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PlayColorado.com: Sportsbooks reach $300 million in March to become sixth state to reach $2 billion in lifetime betting

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March Madness helped Colorado sportsbooks take in more than $300 million in wagers, bouncing back from February’s decline to post the second-highest volume month in the state’s first year of sports betting. The month was enough to push lifetime handle in Colorado past $2 billion, becoming the sixth U.S. state to reach the milestone just 11 months after launching, according to analysts from PlayColorado, which tracks the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.

“With the NCAA Tournament, a return to growth is no surprise, but it is still good to see after a bit of a relatively disappointing month,” said Ian St. Clair, analyst for PlayColorado. “Considering the circumstances Colorado launched under, at a time when major U.S. sports were dormant, the state really has been one the U.S. sports betting industry’s great success stories.”

Colorado’s online and retail sportsbooks accepted $300.1 million in bets in March, according to data released Tuesday by the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Division of Gaming. That was up 12.9% from $266.5 million in bets in February, though short of the record $326.9 million set in January. Bettors placed about $9.7 million bets per day in March, up from $9.5 million in February.

March’s bets led to $20.4 million in gross gaming revenue, nearly doubling the $10.4 million generated in February.

Eleven months after the launch of sports betting, Colorado sportsbooks have now taken in more than $2.1 billion in bets.

But as successful as Colorado’s launch of sports betting has been, the state’s tax revenue continues to lag. March’s bets yielded $10.6 million in net sports betting proceeds, after $9 million in promotional credits whittled down the month’s win. That produced $1.1 million in state taxes for the month, which was well above February’s $175,275.

Since launching, sportsbooks have injected $5.6 million into state coffers. Compare that to Indiana, Colorado’s closest competitor in terms of market size. In March alone, Indiana collected $2.5 million in state taxes on $316.7 million in bets.

“Those promotional credits have been a nagging issue that has really kept the state from realizing its full tax revenue potential,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayColorado.com. “On the optimistic side, it could be just that it takes time to work through those credits from the heavy promotion in the state industry’s early days. But if tax revenue remains lackluster, the issue may need to be fixed.”

With the bulk of the NCAA Tournament in March, which included two Colorado games, college basketball betting jumped to $71 million in bets for the month, which was up from $39.6 million in February. But with the Denver Nuggets surging in March and Nikola Jokic MVP betting drawing significant interest, pro basketball remained the most popular bet with $106.9 million in bets.

The Stanley Cup favorite Colorado Avalanche have helped spike interest in hockey, too, growing to $13.8 million in March from $9.5 million in February, topping tennis ($10.9 million), soccer ($8.9 million) and even table tennis ($8.8 million), a uniquely Colorado favorite.

Of course, Colorado remains among the most unusual betting landscapes in the U.S. Not only does table tennis receive an atypical amount of interest, the summer rodeo season could also help drive some betting interest in the state.

“Most markets are locally driven, so when local teams do well, betting interest rises. But nowhere is that more pronounced than in Colorado,” St. Clair said. “Without a significant population from a neighboring state to draw bets from, Colorado’s market is more locally driven than most. But operators in the state continue to be innovative in the ways that they appeal to Colorado’s bettors.”

For more analysis on regulated sports betting in Colorado, visit PlayColorado.com/revenue.
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PENN Entertainment Launches Stand-alone iCasino App, theScore Casino, in Ontario

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PENN Entertainment announced that it has launched theScore Casino, a new stand-alone iCasino app in Ontario. The dedicated online casino experience leverages the popular theScore brand, which has been a mainstay in the Ontario market for decades. Now available on Android, iOS, and desktop, customers can login using their existing theScore Bet credentials, allowing for a seamless experience across online gaming platforms.

theScore Casino operates on the same cutting-edge proprietary technology platform as PENN’s online Hollywood Casino, which launched as a standalone product in the US in December. The product was recently ranked by Eilers & Krejcik as the #2 overall iCasino product in the US.

theScore Casino, also available within theScore Bet app, offers a variety of online slots, table games, and live dealer content, including original titles from PENN Game Studios, the company’s in-house game development studio. theScore Casino also includes bespoke live dealer tables and exclusive games such as Blue Jays Blackjack, an original title leveraging theScore Bet’s partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays.

“We’re excited to introduce our dedicated iCasino product in Ontario under the well-known and trusted theScore brand. We’ve built a strong online gaming foothold in the Ontario market and are primed to deliver an even better casino experience with our proven stand-alone app. Our customer-friendly platform features more than 1200 games, dozens of original titles and intuitive game play that distinguishes our product and positions us for even greater success,” said Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Interactive at PENN Entertainment.

The post PENN Entertainment Launches Stand-alone iCasino App, theScore Casino, in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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ELK Studios Expands Partnership with SkillOnNet to Ontario Market

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PlayOJO, SlotsMagic and SpinGenie to carry ELK Studios’ games in Ontario

Global entertainment brand SkillOnNet and innovative Swedish game creator Elk Studios have cemented their longstanding partnership with the launch of ELK’s groundbreaking portfolio in the Ontario market.

ELK Studios is responsible for some of the industry’s most innovative and engaging online casino games. Now, players at SkillOnNet’s Ontario-licensed casinos, PlayOJO, SlotsMagic and SpinGenie, will be able to experience the feature-packed delights of hit titles like Nitropolis, Tinkerbot and Pirot, as well as new release Orbitfall, and the studio’s signature X-iter and CollectR mechanics.

The expansion marks a milestone for ELK Studios as it continues to grow its footprint in regulated markets worldwide. SkillOnNet recently successfully launched the studio’s portfolio in the Spanish and Mexican markets through its Spanish-language brands and expects the studio’s games to make a similarly immediate impact with Ontario players.

Ontario has become a hugely important growth market since the province launched regulated online gaming in 2022. It was worth $2.4 billion in 2024, with $63 billion in wagering, the lion’s share coming from online casinos.

Jani Kontturi, Head of Games at SkillOnNet said: “ELK Studios is known for its high-quality games that blend unique storytelling and humour with high levels of engagement and playability, which is why we’re delighted to introduce them to Ontario. We believe they will perform successfully, as they have in other markets around the world.”

Vaida Cirtautaite, CCO at ELK Studios said: “SkillOnNet has been an invaluable partner in our growth journey, and we are thrilled to expand our collaboration into Ontario. We’re excited to bring our innovative games to a new wave of players in this dynamic market.”

The post ELK Studios Expands Partnership with SkillOnNet to Ontario Market appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Playnetic granted Ontario supplier license

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Global B2B iGaming content provider secures first Canadian market entry following the successful submission and approval of its gaming-related supplier application

Playnetic, the in-demand global B2B iGaming content provider known for its quality games, reliable delivery and outstanding customer service, has announced the approval of its gaming-related supplier application by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

With the AGCO licensing process being recognised in the industry for its rigorous standards and thorough due diligence, the new certification confirms Playnetic was able to meet the high levels of integrity and regulatory compliance needed to legally distribute its content within the province.

As a result of the approval, Playnetic has now secured its first Canadian market entry and will be able to provide its library of innovative games to licensed operators in the Ontario region – with this starting point paving the way for further expansion into other regulated provinces in future.

Given signs of change emerging within the Canadian market and Alberta making progress toward a regulated online model – likely drawing from Ontario’s framework – this license positions Playnetic strongly to expand its footprint in the country and further solidifies the company’s ambitious growth plans.

In the meantime, Playnetic has already begun making groundwork with key operators in the Ontario region and is looking forward to going live with some exciting brands over the coming months. The company will also be attending SBC’s Canadian Gaming Summit from June 17-19, where both existing and new potential partners alike are welcome to stop by and meet the team.

Dan Phillips, Chief Executive Officer at Playnetic, said: “Acquiring AGCO approval for our gaming-related supplier application is undoubtedly a big step for Playnetic. The new license not only secures our first Canadian market entry, but also reaffirms Playnetic’s position as a trusted provider in iGaming and underlines our commitment to compliance and operational excellence.”

Julian Borg-Barthet, Chief Commercial Officer at Playnetic, said: “We’re very excited to now be in a position to offer our library of innovative gaming content in Ontario, and the groundwork to do that with some of the region’s biggest licensed operators is already underway. Over time, we’re confident this license will also help us expand further into current markets and emerging regulated provinces, such as Alberta.”

The post Playnetic granted Ontario supplier license appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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