Caesars continues takeover talks with Fertitta, prop bet ban fails in Colorado, Pennsylvania focuses on combatting problem gambling

The Ibero-American State Lottery and Betting Corporation welcomed Altenar as its newest associate member. The announcement comes at a time when the leading sports betting, iGaming and retail technology and solutions provider continues to expand its presence in key gambling markets in Europe and Latin America.

This week, Casino Guru published the Q1 2026 results of its Complaint Resolution Center (CNC). The fresh data uncovered that the CRC continues to help resolve players' issues while recording an increase in the complaint volume. Notably, in Q1 2026, CNC helped resolve 1,321 customer cases, returning more than $5.3m to players across the globe.

A new analysis by the Dominator Play team highlighted key iGaming trends in 2026. The report, sharing unique insights, outlined the importance of gamification as well as challenges related to player engagement, retention and return on investment.

Business and finance

The leading gaming, entertainment and hospitality company, Caesars Entertainment, has reportedly extended talks with Tilman Fertitta about a potential takeover, Bloomberg suggested. The takeover deal has a mind-boggling $18bn price tag.

If the two parties agree to proceed with this major acquisition, Fertitta Entertainment would acquire Caesars Entertainment. A similar takeover deal was discussed in 2018, but ultimately didn't go through. However, if Fertitta's bid for Caesars now is successful, his company would add 50 casino properties in North America to its portfolio.

MGM Resorts International finalized the sale of MGM Northfield Park's operations to Clairvest Group Inc. in a cash deal valued at $546m. Bill Hornbuckle, MGM Resorts’ CEO and President, spoke about the racino's leadership position in the market in Ohio. Moreover, he said: "The property has a strong foundation, and we extend our best wishes to the team and new ownership for continued success in the next chapter of the property's evolution."

Scientific Games further extended its North American presence by teaming up with the Minnesota Lottery. The company emerged as the winner of a new seven-year contract with the possibility of a three-year extension. The agreement will see the Minnesota Lottery modernize, scale up and enhance its digital and retail offering thanks to Scientific Games’ innovative technology and solutions.

Next week, Resorts World New York City is going to open the Big Apple's first-ever table games casino. Offering more than 240 table games and 2,500 of the most popular slot machines, the commercial casino's grand opening is scheduled for April 28, 2026. Besides delivering supreme entertainment, Resorts World New York City's new venue created more than 1,200 new jobs.

Regulation and laws

Despite initial plans, a bill proposing a prop bets ban in Colorado has gone through changes. The proposed legislation still features provisions about banning credit cards for gambling, requirements for advertising and player protection, but the state's tight budget resulted in the removal of the text that banned prop bets.

Online casino games provider, Wicked Games, continued its European expansion. The company only recently landed another B2B license, entering Sweden, one of the most important online gambling markets on the old continent. Wicked Games’ Swedish entry reaffirms the company's compliance with the established regulatory framework and permits its hit games to reach new players.

A young man is set to serve 30 months in prison after he was sentenced for a multi-layered cyberattack against DraftKings, the leading betting and gaming company. Besides spending 30 months in prison, the 23-year-old man, a Memphis, Tennessee resident, is set to undergo 3 years of supervised release. What's more, the young man was sentenced to pay $125,000 in forfeiture and $1.3m in restitution to DraftKings.

Responsible gambling

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania vowed their support for a new platform to aid problem gambling. The new digital platform seeks to help people affected by problem gambling and marks an update in the state's approach to gambling harm. The Pennsylvania General Assembly has backed the funding for the new program, with lawmakers signaling their intention to address problem gambling issues, protect consumers from harm, and provide much-needed support.

The leading personal finance company, WalletHub, ranked the most gambling addicted states in the US. The company collected and analyzed data from different verticals with the goal of determining the states most impacted by problem gambling. Overall, WalletHub considered 20 key metrics to rank the states and uncover interesting trends.

The billionaire philanthropist, John Arnold, argued that sports event contracts offered by prediction markets are harmful for boys and young men. The high-profile investor became the latest expert to sound the alarm about the growing popularity of prediction markets, acknowledging that boys and young men are particularly susceptible to prediction markets and contracts on sports events.

The voice of the industry

This week, Casino Guru News released a comprehensive analysis by the NFL insider, Jason La Canfora, who highlighted 10 picks that just make sense. The interesting op-ed takes a different approach when viewing the first 32 picks, outlining the insider’s top 10 picks.

A separate report by Stian Enger Pettersen, the Head of Casino at EveryMatrix, delved into singular tools or unified gamification ecosystem, identifying which one ensures the best player experience. The publication focused on the evolution of the iGaming sector, acknowledging challenges related to player engagement and other hot topics.

Last but not least, Casino Guru News had the opportunity to sit down for a talk with Paulina Ostrzycka, Yggdrasil's Regional Manager for the Balkans. In an interview, the executive spoke about the company’s success in a range of markets, revealing that this year, Yggdrasil plans to launch more games than ever before.

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