The US sports betting industry has experienced significant growth and notable changes over the past 48 hours. New York set a new weekly online sports betting handle record, reaching 655.7 million dollars for the week ending October 26, surpassing the previous weekly high by over 50 million dollars. This spike has been attributed to increased NFL and NBA activity as well as aggressive promotional campaigns by top sportsbooks such as FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM. These operators are offering highly competitive welcome bonuses, some exceeding a thousand dollars, to attract new users nationwide.
The market continues to witness intense competition, with newcomers like Fanatics Sportsbook ramping up their presence and unique rewards features such as FanCash, while established brands like bet365 have introduced cross-sport parlay products, allowing consumers to combine bets across multiple leagues. The variety and creativity of promotional offers and betting products are expanding the reach and engagement of customers.
On the regulatory front, several developments are driving increased oversight. The NBA and its sportsbook partners have restricted bets on specific player props considered vulnerable to manipulation, such as missed free throws and fouls, in response to recent integrity scandals involving non-public information. The NCAA announced forthcoming player availability reports for its 2026 basketball championships to reduce betting-driven harassment of student-athletes. Pennsylvania lawmakers are also considering a controversial sports betting tax hike, which could increase the cost of wagers for consumers if sportsbooks pass the additional expense along.
Technology suppliers and supply chains remain steady, but there are regulatory squeezes as Google has tightened its gambling advertising policies, specifically excluding sweepstake casinos from its social casino policy as of October 28, 2025.
Compared to previous periods, the pace of consumer promotional spending has accelerated this fall with the NFL and NBA overlap, driving handle records and continued growth. Industry leaders are responding to challenges by tightening security, actively lobbying on tax issues, and constantly evolving their consumer offerings. The market’s current state is marked by fierce competition, rapid regulatory adaptation, and continued consumer enthusiasm despite increasing scrutiny and the specter of added taxation.
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