Kansas Launches Sports Betting on September 1, 2022 with Six Licensed Operators
Kansas launched regulated sports betting on September 1, 2022, with six licensed operators going live on the opening day timed to coincide with the start of the NFL season — making it one of the more operationally smooth US state sports betting market launches of the year.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol Opens in Virginia as State's Market Takes Shape
The Bristol Casino: Future Home of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol opened as a temporary gaming facility in July 2022, as the first land-based casino to operate in Virginia under the state's new commercial casino framework approved by voters in November 2020 referendums.
888 Holdings Completes Acquisition of William Hill's Non-US Business
888 Holdings plc completed the acquisition of Caesars Entertainment's William Hill non-US business in July 2022, creating a combined group with operations across the UK, Europe, and regulated international markets under brands including 888, William Hill, Mr Green, and SI Sportsbook.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Host Cities Confirmed: USA, Canada, and Mexico to Stage Largest World Cup
FIFA confirmed the host cities and stadiums for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June 2022, with 11 US cities, three Mexican cities, and two Canadian cities selected to host matches across the first World Cup to feature 48 national teams — and the first to be hosted in three countries simultaneously.
Bally's Corporation Selected for Chicago's First Casino License by City Council
The Chicago City Council voted in May 2022 to select Bally's Corporation as the preferred developer for Chicago's first licensed commercial casino, authorising Bally's to proceed with the Illinois Gaming Board licensing process and planning for a permanent casino resort at a site on the Chicago River.
DraftKings Completes Acquisition of Golden Nugget Online Gaming
DraftKings completed its acquisition of Golden Nugget Online Gaming (GNOG) in an all-stock transaction in May 2022, gaining access to GNOG's licensed iGaming operations in New Jersey, Michigan, and West Virginia, as well as the established Golden Nugget brand.
Caesars Entertainment Completes William Hill US Rebrand to Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars Entertainment completed the rebrand of its US sports betting operations from William Hill to Caesars Sportsbook in early 2022, retiring one of the most recognised betting brand names in the US market and replacing it with Caesars' own identity following Caesars' April 2021 acquisition of William Hill plc.
Connecticut Launches Online Sports Betting and iGaming Simultaneously in October 2021
Connecticut became one of the few US states to launch both online sports betting and online casino (iGaming) simultaneously in October 2021, with two licensed operators — DraftKings (via the Mohegan Tribe) and FanDuel (via the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe/Foxwoods) — going live under a framework tied exclusively to the state's two tribal gaming operators.
Resorts World Las Vegas Opens as First New Strip Casino Resort in Over a Decade
Resorts World Las Vegas opened on June 24, 2021, becoming the first entirely new casino resort to open on the Las Vegas Strip since the Cosmopolitan in December 2010 — a $4.3 billion development by Genting Group that brought three hotel brands and a 117,000-square-foot casino floor to the north end of the Strip.