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Online casino news took several interesting turns in recent weeks, from hedge funds profiting billions by betting against a major gambling stock to operators rolling out World Cup-themed casino games ahead of soccer’s biggest event.
Short sellers cash in as Flutter shares continue decline
As prediction markets continue gaining traction across the U.S. gambling landscape, short sellers — investors who profit when stock prices decline — have generated billions in gains.
Much of that profit has come from betting against Flutter Entertainment, the parent company of FanDuel Casino, widely considered one of the leading online gambling operators in the United States. Flutter also owns several brands familiar to iGaming players, including Betfair and PokerStars.
Flutter shares have fallen more than 50% this year. The stock closed at $218.27 on the first trading day of the year and finished Wednesday at $100.70.
In April, analysts at Citi downgraded Flutter from a buy rating to a sell rating.
BetMGM launches World-Cup inspired slot games
BetMGM Casino is embracing the global soccer frenzy by launching several soccer-themed slot games less than two weeks before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The operator added soccer-inspired titles to two popular online slot franchises:
- Huff N’ Puff: The new game, Huff N’ Lots of Goals, features face-painted pigs and a wolf referee overseeing a soccer match. The title includes wheel upgrades designed to boost winning potential, kick-ball free spins and symbol-expansion features that can create larger payouts.
- Kong: King Kong Even Bigger Balls brings a soccer theme to the popular franchise. The game features a high-energy soundtrack and gameplay mechanics familiar to fans of previous Kong titles.
Anthrax guitarist’s poker obsession runs deep
A recent interview with PokerNews revealed just how passionate Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian is about online poker. His interest in the game began in 2006 after winning a celebrity poker tournament hosted by VH1.
Ian frequently played online poker tournaments on Sundays and even squeezed in hands between songs during Anthrax concerts.
His dedication earned him a professional sponsorship deal with Ultimate Bet in 2008, when the brand was among the industry’s leading online poker operators. During that period, Ian trained with poker stars Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke. His passion continued to grow, and at one point he was playing as many as 16 to 20 tables simultaneously.
Hard Rock Bet jackpot surpasses $1.5 million again
For the second time this year, Hard Rock Bet’s New Jersey online casino progressive jackpot has surpassed $1.5 million.
The first time the jackpot reached that level, it climbed to nearly $2 million before a player claimed a $1.9 million prize.
Hard Rock Bet launched its New Jersey progressive jackpot network in April. The jackpot increases each time a qualifying slot game connected to the network is played.
