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Ziv Chen

Ziv Chen - News Editor at Covers.com

Ziv Chen

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News Editor
News Editor
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Ziv has been deep in the iGaming trenches for over 20 years, long before most people could spell "geolocation compliance." With a background in marketing and business development at some of the biggest names in gambling tech, Ziv knows the industry from the inside out. Since joining Covers, he's turned his sharp eye (and sharper keyboard) toward everything happening in the fast-moving world of online gambling. Whether it's new state launches, the latest twists in regulation, or what the big operators and game providers are cooking up next, Ziv breaks it all down with clarity, context, and just the right amount of snark. He covers the business side of betting, from affiliate trends and revenue reports to the tech powering your favorite slots. His motto in writing is “let’s make it make sense without putting you to sleep.”

When he’s not tracking gambling legislation or looking for the next breaking story, Ziv is living and dying with every pitch and play from his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins. As a Pitt graduate, it’s a city loyalty forged in heartbreak, but one he wouldn’t trade for anything, except maybe a few more playoff wins.

When away from the keyboard, Ziv loves to hit the road and soak up the energy of casinos. Whether strolling the neon jungle called the Vegas Strip, or wandering into a smoky riverboat casino in the Midwest, Ziv’s in his element. He’s the guy chatting with players, blackjack dealers, and asking pit bosses way too many questions, all in the name of “research,” of course. The casino floor isn’t just his workplace, it’s a weird and wonderful ecosystem of flashing lights, wild characters, and pure sensory overload, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Favorites
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Sport to bet on: College Football
Sports movie: Any Given Sunday
Sports snack: Primanti’s sandwich at Acrisure Stadium
Covers feature: iGaming News
Super Bowl XLIII – first-half bet, Steelers return 100 yards and pick for six
Best Betting Memory Icon Best Betting Memory
Super Bowl XLV – betting on Ben Roethlisberger to win MVP
Best Betting Memory Icon Worst Beat

Circa Sports Opens Kentucky's Largest Sportsbook at The Mint Gaming Hall

Jul 24, 2025 • 5:02 PM ET

Circa Sports launched the Blue Grass State's largest sportsbook at The Mint Gaming Hall, Kentucky Downs in Franklin. This is the operator's fifth state as it continues to seek out new markets.

Las Vegas Sands Q2 Earnings Rise on Singapore Strength

Jul 24, 2025 • 4:28 PM ET

The casino and resort company reported a 22.4% second-quarter net profit increase to $519 million. Its Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore largely drove the outcome.

Hard Rock Reveals 2028 Opening Plan for United Arab Emirates Resort

Jul 24, 2025 • 7:54 AM ET

Hard Rock International will debut in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, with a luxury hotel and residences project set for completion by 2028, offering 300 hotel rooms, 395 apartments, and a wide array of upscale amenities.

Massachusetts Online Casino Bills Face Deadline Pressure

Jul 23, 2025 • 1:54 PM ET

Massachusetts online casino legislation remains stalled with a key deadline of November 19 looming.

DraftKings Tops Customer Satisfaction Index

Jul 23, 2025 • 1:28 PM ET

DraftKings received the highest satisfaction score among online gambling apps in the ACSI's 2025 report.

Michigan Supreme Court Sides with Gambler Against BetMGM

Jul 23, 2025 • 12:29 PM ET

The Michigan Supreme Court has supported a woman’s claim for over $3 million in winnings at BetMGM.

Catawba Two Kings Casino Joins Forces with Carolina Panthers

Jul 23, 2025 • 8:28 AM ET

Catawba Two Kings Casino and the Carolina Panthers have partnered to bring scoreboard signage, fan giveaways, and exclusive game-day rewards to the stadium, boosting the casino's visibility ahead of its 2026 soft resort launch.

Las Vegas Poker Chips No Longer Interchangeable Between Venues

Jul 22, 2025 • 5:10 PM ET

Major Sin City casinos now don't accept poker chips other properties issued, ending a classic benefit for regulars who play in a series of poker rooms.

Pixiu Joins SG Content Hub, Expanding iLottery Content with Monopoly and Battleship Titles

Jul 22, 2025 • 9:53 AM ET

Pixiu Gaming has joined Scientific Games' SG Content Hub, bringing its signature Keno-style games and new branded Monopoly and Battleship iLottery titles to a growing digital content ecosystem.

Def Leppard Announces 2026 Las Vegas Residency at Caesars Palace

Jul 22, 2025 • 9:32 AM ET

Def Leppard will return to Las Vegas for its third residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace with a new stage show and hit-filled setlist.

Analyst Gives Wynn Resorts Price Target Raise

Jul 21, 2025 • 3:43 PM ET

A Barclays analyst raised the company's target price from $101 to $127 and kept a positive rating on the stock. This follows strong Q2 results in regional, online, and Macau operations, although Vegas' performance was a bit weaker.

California Sweepstakes Bill Softens Stance on Individual Players

Jul 18, 2025 • 9:15 AM ET

California lawmakers revised AB831 to remove language that would have criminalized players of online sweepstakes games, but critics argue the bill still unfairly targets businesses and service providers supporting these platforms.

Peer-to-Peer Only: Underdog Adjusts Pick'em Offerings in California

Jul 18, 2025 • 7:59 AM ET

Underdog Sports has pulled its house-based Pick’em contests in California, pivoting to a peer-to-peer model amid legal pressure and a recent AG opinion labeling DFS contests illegal under state law.

Legal Dispute Between CCGNJ and NCPG Threatens National Gambling Helpline

Jul 17, 2025 • 1:47 PM ET

A legal dispute over the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline threatens national access to problem gambling support services.

NY Mayor Adams Could Still Save Bally’s New York Casino Bid

Jul 17, 2025 • 1:23 PM ET

While the New York City Council has voted against zoning changes for the new casino, Mayor Adams could still veto the rejection.

Five-Card Pai Gow Among Games Approved by Nevada Regulators

Jul 17, 2025 • 8:38 AM ET

The Nevada Gaming Commission has approved several new table games, including a five-card Pai Gow variant, following successful trials at Las Vegas casinos.

California Coalition Opposes Sweepstakes Bill Amid Gambling Debate

Jul 17, 2025 • 7:49 AM ET

A coalition including the ACLU and major advertisers is pushing back against California’s AB 831, a bill aimed at illegal gambling that critics warn could ban legal sweepstakes and promotional marketing.

Bowyer Sentencing Nears in Shohei Ohtani Gambling Scandal's Final Chapter

Jul 16, 2025 • 4:29 PM ET

Almost a year after pleading guilty to a string of federal offenses, Matt Bowyer, the illegal bookmaker at the center of the Ohtani betting saga, appears headed for sentencing in late August.

NBA Expansion Talks Intensify with Las Vegas and Seattle Leading the Conversation

Jul 16, 2025 • 12:08 PM ET

The research has no time frame, but the NBA Commissioner mentioned Las Vegas’ links to recent basketball events like the NBA Cup.

Bruno Mars Quips He's 'Almost Out of Debt' Following Viral Moment With Blackpink’s Rosé

Jul 16, 2025 • 8:39 AM ET

Bruno Mars jokingly claimed he’s “almost out of debt” after performing with Blackpink’s Rosé, reigniting rumors of $50 million in gambling losses.

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