mixed results from new casinos in other major cities.
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Sweepstakes Casino Crackdown: Online sweepstakes casinos, which use a dual-currency system to allow players to win cash, are facing increasing legal and regulatory scrutiny across the US. Indiana is pursuing a legislative ban, following New York and California, as states and Google (with its advertising policy changes) act to limit their operation.
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New Tax Rules for Gamblers (US): A new tax bill, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025,” is set to take effect in 2026, which will limit the deduction for gambling losses against winnings to 90%. This change is causing significant concern among both professional and casual gamblers, as it means even break-even players will have taxable income. Lawmakers have already drafted counter-legislation to try and repeal this measure.
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Loot Box Regulation in Poland: Poland is preparing a draft amendment to its national Gambling Act that would classify paid, randomized in-game rewards, commonly known as loot boxes, as a form of gambling. If adopted, this would force game publishers to secure gambling licenses and comply with consumer protection rules.
⚖️ Casino and Poker Controversies
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RICO Lawsuit Against Resorts World Las Vegas: The Resorts World Las Vegas property is facing a federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) lawsuit related to an alleged racketeering scheme and illegal bookmaking involving former casino personnel.
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Responsible Gambling Under Scrutiny: Investigations and court rulings show a pattern where some casinos are failing to intervene with problem gamblers. There are documented cases of VIP teams encouraging distressed players to continue, leading to calls for better integration of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Responsible Gambling (RG) data to protect vulnerable customers.
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Poker Tournament Drama: The World Series of Poker (WSOP) saw several controversies, including reports of a controversial deal and chip dumping in the “Millionaire Maker” event, a player receiving a one-round penalty for allegedly viewing a prohibited electronic device (which the player claimed was a YouTube video), and a high-profile pro being denied the right to wear a sponsor’s patch just before a final table.
💸 Lottery News and Disputes
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Massive Powerball Jackpot: The Powerball jackpot is currently soaring, reaching an estimated $930 million after no one claimed the top prize in the most recent drawing.
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Jackpot Ownership Disputes: Legal disputes over large lottery wins continue to make headlines.
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One case involves a winner suing the Mega Millions lottery, claiming he purchased both winning tickets for a $394 million jackpot but only received half, alleging the second ticket was “unable to locate.”
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Another ongoing case involves a man suing Powerball after being told his apparent $340 million win was an error after the winning numbers were mistakenly posted on the lottery’s website.
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