Casino City’s Friday Five: WSOP Week 1 and another prediction market ban edition

Earlier this week, a Nevada judge ruled to block Polymarket in the midst of a legal dispute. In addition, we have updates from the World Series of Poker, a Google employee caught taking part in insider trading, smoke-free gaming coming to a Florida casino, and a millionaire crowned in California.

Let’s start this Friday off with a major win:

5. $1.2 million slot jackpot at Sycuan Casino Resort
A Club Sycuan player won over a million dollars on a dragon-themed slot machine at Sycuan Casino Resort in California on 31 May.

During a visit last weekend, the Santa Barbara resident turned an $8 bet into a $1,278,830 jackpot on the slot machine Dancing Drums Dragon.

4. Smoke-free experience coming to Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa
On Tuesday, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa announced plans to expand its smoke-free offerings as part of the property’s ongoing commitment to guest satisfaction. Smoke-free gaming areas will expand to include over 40% of the total number of slot machines available at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa.

Scheduled to debut before the end of 2026, the experience will more than double the property’s smoke-free slot machines and table games while introducing additional smoke-free areas throughout the resort and casino.

Locations transitioning to smoke-free environments include portions of the casino floor from the Elvis Piano display to the Cipresso restaurant, as well as the hotel lobby and L Bar. The transition includes replacing all carpet, chairs, gaming table felts, and ceiling treatments. Slot machines, walls, and other equipment will undergo deep cleaning.

You asked. We listened.

A bigger smoke-free gaming experience is coming to Hard Rock Tampa.

We’re set to more than double our smoke-free gaming options across the casino floor, giving our guests even more ways to play.

Coming before the end of 2026. Follow along for updates. pic.twitter.com/D7eiNwRko4
— Seminole Hard Rock Tampa (@SHRTampa) June 2, 2026

3. Google employee charged with insider trading
A software engineer has been charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering after allegedly misappropriating confidential information and using it to place a series of profitable Google-related trades.

“Today’s charges reinforce a decades-old message: corporate insiders cannot use confidential business information to turn a profit in our markets,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As alleged, Spagnuolo violated the duties he owed to his employer and used Google’s confidential business information to make more than $1.2 million in trading profits on Polymarket. Insider trading compromises the integrity of our markets, and the American people want this greed-driven conduct investigated and prosecuted.”

“Michele Spagnuolo allegedly abused his elevated access to confidential trends to place bets with nonpublic information and receive more than one million dollars in unlawful profits,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI remains dedicated to searching for fraudsters who betray their employer for personal financial gains.”

2. A recap of the opening week of the 2026 WSOP
The first week of the 2026 WSOP was highlighted by the unveiling of the new WSOP Main Event Final Table set, along with one lucky poker player winning the $1 million mystery bounty in the $550 Mini Mystery Bounty gold bracelet event. Entering week two, tournament players now fully settled in Sin City get ready for the summer grind.

Below are some of the highlights from the opening days:

Off of just one bullet in the $550 NLH Mini Mystery Millions, recreational poker player Andrew Shelton won the lone $1 million mystery bounty deep into Day 2.

Jerome Neppl, a poker dealer from New Mexico, won the first closed-entry event of the 2026 WSOP, the $500 Industry Employees No-Limit Hold'em event.

Daniyal Gheba won the first bracelet awarded at the 2026 WSOP, claiming the $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em title for $502,985.

Half a million dollars. One bracelet. One champion.

Daniyal Gheba takes down Event #2: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em for $502,985 and his first WSOP gold bracelet.

After entering the final table with the chip lead, Gheba converted it into the win pic.twitter.com/lffaO7wSLg
— WSOP - World Series of Poker (@WSOP) May 30, 2026

1. Nevada judge blocks Polymarket
Last Friday, Judge Woodbury of the First Judicial District Court for the State of Nevada ruled in favor of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, granting the Board’s motion for a preliminary injunction against Polymarket.

“We are very pleased with Judge Woodbury’s ruling and will continue to vigorously enforce Nevada law to safeguard gaming in our state,” stated Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman Mike Dreitzer.

The Board has taken decisive action in recent months to halt the operations of other prediction markets in the state and has successfully restricted the operations of all unlicensed prediction markets known to be operating in Nevada. Because of previously entered preliminary injunction orders, Kalshi and Coinbase are prohibited from offering or facilitating sports-, election-, and entertainment-related event contracts in the state of Nevada.