A Look into iGaming 2026: What’s Down the Road?
As the iGaming industry heads into 2026, operators and regulators alike are preparing for a year shaped by higher taxes, tighter scrutiny, expanding legalization efforts, and rapid technological adoption.
Tax Boom and Stricter Legal Scrutiny on the Horizon
With regulated states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania hitting record-breaking iGaming revenues, policymakers are seeking to maximize the earnings while setting new frameworks to have better control over this sector.
In 2026, both land-based and online casinos will be subjected to a heavier tax pressure and legal scrutiny. Jillian Dingwal, Senior News Writer, predicts:
Expect 2026 to bring lawsuits, IRS guidance fights, and industry lobbying as the mathematical absurdity of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act lands on the national stage.
The new US tax law OBBBA will take effect in 2026, which requires players to pay taxes even when they break even or lose money. In particular, they’re allowed to deduct only 90% of their losses (instead of 100%). The remaining 10%, called “Phantom profits,” is considered taxable income.
US lawmakers also roll out new rules in an attempt to ensure a safe gambling market, focusing on player protection and regulatory compliance, especially for online casinos.
Some states have increased cease-and-desist activity and enforced intensified regulations against unlicensed operators. These rule updates also underscore the importance of identity verification, licensing standards, responsible gambling tools, and AML protocols.
The Bright Side: The Legalization Wave is Gaining Momentum
Although no additional states (apart from the seven current ones) were legalized for online casinos in 2025, the door for more regulated online casino markets is wide open in 2026. Major states like New York, Maryland, and Illinois are potential candidates, while Texas and California remain limited markets for full-fledged online sports betting and iGaming legalization.
New York generates a massive revenue from online sports betting, yet leaves room for online casino growth. In December 2025, the Big Apple authorized three first-time casino resorts, highlighting its vision to embrace 360-degree gaming.
Elsewhere in the States, Maryland added iGaming to its existing sports wagering framework, showing the state’s legislative support for online casino operators. Meanwhile, Illinois’ mature sports betting market paves the way for iGaming expansion in the next few years.
The American sports betting sector is entering its maturity, yet states like California and Texas still lag behind. California’s commercial vs. tribal interests hinder statewide legalization, while Texas’s rules to support sportsbooks are still on paper (until 2027).
More US states are expected to legalize online casinos
The Emerging Frontier: Prediction Markets
2026 is predicted to be a banner year for prediction markets—an emerging segment that allows players to bet on the outcome of nearly any real-world scenario, including economic indicators, elections, and pop culture events.
Starting as a small niche, prediction markets have quickly made a splash among players over the past two years and are now finding their way into mainstream platforms. As younger bettors are showing an increased interest in stock-market-like trading experiences, this new frontier has blurred the line between financial trading and gambling.
With more users engaging in this betting segment, major iGaming providers are expected to roll out more prediction-style content.
Advanced Technologies to Shape the iGaming Trends
Advanced technologies are predicted to lead the iGaming trends in 2026, as marginal profits now depend more on operational efficiency rather than player volume.
AI adoption is becoming the backbone of iGaming brands’ operations, from production and customer support to KYC and payments, aiming to switch to an end-to-end AI-powered workflow.
AR and VR are also forecasted to be integrated into user interfaces, bringing a dynamic, physical-style gaming experience to digital screens. Virtual casinos with 3D dealers, live tournaments, custom avatars, and social communities for real-time interaction are becoming more popular.
Additionally, live data dashboards are gaining traction, enabling players to view odds, receive offers, and place bets in real-time without leaving a broadcast.
Security and responsible gambling are the other two major focuses in the next year. Each product will come with built-in responsible gambling tools, detecting risks early on based on bet frequency, deposit patterns, and session length.
Operators are expected to implement strong MLOps practices to add layers of security, including API-level protection, role-based access control, and tokenization of sensitive personal information.
