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Taxation, Technology and Online Sports Betting Revolution in the USA
The world of gambling in the United States is an ever-evolving landscape where millions of American adults seek their fortunes yearly. Beyond the thrill of winning, a complex web of regulations, taxation and technological advancements shapes the gambling experience.
Taxation of Gambling Winnings in the USA
Gambling in the United States is not just about luck; tax implications are involved. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ensures it gets a slice of your gambling success. If you strike it big, the payer will withhold 24% of your winnings before handing them to you. This withholding is mandatory for certain winnings and is reported to the IRS with Form W-G2, which records the transaction.
But here’s a glimmer of hope for gamblers – you can deduct gambling losses from your taxes if you itemize your deductions. However, there’s a catch: you can only deduct losses up to the total amount of your reported winnings and you must provide official documents to support your claims.
It’s worth noting that not all gambling winnings are treated equally. Slot machines and bingo, categorized as games of chance, are subject to the 24% withholding tax. In contrast, table games like blackjack and craps, considered skill-based games, do not have immediate tax withholding. Nevertheless, players are still obligated to report their earnings when filing taxes.
Adding another layer to the taxation puzzle, some states require you to declare your gambling winnings. Most states tax all income generated within their borders, making it essential for winners to adhere to state-specific regulations.
The Rise of Gambling Technology in 2023
The taxation of gambling winnings at the top online casinos in the USA sets the financial backdrop for the evolving gambling landscape. As players navigate the complexities of IRS regulations and state-specific requirements, the rise of gambling technology in 2023 ushers in a new era of immersive and secure gaming experiences.
In recent years, technology has been a game-changer in the gambling industry, transforming how people engage with games of chance. Here are some of the key technological advancements reshaping the gambling landscape:
- Virtual Reality (V.R.) and Augmented Reality (A.R.): These technologies bridge the gap between physical and online gambling experiences. V.R. offers immersive gameplay, enabling players to interact with the casino environment. You can now spin slot wheels, toss chips in blackjack and even see fellow players at the poker table, all from the comfort of your home.
- Live Dealer Casinos: Live dealer casinos elevate the online gambling experience by providing real-time interactions with professional dealers. This innovation adds authenticity and engagement, making players feel at a physical casino, all from the comfort of their homes.
- Facial Recognition and Protection: Facial recognition technology is entering the gambling industry, simplifying identity verification and enhancing security. From logging in to confirming deposits, facial recognition streamlines processes without compromising safety.
- Predictive Data Modeling: Predictive analytics is becoming increasingly sophisticated in gambling. Casinos now use data to understand players’ preferences, tailor experiences and optimize efficiency, resulting in more personalized and efficient services.
- No Wagering Casinos: No-wagering casinos are on the rise, allowing players to experience the latest gambling technology without the risk of losing their initial deposits. These casinos focus on gaining player loyalty rather than just an initial financial transaction.
Online Sports Betting in Kentucky
In the gambling landscape of the USA, a significant development has occurred in Kentucky. As of September 28, 2022, online sportsbooks can legally accept bets in the state, opening up a new frontier for gambling enthusiasts.
Five licensed online sportsbooks have already started accepting registrations in Kentucky, with three more licensees preparing to launch soon. This provides Kentucky residents with eight options for online sports betting. To participate, individuals must register with their chosen sportsbooks, a simple process that involves identity verification. The minimum age for sports betting in Kentucky is 18, although some sportsbooks may set a higher age requirement.
Looking Ahead
The future of gambling in the United States holds exciting possibilities. With technology continuing to shape the industry and more states considering legalizing various forms of gambling, the landscape is evolving rapidly.
Whether you’re a seasoned gambler or just someone intrigued by the industry’s developments, it’s an exciting time to keep an eye on what’s next in American gambling. Stay tuned for further updates on this ever-changing landscape.

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G2 Makes First Entry into ‘Traditional’ Sports with the Launch of G2 Football Club in Kings League Germany
- G2 will field a football team in the newly announced Kings League Germany, marking the organisation’s first entry into traditional sports, a major milestone for the club. The team is set to compete in the Kings World Cup Qualifiers in Germany ahead of the Kings World Cup in June.
- 2025 is G2’s 10 year anniversary and as the organisation looks ahead to the future, a key focus area is blurring the lines between esports and traditional sports in a way that makes sense for its young community.
- Kings League and G2 have a shared vision of entertainment, innovation, and fan engagement, blending traditional sports, esports, and entertainment in a way that appeals to multigenerational audiences.
- G2 is the first esports team to join Kings League in Europe.
- The strategic move will harness digital innovation, shaping a future where sports and esports coexist and thrive together.
- The move is an expansion of G2’s competitive DNA, rather than a shift away from esports.
G2, one of the world’s leading esports and entertainment brands, has announced it will be fielding a football team (G2 FC) in the new German division of Kings League, a 7-a-side global football league, founded in 2022 by Gerard Piqué, former professional player for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team, in collaboration with other football personalities and streamers.
Kings League features teams from around the world, with domestic leagues in Spain, Americas, Brazil, Italy, France, and the newly announced German league. On April 12, Kings League Germany will launch with a qualification series for the Kings World Cup, where 8 teams will compete for one of 2 slots to represent Germany in the upcoming World Cup in France. On March 25th, Kings League Germany was announced, with Bastian Schweinsteiger as President, unveiling 6 teams in the league, with a surprise 7th and 8th team. G2 can now confirm today, it’s one of the surprise teams to join the league.
G2 FC is based in Berlin, with 2 Berliner footballers appointed as Team Manager and Coach. Ron Stublla, with a background in Sports Management and played in the Youth Bundesliga, joins as Team Manager alongside new Coach, Malik Hadziavdic, who was a member of the German National Futsal team and played for FC Liria Berlin in the Futsal Bundesliga. The team recently completed tryouts with footballers at the Adidas SPORTS BASE BERLIN, and a full roster reveal is coming soon.
Kings League leverages streaming to maximize its reach, allowing each club to broadcast games directly to their fans through dedicated co-streams. G2 has partnered with German influencers Reeze and Rumathra as their content creator duo, and the pair will co-stream all G2 FC games on Twitch.
G2 is one of the most successful esports organisations in the world, with 40 million fans globally and over 100 first-place finishes across all teams. G2 is known for its consistent competitive success, with the most-awarded League of Legends team in Europe, the best VALORANT team in America, one of the best Counter Strike teams, and the most successful women’s esports teams in the world. G2 is also the most entertaining brand in esports, its raw, unfiltered approach to content and community with a key focus on narrative building and storytelling has enabled the organisation to rise above its competitors, setting the bar high for the industry.
2025 is G2’s 10 year anniversary, and over the past decade, it has grown into a defiant powerhouse in esports, with successful teams across the globe and long-standing partnerships with mainstream global brands including Mastercard, Red Bull, Ralph Lauren, Herman Miller, Spotify, and Oakley. As G2 looks ahead to the future with plans to continue and diversify its expansion, entry into traditional sports is a key exciting pillar for the organisation. Kings League is a completely new way to experience football, combining sport, entertainment and digital innovation, and G2 is ready to take on this challenge to bring something fresh and fun to the next generation of sports fans.
Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2 comments: “When G2 was created 10 years ago, the dream was to build the ‘Real Madrid of esports’. We wanted to be known as a disruptive brand that’s not only competitively successful, but also has a great personality that knows how to entertain and captivate our fans through storytelling and community building. Now, 10 years later, we are the ‘Real Madrid of esports’, so it’s time for us to go one step further and become the ‘G2 of sports’. Esports has a unique way of connecting with and engaging our passionate fanbase and now it’s our opportunity to show traditional sports how we do things, the G2 way.”
G2 is the first esports organisation to enter Kings League in Europe, and showcases G2’s commitment to shaping its future by blurring the lines between esports and traditional sports, and bringing expert knowledge of new-age digital communities to the next generation of sports fans.
The post G2 Makes First Entry into ‘Traditional’ Sports with the Launch of G2 Football Club in Kings League Germany appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Vibra Group achieves ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification
Strengthens its commitment to corporate information security
Vibra Group, a regional holding company dedicated to developing software and content for the online gaming industry, has been awarded the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification by TÜV Rheinland, a globally recognized certification body. This achievement reinforces Vibra Group’s commitment to the highest standards of information security.
The certification covers key processes including the design and development of online casino games, their distribution through a proprietary platform, and integration with third-party platforms. It also includes the provision of online casino platforms and technological solutions that ensure secure, efficient, and compliant operations in regulated markets.
This milestone supports Vibra Group’s ongoing goal of continuously improving its processes, practices, and standards. It reflects the Group’s constant effort—through its multiple verticals—to generate synergies and strengthen capabilities to offer a comprehensive ecosystem of products and services tailored to the Latin American market.
“ISO 27001 certification marks an important step in our journey to evolve and enhance the way we work. It is part of Vibra Group’s commitment to delivering secure and reliable solutions, and to continuing our responsible growth in regulated markets,” said Ramiro Atucha, CEO of Vibra Group.
The post Vibra Group achieves ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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PR-fueled iGaming strategies lead to 30% higher conversion post-privacy shift
With third-party cookies on their way out and user-level tracking becoming less reliable by the month, iGaming marketers are being forced to rethink how they build performance.
The shift has exposed deep cracks in traditional acquisition strategies. Attribution models are fading. CACs are climbing. And data-driven targeting no longer works the way it used to. As a result, one trend is taking center stage: performance works better when awareness comes first.
Across the iGaming industry, growth teams are rediscovering that PR, media buying, and brand-building aren’t vanity plays. They’re clean, compliant, and increasingly essential levers that drive real conversion – especially when user-level data is off the table.
At RockApp, we’ve seen this shift play out across multiple markets and verticals.
Performance Doesn’t Happen in a Vacuum
The traditional approach to iGaming performance marketing is ruthlessly optimized: creatives A/B tested down to pixel placement, traffic sources ranked by ROI, and every conversion event tracked. But in today’s data-fragmented ecosystem, even the best-optimized campaign can stall if users don’t recognize or trust the brand behind the offer.
That’s where earned media – and strategic media buying – start pulling their weight in new ways.
According to Think with Google, users exposed to both brand-building ads and performance campaigns are 2x more likely to convert than those who see only one or the other. In our experience, the effect is even more pronounced in privacy-restricted environments, where brand trust becomes a conversion lever, not just a UX concern.
The Awareness-Conversion Loop
In multiple campaigns RockApp has supported for iGaming brands entering new markets, we’ve observed a consistent pattern: strategic media exposure – whether through earned coverage, sponsored content, or thought leadership – primes audiences and lifts downstream performance.
To validate this trend, we recently conducted an internal study comparing two iGaming operators – Brand A and Brand B – both entering the same market with near-identical user flows: similar registration forms, interface logic, site structure, and acquisition funnels.
Brand A had active media presence in the region: ongoing PR coverage in vertical media, sports sponsorship deals with local clubs, and participation in relevant offline events. Brand B, although an established name in other regions, had no media activity or brand presence in the local market at the time of launch.
The performance delta was striking.
- Brand A achieved a registration-to-deposit (reg2dep) conversion rate of 48%
- Brand B reached just 26% – almost half
The only significant difference: Brand A was visible, trusted, and familiar to the audience – Brand B wasn’t.
“We consistently see that performance campaigns supported by active PR in the target region outperform standalone campaigns by at least 30%,” says Khanikian Dmitriy, CMO at RockApp. “This becomes especially evident in mid-funnel metrics like reg2dep, where user hesitation can make or break profitability. When users recognize the brand – because they’ve seen it in the media or associated with local sports – they convert faster and with more confidence.”
Sports sponsorships in particular proved to be a powerful lever. By aligning with culturally relevant teams and events, Brand A tapped into existing emotional loyalty, which translated into commercial action. These touchpoints created a steady flow of earned impressions that enhanced performance media, rather than competing with it.
Additionally, PR-led visibility drove a measurable increase in organic traffic. Branded search queries and direct visits rose during campaign peaks, indicating that users were not only clicking on paid ads – but also actively seeking out the brand. This broadens top-of-funnel reach and reduces dependency on high-cost user acquisition channels.
The takeaway: media exposure isn’t just about awareness – it’s an input into conversion.
From Vanity to Utility: Rethinking Media Buys in a Cookieless World
A common misconception is that media buying is just about impressions. In truth, when layered with performance goals, it becomes a strategic asset, especially in a world where deterministic tracking is fading.
Smart buys in content networks, programmatic placements in relevant environments, and even native sponsorships act as pre-conversion touchpoints. They reach users early, before they enter the performance funnel, and shape perception at moments attribution platforms can’t see.
A 2023 study by Pathmatics showed that iGaming brands investing consistently in upper-funnel media saw a 1.5x higher ROAS on performance campaigns compared to those that didn’t.
In a privacy-first market, the logic is simple: you may not be able to track every step, but you can influence every outcome.
What This Means for iGaming Marketers
As user-level tracking degrades and campaign measurement becomes less reliable, growth teams need to think beyond the click. PR and media exposure are no longer peripheral – they’re central to performance strategy.
At RockApp, we’ve adjusted our UA approach to integrate upstream planning with media and PR teams. The results: lower CAC, higher retention, and more resilient campaign performance across regulated and privacy-conscious markets.
So what can iGaming marketers do right now?
- Map your funnel touchpoints beyond attribution. Awareness matters even when you can’t track it.
- Align media buying and PR efforts with performance goals – not after the fact, but during planning.
- Invest in brand signals like sports sponsorships, thought leadership, and earned media. They work when pixels can’t.
In a privacy-first world, performance doesn’t start with a click – it starts with trust.
And trust is built upstream.
The post PR-fueled iGaming strategies lead to 30% higher conversion post-privacy shift appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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