Chris Altruda has spent more than two decades in the business of turning raw numbers into stories that matter. Before iGaming became a mainstream beat, he was already deep in the data as a sportswriter for ESPN, The Associated Press, and STATS, organizations where precision and speed are non-negotiable. That foundation shaped the way he approaches regulated gambling coverage today: with the rigour of a wire-service journalist and the analytical fluency of someone who has read thousands of revenue reports, legislative filings, and operator disclosures.
He is currently Senior Analyst at Third Planet Media, the company behind Casino Reports, Lottery Geeks, and InGame. In that role he tracks the U.S. iGaming and sports betting landscape on a daily basis, from state-by-state handle and revenue figures to legislative movement, tribal gaming disputes, and major operator developments.
Professional Background
Chris began his career in mainstream sports journalism, building his craft at three of the most data-intensive organisations in American sports media. ESPN, The Associated Press, and STATS collectively set a high bar for factual accuracy and editorial accountability, and that standard has carried directly into his gambling industry work.
In 2019 he joined Better Collective, one of the largest sports betting media groups in the world, where he contributed to Sports Handle and US Bets. Both publications are recognised within the industry for breaking regulatory stories and producing some of the most granular state-level wagering data analysis available to English-language readers. His work during that period covered New York’s mobile sports betting launch, multi-state iGaming expansion debates, Illinois’ billion-dollar handle milestones, and dozens of monthly revenue reports across jurisdictions including New Jersey, Maryland, Indiana, Arizona, and Michigan.
He transitioned to Third Planet Media, where his current portfolio includes Casino Reports, a publication dedicated to regulated U.S. online casinos and iGaming policy. His bylines also appear in connection with Lottery Geeks and InGame, reflecting a range that goes beyond sports betting into the full spectrum of legal gambling in North America.
Areas of Specialisation
Chris focuses on the regulated U.S. and Canadian iGaming markets. His core areas include:
Sports Betting Revenue Analysis – Monthly and annual handle and gross gaming revenue (GGR) reporting across all legal U.S. sportsbook markets, with comparisons across operators, states, and year-over-year trends.
Online Casino and iGaming Policy – Tracking iGaming legislation in states considering expansion, including Illinois, Indiana, and others where bills have been filed but not yet passed, as well as tribal gaming implications in states such as Maine and Maryland.
Sweepstakes and Social Casino – Monitoring the evolving legal status of sweepstakes casinos at the state level, including attorney general actions and gubernatorial vetoes.
Operator and Industry News – Reporting on major sportsbook rebrands, market entries, tax surcharges, and M&A activity involving operators such as Fanatics, ESPN BET, and Hard Rock Digital.
Editorial Independence and Methodology
Chris does not accept payment from operators, affiliates, or gaming suppliers in exchange for editorial coverage. His analysis is based on publicly available regulatory filings, official state gaming commission reports, press releases from licensed operators, and direct engagement with industry sources.
Where revenue figures are cited, they come directly from state gaming commissions or the American Gaming Association. Where legislation is discussed, he references the actual bill text or official government communications rather than secondary summaries. He identifies speculative elements of a story clearly and separates analysis from confirmed fact.
His newsletters, The Closing Line and The Event Horizon, published on Substack, are produced independently and are not sponsored by gaming operators. They reflect his personal analysis of market trends and regulatory developments.
Publications and Platforms
Chris’s work has appeared across several established iGaming and sports media properties:
- Casino Reports (Third Planet Media) – current primary publication
- Lottery Geeks (Third Planet Media)
- InGame (Third Planet Media)
- US Bets (Better Collective)
- Sports Handle (Better Collective)
- NJ Online Gambling
- The Closing Line and The Event Horizon – independent newsletters on Substack
His reporting has been cited in industry discussions and referenced by gaming advocacy organisations, including acknowledgments from the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS).
A Note on Responsible Gambling Coverage
Chris understands that the iGaming space carries real social responsibility obligations. He covers problem gambling policy and funding debates without softening the criticism where it is warranted. In his own words: “I worry that in the gaming industry, it is easier to fund a problem gambling entity than it is to really address the topic of problem gambling.” That perspective informs his reporting on how states structure their gambling tax allocations and whether responsible gambling resources receive meaningful investment.
He does not write promotional content for online casinos or sportsbooks, and he does not participate in affiliate arrangements that would create a financial incentive to favour one operator over another.
Get in Touch
Chris is available for media inquiries, expert commentary, and data-driven industry analysis.
Twitter / X: @AlTruda73 Bluesky: @altruda73.bsky.social
If you are a journalist, researcher, regulator, or policy professional looking for a source on U.S. iGaming regulation, state gaming revenue trends, or sports betting market dynamics, Chris is available to speak on background or on the record.