With lots of hustle and bustle in the gaming industry in 2018 we bring to our readers four wonderful news stories that brings light and hope for a  great new year ahead in gambling field.  We begin with US as more states become legit to provide online gambling to US punters

1. Michigan becomes fifth state to legalize online gambling

According to latest news the Michigan legislature passed a bill that will make the state the fifth to legalize online gambling. The bill to legalize online poker, casino games and ostensibly sports betting passed with a 33-5 vote by the Senate and 71-35 vote by the House, per the online poker report.

In an industry-friendly bill, operators will pay a tax rate of eight percent on gross gaming revenue. While Nevada’s rate is at 6.5 percent, other states that recently added sports betting have been much higher, including Pennsylvania’s 36 percent. An amendment included in the Michigan bill will require operators to wait at least 15 months before launching, presumably to help tribal casinos avoid getting beaten to the market by Detroit’s three commercial properties.

2. Moving to Canada news here is the latest deal in a slot machine

AGS, a gaming equipment provider, recently announced it has acquired a Canadian slot machine developer in a deal worth $49 million. Integrity Gaming Corp. was attractive to AGS because it is partners with many tribal gaming operators in the United States, including 30 casinos in Oklahoma and Texas. According to Andrew Burke, a senior vice president at AGS in a statement, per CDC Gaming Reports “AGS’ roots are in Oklahoma, and they are excited to invest further in a market they are passionate about and where they already have strong sales and customer support networks. Note that AGS is a global developer, manufacturer and supplier of casino games, systems and technology.

3. More online casinos to accept cryptocurrencies in 2019

According to news on a global scale, numerous industry events including G2E, SiGMA and LiAC have pushed blockchain and crypto-currency as the future of gaming. Malta became the first jurisdiction to create a regulatory framework for blockchain, crypto-currency and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) in 2018 and more gaming companies than ever are being set up to capitalise on a trend many are confident will go mainstream. Considering the volatility of crypto-currencies such as Bitcoin, it should prove a vital 12 months when it comes to a wider adoption of blockchain, crypto and DLT. The benefit– ranging from reducing chargeback fraud to increasing transparency – are clear for all to see and the technology’s advocates have built a very strong case for its future in gaming world.

4. Poker player turns $5 bet into $1M at casino in Atlantic City

This winning news finally will cheer you all as a man playing poker at an Atlantic City casino has won $1 million on a $5 bet. The man, identified only as a Lakewood resident, made the three-card poker “6 Card Bonus” bet at the Borgata Hotel Casino. He then hit a royal straight flush of diamonds, a hand that overcame 1-to-20 million odds. The man was dealt the 10, queen and ace of diamonds. The dealer’s hand was the nine, jack and king of diamonds. According to the casino officials  it’s the first time this bet has been hit at the Borgata.

Stay tuned with us at ifreeslots for more news and views in the coming year.