Alphabet held its Q1 2026 earnings today, and CEO Sundar Pichai gave the first tease of what to expect at I/O next month. more…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Elbakyanhttps://twitter.com/MushtaqBilalPhD/status/20490573440138815... Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47955655 Points: 112 # Comments: 14

General atmosphere during Grindr White House Correspondents' Dinner Weekend Party 2026 at LXIV DC on April 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. | Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Grindr Inc. Hello and welcome to Regulator, a newsletter for Verge subscribers about technology, politics, and technology learning how to politick. If you're not a subscriber but would like to support our work, please subscribe here. I promise that your money will not go toward paying for a drone-proof ballroom for The Verge staff, no matter how much fun we'd have throwing parties there. Speaking of parties: The Verge normally wouldn't do a party report from the White House Correspondents' Dinner week, also known as "Nerd Prom," because it's a bit too much Washington insider circle-jerking for normal people to stomach. (This year was weirder than most, … Read the full story at The Verge.

Article URL: https://prm.ua/en/the-us-is-no-longer-the-leader-germany-has-become-the-largest-ammunition-producer-in-the-world/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47955297 Points: 131 # Comments: 94

New York City’s gambling landscape shifted in a major way this week as a long-running slots venue in Queens officially transformed into the city’s first full casino with live table games. The expanded Resorts World New York City, located near Aqueduct Racetrack and John F. Kennedy International Airport, opened Tuesday with a ceremonial dice roll and a newly built gaming floor featuring more than 200 live-dealer tables. Blackjack, craps, baccarat and roulette are now available alongside more than 2,500 slot machines already operating at the site. The opening marks the first time traditional table games have been offered within New York City limits, a milestone for a market that had previously required gamblers to travel upstate or to neighboring states for that experience. The Queens facility has operated for more than a decade as a “racino,” offering only slot-style video lottery terminals. Its transition to a full-scale casino follows the awarding of new downstate gaming licenses, positioning Resorts World as the first of three approved projects to begin operations. Other planned casino developments in Queens and the Bronx remain years away. A bigger vision taking shape Company officials say the launch is just the first phase of a much larger plan. The operator, Genting Americas East, has outlined a $5.5 billion expansion that would turn the site into a full resort destination. Plans include a hotel, additional gaming space, restaurants, a 7,000-seat entertainment venue and more than a dozen acres of public green space. With our planned $5.5 billion expansion, this is only the beginning of something much bigger for Resorts World and for New York,” said Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, according to the Associated Press. NYC’s casino competition begins to take shape The opening ceremony drew local officials and public figures, including rapper Nas, who joined executives in rolling the first dice to mark the launch. The project arrives as New York pushes to expand legalized gambling in the downstate region. State regulators approved three casino licenses in late 2025, aiming to generate tax revenue and economic activity while bringing casino-style gaming closer to the city’s population. For now, Resorts World has a significant head start. Competing proposals, including an $8.1 billion casino complex near Citi Field and a $4 billion development in the Bronx, are still in earlier stages and are not expected to open for several years. Queens casino takes early lead in downstate rollout That timing gives the Queens casino a unique window as the only full-service gaming venue in the nation’s largest city. Company leaders say more table games and slot machines will be added later this year as operations ramp up. The debut marks a turning point for New York City, where full-scale casino gambling has long been debated but is now becoming a reality. The post Resorts World NYC opens first full casino in New York City with live table games in Queens appeared first on ReadWrite.

A U.S. Army Special Forces soldier has pleaded not guilty to federal charges accusing him of using classified knowledge to profit on a prediction market, a case that is drawing fresh scrutiny to how insider information can be exploited in emerging betting platforms. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, entered his plea Tuesday in Manhattan federal court. Prosecutors say he used nonpublic details tied to a U.S. mission targeting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to guide bets on Polymarket, an online platform where users wager on real-world outcomes. According to the charges, Van Dyke turned roughly $33,000 in wagers into more than $400,000 by betting on developments linked to Maduro’s removal from power. Investigators say his role in planning the operation gave him access to sensitive timelines and likely outcomes before they became public. Case centers on classified information and betting Federal prosecutors have brought multiple counts, including theft of government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and unlawful financial transactions. They say the case will lean on a wide range of evidence, from cryptocurrency exchange records to social media activity and materials obtained through search warrants and subpoenas. Authorities contend the bets were placed shortly before key developments in a covert operation carried out between late 2025 and early 2026, which ultimately led to Maduro’s capture. Van Dyke has been released on $250,000 bail with travel restrictions tied to his work and residence. A pretrial conference is set for June. First major insider trading case in prediction markets The case stands out because it is the first criminal prosecution centered on insider trading in prediction markets filed by the DOJ, marking a significant expansion of how U.S. authorities apply fraud and commodities laws. These platforms, including Polymarket, allow users to trade on the likelihood of events, functioning in ways that can resemble financial markets but with looser historical oversight. Platforms and regulators step up oversight Polymarket itself prohibits trading based on nonpublic, market-moving information and says it monitors for suspicious activity. In this case, officials say the platform flagged the betting patterns and alerted authorities, highlighting growing industry efforts to police misuse. At the same time, regulators are beginning to respond more aggressively. Legal experts say the case underscores that prediction markets are not exempt from insider trading rules and that existing laws can be applied to the misuse of confidential information in these environments. Growing concerns about insider trading risks Experts say insider trading in prediction markets works similarly to traditional financial markets: someone with advance knowledge of an event can place bets before the information becomes public, locking in profits once the outcome shifts market prices. The rapid growth and often pseudonymous nature of these platforms have made enforcement more challenging, raising concerns about potential loopholes and market integrity. Van Dyke has not commented publicly beyond his plea. As the case moves forward, it is expected to test how existing fraud and securities-style laws apply to this fast-growing corner of online wagering. The post US soldier pleads not guilty in first prediction market insider trading case tied to Polymarket bets appeared first on ReadWrite.

Nintendo recently announced a new pricing policy, which knocks $10 off the cost of digital versions of future first-party titles exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2. Splatoon Raiders, for instance, is available for preorder ahead of its July 23rd release for $49.99 digitally or $59.99 for the physical edition. However, Walmart is the exception in how it’s pricing preorders for the cartridge version. Right now, you can reserve the upcoming for $49.94 — just a few cents cheaper than the digital version. Raiders isn’t a sequel to Splatoon 3, but rather a spinoff that has similar third-person, paint-splatting gameplay set in new locales. Splatoon Raiders Where to Buy: $59.99 $49.94 at Walmart (physical) $59.99 at Amazon (physical) The same $10 discount is in effect for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, a side-scrolling adventure with a gorgeous storybook art style that comes out on May 21st. The price of the physical version is $69.99, but Walmart is currently offering it for $59.88, which is similar to the digital edition’s price. Given that prices on many tech and gaming-related products are increasing, it’s nice to see notable discounts on physical Switch 2 games. If you’re looking for other gaming deals, we’ve pulled together the best discounts from Amazon’s weeklong Gaming Week sale. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book Where to Buy: $69.99 $59.88 at Walmart (physical) $69.99 at Amazon (physical)

Article URL: https://lina.sh/blog/ddos-honeypot Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47954638 Points: 123 # Comments: 56

Microsoft's Xbox hardware revenue continues to tumble, with the company revealing a 33 percent decline as part of its earnings report released on Wednesday. Even though the rest of Microsoft's consumer-focused division took a dip, the company's cloud and productivity businesses continue to soar, driving the company toward $82.9 billion in revenue. Along with declining Xbox hardware revenue, Microsoft reported a 5 percent drop in Xbox content and services as well. Microsoft has seen a significant amount of executive turnover over the past few months, with the retirement of Xbox chief CEO Phil Spencer and the departure of former Xbox presiden … Read the full story at The Verge.

Google Search queries hit an "all time high" in the first quarter of 2026, according to a statement from CEO Sundar Pichai published as part of Alphabet's earnings on Wednesday. "Our AI investments and full stack approach are lighting up every part of the business," Pichai says. "Search had a strong quarter with AI experiences driving usage, queries at an all time high, and 19% revenue growth." He also notes that Q1 was "our strongest quarter ever for our consumer AI plans, driven by the Gemini App" and that the company now has more than 350 million paid subscriptions, with "YouTube and Google One being the key drivers." Alphabet also anno … Read the full story at The Verge.

Apple is developing a set of AI smart glasses to rival products like the Meta Ray-Bans, and MacRumors has learned a few more details about Apple's work on the device from an inside source. The AI glasses will include two cameras. A high-resolution camera will be included for capturing photos and videos that can be shared on social media and used like iPhone photos. A second lower-resolution wide-angle lens will read hand gestures and provide visual input for Siri. Apple uses hand gesture-based input for the Vision Pro, and rumors suggest the AirPods Pro will be updated with low-resolution cameras and support for gestures as well. Apple appears to be leaning into gesture support, and it's an ideal input method when no screen is available to interact with. While future versions of the smart glasses could include an integrated display for augmented reality features, the first version will have no display at all. Apple will not include a screen, LiDAR, 3D cameras, or other similar technology because such features are too energy-intensive. Battery life is a major constraint because Apple needs to keep the glasses slim and lightweight. Battery size is the bottleneck behind the hardware decisions that Apple is making, and it's why Apple is opting for a stripped-down feature set. According to recent rumors, Apple is testing multiple styles for the smart glasses, with plans to use acetate. Acetate is a lightweight plant-based material that's more flexible than plastic. Apple's smart glasses will incorporate the smarter version of ‌Siri‌ that Apple plans to introduce in iOS 27. The device will be able to take photos, record video, and make phone calls, plus users will be able to interact with ‌Siri‌ to ask questions about what's around them. The feature set will be similar to the features available in the Meta Ray-Bans that Apple is aiming to compete with. Rumors suggest Apple could preview the glasses later this year, with a launch to follow in 2027, though it's also possible we won't see them announced until 2027.Tag: Apple Smart GlassesThis article, "Apple's AI Smart Glasses Likely to Support Hand Gesture Controls" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Article URL: https://abc.xyz/investor/news/news-details/2026/Alphabet-Announces-First-Quarter-2026-Results-2026-X-ge4Dm6bf/default.aspx Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47954024 Points: 110 # Comments: 124

Alphabet today announced Q1 2026 earnings with $109.9 billion in revenue. These numbers range from January to March and wrap up the fiscal year. more…

No need to copy and paste Gemini's outputs anymore.

Article URL: https://opentrafficmap.org/ Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47953541 Points: 286 # Comments: 70

After offering in the US, YouTube is making picture-in-picture (PiP) mode free for all users around the world. more…

Has nobody watched Terminator?

Article URL: https://jivx.com/kyoto-bloom Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47953275 Points: 333 # Comments: 95

Sam Altman apologized for not notifying local authorities last week.

Apple has all but given up on the Vision Pro after the M5 model failed to revitalize interest in the device, MacRumors has learned. Apple updated the Vision Pro with a faster M5 chip and a more comfortable band in October 2025, but there were no other hardware changes, and consumers still weren't interested. The Vision Pro has been criticized for its high price tag and its uncomfortable weight. The device is over 1.3 pounds, and even with the more comfortable Dual Knit Band that Apple added to redistribute weight, it continues to be hard to wear for long periods of time. The M5 chip added a 120Hz refresh rate, 10 percent more rendered pixels, and around 30 additional minutes of battery life, but the price tag stayed at $3,499, and it ended up not selling well. The Vision Pro has been unpopular since it first launched, and Apple only sold around 600,000 units in total. Insider sources told MacRumors that Apple has received an unusually high percentage of returns, far exceeding any other modern Apple product. Apple has apparently stopped work on the Vision Pro and the Vision Pro team has been redistributed to other teams within Apple. Some former Vision Pro team members are working on Siri, which is not a surprise as Vision Pro chief Mike Rockwell has been leading the Siri team since March 2025. There have been mixed rumors about a new Vision Pro over the last couple of years, with Apple rumored to be working on a lighter-weight Vision Air that's much cheaper, but the project was stopped last year. If Apple finds a way to create a much cheaper, more comfortable VR headset in the future, the Vision Pro line could be revived, but right now, the company has no plans to launch a new model. Apple has not discontinued the Vision Pro and is continuing to sell the M5 model. Instead of continuing to experiment with virtual reality, Apple is working on smart glasses that will eventually incorporate augmented reality capabilities, but the first version will be similar to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses with AI and no integrated display. Apple has not been able to use the technology developed for the Vision Pro in its smart glasses because that tech draws too much power for a smaller, lighter device.Related Roundup: Apple Vision ProBuyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)Related Forum: Apple Vision ProThis article, "Apple Has Given Up on the Vision Pro After M5 Refresh Flop" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

A preliminary investigation found the company isn't adequately keeping minors off of Instagram and Facebook.

Motorola finally unveiled its latest Razr lineup today, but to call Moto’s trio of clamshells an upgrade wouldn’t quite be accurate. While the 2026 Razr, Razr+, and Razr Ultra all contain minor changes compared to their direct predecessors, it’s not enough to justify their more expensive prices — especially considering some of those changes actually aren’t for the better. If you act fast, you might be able to score last year’s Razr Ultra for half off, bringing the price below what Moto wants for its latest base model. more…

Amid plenty of evidence that OnePlus is shutting down or at least limiting its global operations, the brand has apparently just been merged with Realme, including its business in China too. more…

Your mid-week lineup of the best Android game and app deals is now ready to roll, including titles like Onigo Hunter, Monster Viator, NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM, Endurance: dead space, EvoCreo2: Monster Trainer RPG, Dragon Sinker, Cytus II, and more. On your way down, scope out the giant $411 off Samsung’s most affordable Galaxy Tab S11 today, this chance to land unlocked Galaxy S26 Ultra with Galaxy Buds 4 Pro at $325 off, and the Samsung Mother’s Day Spring Black Friday sale – up to $1,700+ off.  more…

There are also new generative AI tools, because they must be stuffed into everything.

Apple has reportedly abandoned plans for a foldable "iPad Ultra" following years of disappointing sales performance for the iPad Pro. The claim predominantly comes from the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," who posted the remark in response to a question about whether the ‌iPad‌ would join a rumored "Ultra" series of Apple devices. Instant Digital listed the Apple Watch Ultra, M-series Ultra chips, "iPhone Ultra," and "MacBook Ultra" with an OLED display as products in the pipeline, but explicitly excluded the ‌iPad‌ from that group, citing weak market performance for the ‌iPad Pro‌. They added that Apple now has "no plans" to release an ‌iPad‌ Ultra. The ‌iPad Pro‌'s sales struggles are well documented. In October 2024, it was reported that shipment projections for the M4 ‌iPad Pro‌ had been significantly cut after weaker-than-expected demand following its launch earlier that year. DSCC analyst Ross Young lowered his full-year 2024 forecast from up to 10 million units to just 6.7 million, with shipments of the 13-inch model projected to fall by more than 50% and 90% in the third and fourth quarters respectively. Young attributed the sluggish reception in part to the high price point, with the 11-inch model starting at $999 and the 13-inch at $1,299, levels that deter buyers who view tablets as secondary devices alongside a smartphone or laptop. ‌iPad‌ revenue has declined for three consecutive years, and the category accounted for just 6.73% of Apple's total revenue in 2025. In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple has been developing a 20-inch foldable ‌iPad‌, describing the project as a priority for Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering and future Apple CEO John Ternus. Gurman noted, however, that the device "may end up being a wacky experiment that doesn't see the light of day, according to several people who have worked on it." The rumored foldable ‌iPad‌ has a long and troubled development history. Last October, it emerged that engineering challenges tied to weight, features, and display technology had pushed Apple's target launch from 2028 to 2029 or later. The device was reportedly being developed with a large Samsung OLED display, with Apple focused on minimizing the visible crease, just like the upcoming foldable iPhone. Prototype units reportedly weighed around 3.5 pounds, making them heavier than a 14-inch MacBook Pro and nearly three times the weight of a 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌. The device could have been priced as high as $3,900, roughly triple the $1,299 starting price of the 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌. There has also been uncertainty about how the product would be categorized. In March, Gurman noted that a "gigantic" foldable ‌iPad‌ would challenge Apple's tradition of keeping the Mac and ‌iPad‌ as separate product lines, with some internally describing it as a foldable ‌iPad‌ and others as an all-display MacBook. When closed, the device reportedly resembles a Mac, with an aluminum shell and no exterior display. The design is said to be similar to Huawei's MateBook Fold, an 18-inch foldable tablet currently priced at $3,400. The reports come against a backdrop of Apple's rumored plans to expand its "Ultra" branding across multiple product lines. At least three Ultra devices are believed to be in the pipeline for this year alone: a foldable ‌iPhone Ultra‌ priced at around $2,000, AirPods Ultra with cameras for Visual Intelligence, and a MacBook Ultra featuring a touch-enabled OLED display priced up to 20% above the current ‌MacBook Pro‌ lineup. A source speaking to Macworld subsequently corroborated the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ and MacBook Ultra names. Apple already applies the "Ultra" moniker to Apple Watch Ultra, M-series Ultra chips, and CarPlay Ultra. An ‌iPad‌ Ultra might seem like a natural fit for a family of higher-end, more experimental hardware at the top of each lineup, but with the ‌iPad Pro‌ already struggling to find buyers at its current price point

At least now you can figure out what to wear without physically going to your closet?

Motorola is crazy about foldables. With each passing year, the company has beefed up its folding phone lineup, and in 2026, there will be four devices launching on May 21. At the top end is the company's first tablet-style foldable, the Razr Fold. Below that, Motorola will again offer three flip-style foldables: the Razr Ultra, Razr+, and Razr. These phones get a few modest upgrades over last year's phones, along with price increases. Motorola is unfortunately not immune to the rising cost of components. Specs at a glance: 2026 Motorola Razr series Razr 2026 ($800) Razr+ 2026 ($1,100) Razr Ultra 2026 ($1,500) Razr Fold ($1,900) SoC MediaTek Dimensity 7450X  Snapdragon 8s Gen 3  Snapdragon 8 Elite "Pro"  Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Memory 8GB 12GB 16GB 16GB Storage 128GB  256GB 512GB 512GB Display External: 3.6-inch 1056 x 1066 OLED, 90 Hz, 1700 nits; Internal: 6.9-inch 1080 x 2640 OLED, 120 Hz, 3000 nits External: 4-inch 1272 x 1080 OLED, 165 Hz, 2400 nits; Internal: 6.9-inch 1080 x 2640 OLED, 165 Hz, 3000 nits External: 4-inch 1272 x 1080 OLED, 165 Hz, 3000 nits; Internal: 7-inch 1224 x 2992 OLED, 165 Hz, 5000 nits External: 6.6-inch 2520 x 1080 pOLED, 165 Hz, 6000 nits; Internal: 8.1-inch 2484 x 2232 LTPO OLED, 120 Hz, 6,200 nits Cameras 50 MP wide, f/1.7; 50 MP ultrawide, f/2.0; 32 MP selfie, f/2.4 50 MP wide, f/1.8; 50 MP ultrawide, f/2.0; 32 MP selfie, f/2.4 50 MP wide, f/1.8; 50 MP ultrawide, f/2.0; 50 MP selfie, f/2.0 50 MP wide, F/1.6; 50 MP ultrawide with Macro, f/2.2; 50 MP 3x telephoto; 32 MP outer selfie, f/2.4; 20 MP inner selfie, f/2.4 Software Android 16 Android 16 Android 16 Android 16 Battery 4800 mAh, up to 30 W wired charging, wireless charging 4500 mAh, up to 45 W wired charging, wireless charging 5,000 mAh, up to 68 W wired, wireless charging 6000 mAh, up to 80 W wired charging, 50 W wireless charging Connectivity Sub-6 GHz  5G Sub-6 GHz  5G Sub-6 GHz  5G Sub-6 GHz  5G Measurements Open: 171.30 × 73.99 × 7.25 mm Closed: 88.08 × 73.99 × 15.85 mm, 188g Open: 171.42 × 73.99 × 7.09 mm Closed: 88.09 × 73.99 × 15.32 mm, 189g Open: 171.48 × 73.99 × 7.19 mm Closed: 88.12 × 73.99 × 15.69 mm, 199g Open: 160 height × 144.4 width × 4.55 depth (mm); Closed: 160 height × 73.6 width × 9.89 depth (mm), 243g Colors Hematite, Violet Ice, Sporting Green, Bright White Mountain View Orient Blue, Cocoa Blackened Blue, Lily White The Razr Fold represents a big step for Moto. Its foldable flip phones have revived the Razr name and offered a good alternative to Samsung's Z Flip line, but people buying foldables are generally more interested in the large format. As prices at the lower end of the spectrum ratchet up, there's less and less distance between premium flip phones and bigger foldables. At $1,900, the Razr Fold is not a cheap phone, but it's roughly in line with the pricing of 2025 foldables (right between Google and Samsung). Given the current state of things, that's a small win for 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM. Moto's first big foldable is almost here. Credit: Motorola Motorola is not reinventing the wheel with the Fold, so you can expect a device that looks and feels similar to other big foldables like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. It's about the same size as Google's foldable but slightly thinner and lighter. Samsung's Z Fold 7, however, is much thinner and lighter. Motorola does have the advantage of stylus input, which Samsung has dropped from its foldables. The Moto Stylus will launch at $99 alongside the Razr Fold on May 21.Read full article Comments

Apple is planning to integrate Apple Intelligence and Siri into more of its apps in iOS 27, including the Camera app, reports Bloomberg. The ‌iOS 27‌ Camera app will have a dedicated ‌Siri‌ mode that will be available alongside the existing Photo, Video, Portrait, and Panorama modes. When in ‌Siri‌ mode, the existing Camera app shutter button will feature the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ logo, letting users know the ‌Siri‌ features are available. ‌Siri‌ mode will incorporate Visual Intelligence, making the feature more accessible. Right now, ‌Visual Intelligence‌ is activated by long pressing the Camera Control button, and it is a gesture that many people may not even be aware of. In addition to being relocated to the Camera app with ‌Siri‌ branding, ‌Visual Intelligence‌ is also being updated with new features. It will be able to scan a nutrition label on food items to log the dietary information, plus users will be able to use it to add contact details for someone directly to the Contacts app. MacRumors first discovered signs of the ‌Visual Intelligence‌ features in Apple code in mid-April. Here's a bit more on what we found: Nutrition - Users will be able to scan nutrition labels on food packaging for calorie and macronutrient tracking using the Health app. Contacts - ‌Visual Intelligence‌ will let users scan phone numbers and addresses on business cards and other print media, adding the information to the Contacts app. Wallet - In the Wallet app, ‌Visual Intelligence‌ will capture information from physical event tickets and membership cards, generating digital versions. Existing ‌Visual Intelligence‌ features will continue to be available, and it will be able to identify objects like plants and animals, add events to the Calendar app, and send visual information to ChatGPT and Google image search. Users will also be able to access the revamped ‌Visual Intelligence‌ through the Camera Control button, but it will open up to the ‌Siri‌ interface in the Camera app instead of the standalone ‌Visual Intelligence‌ experience that we have now. Apple will introduce ‌iOS 27‌ at the Worldwide Developers Conference that's set to begin on June 8, 2026.Related Roundup: iOS 27Tag: SiriThis article, "iOS 27 Camera App to Get 'Siri' Mode With Nutrition Label Scanning" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Do it for Divine all over again.

Available this week ahead of the new Razr lineup, Moto Buds 2 Plus are coming to the US with Bose sound and a price of $149. more…

You can now ask the Gemini app to directly generate “downloadable and ready-to-share files.” Google wants you to “quickly move from a brainstorm to a complete file without ever leaving the Gemini app.” more…

Federal regulators have taken Wisconsin to court, turning up the heat in a widening fight over who gets to police the fast-growing world of prediction markets. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed its lawsuit just days after Wisconsin launched its own civil cases against five companies: Kalshi, Polymarket, Crypto.com, Robinhood, and Coinbase. State officials accuse those platforms of running what amount to illegal sports betting operations, describing the alleged conduct as felony violations under Wisconsin law. All five companies operate in areas the Commodity Futures Trading Commission says fall squarely within its jurisdiction. Federal regulator pushes back on state authority At the heart of the dispute are prediction markets, where people trade contracts tied to the outcome of real-world events. Congress handed the CFTC authority over many types of derivatives decades ago, and the agency says that mandate includes certain event-based contracts when platforms are registered as designated contract markets. States like Wisconsin are taking a different approach. By treating these platforms as gambling operations, state regulators are trying to bring them under local law, setting up a direct collision with federal oversight. States cannot circumvent the clear directive of Congress,” said Michael S. Selig. “Our message to Wisconsin is the same as to New York, Arizona, and others: if you interfere with the operation of federal law in regulating financial markets, we will sue you.” Legal battle expands across multiple states The Wisconsin case didn’t emerge in isolation. The CFTC recently filed a similar lawsuit against New York after that state pursued its own crackdown on prediction market platforms. The agency has also targeted Arizona, Connecticut and Illinois, while weighing in on related disputes through filings in higher courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Massachusetts’ top court. In some instances, the federal government is coordinating more broadly. The Department of Justice has joined the CFTC in backing arguments that federal law preempts state gambling statutes when it comes to regulated financial products. Those arguments could ultimately land before the U.S. Supreme Court as the number of cases grows. What comes next for prediction markets A recent ruling in Arizona shows how high the stakes have become. In a case brought by the CFTC, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order that blocked a state criminal prosecution against a company overseen by the agency. The decision marked an early, but significant, victory for the federal position. What happens in Wisconsin could shape the next phase of the fight. As prediction markets expand into new categories and attract more users, courts may have to draw clearer lines between financial regulation and gambling law. For now, the CFTC appears ready to press forward aggressively, signaling that this legal clash is far from over. Featured image: Sasun Bughdaryan/Unsplash The post CFTC Sues Wisconsin in Escalating Fight Over Prediction Market Regulation appeared first on ReadWrite.

Google’s expansion of AI Mode continues today with an integration into the Search bar on Android devices. more…

The new Razr Fold even has native stylus support, unlike Samsung's most recent flagship.

Motorola is refreshing all three of its Razr models for 2026, but outside of some new — and, as you’d expect, more expensive — prices, there actually isn’t much here that’s been properly upgraded. Considering the strength of last year’s lineup, that’s not necessarily a bad thing on its face, especially if you’re looking to jump head-first into the world of clamshell foldables. But if you’re wondering whether it’s worth skipping these new models in favor of deal-hunting on Motorola’s 2025 series, here’s what’s actually new with the 2026 Razr series. more…

The Razr Fold’s details and pricing are officially out from behind the curtain, and Motorola has confirmed pre-orders will open very soon after teasing the foldable since January. more…

Motorola today announced its 2026 flip-style Razr lineup with a new AI-powered Google Photos feature called “Wardrobe.” more…

The latest generation of Motorola Razr flip phones has arrived, but you’d be forgiven thinking nothing has changed at first glance. These phones are very familiar, but all cost more than their predecessors. more…

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Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is headlined by a massive $411 off Samsung’s most affordable Galaxy Tab S11 today alongside Samsung bundling unlocked Galaxy S26 Ultra with Galaxy Buds 4 Pro at $325 off. We also have the TCL NXTPAPER 11 Gen 2 and 11 Plus Android Tablets starting down at $160 joined by LG’s 2025 model 27-inch UltraGear 300Hz QHD gaming monitor at a $200 low, and the latest Xbox ROG Ally X handheld at its best price ever – up to $190 off (Open-box ‘Excellent’ w/ 1-yr. warranty). Head below for a closer look. more…

A leaker claims Apple is currently embroiled in an internal debate over whether MagSafe should remain a standard iPhone feature. The Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital" says that when ‌MagSafe‌ was first introduced, the mood inside Apple was reportedly aggressive about its expansion. ‌MagSafe‌ for the iPhone was introduced with the iPhone 12 lineup in 2020, bringing a ring of magnets to the back of the device for snap-on charging and accessory attachment. The ecosystem has since expanded significantly, with dozens of third-party wallets, cases, stands, and chargers built around the standard. There were purportedly even plans to bring built-in ‌MagSafe‌ magnets to the iPad lineup, something the leaker previously hinted at, though those plans never materialized. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman first reported in 2021 that Apple was testing a glass-backed iPad Pro that would support wireless charging, specifically noting that MagSalfe was under consideration. A follow-up report in early 2022 suggested Apple had prototyped an iPad Pro with a large glass Apple logo that would serve as the wireless charging area, an approach aimed at avoiding the fragility of an all-glass back. Neither design made it to a shipping product. The rumors resurfaced in late 2023, with reports suggesting that the then-upcoming iPad Pro could include MagSafe support, based on information from sources familiar with Apple's magnet suppliers. The redesigned M4 ‌iPad Pro‌ that launched in 2024 still shipped without the feature. Now, Instant Digital claims that confidence around ‌MagSafe‌ has given way to uncertainty. The leaker says Apple is weighing the costs of including ‌MagSafe‌ magnets in the iPhone against the strength of the accessory ecosystem that has grown up around the feature, though the nature of the debate and what any change might look like remains unclear. The iPhone 16e launched without ‌MagSafe‌, making it the first new iPhone in years to omit it. Many iPhone 16e owners, as well as users of older iPhones without built-in magnets, turned to third-party cases with embedded magnet rings as a workaround, though the experience is generally considered to be inferior to native ‌MagSafe‌ support. The decision nonetheless drew criticism, and Apple reversed course with the iPhone 17e, restoring ‌MagSafe‌ support when the device launched earlier this year. There is no indication that ‌MagSafe‌ is at imminent risk of disappearing from the iPhone lineup. However, the upcoming foldable "iPhone Ultra" may be a different story. Dummy models of the device show no visible indentations for the internal magnet array that ‌MagSafe‌ requires, suggesting the feature could be absent at launch. The iPhone Ultra is rumored to be just 4.5mm thin when unfolded, and it is thought that the device may simply be too slim to accommodate the magnets. If that proves accurate, the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ would be both the most expensive iPhone ever, with a starting price rumored at around $2,000, and the first new high-end model to ship without ‌MagSafe‌ since the iPhone 11 Pro. While the wording of Instant Digital's post is somewhat ambiguous, it raises the possibility that Apple could be at least considering pulling ‌MagSafe‌ from its standard iPhone models, potentially making it exclusive to higher-end devices. Recent reports suggest that the standard iPhone 18 is being downgraded to cut costs. An alternative scenario could see Apple scale back its in-device ‌MagSafe‌ implementation, relying more heavily on cases with embedded magnets to provide compatibility, as many iPhone 16e users already do. Given that Qi2, the open wireless charging standard now widely adopted across the industry, is built directly on ‌MagSafe‌'s magnet ring specification, a full removal of the feature from the entire iPhone lineup seems unlikely.Tags: Instant Digital, MagSafeThis article, "Apple Reportedly Questioning Whether iPhone Should Drop MagSafe" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this a

The latest answer to the always-relevant question: "Can it run Doom?"

Uber is adding a host of features to its app for when you're away from home.

Amazon this week has multiple discounts on the M4 iPad Air, providing up to $100 off these brand new models. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Specifically, Amazon has up to $90 off the 11-inch M4 iPad Air and up to $100 off the 13-inch M4 iPad Air. All of these discounts have been automatically applied and do not require a coupon code or a Prime membership. $43 OFF11-inch M4 iPad Air for $556.50 $58 OFF13-inch M4 iPad Air for $741.50 The new iPad Air features the M4 chip, C1X modem, and N1 networking chip, which brings support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. In terms of design, the 2026 models are identical to the 2025 iPad Air tablets, with an edge-to-edge display, slim bezels, and aluminum chassis. 11-inch M4 iPad Air 128GB Wi-Fi - $556.50 ($43 off) 256GB Wi-Fi - $644.99 ($55 off) 512GB Wi-Fi - $834.00 ($65 off) 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,009.00 ($90 off) 13-inch M4 iPad Air 128GB Wi-Fi - $741.50 ($58 off) 256GB Wi-Fi - $821.66 ($78 off) 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,001.72 ($98 off) 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,199.00 ($100 off) If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "Get Up to $100 Off the M4 iPad Air on Amazon" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Apple will not be able to delay a district court battle over fee calculations while it waits to hear whether the U.S. Supreme Court will weigh in on the latest developments in its long-running dispute with Epic Games. On Tuesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed an earlier decision letting Apple keep its current zero-fee link-out commission structure in place while it appeals to the Supreme Court. The reversal means Apple now has to return to a lower court to work out what fees it can charge developers who steer customers to outside payment options. Apple won the pause earlier this month by arguing that it shouldn't have to overhaul its fee structure twice if the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in its favor. Apple stopped collecting commissions from links to external purchase options in U.S. apps when ordered to do so last year, and the company wanted to keep the no-commission setup while waiting on the Supreme Court. In response, Epic Games immediately filed two motions: one said it hadn't been given time enough to prepare a response to Apple's stay request, and another asking the court to reject the original request. The three-judge panel granted Epic's motion for reconsideration. The judges said Apple hadn't shown that the Supreme Court was likely to take the case, and pointed out that the high court already chose not to hear Apple's challenges once back in 2024. They also rejected Apple's claim that being forced into lower-court hearings would cause real harm. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney shared the news in a post on X, adding that "Apple's delaying tactics have come to an end!" Apple's delaying tactics have come to an end! Now Epic v Apple returns to Judge Gonzales Rogers for hearings on exactly what fees Apple can charge to recoup costs of reviewing apps using competing payment methods. https://t.co/eukYzpu0dY— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) April 29, 2026 The case now heads back to Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in California, who will determine what commission Apple can collect on purchases made through external links, if any. Apple can still petition the Supreme Court while those proceedings move ahead. The dispute traces all the way back to the original Epic Games trial, which Apple largely won. However, one exception was a 2021 ruling from Judge Gonzalez Rogers ordering Apple to relax its "anti-steering" rules and let developers point users to outside payment options. Apple complied with the ruling, but only slightly lowered its fees, which led few developers to even bother adding links. Epic subsequently returned to court, and the judge found Apple in willful violation of the original injunction. Consequently, it barred Apple from collecting any commission on external links. Apple appealed and dropped the link fees while the case moved forward, arguing that the ruling was unconstitutional and that it should receive compensation for its technology. In December 2025, the appeals court delivered a mixed ruling: Apple had violated the injunction, but the company should still be able to charge something reasonable for its technology. That sent the question of what that fee should look like back to the district court. Apple is now hoping the Supreme Court will go further and throw out the district court's ruling altogether, but in the meantime, Apple will head back to court to determine the reasonable fee that it will be able to charge for purchases made using external links in apps. Tags: App Store, Epic Games, Epic Games vs. Apple, Apple LawsuitsThis article, "Epic Games Wins Reversal of Stay in App Store Fee Legal Battle" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Memory could account for as much as 45 percent of an iPhone's component costs by 2027, up from around 10 percent today, according to a JPMorgan analysis cited by the Financial Times ($). Apple buys memory for roughly 250 million iPhones a year and has historically been one of the largest customers in the category. But Apple has reportedly now gone from a position where it could set terms to one where it now has to compete with rivals for supply. The principal reason is the heavily subsidized AI build-out that's underway. In a race to make data centers that can handle more compute for frontier AI models, AI infrastructure buyers like Nvidia are now reportedly outbidding consumer electronics makers for limited supply from the likes of Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron. Meanwhile, cloud companies are reportedly making upfront payments worth billions of dollars to secure capacity. It's a marked break from the industry norm of committing to volumes with suppliers first and negotiating prices later. The pressure is already reshaping Apple's product plans, and the rumored split-launch cycle for the iPhone 18 series is said to be part of that new reality. Apple is expected to stagger the iPhone 18 launch, holding the lower-priced model until spring 2027 rather than shipping the full lineup in the usual fall window. Instead, only the iPhone 18 Pro models will be launched in September, with a foldable iPhone expected to be unveiled around the same time. Apple hardware engineering chief John Ternus takes over from Tim Cook as CEO on September 1, and Cook will transition to his new role as Apple's first executive chair, where he is expected to take a direct role in day-to-day operations. Meanwhile, Ternus's first big decision will be whether Apple absorbs the increasing cost of memory or passes it onto consumers. Bank of America analyst Wamsi Mohan reckons the decision could come down to whether Apple holds prices to please consumers or accepts a margin hit, especially in markets like India and China where it competes with local smartphone makers. "By the time September rolls around, Apple has two choices: one, they reprice [products] higher, or two, they say 'let's go ahead and gun for market share,'" Mohan told the FT. He thinks there is a decent chance that Apple will opt for market share.Tag: Financial TimesThis article, "Report: iPhone Memory Costs Set to Quadruple by 2027" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

The popular Notepad++ coding editor is now available as a native macOS app, following an unofficial open-source community port of the original Windows codebase. The Notepad replacement runs as a universal binary, so it works on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs. Notepad++ has been one of the most popular text editors on Windows for more than 20 years. Until now, Mac users who switched from Windows, or who worked across both platforms, had to choose between giving up the editor and running it through a Wine or CrossOver compatibility layer. Now those users have no such dilemma. The editing experience is identical to the Windows version, right down to the Scintilla engine, tabbed editing, syntax highlighting for 80+ languages, search and replace, macro recording, and plugin support. The only difference is that the menus, dialogs, file pickers, keyboard shortcuts, and windowing all use native macOS Cocoa APIs. Notepad++ for macOS is maintained by Andrey Letov, who wrote the Objective-C++ Cocoa UI that replaces Notepad++'s Win32 front-end. The unofficial app is available to download from the Notepad++ for Mac website. It's completely free and released under the GNU General Public License, so there are no ads, subs, or hidden costs. (Thanks, Mike!)This article, "Notepad++ Code Editor Comes to Mac After 20-Year Wait" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Several major U.S. cities support the Apple Pay for transit feature that Apple has rolled out, providing a simple way for those who use public transportation to pay for rides. ‌Apple Pay‌ for transit works in Atlanta, the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Orange County, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, Seattle, and Washington, DC. Some of these cities have supported ‌Apple Pay‌ for transit purposes for several years, and in others like Atlanta, support is new as of 2026. Atlanta launched its tap-to-pay MARTA contactless system in March 2026, allowing iPhone and Apple Watch users to tap to pay their fares at rail station fare gates using the Apple Wallet app. Cities that support ‌Apple Pay‌ for transit allow iPhone owners to turn on Express Mode to pay for transit fares without needing to unlock their device and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID. A card for Express Transit can be selected by opening up the Wallet and ‌Apple Pay‌ section of the Settings app and tapping on the Express Transit Card option to make a selection. When a credit or debit card is associated with Express Mode, it can be used to pay for transit automatically with no authentication. On iPhone models that support power reserve, transit payments can also be made when the iPhone is out of battery. Power reserve works for up to five hours after an iPhone dies, and it is available on the iPhone XS and later. Some cities support adding a credit or debit card to the Wallet app for transit, while others require a specific transit card to be added to the Wallet app. The Bay Area works with the Clipper app or a credit card. Chicago's system only works with the Ventra card, LA's transit works with the TAP card, and Portland's transit system works with the Hop card. In some locations, there's also support for fare capping. With New York's OMNY system, for example, subway and local bus fares are capped at $35 per week. As long as you use the same device each time you tap pay for a ride, rides after the $35 cap will be free for the rest of the seven-day period. LA's TAP system and OC's Wave system also support fare capping for ‌Apple Pay‌. The iPhone 6s and 2016 iPhone SE and later all support Express Mode with ‌Apple Pay‌ for transit purposes. Express Mode also works on the Apple Watch Series 1 or later as long as watchOS 5.2.1 or later is installed. ‌Apple Pay‌ for transit also works in several cities around the world, including London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Toronto, Beijing, and Shanghai. When traveling, you will need to look into how transit works in the city you're in, but it is a simple way to use public transportation because there's no need to pre-purchase travel tickets at a kiosk. Apple has a website where the different transit systems are explained.Related Roundup: Apple PayTags: Apple Wallet, Express TransitRelated Forum: Apple Music, Apple Pay/Card, iCloud, Fitness+This article, "Apple Pay for Transit Now Works in These 12 U.S. Cities" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Anthropic today updated Claude with new connectors aimed at creative professionals, adding integrations for Ableton, Adobe, Affinity, Autodesk Fusion, Blender, Resolume Arena and Wire, SketchUp, and Splice. Connectors are tools that Claude can use to access other platforms and help with completing tasks. Anthropic says that Claude can open up new ways for creatives to work and take on larger-scale projects. Ableton - Allows users to ask questions about the official product documentation for Live and Push. Adobe - More than 50 tools across Creative Cloud apps like Photoshop, Premiere, and Express are available. Affinity - The Affinity connector lets users automate repetitive production tasks and generate custom features. Autodesk Fusion - Fusion subscribers can create and modify 3D models through conversations with Claude. Blender - The Blender connector adds a natural-language interface for the Python API. Users can analyze and debug Blender scenes, build custom scripts to batch-apply changes to objects, and add new tools to the Blender interface. Blender's documentation is also available. Resolume Arena and Wire - Visual artists can control Arena, Avenue, and Wire in real time with natural language. SketchUp - Users can describe an idea to Claude as a starting point for a 3D model and then open it in SketchUp for further revision. Splice - Music producers can search Splice's catalog of royalty-free samples. Anthropic suggests that Claude can be helpful for multiple creative tasks, offering tutoring for complex tools, writing scripts and plugins for software, translating formats and restructuring data, and completing repetitive production work.Tag: AnthropicThis article, "Claude Gains Integrations With Adobe, Blender, SketchUp and Other Creative Apps" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

YouTube is testing a new search feature that it says is meant to feel more like a conversation than a search interface. Users are able to ask complex questions in natural language, receive results that include video and text, and then ask follow-up questions. The new search option is part of YouTube Labs, an opt-in program that lets YouTube Premium subscribers gain early access to experimental features and prototypes. YouTube Labs is available to U.S. users, and subscribers sign up on the YouTube Labs website. According to YouTube, subscribers who opt in to try the new search can enter a prompt in the search bar, like "plan a 3-day road trip between San Francisco and Santa Barbara," and then select the Ask YouTube option to get the results. Search results include AI summary text, short videos, and long videos, with relevant segments in videos highlighted. The Ask YouTube search interface suggests some search prompts, such as "unique ideas for a backyard water feature," "plan a living room redesign using thrifted items," and "how to make a traditional French omelet." Other YouTube Labs features in testing right now include Beyond the Beat AI details when listening to radio and mixes in the YouTube Music app, and VibeCheck, an AI coaching feature that provides tips on Shorts videos before they're published. The updated search feature will be in testing until June 8.This article, "YouTube Tests AI-Powered 'Ask YouTube' Conversational Search Feature" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

Apple will add new Apple Intelligence photo editing tools to the Photos app in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27, reports Bloomberg. On-device ‌Apple Intelligence‌ will be able to make subtle changes to image quality, positioning, and focus, with the new capabilities joining Clean Up, the sole AI editing feature that Apple has released to date. The ‌Photos‌ app in ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, and ‌macOS 27‌ will have an ‌Apple Intelligence‌ Tools section when editing an image. Options will include Extend, Enhance, and Reframe. Extend - Extend generates additional image content beyond the original frame of the photo, filling in scenery when changing the crop of an image. This tool will support expanding the edges of an image with zoom gestures. Enhance - Uses AI to automatically tweak color, lighting, and other image parameters, similar to how the auto editing feature works now. Reframe - When used with spatial photos, Reframe will let users change the perspective of an image after it's captured. Apple apparently hasn't gotten the tools working perfectly, so Extend and Reframe could be delayed or scaled back. Clean Up, Apple's existing AI tool, still has issues even a year and a half after launching. It is able to remove unwanted objects from an image, but it is not as good at filling in missing information as other AI tools from smartphone makers like Samsung and Google. More on the features coming in ‌iOS 27‌, including Siri updates, can be found in our iOS 27 roundup. ‌iOS 27‌ will be previewed at the WWDC 2026 keynote that's set to take place on June 8, 2026.Related Roundup: iOS 27Tag: Apple IntelligenceThis article, "iOS 27 to Add New Apple Intelligence Photo Editing Tools" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

A financial reform advocacy group is urging courts to keep oversight of gambling-style online markets at the state level, arguing that a federal commodities regulator lacks both the authority and capacity to manage them. Better Markets made its case in an amicus brief supporting Massachusetts in a growing legal dispute over prediction markets, platforms where users trade contracts based on real-world outcomes. Prediction markets framed as gambling According to Better Markets, these platforms operate more like gambling than traditional financial instruments and should therefore fall under state jurisdiction rather than the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Dennis Kelleher, Co-founder, President, and CEO of Better Markets, sharply criticized the federal agency’s involvement, pointing to alleged misconduct on some platforms. Kelleher cited rising reports of insider trading and other abuses on platforms such as Kalshi, arguing that the CFTC is not equipped to effectively police such activity. He described the agency as under-resourced and ill-suited to regulate what he characterized as “unregulated online casinos” attempting to bypass state gambling laws. Massachusetts intensifies legal action The debate comes as Massachusetts escalates its scrutiny of prediction market operators. State regulators have already secured an injunction limiting aspects of Kalshi’s operations and imposed a 30-day deadline for the company to implement geofencing to block in-state users. Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has warned that certain event-based contracts may violate state gambling laws, prompting further legal challenges, including a lawsuit from Polymarket seeking to block those restrictions. Broader legal battle expands nationwide The Massachusetts case is part of a wider national clash between state regulators and federal authorities. The CFTC has filed lawsuits and legal actions across multiple states to defend its claim of exclusive jurisdiction over prediction markets, setting up a conflict that could reshape how these platforms are regulated in the U.S. Legal experts increasingly believe the issue could escalate to the highest level, with the Supreme Court potentially stepping in to resolve whether prediction markets fall under financial regulation or gambling law. Ongoing clash between state and federal authority Better Markets argues that Congress never intended for the CFTC to oversee gambling or act as a nationwide authority on event-based betting markets. The group also raised broader concerns about lightly regulated prediction markets, including risks of corruption, insider trading, and increased problem gambling. At the center of the dispute are platforms like Kalshi, which operate under federal commodities law but face mounting resistance from state officials who view them as unlicensed gambling operators. Courts to decide future of prediction markets Better Markets maintains that states are better positioned to regulate gambling within their borders and is calling on the CFTC to refocus on its core mission of overseeing derivatives markets. The case highlights a widening national debate over whether prediction markets should be treated as financial instruments or traditional gambling, an issue now increasingly being decided in the courts. The post Better Markets urges courts to let states regulate prediction markets, not CFTC appeared first on ReadWrite.

Alberta is moving ahead with plans to expand online gambling, a shift that is already raising concern among some First Nations leaders who rely heavily on revenue from brick-and-mortar casinos. The province is aiming to launch its new iGaming system on July 13 after passing the iGaming Alberta Act, which establishes a framework allowing private companies to operate under provincial regulation. Officials say the goal is to bring structure to a market where a significant share of betting already takes place through offshore or unregulated platforms. The expansion comes as global gambling operators prepare to enter the province. Companies such as DraftKings are already positioning themselves for Alberta’s opening market, viewing it as part of a broader North American push into newly regulated jurisdictions. Concerns from First Nations over casino revenue Despite the economic ambitions behind the plan, the proposal is drawing criticism from Indigenous leaders who warn it could undermine land-based casino revenues that support essential community programs. One First Nations chief told CBC News the province has not gone far enough to protect communities that depend on casino income. If this goes ahead the way it is, it’s going to have a devastating impact on our communities,” the chief said. Casinos on First Nations land play a central role in funding local services, employment, and economic development. Leaders fear that easier access to online gambling could reduce foot traffic at physical venues, cutting into a key source of revenue. Province points to regulated growth and competition Provincial officials argue the shift is necessary to modernize gambling regulation and capture activity already happening outside the legal system. Alberta is seeking to follow a model similar to Ontario, where multiple private operators compete under provincial oversight rather than a single government-run platform. The broader policy shift is part of a wider strategy to expand regulated gambling markets across Canada. Alberta’s approach is also being watched as part of a growing national trend toward opening online gambling to private operators. “This is part of economic reconciliation,” Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally said in an interview with CBC News. “We’re not trying to take anything away from First Nations. We’re trying to grow the pie,” he added. Under the proposed model, about 2 percent of online gambling revenue would be directed to First Nations groups, alongside funding for responsible gambling programs. Shift mirrors broader North American policy changes Alberta’s move also reflects broader policy changes across North America, where several jurisdictions are expanding or restructuring regulated betting markets. For example, Wisconsin recently advanced legislation allowing expanded mobile sports betting tied to tribal gaming agreements, highlighting how governments are increasingly negotiating gambling frameworks that include Indigenous participation. Uncertainty ahead of launch Forecasts suggest Alberta’s online gambling market could grow rapidly once launched, potentially generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Still, for First Nations leaders, the central concern remains how revenue will be divided and whether the growth of online gambling will come at the expense of existing casino operations that currently sustain many communities. Discussions between the province and Indigenous groups are expected to continue as the July launch date approaches. Featured image: Chris Robert/Unsplash The post Alberta online gambling expansion sparks concern among First Nations casino operators appeared first on ReadWrite.

A New Jersey man has gone to court with a wide-ranging class action that takes aim at a major online gaming site and several well-known entertainers, accusing them of running what he describes as an illegal gambling operation with ties to music streaming manipulation. The case, filed in Monmouth County Superior Court, focuses on Sweepsteaks Ltd., the company behind Stake.us. The plaintiff, Jason Nufio, argues the site presents itself as a “social casino” while actually operating like a real-money gambling platform that New Jersey users are not supposed to access. This consumer class action seeks to stop Stake.us—an illegal online gambling platform…from continuing to prey upon consumers,” the complaint states. Nufio says he ended up spending money after seeing promotions featuring big names like Drake, Adin Ross, and DJ Akademiks. The lawsuit also names Kick Streaming Pty Ltd., describing it as a key channel used to showcase the platform. “Gold Coins” system at the center of the dispute At the center of the dispute is how the site handles money. Users buy virtual “Gold Coins,” which come with “Stake Cash” that can be redeemed for real-world value. The complaint claims that the setup is meant to sidestep gambling restrictions while still letting users wager and cash out. “Thus, the use of Gold Coins is a blatant proxy for the use of real money—a fig leaf to superficially avoid the appearance of illegal gambling,” the filing states. Allegations of manipulated outcomes are challenged According to the lawsuit, livestreams played a major role in attracting users. It claims Drake and Adin Ross streamed themselves gambling with funds quietly supplied by the company, giving viewers the impression they were risking their own money. This deceptive arrangement concealed the fact that Drake and Ross faced no genuine financial risk,” the complaint says, “while ordinary consumers…stood to lose real money.” The filing goes further, alleging that outcomes were manipulated in some cases. “Stake has outright rigged its own games in favor of Drake and Ross,” it alleges. Including information from Bloomberg Businessweek in the lawsuit is a notable wrinkle, as separate reporting highlighted by PokerScout has pushed back on claims that high-profile wins on the platform prove rigging, arguing that streaks can be explained without manipulation. Music streaming manipulation and alleged financial networks The lawsuit also branches into music, claiming gambling proceeds were funneled through an internal tipping system to finance bot networks that inflate streaming numbers. At the center of that accusation, the filing states: “Drake—acting directly and through…co-conspirators—has deployed automated bots and streaming farms to artificially inflate play counts of his music.” It describes the tipping system as opaque and difficult to track, calling it “an unlimited and wholly unregulated money transmitter” that “appears to exist outside the oversight of any financial regulator.” Broader legal scrutiny and related cases The claims arrive as similar scrutiny grows elsewhere. A separate lawsuit filed in New York has raised concerns about underage access to gambling-style platforms, naming both Stake and Coinbase in allegations that minors were able to participate. Plaintiff’s claims and legal relief sought Nufio says he would have stayed away entirely if he had known what he now alleges. “Had Plaintiff known…he would not have signed up for an account or spent money on the platform,” the complaint states. The suit seeks damages, restitution, injunctive relief, and enhanced penalties under New Jersey racketeering law. It also challenges the platform’s arbitration clause and class action waiver. None of the defendants has responded to the allegations in court so far. Featured image: Wesley Tingey/Unsplash The post New Jersey man files class action over alleged illegal gambling scheme appeared first on ReadWrite.

Wisconsin has filed a civil complaint in Dane County Circuit Court accusing Kalshi, Robinhood, and Coinbase, along with affiliated subsidiaries, of operating what it describes as illegal sports betting through prediction markets and event contracts under state law. The complaint opens by reaffirming the state’s gambling restrictions, stating: “Sports betting has long been illegal in Wisconsin, with exceptions only for certain Native American tribal gaming operations.” It further alleges coordinated conduct among the companies: “Yet three companies—Kalshi, Robinhood, and Coinbase—are working together to facilitate illegal sports betting throughout the state.” State alleges disguised sports wagering through “event contracts” Wisconsin argues the platforms are effectively enabling sports wagering while rebranding it as financial trading. The complaint states: “Through their so-called ‘prediction markets,’ Kalshi, Robinhood, and Coinbase profit from Wisconsin residents placing bets on the outcome of sporting events, just like how ordinary casino sportsbooks profit from the bets people make there.” The filing contends that the underlying structure mirrors traditional gambling products despite its financial-market framing. College basketball betting used as key example As part of its argument, Wisconsin cites specific examples from college athletics betting activity. The complaint notes: For instance, Wisconsinites could use these companies’ services to place all kinds of bets on the recent NCAA college basketball tournament, including who would win the Final Four matchup between the University of Michigan and the University of Arizona, which team would cover the point spread, and even which team would first score ten points.” The state argues these offerings demonstrate that the platforms are functionally indistinguishable from sportsbook-style wagering. Allegation of “casino-style” mechanics behind trading language The complaint also focuses on how the platforms generate revenue, stating: “And for every bet made, these companies collect a fee akin to a casino’s rake at a poker table.” Wisconsin argues that this fee structure reinforces its claim that the companies are operating gambling services rather than neutral financial marketplaces. The filing further claims the companies use financial terminology to mask gambling mechanics. It states: “Kalshi, Robinhood, and Coinbase use a fig leaf to disguise the casino-style sports betting they facilitate in Wisconsin.” “They relabel their sports bets as ‘event contracts,’ meaning contracts traded between buyers and sellers at agreed-upon prices that mimic the odds of a sports-related outcome.” Pricing structure tied to implied probabilities Wisconsin also details how contract pricing reflects real-time probability estimates. “As of April 3, 2026, traders could buy contracts taking the position that the University of Michigan would win its Final Four matchup with the University of Arizona for around $0.53, which reflected a roughly 53% projected chance of Michigan winning.” It adds that payouts function in binary fashion: winning positions pay $1 per contract, while losing positions expire worthless, mirroring traditional betting outcomes. Broader legal pressure on prediction markets Separately, prediction market operators are facing increasing regulatory scrutiny across multiple jurisdictions. In New York, regulators and prosecutors have pursued actions involving Coinbase and Gemini over compliance and consumer protection concerns tied to trading products. Kalshi is also engaged in ongoing litigation, including an injunction request in Montana seeking to block state-level restrictions on its contracts, while an Arizona court is handling procedural disputes in a separate challenge involving the classification of event contracts. Wisconsin seeks injunction and legal classification Wisconsin is asking the court to halt the companies from offering sports-related event contracts within the

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have accused a U.S. Army soldier of turning secret military knowledge into a lucrative betting scheme, saying he pocketed more than $400,000 by wagering on a classified operation. According to court filings, Van Dyke was stationed at Fort Bragg and had access to classified planning materials related to the operation, which aimed to capture Maduro. He had signed agreements explicitly barring him from disclosing or using that information. Bets on Maduro’s capture Prosecutors say he created a Polymarket account in late December 2025 and placed around 13 bets. Each wager backed outcomes tied to U.S. military involvement in Venezuela and Maduro’s removal from power. In total, authorities say he staked about $33,000, consistently betting “YES” on those scenarios. Events unfolded quickly. In the early hours of Jan. 3, 2026, U.S. special forces captured Maduro in Caracas. Once the operation became public, the prediction markets resolved in Van Dyke’s favor, bringing him roughly $409,881, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors: “Clear Insider Trading” Prediction markets are not a haven for using misappropriated confidential or classified information for personal gain,” Clayton said, calling the alleged conduct a direct breach of federal trust and national security obligations. Prosecutors argue that Van Dyke’s actions meet the definition of insider trading in substance, if not in traditional market form, because they relied on nonpublic military intelligence to generate profit. They say the trades were not based on analysis or speculation, but on advance knowledge of a real-world classified operation’s timing and outcome. Alleged attempts to conceal funds According to court filings, Van Dyke allegedly took steps to obscure the source and movement of his winnings shortly after the operation became public. Prosecutors say he transferred funds through cryptocurrency channels designed to mask transaction history, including routing assets through a foreign-based digital wallet service before moving them into a brokerage account. Authorities also allege he attempted to delete or deactivate his Polymarket account and modified related crypto account details in an effort to disrupt the financial trail. Blanche underscored the government’s position on misuse of classified access, stating that service members are entrusted with sensitive intelligence solely to execute missions, not to derive personal financial benefit from it. Growing Scrutiny of Prediction Markets The case arrives amid increasing scrutiny of prediction markets and event-based trading platforms. Regulators and lawmakers have raised concerns about insider access to politically or militarily sensitive information being used for profit. In a separate case, political candidates have also faced penalties tied to trading on election-related contracts, underscoring broader concerns about market integrity. FBI, DOJ response and potential sentencing “Today’s announcement makes clear no one is above the law,” Patel said, adding that the FBI would act to protect national security and classified information. If convicted, Van Dyke faces up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count, along with additional penalties on related charges. Prosecutors say sentencing would ultimately be determined by a judge. Featured image: Wesley Tingey/Unsplash The post U.S. soldier accused of using classified intel in $400K betting scheme appeared first on ReadWrite.

Caesars Entertainment is now facing a proposed federal class action that says the casino and hotel company failed to protect customer information during a second cyber incident, coming after its widely reported 2023 breach. The case was filed in Nevada on behalf of plaintiff Mark Huddleston, a Texas resident who says he has belonged to Caesars Rewards since 2007 and has regularly gambled with Caesars both online and in person. He says Caesars gathered personal information through those transactions and loyalty program activity over many years. NEW: Caesars hit with class action alleging 2026 data breach exposed customer info after 2023 hack, raising fraud fears. @RWW pic.twitter.com/vLVEJAIQ5G— Suswati Basu (@suswatibasu) April 22, 2026 Huddleston is seeking to hold Caesars responsible for injuries allegedly caused by “Caesars’s inadequate data security,” which the complaint says resulted in private information being exposed to unauthorized third parties. The filing refers to the incident as the “Data Breach.” According to the lawsuit, reviewed by ReadWrite, Caesars had already experienced a data breach in September 2023. It alleges that despite that earlier event, the company “failed to implement the requisite security measures, and failed to prevent another Data Breach from occurring in early 2026.” The complaint says customer data was again taken by cybercriminals, leaving proposed class members exposed to “an elevated and significant risk of fraud and identity theft.” Caesars alleged data breach puts privacy promises under scrutiny The suit says information affected in the 2026 incident included at least customer contact details and dates of birth. It adds that based on what was exposed in 2023, “it can be expected that even more sensitive information, including Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers were also stolen in 2026.” The complaint also points to Caesars’ privacy policy, which states: “We maintain physical, electronic and organizational safeguards that reasonably and appropriately protect against the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under our control.” Huddleston argues those promises were misleading. The lawsuit says Caesars “did not ‘maintain physical, electronic and organizational safeguards that reasonably and appropriately protect against the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under our control.’” It further claims customers still face long-term consequences because their information may remain in circulation. The filing says class members now face “a present and continuing risk of fraud and identity theft for years to come.” The proposed nationwide class would include “All persons in the United States whose Private Information was compromised in the Caesars’s Data Breach discovered in March, 2026.” Claims in the case include negligence, breach of implied contract, unjust enrichment, negligence per se, and alleged violations of the Nevada Consumer Fraud Act. The suit seeks damages, credit monitoring, identity theft protection services, and court-ordered security improvements.The Caesars case arrives as other gambling operators face similar scrutiny. ReadWrite recently reported the litigation tied to alleged Wynn Resorts data breaches, including a separate federal class action. We also found that German gambling company Merkur was hit by a major cyberattack. ReadWrite has reached out to Caesars Entertainment for comment. Featured image: Bernard Spragg via Flickr / CC0 1.0 The post Caesars faces new lawsuit after second alleged data security breach claims appeared first on ReadWrite.

Sportradar pushed back hard Wednesday after a short-selling firm accused the company of having meaningful links to unlawful betting sites. “A short report issued today contains factual inaccuracies about the company, and we unequivocally challenge these assertions,” a Sportradar spokesperson told ReadWrite. NEW: @Sportradar responds to claims its profits are tied to illegal gambling revenues, saying it "demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of our business."   @RWW pic.twitter.com/PYSOtJxBve— Suswati Basu (@suswatibasu) April 22, 2026 The company said the report misread both its operations and the wider betting market. The spokesperson added: “The report demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of our business and the industry and was authored by a short seller trying to erode shareholder value and profit from stock disruption.” Callisto Research published the report and disclosed that it held a short position in Sportradar shares. It says Sportradar’s image as a sports integrity specialist conflicts with allegations that some websites using its tools or feeds operate unlawfully. Callisto said it found “over 270 individual platforms” that it says use Sportradar products or services while operating illegally in regulated or prohibited markets. It also alleged that some lacked licences and that certain regulators had started reviews. ReadWrite has not independently verified those allegations. Sportradar compliance questions and short seller market reaction to alleged illegal betting Sportradar answered by pointing to its controls, licensing checks and public disclosures. “Sportradar works exclusively with licensed operators, follows strict global compliance, and due diligence standards, and we stand by our independently audited financial statements, risk disclosures, and information provided to investors and regulators,” the spokesperson said. The company also stressed its internal standards. The company added: “We conduct our business with the highest ethical standards consistent with company policies, laws and regulations.” The Callisto document focuses on examples where Sportradar widgets, virtual sports products, backend tools or branding allegedly appeared on sites aimed at places where gambling is limited or banned. Separate appendices released with research materials from Muddy Waters Research describe technical methods used to identify what the authors said were customer integrations. These included reviews of client IDs, widget loaders and licensing endpoints. Even so, code snippets, branding elements, old references or third-party integrations on external websites do not automatically prove a current commercial relationship. They also do not by themselves establish knowledge, misconduct or a regulatory breach by Sportradar. Short-seller reports are written by investors who benefit if a company’s share price drops. That does not mean every claim lacks merit, but it does mean the research comes from an interested party. Such reports commonly include disclaimers stating they are not investment advice. At the time of writing, Sportradar stock was down 23% ahead of reporting its first quarter results on May 6. The combo punch of @callistores and @muddywatersre has sent Sportradar reeling. $SRADTake your twenties, gentlemen. pic.twitter.com/Xv5kaozn4Q— Codfish Johnny (@CodfishJohnny) April 22, 2026 Sportradar sells sports data, integrity monitoring and betting technology to leagues, bookmakers and media groups around the world. Because the company has long promoted anti-match-fixing work and regulatory compliance, any prolonged scrutiny of those claims could draw investor attention even while management firmly rejects the accusations. As of publication, no regulator had publicly announced enforcement action against Sportradar tied to the specific allegations in the report. Featured image: Sportradar The post Sportradar denies short seller claims of links to illegal betting appeared first on ReadWrite.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed an executive order blocking state workers from using confidential government information to make money on prediction markets, calling the practice a threat to public trust. The order was signed on Wednesday (April 22) in Albany and took effect immediately. It applies to covered state officers and employees. They are barred from using “any nonpublic information obtained in the course of their official duties” to seek gains or avoid losses through trades on prediction market platforms. They also cannot help other people profit by passing along inside information. NEW: @GovKathyHochul signs EO No. 60 barring state workers from using insider info to profit on prediction markets, violation means firing @RWW #PredictionMarkets pic.twitter.com/b6kyiGngD5— Suswati Basu (@suswatibasu) April 22, 2026 Violations can bring dismissal, other discipline, and possible referrals to law enforcement or ethics agencies. “Getting rich by betting on inside information is corruption, plain and simple,” Hochul said in the state’s announcement. “Our actions will ensure that public servants work for the people they represent, not their own personal enrichment.” We’ve all seen it. Anonymous traders betting on government secrets and walking away with massive payouts.Washington is fine with it. New York isn’t. pic.twitter.com/LUKXG5szCL— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) April 22, 2026 Prediction markets let users buy and sell contracts based on whether future events happen. The governor’s office said those events can include “outcomes of military activity, election results, or the severity of natural disasters,” along with “obscure and manipulable events” such as “the attire of public officials at appearances” or “the volume of social media posts made by an individual.” How the Hochul insider trading order reaches prediction markets The executive order says ethics rules need to keep pace with newer trading platforms. It states that “the maintenance of public trust is founded on the principle that public servants are charged with using their positions to benefit the public good,” and that officials should not use access to government information “for personal financial gain.” It also says the “recent proliferation of prediction markets” has raised the risk that people with privileged knowledge may try to profit by “trading on insider information.” Each public authority in New York is directed to adopt matching policies for officers and employees who serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. The order defines a prediction market as an exchange-traded platform or service not licensed or permitted by the New York State Gaming Commission, where participants trade contracts tied to future events including elections, sports, economic indicators, or the actions and speech of individuals. The move lands as prediction markets face heavier scrutiny across the country. We previously reported the controversy around a Polymarket contract tied to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, where questions were raised about settlement decisions and whether insiders could benefit from opaque processes. In a video statement posted on X, Hochul pointed to what she called “really suspicious bets with huge payoffs” including the Polymarket contract tied to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, markets on the timing and location of military actions in Iran, and even bets on the length of White House press briefings. She said insider trading in stocks has long been illegal, but argued similar conduct on prediction markets can happen with “zero consequences.” She also drew a contrast with Washington, saying, “some in Washington think this is fair, but here in New York, we say no.” The state has also been aggressive in policing other financial platforms. State regulators have pursued major crypto companies including Coinbase and Gemini in separate legal actions centered on compliance, disclosures, and consumer protections. At the same t

Prediction-market exchange Kalshi has publicly identified three political candidates it says violated rules that bar traders from betting on contests they can influence. Their names appeared in formal enforcement notices after the company first announced the cases without identifying anyone. Kalshi earlier published a company update titled “Enforcement update: Kalshi continues crackdown on political insider trading,” saying three investigations had been completed. The company wrote: “Today, we’re releasing notices related to three enforcement investigations.” It added that “All three cases concern political insider trading and were flagged because of our newly released safeguards to block political candidates from trading on their own elections.” Today, we're releasing notices related to three enforcement investigations.All three cases concern political insider trading and were flagged because of our newly released safeguards to block political candidates from trading on their own elections.Kalshi does not tolerate…— robertjdenault (@robertjdenault) April 22, 2026 It described the punishments but did not name the people involved. Public disciplinary records linked to the update identified them as Matt Klein, Mark Moran, and Ezekiel Enriquez.  Who are the alleged election candidates penalized by Kalshi? Prediction markets appear to be pushing deeper into the worlds of politics and sport, raising urgent questions about whether they can truly guard against insider advantage. Critics warn that when candidates, campaign operatives, donors, or others with privileged access are allowed to trade on election-linked contracts, the integrity of those markets is immediately called into question. Kalshi, for its part, says it is tightening the net. The company has stated stronger restrictions on politicians and athletes, increased automated surveillance, and improved reviews designed to identify conflicts before they can distort the market, following another two insider trading cases. The company said the three matters showed how internal controls can identify improper activity. In its update, Kalshi said the cases demonstrated how “developing proactive engineering solutions can help identify illicit trading activity.” Kalshi has also argued that prediction markets can function as information tools rather than gambling products. However, it depends heavily on confidence that insiders cannot profit from private knowledge or direct control over outcomes. The three candidate cases In the first matter, a settlement notice said Klein had “announced himself as a candidate for public office and was added as a market option for a contract on [election].” The notice continued: “As a candidate, Klein qualified as a direct decision maker for the contract and had direct influence on the outcome of the Underlying event.” Kalshi said Klein then traded “in violation of Rule 5.17(z),” which prohibits users from trading on markets where they are a decision-maker or have influence over the outcome. Under the settlement, Kalshi suspended Klein from direct or indirect access to the platform for five years and imposed a $539.85 financial penalty. Klein is a Democratic Minnesota state senator and reported he admitted making a $50 wager. In a statement on X, Klein wrote: “In October 2025 I heard from friends that there was a prediction market site with wagers on my primary race. I had never wagered on a predictions market previously. I was curious about how it worked. I set up an account and bet $50 of my own funds that I would win the primary.  !I was informed in March of 2026 that this was a violation of the platform rules. In compliance with their request, I paid a penalty and agreed to be suspended from the platform. That was the only wager I have ever made on a predictions market. This was a mistake, and I apologize.” pic.twitter.com/gjQgGGWxrx— Dr. Matt Klein (@DrMattKleinMN) April 22, 2026 The second case involved Mark Moran. Kalshi alleged that “in N

A federal appeals court has given the Comanche Nation a mixed but meaningful win in its fight over the Warm Springs Casino run by the Fort Sill Apache Tribe near Lawton, Oklahoma. In a decision filed Tuesday (April 21), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit said part of the lawsuit can keep moving even after arguments that tribal sovereign immunity should block the case. Judges said the Comanche Nation may continue claims under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, known as IGRA, against Fort Sill Apache officials sued in their official roles. NEW: Tenth Circuit splits casino immunity case: Comanche Nation IGRA claims survive, while Fort Sill Apache officials win partial RICO shield @RWW pic.twitter.com/W7xOcyrTNH— Suswati Basu (@suswatibasu) April 21, 2026 The dispute began after Warm Springs Casino opened in 2022. According to the ruling, the Comanche Nation runs nearby gaming properties and claimed that “The resulting competition made the Nation’s casinos less profitable.” The Nation asked the court to stop casino operations and award damages. The opinion says the Nation alleged the casino “was opened in violation of federal law.” Writing for the three-judge panel, Circuit Judge Timothy Tymkovich said the court would “affirm in part and reverse in part.” Why the Warm Springs Casino ruling supporting the Comanche Nation matters The panel said “the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) abrogates the Tribe’s sovereign immunity defense, so the Nation can proceed with its official-capacity claims under IGRA.” It keeps alive the central argument that Warm Springs Casino may be operating outside the Fort Sill Apache Tribe’s gaming compact with Oklahoma. The Comanche Nation contends the casino sits on land that does not qualify as Fort Sill Apache land under that compact. Judges said the complaint alleges the Tsalote Allotment remains Kiowa land, not Fort Sill Apache land. At this stage, the court said it had to accept properly pleaded allegations as true. The ruling also said the claim fits a federal provision allowing suits “initiated by a State or Indian tribe to enjoin a class III gaming activity located on Indian lands and conducted in violation of any Tribal-State compact.” But the Comanche Nation did not win across the board. The judges rejected official-capacity racketeering claims under RICO that sought injunctions and declarations. The panel said the Ex Parte Young exception could not be used here because the complaint did not tie the named officials to ongoing casino operations. As the panel put it, “Ex Parte Young does not help the Nation because its claims are not against officials charged with operating the casino.” The court separately allowed individual-capacity RICO damages claims to continue, saying those claims target officials personally rather than the tribe itself. Because of that, judges wrote, “they cannot raise the Tribe’s sovereign immunity.” The panel did not decide whether those officials might later assert qualified immunity. The case now returns to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. The decision lands amid wider tribal gaming battles, including a temporary casino deal involving Yocha Dehe, Vallejo, and Scotts Valley in California, and a paused northern California tribal casino lawsuit. Featured image: Google Maps The post Appeals court revives Comanche challenge to Oklahoma tribal casino lawsuit appeared first on ReadWrite.

MGM Resorts International said Tuesday (April 21) it finished the sale of the operating business at MGM Northfield Park, wrapping up a $546 million all-cash transaction that hands control of the Ohio property to funds managed by Clairvest Group Inc. The company announced the closing from Las Vegas and framed the move as another step in reshaping its holdings while unlocking money for other priorities. The sale had been expected and now formally removes the racino from MGM’s operating lineup. Dear guests, please see detailed FAQs about our property's transition here: https://t.co/f8w8gNlfcy pic.twitter.com/XVIJ0GwpPC— Northfield Park Racino (@RacinoNP) April 17, 2026 Executives said the Northfield Park property had become a leading venue in its region and credited employees for sustaining performance in a competitive market. “MGM Northfield Park is a market-leading property supported by a talented team that has consistently delivered outstanding guest experiences,” said Bill Hornbuckle, CEO & President, MGM Resorts International.  “The property has a strong foundation, and we extend our best wishes to the team and new ownership for continued success in the next chapter of the property’s evolution.” The transaction also changes MGM’s lease structure with VICI Properties Inc. MGM said its master lease, which previously included MGM Northfield Park, was amended at closing and will lower annual rent by $53 million. After taxes and deal expenses, MGM expects to receive about $420 million in net cash proceeds. That gives the company additional flexibility as it weighs investments, debt management, and shareholder returns. Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Halkyard said the sale showcases the strength of MGM’s operating assets while allowing the company to move on from a property it no longer views as core to long-term plans. “The closing of this transaction underscores the value of MGM’s high-quality operations and provides an opportunity to divest a non-strategic regional asset at a significantly higher multiple than currently ascribed to our premium portfolio,” said Jonathan Halkyard, CFO, MGM Resorts International. “The proceeds will be deployed in line with our priorities of maintaining a strong balance sheet, selectively investing in growth opportunities, and returning capital to shareholders.” MGM said Northfield Park produced roughly $142 million in adjusted EBITDAR for the year ended Dec. 31, 2025. The company noted that adjusted EBITDAR is a non-GAAP financial measure often used in gaming and hospitality to compare property-level performance. Advisers on the sale included Jefferies LLC and SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. Legal counsel was provided by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. Northfield Park sale gives MGM more room for capital plans The completed transaction adds liquidity while MGM continues to concentrate on larger resort destinations and digital gaming interests. The company has repeatedly said it wants to focus capital where returns can be strongest. MGM Resorts operates casino and hotel properties across the United States and in international markets. It also holds online sports betting and iGaming interests through BetMGM and related brands, while pursuing a major integrated resort project in Japan as part of its Asia growth strategy. Featured image: MGM Resorts via Facebook The post MGM completes Northfield Park sale for $546M appeared first on ReadWrite.

Resorts World New York City says it plans to open New York City’s first live table games casino on April 28, bringing blackjack, craps, baccarat and roulette to Queens in a major expansion beside Aqueduct Racetrack. The start still depends on final testing by the New York Gaming Commission this week. If regulators sign off, the property says it will become the first place in the five boroughs to run live dealer table games. A rebuilt third floor is set to debut with more than 240 tables and over 1,500 gaming positions spread across blackjack, craps, baccarat and roulette. Guests will also find more than 2,500 slot machines on opening day. The company says thousands of additional machines are expected later in 2026. Resorts World New York City will open its table games April 28, the casino announced earlier today; Resorts World in Queens will become the first legal casino in New York City to offer live dealer table games— Ryan Butler (@ButlerBets) April 21, 2026 “New York City has never seen anything like what we’re planning for April 28. Once the Gaming Commission’s final testing is complete, live table games will be open and operating right here in Queens for the first time in the history of New York City. We are ready to welcome New Yorkers to this exciting new experience,” said Robert DeSalvio, President of Genting Americas East.  “Resorts World now employees over 2,200 Team Members and have already doubled our workforce and expect thousands more Team Members as the integrated resort is developed over the next three years. This is a transformational moment for Resorts World New York City, and we cannot wait to share it with our fellow New Yorkers.” Resorts World Queens casino hiring ramped up ahead of live tables opening Ahead of the launch, Resorts World says it added 1,250 jobs, including 950 new table-game dealers. Most of those hires completed orientation during several sessions this week. The company says its workforce now stands at about 2,200 people and could climb past 2,700 by summer as operations grow. Resorts World New York City lanyards are seen ahead of the casino’s live table games launch. Credit: Whitmore Studios / Resorts World Executives also pointed out a local training pipeline. Resorts World says its Introduction to Gaming program began in 2022 and has trained more than 350 residents for gaming careers. It also says the Resorts World Dealer School has already trained and hired more than 400 local residents in Queens, with another 500 graduates expected by May. A formal opening ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28, at 9:30 a.m. with plans calling for a ribbon-cutting and a ceremonial first roll of the dice. The company says Genting Chairman KT Lim and NAS are expected to attend alongside elected officials, community leaders and other guests. The property at 110-00 Rockaway Blvd. in Jamaica says it remains the city’s only casino-hotel and has generated nearly $5 billion for New York public education since 2011. It also includes the 400-room Hyatt Regency JFK Airport at Resorts World New York City, which opened in 2021. The expansion arrives as New York moves toward awarding three downstate casino licenses. Resorts World has submitted a reported $5.5 billion proposal to redevelop the site into a larger integrated resort, and its community advisory committee recently advanced the bid to the next stage. Featured: Whitmore Studios / Resorts World The post Resorts World Queens casino to debut first live tables in April appeared first on ReadWrite.