Monthly Gaming Roundup - March

PoliciPro Spotlight: iGaming Momentum 

The legislative drive for iGaming authorization is gathering pace across multiple state houses, with legislation introduced in Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia, signifying that lawmakers continue to view the vertical as a potential source of significant state revenue. However, many iGaming bills have been introduced over the years, and yet it remains authorized in only seven states. Will 2026 be the year we see an expansion of the iGaming market?

The Latest Updates in Gaming

Sports Betting

Feb 2: New York State Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert warning New Yorkers about prediction markets. The alert emphasized the lack of consumer protection and safeguards that are required of regulated sports betting operators. 

Feb 4: The Mississippi House passed HB1581, which would authorize mobile sports betting in the state. The bill has been transferred to the state Senate’s Finance and Gaming committees. 

Casinos

Feb 13: Florida House Bill 189, which would increase penalties for sports betting corruption, illegal slot operations, and iGaming sites, advanced to earn a floor vote in the Florida House. 

iGaming

Feb 6: HB4797 was introduced in the Illinois State House and would authorize iGaming in the state. The bill includes language that would make casinos that eliminated more than 25% of their workforce since February 2020 ineligible for a tethered license. 

Feb 6: Senate Bill 885, which would legalize iGaming and online bingo, was introduced in the Maryland Senate. If passed, the bill would send the question to voters whether to legalize both forms of gaming. 

Feb 16: The Virginia legislature passed both SB118 and HB161, which would legalize online gaming in the Old Dominion. Both bills will now crossover to the opposite house for review. 

Taxes & Revenue

Feb 11: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed raising the state's iGaming tax to 36%, an eight percentage point increase, in her 2027 Budget. 

Feb 23: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker unveiled his latest budget proposal, which included a 1.6% tax increase on table games. This change aligns the table game and slot tax rate.