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The CEO of BetMGM, Adam Greenblatt, has come out against sweepstakes casinos in a new interview. In it, he states that the social casino should be made illegal, as it’s a negative for the regulated sector.
Greenblatt is “delighted” that states are tackling the problem. In recent months, New York, California, Connecticut, and others have begun to move to outlaw sweepstakes casinos. Some states are taking it from a protective angle, as these platforms often don’t provide safety measures for addicts and other gambling pitfalls up to standard.
There’s also the matter of these illicit platforms often avoiding taxation, something that states have seen a massive increase in since gambling revenue has jumped in the last few years.
BetMGM CEO on sweepstakes casinos
Speaking in the interview, Greenblatt said:
“Look, we’re pretty clear — or we are clear that we believe sweeps should be illegal iGaming, and it’s bad for the regulated sector. It’s bad for state revenues. It’s bad for players.
“And so, we are delighted to see lots of states now — increasingly, not lots, increasingly states adopting just legislation against the sweeps industry, which — what we would love to see and what we are certainly advocating for is more regulated iGaming states, I think BetMGM more than anyone stands to gain relatively most in the event that it happens. And we fully anticipate, over time, that to happen.
“But the message to our lawmakers is the sweeps activity is happening anyway. As I’ve said, the good guys aren’t benefiting. And so, we would like to see that situation unwind and in fact reverse.”
BetMGM won’t be first to move to predictions
The CEO also said that they won’t be the first to make a move on the prediction markets. This is due to the ongoing lawsuits and various legal issues surrounding the concept.
Platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket have begun to dominate the gambling industry, providing a massive range of topics to bet on. Politics, movies, and more are all on the table.
Tribes in California have taken umbrage with Kalshi, which it sees as providing sportsbooks in a state where sports gambling is illegal. Greenblatt elaborates:
“We do not have the desire to be a first mover. Our state regulators have been very clear. Our tribal partners have been very clear. Thirty-four states’ attorneys general have been very clear.
“They do not believe prediction markets should serve — should offer sports contracts, because that is sports betting. They would argue that that is sports betting.
“And so, I don’t think we have a — BetMGM has a right to win… trying to become a leader in what is a very different market.
“From a regulatory perspective, very different. From a technical perspective, from a risk management perspective, just very different.”
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The Switzerland-based sports technology company, Sportradar, has launched an AI-powered tool ‘Bettor Sense’ to help operators support responsible gambling.
It features a ‘personalized, proactive,’ and ‘data-driven approach to user protection’ as it can detect early signs of gambling-related risk and enables personalized interventions.
Bettor Sense has been created with proprietary technology and aims to promote responsible gambling and is described as being fully compliant with regulatory standards.
Sportradar is a company which provides sports federations, news media, consumer platforms, and sports betting operations with solutions to help grow their business. It has a number of partnerships and, in June, announced they would be securing exclusive rights to distribute ultra-low latency betting data from the FIFA World Cup 2025.
Through the agreement, Sportradar will deliver data and content, including live odds, across all 63 tournament matches from DAZN to its global network of more than 800 betting operator clients and 900 media companies.
Brazilian operator becomes first to adopt new Bettor Sense tool
The Brazilian operator BETesporte is the first to adopt the AI-powered tool, with the company also having joined Sportradar’s Integrity Exchange. This is a global information-sharing network that allows betting operators to report suspicious betting activity.
Marcos Pereira, the CEO of BETesporte said: “BETesporte is fully committed to transparency and security across all its operations. The partnership with Sportradar, through the integration of Bettor Sense and the Integrity Exchange, reinforces our dedication to fostering a responsible and ethical betting environment in line with regulatory standards.”
The company will be using the technology to anticipate and prevent risky behavior, “ensuring our bettors have the best possible experience with complete safety.
“We will continue working tirelessly to protect the integrity of sport and the trust of our users, which remains our top priority.”
Tom Mace, SVP, Integrity & Regulatory Services, Product & Strategy at Sportradar, said: “This partnership with BETesporte marks an important milestone for Sportradar’s ongoing mission to help shape secure and sustainable sports betting and iGaming industries. BETesporte is taking a proactive step in embracing responsible gaming as a core part of its business.
He expands to say they are confident this will be the first of many partnerships, “as the market increasingly recognizes the value of using data and technology to protect end users and strengthen compliance.”
Featured Image: Credit to Sportradar
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The Philippine gaming industry has seen increased gross gaming revenues (GGR) in the first half of the year, as it reached PHP 214.75 billion ($3,729,075,509) which marks a 26% increase from the same period last year.
One of the strongest segments was the Electronic Games sector which comprises e-games, e-bingo, and more. According to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), this sector totaled 53.47% of the total GGR.
Licensed casinos, including integrated resorts and brick-and-mortar casinos in Metro Manila, Clark, Cebu, La Union, and Rizal, also remained to be a significant revenue driver.
The licensed casino category accounted for 43.47% of the industry GGR. Meanwhile, PAGCOR-operated casinos added PHP 6.56 billion, representing 3.06% of the overall industry performance.
Philippine PAGCOR reiterates need to maintain ‘regulatory equilibrium’
Despite the rise in figures, the CEO of PAGCOR, Alejandro H Tengco, has emphasized the need to maintain regulatory equilibrium as the industry continues to evolve.
“PAGCOR recognizes the earning potential of the E-Games sector, but as the country’s gaming regulator, our foremost responsibility is to ensure that growth comes with accountability,” Tengco said.
“Our role goes beyond revenue generation; and as partners of the government in nation-building, we are committed to always strike a balance between enabling industry expansion and ensuring it aligns with responsible gaming standards,” he added.
The state gaming agency recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ads Standards Council (ASC), with the aim of strengthening the monitoring of gambling-related advertisements across all platforms.
This comes after it recently ordered the takedown of all gambling ads in public spaces and on primetime TV by August 15 this year.
“These efforts are part of our broader mission to ensure that online gambling is not only well-regulated but also aligned with public interest,” Tengco added.
In the press release sharing the most recent figures, PAGCOR says it reaffirms its focus on sustaining reforms that promote transparency, industry compliance, and inclusive national development.
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
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Caesars Entertainment has shared its second quarter results, with its digital segment reporting one of its strongest quarters ever, despite experiencing an overall dip.
When looking at the net revenues, there has been a 24.3% increase in ‘Caesars Digital’ from 2024.
Tom Reeg, Chief Executive Officer of Caesars Entertainment, Inc., commented, “Our Caesars Digital segment posted one of its strongest quarters ever, as momentum continues to build toward the financial goals that we originally laid out in 2021.
“In Las Vegas, we posted solid gaming results in the face of softer market demand in our hospitality verticals. Net Revenues in our Regional segment increased 4% driven primarily by Caesars Virginia and New Orleans, coupled with strategic reinvestment into our Caesars Rewards database.”
Caesars Digital segment sees biggest percentage change in second quarter
Despite the digital sector thriving, the hotel and casino company reported a loss of $82 million, but in the previous year they had reported a loss of $122 million.
Its revenue is posted as $2.9 billion which is up from $2.8 billion the year prior. According to the Wall Street Journal, analysts were expecting revenue of $2.86 billion.
The figures, as reported by Caesars Entertainment, are as follows:

GAAP net revenues of $2.9 billion versus $2.8 billion for the comparable prior-year period.
GAAP net loss of $82 million compared to a net loss of $122 million for the comparable prior-year period.
Same-store Adjusted EBITDA of $955 million versus $996 million for the comparable prior-year period.
Caesars Digital Adjusted EBITDA of $80 million versus $40 million for the comparable prior-year period.

The company has made a real push to introduce more digital-related products over the last few years, including its casino mobile app and online gaming platform which was launched in 2024.
Named the ‘Horseshoe Online Casino,’ the app was initially exclusive to Michigan with plans to expand into other jurisdictions where Caesars’ digital iGaming platforms are live.
Earlier in the year, in June, the company celebrated the launch of Remote Reels at Tropicana Atlantic City. This is an online casino enhancement that connects live slot gameplay from the casino floor directly to Caesars Palace Online Casino on mobile and desktop.
Featured Image: Credit to Caesars Entertainment via press release
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VGW has confirmed that its sweepstakes platforms, Chumba Casino and Luckyland Casino, will no longer be available to players in New Jersey.
The decision comes just ahead of new enforcement in the state that will officially ban sweepstakes casinos. Earlier this month, New Jersey became the first US state to move forward with a full prohibition, which is a major shift given the state had previously appeared to be on track to regulate the practice instead.

“We understand this is an adjustment after many years and some players may be disappointed. This decision wasn’t taken lightly and was made in the best interests of all our stakeholders following recent decisions by legislators.” – VGW Spokesperson

The bill behind the ban has been in circulation since March and moved through the legislature with little pushback. It passed by a 69-10-1 vote in the Assembly and 34-5 in the Senate.
VGW confirms phasing out of sweepstakes in New Jersey
In a statement to ReadWrite, a VGW spokesperson said, “We can confirm that following careful consideration, we’ve informed players of a decision to phase out Promotional Play (sweepstakes promotions) in the state of New Jersey.”
They stressed that New Jersey players will still be able to access their favorite free-to-play games using Gold Coins, and that the company is “100 percent focused on ensuring players are fully informed about the changes, and that this transition is as smooth as possible.”
VGW acknowledged that this change might be disappointing to some, especially after years of access to the platforms. They added: “This decision wasn’t taken lightly and was made in the best interests of all our stakeholders following recent decisions by legislators.”
The online gaming firm also pointed out its decade-long presence in North America, stating: “We acknowledge increased interest in our innovative industry that millions of Americans enjoy, and are committed to respectful engagement on establishing modern, appropriate regulatory and taxation structures that benefit players and states alike.
“That remains the case in New Jersey, as it does in all states.”
With New York and Connecticut already implementing bans, New Jersey’s bill now only awaits the governor’s signature to become law.
Featured image: Canva
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