Online gambling has been gaining momentum in the U.S. for the past 10 years. After the Department of Justice concluded that the ban on online gambling entertainment should apply to sports betting only, virtual gambling platforms became eligible for legalization. Soon, in 2018, the PASPA law was repealed as well, which removed bans on online betting. Individual states now have the right to independently regulate online gambling activities, but only as long as they do not contradict Federal laws.
All these events had a positive impact on the development of online gambling business, there are legal platforms and companies that pay the due tax to the budget of the country. They include both the largest operators, owning entire chains of online casinos and betting shops, and smaller projects, which are just beginning to win their share of the audience. What companies occupy the leading positions in the U.S. gambling industry today, having mastered the online direction? Let us look at five leading companies.
Contents
Flutter Entertainment
It is a large international operator. Its portfolio includes not only online casinos but also sports betting. There are four branches in total.
| Primary divisions | Company |
| USA | FanDuel, TVG, Betfair |
| Australia | SportsBet |
| PPB Online | Paddy Power, Betfair, Adjarabet |
| PPB Retail | PPB Retail |
The following companies operate in the United States:
- FanDuel is the largest bookmaker;
- TVG is focused on dog and horse racing with its own television broadcast channel operating in 35 states;
- Betfair is one of the largest betting exchanges, providing not only betting but also an online casino, poker.
Flutter Entertainment acquired The Stars Group in 2019, which made it the most influential player in the online gambling market.
BOYD GAMING
The company provides gambling entertainment services in both land-based establishments and on the world wide web. Land-based casinos are mostly located in the company’s own hotels, and special applications open up the fascinating world of online gambling and video poker.
Established in 1975, BOYD GAMING has shown rapid development and network expansion. Today, the company’s users and regular customers are millions of US players who trust its impeccable reputation.
The cooperation with the American entertainment company MGM Resorts International turned into a serious entry into the online gambling market, which enabled the company to cover a significant part of the virtual space and expand the audience.
Rush Street Interactive
It began its activities through land-based casinos and betting shops, but after the possibility of legal operation of online casinos, the company has been actively developing on the Internet. Now it operates virtual platforms in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, being the main operator of these regions and a significant contributor to the budget of the states.
The company has received many awards for its quality service and contribution to the online gaming industry. For example, in 2019, it received the Casino Operator of the Year award at the American Gambling Awards. This operator’s online casino offers gaming software from more than two dozen well-known developers, and also receives exclusive products that are available to its own customers only.
It has developed a platform with a single code base for iGaming; the websites operating on it demonstrate active market conquest and attraction of new users.
Golden Nugget
Just like the above-mentioned operators, the company has a large-scale business in the sphere of land-based casinos and betting shops, but, keeping up with the times, it is successfully conquering the online environment. At the hotel and gambling chains, every customer has a deluxe suite and chic service with a high level of hospitality. The company’s owner and billionaire Tilman Fertitta even wrote his famous book “Shut Up and Listen” about it.
Online gambling is grouped into two categories: instant withdrawal casino and sports betting. To make a choice, it is enough to click on the selected category. In addition, the developers of the company offer to use the mobile application, which can be downloaded from app stores for Apple and Android platforms.
PokerStars
Despite the fact that another well-known company has recently become the controlling shareholder, PokerStars remains the most reputable resource offering the game of poker. Here users can play for real money, a wide range of bets from 1 cent to $2,000. Gamblers are grouped by experience, which enables them to enjoy playing with equal opponents. The resource controls two-thirds of the world poker market, providing the best service and a comfortable environment.
Those who are hesitant to invest money can become spectators or try their hand in demo mode to master the skills and learn the rules. Hold’em, Omaha, Stud, and many other types of poker are played by numerous participants. Sometimes more than 90,000 of them are present online simultaneously.
The poker rooms host high-profile tournaments with substantial prizes and even more substantial status, which makes the winner a global star. One example of this is Chris Moneymaker, who was the first champion and caused a sensation in the gambling industry. Today hundreds of thousands of poker players take part in such events, and every year a new record is set for the number of people who want to win.
Conclusion
This ranking is based on several main indicators, namely, on the market share of GGR for three months and gaming revenue, which is calculated in net income, after payouts of winnings to players. These are the defining factors of successful gambling companies that play a key role in the development of the U.S. gaming industry.
Considering that the U.S. population is 330 million people and that online casinos have only recently received the right to operate legally (and not in all states), high potential and audience growth is predicted for the next few years. The decisive factor is legislative initiatives that regulate all provisions regarding the gambling business.
