News and Analysis

US Records Highest Ever Commercial Gaming Revenue for Q1 2022

The American Gaming Association (AGA) has announced a new quarterly record for total US commercial gaming, with revenue totaling $14.35bn. That’s a 29% YoY increase, with 32 of 34 commercial gaming jurisdictions surpassing past Q1 records. Las Vegas remained in the top spot for revenue generation, followed closely by Atlantic City. It’s a fantastic start to the year and builds on 2021’s record-breaking yearly figures.

BetMGM will Limit NY Presence Until Change in Operator Tax Rates

BetMGM’s chief financial officer, Gary Deutsch, has detailed that BetMGM NY will adopt a “conservative” approach in NY until tax rates change. The current tax rate in NY is 51% on gaming revenue, but according to Deutsch, this also applies to “phantom” revenue created by promotional credits making the actual tax rate much higher; “We simply can’t apply our capital against an irrational investment thesis. Players cannot continue to play if the house always wins, and the house cannot continue to play if it will always lose.”  He added that he did expect the tax environment to change in NY, and until then, the company would take its time in this market.

Kansas Sports Betting Bill Becomes Law

A new sports betting bill (SB 84) allowing online sports betting and horse racing machines in Kansas has been signed into law this week. It makes way for lottery facility managers to operate sports betting through online partnerships, with each allowed up to three platforms. The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission will be responsible for issuing licenses. Kansas bettors; there are currently no expected launch dates, but we’ll bring you more news when it breaks.

Game of the Week

Triple Da Vinci Diamonds: High 5 Games. RTP: 96-97.1%

Our slot of the week for this week isn’t a new title, but it’s one you should spin. It comes from High 5 Games, and we’re featuring it to celebrate MGM and High 5 Games extending their partnership to NJ. You can now enjoy top High 5 Games slots at BetMGM, Party, and Borgata Casinos in NJ. These are some of the best slots on the market, so it’s well worth exploring the new titles at these casinos, even if it’s demo mode!

Triple Da Vinci Diamonds is a 5 reel, 40 line slot first released in 2019. It’s an elegant slot that continues from the original Da Vinci Diamonds released by IGT, but with a tumbling reel twist and symbols that can split three ways along with free spins and wilds.

So how does it work, and how can you win the biggest payouts from this title? Winning lines are made from 3-5 or 15 symbols (when the spin-crease feature is active). If you want to hit the max line payout of 10,000x, you’ll need to line up 15 Mona Lisa symbols. 

The tumbling reels are a classic cascade-style mechanic; during the base game, when a winning combo hits the reels, it pays out, then the symbols leave the reels with new ones tumbling into the empty spaces for a second chance at making a line win.

Wilds are also available to sup up your line wins and can land on reels 2-4. Meanwhile, scatter symbols can fall on reels 1-3, and if you land 3, you’ll trigger the bonus free spins round. To activate the spin-crease feature and win the most, you’ll need to bet high enough (but remember to stay within your budget). During the spin-crease feature, double and triple symbols can fall in a single reel space, which allows you to make lines of up to 15 symbols. Only high-paying symbols can split and which are available depends on how high you bet.

Ready to take this smash-hit slot for a spin? Then check it out at BetMGM, Party, or Borgata Casinos now, with stakes ranging from $0.40 to 400. We recommend you play a couple of rounds in demo mode to make sure you can optimize your bets for the best results.