News & Analysis
Hawaii: The Next US Gambling State?
Hawaii is one of only two US states that allows zero gambling activities (the other being Utah), but this might be about to change as six new pro-gambling bills (each covering a different area or element of gambling, except sports betting) pass the first reading and are assigned to the house committees. The proposed bills aim to legalize games of chance, create a Hawaiian lottery and gaming board, establish a casino resort on the island, and include plans for gambling taxes, among other measures.
All Eyes On Michigan During First Week of Legal Online Gambling
Online casino gambling and sports betting went live in Michigan last Friday. The market is off to a flying start with six online casinos already launched, including BetMGM, Golden Nugget, BetRivers, Fanduel, WynnBet, and DraftKings. Find out more about gambling and online casinos in Michigan.
Pariplay Scores Interim Software License in West Virginia
Aspire Global. This week, the studio has secured an interim software license to provide its games to online casinos WV and players. Pariplay’s game portfolio includes titles like Pets, Fire vs Ice, Froots, and Bloodshot and is available at WV casinos from today!
Federal Lawsuit Targets Apple for Providing “Illegal Social Casinos”
Apple has been accused of providing illegal games via its US iStore in a federal lawsuit. The claim (which involves two plaintiffs, both of whom lost money playing such games, also names Facebook and Google) centers on the fact that the games or apps supplied allow virtual chips to be bought and lost. The lawsuit purports that these games are therefore illegal under California law as they do not use randomized results, and players can’t win money but can lose it through what they see as “deceptive gameplay."
Real Money Gambling Apps Soon Available in the US Google Play Store
From March 1st, 2021, licensed real money gambling apps will be available in the US Google Play Store. Until now, real money gambling apps were only allowed in the UK, French, and Irish Google Play Stores, but from March 1st, Android users in 15 additional countries, including the US, can download real money gambling apps from one location.
Games of the Week
Looking for the latest US slot releases to play? Then check out our games of the week; these are the best new releases from the last seven days!
Defenders of the Realm: High5Games. RTP: 96%.
It seems like every single week High5Games has a new and exciting slot hitting US casinos and this week is no exception as the studio releases Defenders of the Realm Slot.
Set on 5 reels with 4 rows, this slot machine is steeped in Norse Mythology and takes place in the stunning and ethereal Midgard. Asking players to join the defenders, there's double multiplier wins, locked wild reels, free spins, and up to 4237x your bet in prizes available!
Are you ready to defend the realm for doubled wins, free spins, and much more? Then set your bets from $0.20 to 200 and spin to win with Defenders of the Real at any of our top-rated High5Games Casinos!
Cluedo: Cash Mystery Slot: WMS. RPT: 96.51%.
Ever wanted to play a reinvented version of the classic murder mystery party game Cluedo? Well, thanks to WMS, you can. This isn’t the first shot the studio has taken at reinventing this player-loved game, but unfortunately, the first, Cluedo: Spinning Detectives, didn’t hold sway with players. That hasn’t stopped WMS, who are back with a better math model, higher RTP, and more visually pleasing attempt in Cluedo: Cash Mystery Slot.
The big draw with this slot is the bonus free spins that come with 180 ways to modify the round due to different scatter, room, and weapon combinations firing alternative bonus rounds to create a max win of up to 3,750x your bet.
We’re not going to delve into any more details as this is a complex game to play, but it’s also highly entertaining and delivers a good dose of nostalgia. Hence, it’s well worth taking this medium volatility 5x3, 20 line slot for a spin - check it out at our rated and recommended WMS sites.
Cosmic Voyager: Thunderkick. RTP 96.14%
Ready to head out to the cosmos for stellar line wins and prizes of up to 5000x your stake with Thunderkick? Then our last game of the week is for you. Set on galactic 5x3 reels, with 10 lines, this high volatility slot is filled with fun from the first spin thanks to its expanding symbols. Active in both the base game and bonus round, when you score all matching symbols on reel 1, any matching symbols on reel 2-5 will expand to cover the whole reel, causing explosive, high-worth line wins.
What’s more, you’ll have wilds on hand to assist you in making line wins and free spins that are triggered with 3+ scatter. The expanding symbols feature can be triggered with just a single symbol during free spins- making those out-of-this-world wins far more frequent! Take Cosmic Voyager for a spin from $0.10-100 at any of these top-rated Thunderkick Casinos.
That's it for this week, guys; we'll see you next Friday for the best new games and the hottest stories from the US gambling industry - have a great week!
