The Year in Review – Top Gambling News 2021 | OUSC

Two of the biggest brands in gambling worked a major deal in September when 888 Holdings acquired William Hill International for 2.2 billion pounds (about $3 billion). The move signals 888’s intent to branch out from a real money online casino brand into land-based casinos.

The 888 bosses promise improvements in William Hill properties and online sites. Caesars Entertainment retains control over William Hill’s online market and properties in the US. 

Jay-Z tossed his chips onto the table in August, applying for an online gambling license with the state of New York. The rap mogul is teaming up with friend Michael Rubin and others to create Fanatics Sportsbook, which will have a flagship location in New York City.

They are the latest big names to show interest in the growing gambling market. Jay-Z and company are among some major gambling outfits seeking one of two permits available in the state. 

Hard times may have hit Deadwood, the South Dakota town that earned Wild West lore fame. Eight casinos went up for sale, reflecting the gambling and tourism slump there in recent years. The properties include film star Kevin Costner’s Midnight Star. 

As of July, there were still four casinos on the market. However, with the addition of sports betting late in the year, Deadwood’s revenues seem to be bouncing back.

Jackpots at our top-rated online casinos reached millions of dollars during the year. Every month we report the names of users and the games they were playing when they hit huge payouts. You could be the next big winner just by playing at an online casino for real money.

We also list the biggest jackpot winners of all time, including a lucky player who earned nearly $40 million in Vegas!

While many businesses were in a slump, the pandemic lockdown turned into a boom for online gambling companies. Reports on studies and revenue figures indicated that people spent more time and money at internet gambling sites than they had before the pandemic.

The newcomers represent a trend that may stick for a while. Many of the people surveyed said they used savings, stimulus checks, and pandemic assistance to cover their vices.

The lockdowns of COVID-19 put us in isolation, and online casinos were there to help us through it all. No matter what games you played, it was nice to keep your brain active when there wasn’t much else to do.

Games offer us development in cognitive skills, maintaining attention spans, and even offering some semblance of social interaction. Internet gambling gets cited for its attributes in all of those areas.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies surged during the year, both in numbers and value. That was a good thing for online casino players who are more and more choosing digital currencies as their favorite deposit method at sites.

Bitcoin hit a high value of more than $66,000 during the year, and internet casino players saw more cryptocurrency deposit options at their sites. Players like crypto for the anonymity, transaction speed, and security it offers.

Stock market players hit gambling investments hard during the year as the industry expanded. More US states made online sports and casino gambling legal, while new customers took the internet route for their gambling recreation.

We listed four big winners that could be the most promising gambling stocks for the future. Please consult a professional before investing, though, as we are not financial advisors.

Players of Big Fish Games paid real money for virtual chips, which led to a $155 million settlement in favor of the site’s users. The settlement resulted from a series of lawsuits filed against Aristocrat Gaming and Churchill Downs, Inc., owners of Big Fish casinos.

The players claimed the Big Fish Games practice of selling chips constituted predatory illegal gaming. A judge agreed in a ruling announced in March. 

In 2021, RealTime Gaming began rolling out games under the brand SpinLogic in the US and some other regions. The RTG brand will stick with games in Asia. Experts believe the move is an effort to expand the company’s games portfolio into new markets. 

RealTime has become a leader in online casino software development since its establishment in Atlanta in 1998.  You can find the best slots from SpinLogic at top-rated casinos online like Las Atlantis.