Gaming Stories To Watch This Week: G2E, SBC Summit, and More Battles Against Prediction Markets, Sweepstakes Casinos, and AI Tools
Image: Ricky Barnard/Wikimedia Commons
This week, two gaming conferences in Las Vegas and Portugal kick off, a major focus for the gambling industry. Elsewhere, expect more legal battles against prediction markets and sweepstakes casinos, as well as more backlash against regulated gambling companies’ use of AI tools.
G2E runs from September 28 to October 1 at the Venetian in Las Vegas. It brings together industry stakeholders to network, launch new products, and discuss the ever-changing landscape of tribal gaming, casinos, sportsbooks, and, of course, prediction markets.
The latter will likely dominate many of the discussions as companies, regulators, and tribes attempt to get to grips with the emergence of a new way to gamble.
Over in Europe, SBC Summit runs from September 29 to October 1 in Lisbon. The conference will attract more than 40,000 delegates, 11,000 operators, and 600 speakers. Some of the headline speakers include Michael Jordan, DraftKings CEO Jason Robins, Sportradar CEO Carsten Koerl, and Charles Oliveira.
With the two events overlapping, expect to hear plenty of stories emerging from both sides of the pond.
Fallout From Sixth Circuit, Spills Into Second Circuit
In addition to the conferences, there will be more legal developments in the legal cases involving prediction markets.
Expect to hear fallout from the Sixth Circuit ruling against Kalshi on Friday. Several states and tribal groups may use the ruling in their own court battles.
Federal district courts in both Tennessee and Ohio will likely file court orders this week to strip Kalshi’s temporary enforcement protections. It could lead to the company being restricted in both states, although Kalshi is likely to appeal and urge the courts to delay any action until final judgments are made.
Briefings are due in the Second Circuit on Wednesday, where Kalshi is appealing against a judge denying it an injunction in Connecticut.
Reaction To Incoming CFTC Rules
On Friday, the CFTC told the Ninth Circuit that its new rules on prediction markets “will become final within the next two months.”
There will be plenty of reaction to that in the media this week, including speculation on what the new rules will mean for the future of sports event contracts.
Kalshi has asked Fourth and Ninth Circuit judges to refrain from making any final calls until the new rules are released. Given its defense of prediction markets thus far, the rules are likely to explicitly allow platforms to offer at least some sports markets.
Polymarket Facing Lawsuit In New York
After taking action against Kalshi, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against Polymarket on Thursday.
In a joint statement, James and Governor Kathy Hochul accused Polymarket, like Kalshi, of operating an illegal gambling business.
Polymarket removed the lawsuit from state to federal court, as has been the strategy of prediction market operators. Initial scheduling entries are slated for late this week to set dates for preliminary injunction arguments and cross-motions on CFTC preemption.
Don’t Forget About Sweepstakes Casinos
Prediction market legal battles have dominated the news cycle of late, but sweepstakes casinos remain a target for regulators. After filing lawsuits against Stake, VGW, and payment processors last month, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is now going after tech companies.
Uthmeier sent a letter to several social media firms on Friday, demanding to know if they are blocking ads for the sweepstakes operators. We may see a response from some this week.
I sent letters to Google, Meta, Reddit, Snap, and TikTok after learning they may be advertising illegal “sweepstakes” casinos. Promoting illegal gambling is a crime. Big Tech has until October 23 to confirm it has stopped advertising sites like Stake, Chumba, LuckyLand, and Global Poker in Florida.
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) September 25, 2026
In Pennsylvania, lawmakers are also considering a new bill that would see sweepstakes casinos explicitly prohibited in the state.
Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, more companies may face lawsuits after a judge ruled that Modo Casino’s arbitration clause is unenforceable.
Rep. David Muradian has also expressed his intention to file a bill aimed at legalizing iGaming in Massachusetts, which may garner more reaction this week.
More Backlash Against DraftKings
Also in Massachusetts, we may hear more this week on an investigation launched by the state’s Gaming Commission (MGC) into the use of AI in sports betting.
It comes in response to a New York Times article published last week on allegations that DraftKings used predictive technology to identify customers likely to respond to promotions by gambling more.
More state regulators may feel under pressure to take action as the practices of the company became public.
Watch this space for more developments on all the stories.
Players trust our reporting due to our commitment to unbiased and professional evaluations of the iGaming sector. We track hundreds of platforms and industry updates daily to ensure our news feed and leaderboards reflect the most recent market shifts. With nearly two decades of experience within iGaming, our team provides a wealth of expert knowledge. This long-standing expertise enables us to deliver thorough, reliable news and guidance to our readers.
Latest News
