Melanie Porter's latest articles
Melanie Porter
EditorAfter finishing her master's in publishing and writing, Melanie began her career as an online editor for a large gaming blog and has now transitioned over towards the iGaming industry. She helps to ensure that our news pieces are written to the highest standard possible under the guidance of senior management.
Sports
February 6, 2026
Florida Lawyer Bets $1M on Big Game, Pledges Winnings to Cancer Research
Florida attorney Dan Newlin is putting a very public stake on this year’s championship game, but the real focus is not the final score. During a press conference, Newlin said he plans to place a $1 million bet on the matchup between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. If the wager pays off, […]
Casino
February 6, 2026
GTA Police Crack Down on Illegal Gambling Rings
Canadian Police in the Greater Toronto Area say they have broken up a series of illegal gambling operations after a year-long investigation that ended with nine people charged and a wide range of property seized. Project Scala York Regional Police said the probe, known as Project Scala, began in early 2024 and was carried out […]
Prediction Markets
February 5, 2026
Kairos Raises $2.5M to Build a Pro Terminal for Traders
Kairos, a young startup focused on building better tools for prediction market traders, has raised $2.5 million in a funding round led by a16z crypto, a venture capital fund known for investing in crypto and Web3 startups since its launch in 2013. “An Institutional Trading Desk on Your Laptop” The funds will be used to […]
Industry
February 5, 2026
Former Pace-O-Matic Exec Pleads Guilty in PA Gaming Case
A former executive at Pace-O-Matic has admitted to laundering money tied to illegal activity in Pennsylvania’s gaming machine market, state officials said this week. Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that Ricky Goodling pleaded guilty on Tuesday, February 3, in Cumberland County Court to the first-degree felony of dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities. The […]
Industry
February 4, 2026
Gaming Stocks Struggle Despite Strong Industry Trends
Gaming stocks have struggled to gain traction in early 2026, even as underlying industry trends remain solid, according to Truist Securities analyst Barry Jonas. In a February 3 note to investors, Jonas explained that the weakness comes despite strong regional casino results outside Las Vegas and promising digital-gambling growth. In mid-January, the full-service corporate and […]
Casino
February 4, 2026
Illinois Lawmaker Revives Online Casino Bill for 2026
State Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr.’s struggle to see legal online casinos in Illinois goes on, as the legislator has refiled the Internet Gaming Act for the 2026 legislative session. The bill’s language has remained essentially the same from last year’s version, with the mention that the legislation never actually made it out of committee. In […]
Sports
February 3, 2026
“Erase That”: Barnes Regrets Betting Joke After Tennessee Win
Coach Rick Barnes quickly realized he’d crossed a line with a joke after the Tennessee Volunteers’ 77-69 victory over the Auburn Tigers on Saturday. “I Shouldn’t Say That, Erase That.” The Volunteers had struggled with turnovers, coughing the ball up 15 times, and Barnes let his irritation slip in a postgame interview. “I mean at […]
Lottery
February 3, 2026
21 Friends in Belgian Village Win EUR 123M EuroMillions Jackpot
A quiet Belgian village is still trying to wrap its head around what happened last weekend, after a group of 21 friends struck it rich in the EuroMillions draw on Friday night, January 30. Together, they landed a staggering EUR 123,555,827($145,964,260) jackpot, instantly turning a routine lottery ticket into a life-changing moment. The group, all […]
Casino
February 2, 2026
Russian Court Jails Illegal Casino Network Members
Reports of a sudden increase in the number of gambling-related crimes in Russia’s Far East got fresh backing following the sentences issued by a Vladivostok court to 16 people tied to an illegal casino network that had been allegedly operating for years in the region’s Integrated Entertainment Zone (IEZ). The latter is a special leisure […]
Casino
February 2, 2026
Osage Nation Casino Near Lake Ozark Moves Closer to Reality
The Osage Nation Casino, which is expected to land on a 28-acre site near Lake Ozark in Miller County, Missouri, has taken a new step in what has so far proven to be a particularly lengthy process. The latter included a series of local agreements aimed at infrastructure, services, and revenue sharing. “Legally Sound and […]
