Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa has unveiled a series of elevated new gaming, dining and bar experiences, once again setting the standard for excellence in one of the country’s most exciting hospitality destinations. The stunning new gaming floor spans 25,000 square feet featuring 51 tables, five private gaming salons, a dedicated Asian gaming space, as well as a sophisticated high-limit gaming area and private bar. Guests can test their fortune at player favourites including Pai Gow Poker and Tiles, and a variety of Baccarat games, while a multilingual host team stands ready to deliver the exceptional service for which Borgata is known. The resort also introduced Noodles, a Pan-Asian dining destination renowned for its signature takes on timeless favourites, along with the reimagined B Bar, the vibrant centerpiece of the casino floor.

Merkur Gaming US, a subsidiary of the German-based Merkur Group, has been granted a license to manufacture and distribute its gaming products in the state of Nevada – thereby gaining access to one of the leading casino markets in the US. In addition, the Nevada Gaming Commission has approved Merkur’s acquisition of Gaming Arts LLC, a licensed Nevada-based gaming operator headquartered in Las Vegas and a trusted strategic partner of the German gaming specialist. It is anticipated that the transaction will close in early Q3 2025.

The Texas House has approved legislation to abolish the Texas Lottery Commission and reform lottery operations after multiple scandals have rocked the agency. Authored by State Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood), Senate Bill 3070 abolishes the commission that has overseen the lottery since shortly after its founding in 1991, moving operations to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. As originally written, the bill would also limit ticket sales per transaction, require age verification at the point of sale, push the agency into a two year probationary period and provide for greater oversight of the lottery—oversight that has been either intentionally or unintentionally lacking.

New Partnerships

SCCG Management, a global leader in advisory services for the gaming and sports industries, has announced a strategic partnership with FLI Golf, the groundbreaking professional disc golf league redefining the sport for a new generation of fans, athletes and bettors. One of the most exciting elements of this partnership is SCCG’s work to integrate FLI Golf into the Tribal gaming ecosystem. With decades of deep relationships in Tribal markets and across brick-and-mortar casino properties, SCCG will work to bring live FLI Golf experiences to casinos across the US—unlocking a powerful new category of in-person entertainment and sports betting activation.

Century Casinos Inc. has announced that its subsidiary, Century Casino & Hotel Cape Girardeau (Century), has entered into a long-term agreement with BetMGM to bring BetMGM’s sports betting platform to the Missouri market. Under the terms of the agreement, BetMGM will operate an online and mobile sports betting application under Century’s license in Missouri. The agreement includes a percentage of net gaming revenue payable to Century, with a guaranteed minimum, as well as retail sportsbook options to be exercised at Century’s discretion.

As Neosurf breaks into the fiercely competitive Swiss market, Global CEO Andrea McGeachin shares why the company believes it can make a real impact – and what it’s taken to get off to a strong start.

You mentioned in a previous interview that Neosurf initially had reservations about entering the Swiss market as the existing competition was thought to be too strong. What was it that caused the company to change its mind and where do you think Neosurf’s products can provide a competitive edge compared to other companies?

I’d say our outlook began to change when we had gambling operators, game merchants and other clients tell us that the market was falling short at a service level. For some it was a question of fees and for others it was to do with the general approach to account management, but after listening to their concerns we had a completely different picture of the Swiss landscape and knew that Neosurf would be able to help. This is usually the approach we take in countries that we’ve not thought about launching in – we really make an effort to talk to clients and other strategic partners about what we should be working towards and where Neosurf can make a difference. Switzerland was definitely one of those countries and you’ll see the same in South America soon!

As is often the case for Neosurf, you talked extensively with Swiss regulators before ultimately making the decision to go ahead and launch. What was the content of those discussions and were there any specific issues raised that made you think “ok, this is an area where Neosurf can help operators meet their compliance requirements”?

Absolutely. Digital wallets in Switzerland often create limitations on spend to help operators meet their AML requirements, which in turn leads to situations where customers have to switch their payment method later in the year because they’ve already hit the upper cap. This can be quite an onerous process for payment companies to support, so we worked with our excellent lawyer, local MD and local MLO to create something that was less arduous for the player but also met the standards and due diligence required on the regulator’s side. When I first heard about the rule, I thought “this sounds so old-fashioned and slow and it will cost way more than we’d like to spend,” but I loved the way my team and colleagues all came together to come up with a smart solution that ensures players don’t leave an operator simply because they’ve reached their spending limit.

Presumably launching in a market like Switzerland where regulation is well-established and strong competitors already exist is quite different from entering an emerging market like LatAm. Did you have to make any specific adjustments to your entry strategy or localised tweaks to your product offering to account for this fact?

Yes we did and yes we have! We’ve got a number of local experts – both internally and among our partners – who’ve really supported us in adapting for the Swiss market. While we recognise that operators can’t simply switch off our competitors, we’re happy that they’re giving us the opportunity to prove our worth and we’ll continue to collaborate very closely with them to ensure that we keep improving and give players the best possible solution. Switzerland is a very tough country to enter and return in quickly, but whereas other competitors have tried and left, we’re here for long term and are more than willing to be patient. When we encountered friction in the Netherlands, we didn’t just pack up and walk away – we went to the regulator and ensured they understood and accepted our product – and that’s exactly what we’ll do in Switzerland if needed.

What are some of the biggest challenges that are specific to the Swiss market in terms of payments and how will Neosurf’s products address these? Does the fact that you offer more than just transaction completion and instead take an active role in supporting compliance, AML and responsible gaming make your offering unique?

The use of our Compliance Handshake and explaining that process to MLRO teams and operators’ compliance teams always creates amazing discussions that make them realise we’re a payments company that does things differently. For me, it’s always a fun challenge trying to get a compliance person to want to talk to a payments company, because they’re not used to having someone come and chat with them about what they need and how they can be better supported. Of course, it’s always easy to say these things, but when you actually deliver on them like Neosurf does, it starts to build trust in your responsible gambling practices and your use of AML controls and data sharing for compliance issues. All of that helps us stick in the minds of operators – we’re able to sit down with them and say, “we can, and we will” and that’s when things start to change.

By all accounts, the Swiss launch has been very successful for you so far. Given the high level of competition you mentioned, are you surprised at just how well you’ve started in the region and what do you attribute this early success to? Do you have any key numbers from your first months in the market that you’re particularly proud of?

While we’re not ready to publish the numbers at such an early stage, it has definitely been a success. As I said earlier, starting out in Switzerland is always a slow process, but we’ve seen steady growth and the fact we’re known as an honest company in the industry that’s willing to sit and talk to people has really helped us make an impact. Interestingly, some of the partners and operators we work with that don’t normally target the Swiss market have started to realise that Swiss players also want to access international business with the Swiss franc and that in itself has been a major catalyst for further growth. Naturally, there are rules and limits that we have to follow, but we’re starting to open doors for Swiss citizens to be able to play a game or place a bet and I think that’s helped merchants and operators see that they too can serve the Swiss market.

ICONIC21 has officially released Stellar Fruits, the game that sparked and inspired the entire Stellar Fruits series. This is a collection of classic-style slots built around fast-paced gameplay, vibrant visuals and universally recognisable symbols.

At the heart of Stellar Fruits, the fiery red seven takes on the role of the Wild, while the golden star Scatter rewards players from any position on the reels. With its clean mechanics and confident simplicity, Stellar Fruits delivers a sense of familiarity while keeping gameplay sharp and satisfying.

This launch marks the next chapter of the Stellar Fruits line-up, which includes Stellar Fruits, Stellar Fruits 20, Stellar Fruits 40 and soon-to-be-launched Stellar Fruits 100. While the core mechanics remain consistent, each title in the series differs by the number of paylines – from 5 to 100 – subtly shifting volatility and win probabilities. The result is a high-volatility series that still manages to feel relaxed and intuitive.

The “fruits and coins” theme continues to be a favourite among players. This theme is time-tested, instantly engaging and always in demand.

Edvardas Sadovskis, Chief Product Officer at ICONIC21, said: “It’s a pleasure to see Stellar Fruits go live. This is the game that inspired our vision for a series built on the timeless appeal of fruit and coin slots. It’s classic, but with its own distinct twist that keeps players coming back.

“We’ve been consistent with our slot portfolio rollouts, and it’s rewarding to see these titles performing so well. This series gives players a new way back into the classic casino world they know and love.”