Every Friday, Covers takes a look back at the week that was in the sports betting industry. With a collection of sports betting news and notes, we intend to cover all the bases.
Texas Lottery Bans Courier Services
Texas Lottery Commission’s executive director, Ryan Mindell, issued a policy statement early this week, announcing that lottery ticket courier services will no longer be tolerated in Texas and that proposed rule amendments will ban them entirely within the state.
This move comes after the commission reviewed its authority under the State Lottery Act.
As a result of the review, “the Commission will revoke the license of a retailer that works with or assists a courier service and we are moving to prohibit courier services in Texas to ensure all ticket sales comply with state law and agency regulation as well as to maintain public trust.”
Serious concerns have been raised about the integrity, security, honesty, and fairness of Texas lottery operations. Mindell’s policy aims to address these concerns and take immediate effect.
The proposed rule amendments will be formally presented to the Commission's board during an open meeting on Tuesday, March 4. After a 30-day period during which the public is invited to comment, the amendment may then be integrated, and another open meeting is scheduled for April.
“Our priority is to protect the security and integrity of the Texas Lottery and the public’s confidence in our games,” Robert G. Rivera, chairman of the Texas Lottery Commission, added.
“By this rule proposal, the agency will take decisive action to ensure that ticket sales remain in full compliance with state law.”
In recent news, lawmakers in Texas have proposed to legalize sports betting and land-based casino gaming in the state, filing bills HJR 134 and HJR 137 earlier in the month.
Nevada casino revenue up 12.5% year-on-year in January
Nevada casinos generated $1.43 billion in gaming revenue in January, an increase from $1.27 billion reported the previous year. This is the second-highest monthly total in state history, surpassed only by December 2024's record $1.46 billion.
Slot machines contributed $915.2 million to the overall total, and table and card games contributed $524 million. Clark County, home of the Las Vegas Strip, accounted for $1.3 billion of the state's gaming revenue.
The casinos on the Strip generated more than $840 million in January, a 22.5% increase from the $686 million generated in January 2023.
Statewide, gaming wins were 12.5% higher than the same month last year. Clark County remained the top area, with $1.2 billion in gaming wins, though some regions fell. Downtown Las Vegas and the Boulder Strip, which had reported strong revenue figures in the past, both reported slight drops from January 2023.
Baccarat continued to be the highest-grossing table game for Strip casinos, with winnings of $214 million, representing a 121% increase from January 2024. In contrast, multi-denomination slot machines were the most popular slots on the strip, rising from $263.2 million to $312.6 million year-over-year.
Despite casino revenue slightly declining month-over-month, Nevada sportsbooks were soaring, reporting their second-highest revenue total of $72.6 million, a 12.1% increase from $64.7 million reported the previous year.
Penn & Teller receive branded casino table game
The Illusionist duo Penn & Teller are bringing their signature style to the casino table with the launch of Penn & Teller Casino Monte, a new table game Adventura Gaming created in partnership with Rio Hotel and Casino. It will be the first time that Rio has launched a branded celebrity table game.
Penn & Teller Casino Monte will premiere on March 3, where members at the event will get a first look at the game in action.
Penn & Teller's greatest trick yet—Casino Monte! 🎩✨ No sleight of hand, just fiendishly fun gameplay. Deal in here at Rio starting Monday, March 3! pic.twitter.com/shxSjzpSQh
— Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas (@RioVegas) February 24, 2025
With Penn & Teller Casino Monte, Adventura Gaming aims to unite the universes of gambling and entertainment by creating celebrity-infused casino games. Although game mechanics details have not yet been released, the launch reflects an industry trend of attracting broadly known celebrities to gaming developments.
The game's premiere is among a series of changes underway for Rio Hotel & Casino, which is undergoing a $340-million makeover into a Destination by Hyatt property. The first phase of renovations has already revamped one of its hotel towers, Ipanema, added to the gaming floor and introduced new restaurants.
Phase two of the renovations will include enhancements to the Masquerade Tower and other areas. The completion date for this phase has not been determined.
The theme of recent celebrity casino endorsements is not only privy to Rio Hotel & Casino, Resorts World Las Vegas recently announced in late January that they were teaming up with celebrity YouTuber MrBeast to release a MrBeast-themed hotel package for guests.
Golden Matrix Group enters U.S. sweepstakes industry
Golden Matrix Group-owned Expanse Studios has increased its footprint in the U.S. sweepstakes market with its fourth successful acquisition. The growth, initiated by Casimba Gaming, broadens the company's reach to more than 40 states.
Employing Casimba Gaming's distribution network, Expanse Studios has distributed its slots, crash games, and table games to various social casino sites.
This move is a reaction to the studio's vision to create scalable and adaptable content to respond to the evolving demands of U.S. sweepstakes operators. In a show of devotion to the social casino and sweepstakes market, Expanse Studios has calibrated two lead games for social casino websites, "Rich Panda" and "Wild West."
"We remain committed to expanding our footprint in the U.S. and delivering high-quality, sweepstakes-compatible gaming content," said Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios. "Our latest integration through Casimba Gaming reflects the growing demand for our content and strengthens our position in the sweepstakes space."
Expanse Studios' focus is on optimizing operational efficiency by reducing reliance on third-party content suppliers. This approach maximizes profitability and accelerates market presence, enabling the company to establish a sustainable and scalable future growth model.
In recent news, New Jersey lawmakers have proposed introducing regulations regarding sweepstake casinos. If Bill A5196 is passed, New Jersey would be the first state to legalize sweepstakes.
LuckyStreak expands U.S. presence through Lions Den Games
Live casino and online gambling solutions provider LuckyStreak has agreed with Lions Den Games to grow its footprint in the U.S. online sweepstakes gaming market. This deal will introduce LuckyStreak’s live dealer content and aggregated games from various developers to the Lions Den Games platform.
Lions Den Games is operated by digital entertainment company J&K Studios, which runs multiple retail locations in Texas. The deal with LuckyStreak allows it to continue investing in its digital expansion. This initiative integrates LuckyStreak’s casino offerings and content from Red Rake Gaming and Tom Horn.
Players on the Lions Den Games platform receive Lions Den Coins (LDCs) when they make purchases of digital art and collectibles from J&K Studios. The LDCs can then access a wide selection of sweepstakes games.
Various engagement methods also offer additional opportunities to earn virtual coins. Users can accumulate more coins by participating in leaderboard competitions, registering accounts, logging in daily, watching advertisements, and interacting with J&K Studios' social media channels.
“Our partnership with J&K Studios is an exciting step for us, as we continue to develop our footprint in this fast-growing vertical with operators who share our passion for creativity, entertainment, and top-tier player experiences,” said Ady Totah, CEO and co-founder of LuckyStreak.
Cover the Bases for Feb. 17-21
Cover the Bases for Feb. 10-14
Cover the Bases for Feb. 3-7
Cover the Bases for Jan. 27-31
Cover the Bases for Jan. 20-24
Cover the Bases for Jan. 13-17
Cover the Bases for Jan. 6-10
Cover the Bases for Dec. 9-13
Cover the Bases for Dec. 2-6
Cover the Bases for Nov. 25-29
