Rhode Island’s regulated online gaming market continues to deliver steady returns for the state, with combined revenue from sports betting and iGaming reaching $16.9 million in the latest reporting period. The figures, released by the Rhode Island Lottery, underscore the state’s distinctive single-operator model and its reliance on digital channels for a substantial share of gaming tax revenue.

Rhode Island operates one of the most centralized gaming frameworks in the United States. All sports wagering in the state is conducted through the Rhode Island Lottery in partnership with Bally’s Corporation, which operates the state’s two land-based sportsbooks at Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort and Bally’s Tiverton Casino Hotel. IGT serves as the technology provider for both retail and mobile wagering.

iGaming, which launched in March 2024, has quickly become a meaningful contributor to monthly revenue totals. Online casino play is available exclusively through Bally’s platforms, with revenue split between the state and its commercial partners. The state receives 51 percent of sports betting revenue, while the host facilities in Lincoln and Tiverton each receive 17 percent.

The most recent results reflect the growing importance of online products. iGaming has posted consistent month-over-month gains since launch, while sports betting revenue continues to fluctuate with the seasonal sports calendar and hold percentages.

Rhode Island remains a small market in absolute terms, but it performs relatively well on a per-capita basis. The state’s compact geography and limited number of operators reduce competitive pressure on margins, though critics have argued that the single-operator structure limits consumer choice and may suppress overall handle.

Allwyn, the operator of the UK National Lottery, has carried out a significant restructuring of its senior leadership team as it works to reverse a sustained decline in ticket sales. The overhaul, announced on 5 November, includes the elimination of three executive roles and the creation of new positions focused on digital and marketing capabilities.

The changes form what Allwyn describes as the next stage of its transformation of the National Lottery under the Fourth Licence, which the company began operating in 2024. The new structure introduces three newly created senior roles: a Chief Digital Officer, a Chief Marketing Officer, and a Director of Social Impact.

The removal of three existing executive positions reflects a broader effort to streamline decision-making and sharpen the operator’s commercial and digital focus. The move follows the departure of Allwyn UK’s chief executive earlier this year, indicating a period of sustained leadership change at the top of the organisation.

A Backdrop of Falling Sales

The restructuring comes against a challenging commercial backdrop. Allwyn reported a 14 per cent fall in sales in results published in August 2026, following a decline in UK sales and earnings during the first quarter of the year. The slowdown has raised concerns among stakeholders about returns to the good causes that depend on Lottery funding.

Observers have noted that grassroots organisations may face a funding shortfall if the operator cannot restore sales growth. This pressure is significant, as contributions to good causes are a central obligation of the National Lottery licence and a key measure of its public performance.

The trajectory contrasts with Allwyn’s earlier position. The company reported sales of £8.1bn in 2025, an increase of 3.5 per cent on the previous year, in what it described as a year of substantial transformation. The subsequent deterioration in trading conditions has therefore prompted a strategic response rather than a routine adjustment.

Betfred has confirmed it will end its sponsorship of all five British Classics, including the Derby, becoming the first major casualty of the tax measures announced in the autumn Budget. The Warrington-based bookmaker said it had “no choice” but to walk away from the sport’s most prestigious races after Chancellor John Healey raised machine games duty (MGD) from 20 percent to 25 percent.

Betfred, which has sponsored the Classics since 2024 and held title sponsorship rights to the 2,000 Guineas, 1,000 Guineas, Oaks, Derby and St Leger, had warned in September that it “would have to walk away” if the Budget went against the betting industry. Founder Fred Done publicly cautioned that any increase in machine games duty would leave British racing searching for new backers for its flagship fixtures.

Although the Chancellor opted for a five-point rise rather than the 40 percent rate some in government had previously considered, the increase was sufficient to trigger Betfred’s withdrawal. The company stated that the change had direct consequences for the viability of its retail estate, with industry analysis suggesting the MGD hike could result in approximately 9,000 job losses and the closure of nearly 1,000 betting shops.

Wider Pressure on Bookmaker Support

The withdrawal forms part of a broader retrenchment by operators across British racing. Racing Post analysis published in October showed that bookmaker race sponsorship had fallen by 17 percent year on year, with bet365, Betfred and Flutter among those reducing commitments. Bet365 had earlier ended several longstanding race partnerships, while Betfred has also announced it will conclude its rugby league sponsorship after 2026, citing tax increases and rising operating costs.

The loss of a lead sponsor for the five Classics presents a significant commercial challenge for British racing at a time when the sport is already engaged in negotiations with government over the future of the levy system and reform of gambling regulation. Racecourses and rights holders will now need to identify replacement backers for fixtures that carry exceptional prestige and international visibility.

WynnBET powered by Scientific Games

Scientific Games has announced the appointment of Dan Flynn as Chief Executive Officer, effective November 2, while Kevin Schneider, who has served as interim CEO since September, assumes the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors. The leadership changes complete a transition that began in August when long-serving CEO Pat McHugh announced his retirement.

The appointment follows a formal search process conducted by the company’s Board of Directors. Pat McHugh retired on September 8, 2026, after more than 20 years with the company, during which he held senior roles including Chief Executive of the Lottery division before being elevated to the top position. Schneider, a member of the Scientific Games board since July 2022 and its vice chair, stepped in as interim CEO while the search for a permanent successor was underway.

With Flynn’s arrival, Schneider returns to board leadership, and McHugh has taken on the role of vice chair following his retirement from the chief executive position.

Flynn’s Background

Flynn brings more than 30 years of experience leading global businesses across technology and operations. He joins Scientific Games from CDK Global, a Brookfield portfolio company that provides technology solutions to automotive dealerships, where he most recently served as Chief Transformation Officer.

Earlier in his career, Flynn spent more than two decades at Hertz Corporation, joining the company in 1993 and ultimately serving as Senior Vice President of North American Operations, overseeing an operation of approximately 23,000 employees generating roughly $6.6 billion in revenue.

Flynn is expected to join the company’s leadership at the World Lottery Summit in Sydney, held November 9 through 13, where he will meet with lottery customers and industry stakeholders from around the world.

The appointment aligns Scientific Games’ leadership with the priorities of its ownership. The company, headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, has been an affiliate of Brookfield since its acquisition of the lottery and gaming businesses, and both Schneider and Flynn bring credentials connected to the private equity firm’s portfolio.

Flynn’s background in transformation and large-scale operations suggests a focus on operational efficiency and technology-driven growth. For lottery and gaming customers – many of which are government-operated lotteries with long-term contracts – continuity of service and product reliability remain central concerns, and the leadership team’s depth in operations may be viewed favorably by that constituency.

Schneider’s move to the chairman role provides continuity for partners and stakeholders. His prior experience includes board and audit committee service, and his tenure as interim CEO offers firsthand familiarity with the company’s operations during the search period.

DraftKings Inc. has reduced its full-year revenue guidance, a move the company attributes in part to increased spending on its expanding prediction markets business. The sports betting operator now expects fiscal-year revenue of $5.9 billion to $6.1 billion, down approximately $300 million from its previous forecast of $6.2 billion to $6.4 billion.

The revised outlook accompanied third-quarter results that fell short of analyst projections on both revenue and user growth. While the company continues to see activity in its core sportsbook and iGaming operations, management signaled that marketing and infrastructure investments tied to its new prediction markets platform will weigh on near-term financial performance.

DraftKings has positioned prediction markets as a significant growth avenue. The company’s Predictions platform, operated through a CFTC-registered entity, allows customers to trade event contracts on sports, political, and other outcomes for a nominal transaction fee. Chief Executive Officer Jason Robins has described prediction markets as a substantial opportunity, noting that the company launched the offering after acquiring an exchange licensed by a federal regulatory agency.

Competitive and Margin Pressures

The strategic shift comes as federally regulated prediction market platforms, including Kalshi and Polymarket, expand rapidly in the real-money forecasting space, introducing new competition for traditional sportsbooks. Robinhood has also moved aggressively into the category, intensifying pressure on established operators.

Robins has maintained that prediction markets are not cannibalizing DraftKings’ core sports betting business, and the company has stated in earnings materials that it is not observing an adverse impact from prediction market competition on existing operations. Nonetheless, the pulled-forward marketing spend has compressed margins in the near term, a dynamic that has weighed on the stock.

Balancing Short-Term Costs Against Long-Term Growth

The company’s decision reflects a broader tension facing the gaming industry: whether to invest heavily now to secure a position in an emerging, fast-growing market, or to protect near-term profitability. Analysts have offered varied estimates for the potential size of DraftKings’ prediction markets business, with some projecting hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue potential as the category matures.

Supporters of the strategy point to DraftKings’ existing customer base, brand recognition, and regulatory expertise as advantages over newer entrants. Skeptics note that the company faces execution risk, regulatory uncertainty in some jurisdictions, and rivals with established liquidity in event contract trading.

CreedRoomz, has announced the launch of Two Moons Baccarat, the market’s first double-mode Baccarat game, allowing players to choose between two distinct volatility levels, with potential multipliers of up to 10,000x. Combining classic Baccarat gameplay with an innovative lunar-inspired multiplier system, the game features two unique modes, Blossom and Blood Moon, each offering its own volatility profile, dynamic multipliers, immersive environment, and visual style. Players can seamlessly switch between modes to enjoy their preferred gameplay experience.

In Two Moons Baccarat, players can choose between the Blossom and Blood Moon modes, each featuring its own visual environment and multiplier model. Before every round, from one to five Moon Totals are revealed, each carrying a random multiplier. When the winning hand total matches an active Moon Total, the corresponding payout is multiplied. This additional mechanic brings a new dimension to traditional Baccarat, combining recognizable Baccarat gameplay with the anticipation of multiplier-enhanced wins.

Blossom offers a lower-volatility experience, with multipliers ranging from 2x to 500x. Blood Moon, meanwhile, introduces a higher-volatility alternative, with multipliers reaching up to 1,000x and the potential for payouts of up to 10,000x. Players can freely switch between the two modes, choosing their preferred gameplay style and atmosphere while enjoying the familiar foundations of Baccarat.

“With Two Moons Baccarat, we wanted to give players two different experiences within a single game, each with its own risk-and-reward profile, visual style, and atmosphere,” said Tomass Dimza, Senior Product Manager at CreedRoomz. “The two game modes, Blossom and Blood Moon, combine different levels of risk and multiplier potential with the familiar gameplay of classic Baccarat. This gives players more choice and allows operators to appeal to a wider audience through a single title.”

Core Game Features

• Two Distinct Game Modes: Players choose between Blossom and Blood Moon modes, each offering a unique visual environment, volatility profile, and multiplier model.
• Dynamic Moon Totals: Before every round, one to five Moon Totals are revealed, each featuring a random multiplier.
• Multiplier-Enhanced Wins: Players can match the winning hand total to an active Moon Total to multiply the payout.
• Multipliers up to 1,000x: Blossom features multipliers of up to 500x with up to 5,000x payout, while Blood Moon offers multipliers of up to 1,000x with the potential for payouts of up to 10,000x.
• Expanded Betting Options: In addition to Player, Banker, and Tie bets, players can explore Player Pair, Banker Pair, and Perfect P side bets.

With Two Moons Baccarat, CreedRoomz continues to expand its fast games portfolio with experiences that combine familiar casino formats, distinctive visual concepts, and engaging gameplay mechanics. By introducing two different multiplier experiences within a single title, the game gives operators another opportunity to diversify their offering and appeal to players with different gameplay preferences.

Laurence Escalante

Laurence Escalante, the billionaire founder of online gaming company Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW), made a brief appearance in the Perth Magistrates Court before being escorted from the premises by private security amid a media presence. The appearance forms part of ongoing proceedings related to domestic violence and drug-related charges, with the businessman seeking variations to his bail conditions.

Background to the Proceedings

Escalante was first arrested and charged in early 2026 in connection with the alleged assault of his former partner. According to reporting by Forbes, Western Australia Police alleged he entered the home of his ex-partner, assaulted her and took items including jewelry. Initial charges included aggravated assault, criminal damage and aggravated home burglary.

He was subsequently granted bail under strict conditions. These were reported to include daily reporting requirements, a 9pm curfew, surrender of his passport, the posting of a $100,000 bond and the wearing of an ankle bracelet. The 44-year-old has stated through his representatives that he intends to defend the allegations, which have not been tested in court.

The case has since expanded. Additional charges, including drug offences, were laid in subsequent hearings, bringing the total number of charges to 17, according to The Australian and the Australian Financial Review.

The most recent hearing centred on amendments to Escalante’s bail conditions. Earlier variations reportedly included changes to a restriction preventing him from being within 500 metres of a point of international departure, a condition that had practical implications for his day-to-day movement. Later in the year, his bail was varied to permit travel, including visits overseas, a development that attracted media attention given the seriousness of the charges.

The legal proceedings have had significant consequences for his business interests. Escalante resigned as chief executive and chairman of VGW, the online casino empire he established in 2010, following the laying of charges. Separately, he has been reported to face a $60 million legal dispute, adding commercial pressure to his personal legal challenges.

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) convened a public hearing on 3 November to examine competing constitutional arguments over Provisional Measure 1,394/2026, the government measure that prohibits fixed-odds betting nationwide. The hearing, called by Justice Luiz Fux and held in the Second Chamber, brought together representatives of the federal government, the betting industry, sports organizations, and civil society groups, each presenting positions on whether the ban should stand.

The Measure Under Review

Provisional Measure 1,394, published on 25 September 2026, prohibits the operation, offering, intermediation, and advertising of fixed-odds betting across Brazil. It also ends authorizations previously granted under Law 14,790/2023, the framework that had established a regulated market for sports betting and iGaming, and blocks the issuance of new licenses. The measure followed a broad political debate in which a Senate public consultation recorded roughly 480,000 responses, with approximately 85.6% expressing support for a ban.

The measure has faced multiple constitutional challenges. Flamengo, one of Brazil’s most prominent football clubs, petitioned the STF for an urgent suspension of its effects, arguing that the rule threatens sponsorship revenues. The club has warned of an estimated $84 million financial impact and associated job losses should the ban remain in force.

The Arguments Before the Court

The Attorney General’s Office (AGU) defended the measure, reversing its earlier position and asking the Court to declare unconstitutional the core provisions of the laws that had legalized betting, namely Law 13,756/2018 and Law 14,790/2023. The government’s argument rests on concerns about gambling-related social harm and consumer protection.

Industry representatives countered that a regulated market, rather than a prohibition, offers more effective safeguards. Speakers warned that shutting down licensed operators risks driving consumers toward illegal, unregulated gambling, undermining tax collection, employment, and player protections. The sector argued that the regulatory framework had been operational for two years and that prohibition would erase those gains rather than address underlying harm.

Justice Fux, who scheduled the hearing, indicated during proceedings that he viewed the negative effects of online betting as a matter the Court had already examined closely, signaling potential sympathy for the government’s position while remaining open to further arguments.

The hearing comes against a separate but related judicial backdrop. In August, the STF suspended a judgment on the validity of the 1941 Criminal Misdemeanours Law, which criminalizes games of chance, after Justice Fux voted to uphold the prohibition and Justice Flávio Dino called for the matter to be paused. That case, which affects more than 2,700 similar proceedings, may ultimately be considered alongside the challenges to the provisional measure.

In the legislative arena, lawmakers filed 97 amendments to the provisional measure, some seeking to restore a regulated market and others to redirect confiscated proceeds from illegal betting toward health services, addiction treatment, and sport.

Outlook

The Court’s eventual ruling will determine the future of one of Latin America’s most significant regulated betting markets. Operators, sponsors, and investors now await a decision that will clarify whether Brazil reverts to prohibition or reaffirms the licensing framework established in 2023. Until the STF issues its judgment, the sector remains in a state of legal uncertainty, with substantial revenue, employment, and tax implications on either side of the outcome.

William Hill, the sportsbook subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment, is positioned to expand its retail sports betting footprint across Nevada after state regulators advanced licensing for three additional Terrible’s casino locations. The Nevada Gaming Control Board unanimously approved the licenses during its November proceedings, with the matter now set to proceed to the Nevada Gaming Commission, which is expected to consider the approvals at its November 19 meeting.

Details of the Expansion

The proposed agreement would add William Hill race and sports book operations at three Terrible’s properties across the state:

• Terrible’s Casino in Indian Springs, located along US Highway 95 north of Las Vegas
• Terrible’s Casino in Carlin, in northeastern Nevada
• Terrible’s Searchlight Casino in Searchlight, south of the Las Vegas Valley

If approved, the additions would push William Hill’s Nevada sportsbook count above 110 locations, reinforcing its position as the state’s largest retail sportsbook operator. The company already operates books at a broad range of Nevada properties, from small rural casinos to major Las Vegas Strip resorts.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board’s unanimous recommendation signals regulatory comfort with the arrangement, which follows a well-established model in the Nevada market: casino operators partner with licensed book operators rather than running race and sports pools in-house. The Gaming Commission’s final approval is the remaining step before the books can open under the William Hill brand.

The licensing agenda also included other sportsbook applicants, reflecting continued, measured growth in Nevada’s retail sports betting sector even as national attention remains focused on online expansion in other states.

The partnership builds on a long history between the two companies. William Hill and Affinity Gaming, the parent company associated with the Terrible’s brand, previously entered into a long-term sports betting agreement that included capital investments in race and sports books across Affinity’s Nevada properties. The latest proposal extends and deepens that relationship across a wider portfolio of locations.

The Caesars connection is also relevant. Caesars Entertainment acquired William Hill in 2021 for approximately £2.9 billion, and the William Hill brand has since operated as the company’s retail sportsbook vehicle in Nevada, where Caesars Sportsbook branding is used elsewhere.

Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd has reported net income of just US$34,000 for the third quarter, a sharp decline that reflects softened operating conditions across its two principal markets, Macau and Manila. The result stands in contrast to the stronger earnings recorded in the same period a year earlier, when the company benefited from more favorable gaming volumes.

Total operating revenues for the quarter reached US$1.17 billion, representing a decrease of approximately 10 percent from the US$1.31 billion reported in the prior-year period. The reduction reflects lower gaming revenues in both Macau, where the company operates City of Dreams, Studio City, and Altira, and the Philippines, where it operates City of Dreams Manila.

Adjusted property EBITDA for the quarter was approximately US$288 million, according to figures disclosed alongside the earnings release. Management noted that operating expenses in Macau came in below guidance, a factor that partially cushioned the impact of the softer revenue environment.

The quarter’s performance arrives amid intensifying competition in Macau’s gaming sector, where concessionaires have continued to invest heavily in non-gaming amenities and promotional activity to capture market share. Softer high-end and mass-market volumes have weighed on operators across the market, with industry-wide gross gaming revenue growth moderating compared with the immediate post-pandemic recovery period.

In Manila, the company faces its own set of headwinds, including competition within the Entertainment City precinct and evolving regulatory conditions in the Philippine gaming sector.

Despite the headline decline, the company’s earnings per share of US$0.02 exceeded the consensus estimate of a modest loss, indicating that cost discipline and non-operating items helped the group avoid a quarterly deficit. Management also indicated that October performance outpaced the broader market, suggesting a firmer start to the fourth quarter.