Bally's proposes to rescue Star Entertainment, New Jersey considers sweepstakes ban

During this week, Casino Guru News highlighted a number of important regulatory updates, responsible gambling initiatives and business moves.

This September, thousands of gaming industry experts and professionals are expected to gather at the Feira Internacionalde Lisboa and MEO Arena for the SBC Summit 2025. The prestigious event is expected to be the largest gathering to date, attracting 30,000 industry stakeholders.

SBC Summit 2025 is planned to take place between September 16 and September 18, 2025. The event is expected to draw visitors from more than 134 countries across the globe, making one of the most important gatherings for the gaming industry this year.

Casino Guru News recently pushed an analysis focusing on the popular social media influencer known as Lady Luck HQ. The famous content creator, whose real name is Francine Maric, has a growing fan base across a number of social media platforms, including YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

Business and finance

This week, Star Entertainment, the embattled Australian casino operator, received a $250m proposal from Bally's Corporation, the recognizable gaming and entertainment giant. In exchange for the hefty sum, the latter company seeks to acquire a minimum of 50.1% stake in Star Entertainment.

If Star Entertainment accepts the proposal from Bally's Corporation, it would designate the operator as the largest shareholder in the former company. The publicly announced proposal revealed that Bally's intends to preserve the interests and assets of everyone involved in the transaction, including shareholders, creditors, as well as regulators.

Swintt, the leading iGaming content and technology supplier, announced a new senior-level appointment this week. The company confirmed it hired Anthony Dalla-Giacoma, a former Quickspin and NetEnt executive, for the strategic role of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Joining Swintt, Dalla-Giacoma said that he is delighted to capture this unique opportunity and help the business reach a new level of growth.

Regulation and laws

Connecticut lawmakers are considering changes to the state's gambling regulations. A new bill that is making its way proposes the introduction of a maximum allowable sports wager. Besides sports betting wager limits, the new proposal, SB01464, titled "An Act Concerning Sports Wagering and Multijurisdictional Internet Gaming," wants to see the state join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA).

MSIGA membership would enable Connecticut poker players to engage in games with other states that are part of the agreement. If that happens, Connecticut will join six other states, including Nevada, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Delaware.

Elsewhere in the United States, a bill in New Jersey is proposing a ban on sweepstakes casinos. The new proposal in the state calls to make sweepstakes casinos outright illegal.

The legislative proposal, Assembly Bill 5447, comes after last month, Mississippi considered a similar move by ousting sweepstakes. The proposal in New Jersey is sponsored by Rep. Clinton Calabrese, who now supports the outright ban of sweepstakes, despite an initial attempt to regulate them.

In Australia, one gambling regulator turned to an environment exec for the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Earlier this week, the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, the state's gambling watchdog, appointed the former Environment Protection Authority Victoria exec, Suzy Neilan, to the role of CEO.

Responsible gambling

When it comes to gambling ads, Farleigh Dickenson University in New Jersey conducted a new poll that focused on the attitudes of locals toward such content.

Notably, the research uncovered that an overwhelming majority of 76% of the respondents supported the implementation of a restriction on gambling ads. In contrast, only 17% of the respondents said they would feel comfortable with maintaining the status quo.

Just in time for March, the Problem Gambling Awareness Month, Bally's Corporation rolled out a new responsible gambling initiative. The announcement, made by the company earlier this week, confirmed the launch of the "Game In Good Hands" campaign.

Commemorating Responsible Gambling Awareness Month, the effort seeks to raise awareness and support Bally's customers with a range of features that can help them better control their gambling.In the words of Bally's CEO, Robeson Reeves: "This initiative highlights Bally's dedication to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for all users of its gaming products worldwide."

PrizePicks, the leading daily fantasy sports operator, confirmed it secured Internet Compliance Assessment Program (iCAP) accreditation from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). The milestone achievement followed a rigorous analysis and assessment of the company's policies and operations.

In the end, the NCPG concluded that PrizePicks reached the highest standards for player protection and responsible gambling, designating the company suitable for iCAP accreditation.

Technological advances

In a major move toward innovation, Choctaw Casino & Resorts made history by joining forces with Bitline. The agreement marked the first such high-profile deal for the latter company, which enabled the popular casino to offer its customers the opportunity to enable deposits with cryptocurrencies.

Considering the popularity of crypto, the move is expected to benefit Bitline and Choctaw Casino & Resorts as well. Certainly, the deal that focuses on innovation and expands the use of cryptocurrencies won't be the last of its kind in the country.

Again, this week, the leading regulatory intelligence solutions and software provider, Vixio, announced it enhanced its Technical Compliance Tool. Focusing on information security, the company confirmed that its innovative tool now covers more than 80 different infosecurity requirements for 20 markets across the globe.

Undoubtedly, this move reaffirms Vixio's dedication to delivering exceptional services to its growing customer base. At the same time, the company simplifies the processes for suppliers and operators, enabling them to easily access secure and reliable services for their businesses.

The voice of the industry

Earlier this week, Casino Guru announced proudly that it was shortlisted on the prestigious 2025 Casino Guru Awards. Casino Guru made it to the shortlist for the Players’ Choice – Best Game Provider category of the much-anticipated industry awards that are expected to take place at the Hilton Hotel in St. Julian’s, Malta.

This year's Casino Guru Awards are scheduled for June 6, 2025, and will recognize some of the best providers and operators within the gaming sector. Besides highlighting dedication and excellence, the prestigious event will gather industry experts and stakeholders from all around the world.

Again, this week, Casino Guru was shortlisted for the upcoming GamingTECH Awards 2025. The prestigious event nominated Casino Guru in the Best Support for Responsible Gambling category.

The upcoming GamingTECH Awards 2025 will feature a range of experts who will cast their votes on March 25 at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit. On the same day, the winners of the GamingTECH Awards 2025 will be announced at a special ceremony.

During the current week, Casino Guru News released an analysis on MrBeast, one of the most successful online content creators across the globe. Anyone wondering "How much is MrBeast worth," and other intricate details regarding James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson, the real person behind the artistic pseudonym, can find an extensive analysis here.

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