Areas of Expertise
6735 stories by Devin O'Connor
World Health Organization Says Normalization of Gambling a Detriment to Global Wellness
The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for an overhaul of the global gaming industry on concerns that the normalization of sports betting and other casino games is a detriment to public health. WHO, the specialized agency of the United Nations tasked...
Teachers Union is Latest Group to Oppose Caesars Casino in NYC’s Times Square
The largest teachers union in New York City is opposed to an effort to bring a $4 billion integrated resort casino to Times Square. On Wednesday, Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, a union representing nearly 200K educators, school-related...
Offshore Gambling Crackdown Continues, Arizona Latest to Send Cease Order
Illegal online gambling websites operating from offshore territories continue to face repercussions in the United States. Bovada, an internet casino platform that facilitates unlawful gambling in the U.S. from its headquarters in the Caribbean island of Curacao, is being ordered by state...
Gaming Consultancy Pinpoints Top 10 Issues Facing US Industry in 2025
A prominent gaming consulting firm has unveiled what it believes will be the top 10 issues facing the US gaming industry next year. Pennsylvania-based Spectrum Gaming bills itself as a nonpartisan consultancy specializing in the economics, regulation, and policy of legalized gambling....
Bettors Betting on Who President Biden Will Pardon Next, Fauci’s Stock Climbs
In the aftermath of President Joe Biden pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, for all offenses he has committed or may have committed from Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 1, 2024, bettors on political wagering exchanges are staking money on who the president...
Atlantic City Casino Smoking Dilemma Has Unions at Odds
Two unions in Atlantic City that represent casino employees, but which have greatly differing opinions on whether indoor tobacco use should be allowed, are fuming about the controversial issue. Unite Here Local 54 represents nongaming workers at the nine resorts down the...
New Zealand Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Casino Robbery
A New Zealand man will remain behind bars after a judge accepted his guilty plea related to a robbery that occurred in September 2023 at Auckland's SkyCity Casino. Eru Andrew Stevens, 58, has a long rap sheet and a deep history of...
Washington Post Probes Sweepstakes, Regulated Industry Calls for iGaming
Veteran Washington Post features writer Rick Maese did a deep dive into the controversial world of online "sweepstakes" casinos that claim not to be gambling websites because they initially give new players an allotment of free coins. Sweeps casinos bill themselves as...
Royal Caribbean Overhauls Casino Rewards, Free Cruises Now More Restrictive
One of the most generous casino rewards programs at sea is becoming a bit more limited. This month, Royal Caribbean quietly overhauled its Club Royale rewards program. Club Royale is the loyalty scheme for Casino Royale casinos aboard the cruise line's vessels....
Hard Rock Bristol Thinking Expansion Just Weeks After Opening Virginia Casino
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Bristol opened on November 14. Now, just weeks into the $515 million integrated resort's story, the ownership group is already thinking about its next chapter. Hard Rock opened in Southern Virginia near the Tennessee border to...