Casino Courant desk
The Casino Courant desk reports on casinos, games, jackpots, regulation and the gambling industry. Stories are produced with AI assistance from named public sources under our editorial standards, with automated checks on sources, links and images. An editor oversees the desk and corrects errors as soon as they are found: write to editor@casinocourant.com.
GuideBlackjack basic strategy explained in plain English
A look at the mathematically correct way to play every blackjack hand, and why it is not a guarantee of winning.
RegulationFlorida attorney general sues Stake and VGW over sweepstakes casinos
James Uthmeier wants Chumba Casino, Global Poker and Stake.us banned in Florida and players' losses repaid in full.
GuideMegabucks explained: how the most famous slot jackpot works
IGT's Megabucks links slot machines across Nevada casinos into one growing prize. Here is how it is funded, how it resets and what the record looks like.
Top 10The 7 oldest casinos in the world still open
From a Venetian gaming house licensed in 1638 to Monte Carlo in 1863, these are the oldest casinos that still welcome players today.
GuidePoker hand rankings, from royal flush to high card
All ten poker hands in order, with examples, the odds of each in a five-card deal, how ties are broken and how short deck and lowball change the rules.
Top 10The 10 best casino movies
From Scorsese's Las Vegas epic to the Safdie brothers' panic attack of a thriller, these are the films that best capture casinos, card rooms and the people drawn to them.
GuideHow card counting works in blackjack, and why casinos hate it
Card counting is a legal mental technique that tracks which cards have been played. Here is how the Hi-Lo system works, where it came from and how casinos fight back.
GuideWhere is online casino gambling legal in the US? A state-by-state guide
Eight states have legalised real-money online casinos, seven of them with live markets, while dozens allow only sports betting and a growing list has banned sweepstakes casinos.
Top 10The 10 biggest slot machine jackpots ever won
From the $39.7 million Megabucks hit at Excalibur in 2003 to record online wins on Mega Moolah and Mega Fortune, the largest slot payouts on record.
Top 10The 10 casino games with the best odds
Ranked by house edge under standard rules, from blackjack and craps with odds to Three Card Poker, with the conditions each figure depends on.
Top 10The 10 largest casinos in the world
Ranked by gaming floor area from company filings and operator figures, with the Venetian Macao at the top and WinStar the largest in the US.
Top 10The 7 biggest gambling industry deals and results of the last month
SkyCity's sale talks, Macau's revenue slide and new M&A in prediction markets and prize draws led a busy few weeks for gambling operators.
Top 10The 9 biggest slot releases of the past two weeks
From a 15,000x Pragmatic Play fishing title to a Queen-branded IGT cabinet, here are the most notable new casino games of early October 2026.
GuideHow progressive jackpots work, and what the odds really are
Progressive jackpots grow with every bet placed across a game or network, but the odds of winning the top prize are closer to a lottery than a regular slot spin.
GuideHouse edge explained: how casinos make money on every game
Every casino game is built with a built-in mathematical advantage for the house, here is how it works and why it never disappears.
GuideWhat is RTP? Return to player explained
A plain-English guide to return to player, the percentage that shows how slot and casino games pay out over time.
RegulationYokohama mayoral candidates unite against casino resort plan
All seven contenders in the city's October mayoral election have ruled out reviving a bid for a Japanese integrated resort with casino.
IndustryFlutter names Edward Traynor interim legal chief after Don Liu's second retirement
Flutter Entertainment has handed its top legal role to company secretary Edward Traynor after Don Liu stepped down for a second time.
GamesHacksaw Gaming teases new Marlin Masters: Frozen Frenzy slot
Details are thin, but early listings reveal the core numbers behind Hacksaw Gaming's upcoming fishing-themed slot.
BettingEngland's 7-0 rout of Croatia leaves bookmakers counting the cost
A Nations League goal rush, Welsh and Irish results and a Luke Humphries title all went against operators over the weekend.
CasinosNew Asian restaurant stalls at Virgin Las Vegas after operator exit, report says
Sip Sip Wok was unveiled by Virgin Hotels Las Vegas but has yet to open, with reports pointing to a departed operator and doubts about footfall.
RegulationPennsylvania weighs monthly statements to curb online gambling harm
A state lawmaker wants licensed online gaming firms to send players monthly activity statements, borrowing an idea first tried in Australia.
BettingMiami jail guard charged over Hard Rock Bet wagers and drug smuggling
Federal prosecutors allege a 24 year old corrections officer ran sports betting debts and smuggled synthetic drugs into Miami jails as part of a wider criminal enterprise.
IndustryFairPlay Sports Media names Hannah Buitekant chief growth officer
The sports media network has hired former dmg media executive Hannah Buitekant to lead its growth strategy with iGaming operators and media partners.
RegulationJumpman Gaming tribunal win could open door to UK gambling tax refunds
A UK tax tribunal has sided with Jumpman Gaming over free spins, in a ruling that may let other online casino operators challenge their gambling duty bills.
RegulationBrazil's central bank blocks payments to banned betting operators
New rules stop bank transfers and Pix payments to fixed-odds betting sites as Brazil enforces its nationwide prohibition.
IndustryBetsson retires betFIRST brand in Belgium in favour of flagship name
Betsson Group has merged its Belgian betFIRST operation into its main Betsson brand, three years after buying the local bookmaker.
TrendsBrazil's betting ban: how the industry helped trigger its own shutdown
A new analysis argues Brazil's betting sector fuelled the public backlash that led to its sudden ban, even as the government's response went far beyond the problem.
CasinosUNLV relists Las Vegas Strip-adjacent land for $39.9 million
The university is making a fresh attempt to sell 10.2 acres near the Strip after two previous deals collapsed.
GamesPragmatic Play lines up Starlight Princess Oranje Jackpot slot for October release
A jackpot-linked version of the popular Starlight Princess slot is due from Pragmatic Play, with a below-average return to player of 92.10 percent.