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PlayPennsylvania.com: Sports betting expectedly slows in April

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Sports betting in Pennsylvania slowed to its lowest level since September 2020, an expected drop with a sports calendar absent the NFL or a major betting holiday such as the NCAA Tournament, according to PlayPennsylvania, which analyzes and researches the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market. Meanwhile, online casinos and poker continued their yearlong surge.

“Sports betting is following normal seasonal patterns seen in almost every legal jurisdiction, so it might be until September that the state’s sportsbooks begin to challenge the state record books again,” said Dustin Gouker, analyst for PlayPennsylvania.com. “With the Olympics and the NBA Playoffs later than usual this year, this will still be a summer that is better than a typical year. And that could be especially so if Sixers make a deep run into July.”

Pennsylvania’s online and retail sportsbooks accepted $479.4 million in wagers in April, according to official data released Tuesday, snapping a streak of four consecutive months above $500 million in wagers. April’s volume was down 14.4% from $560.3 million in March and the lowest since sportsbooks generated $462.8 million in September. Still, handle was up dramatically over the $46 million in bets taken in April 2020, the first full month sportsbooks were affected by pandemic-related shutdowns and the statistical low.

Sportsbooks won $36 million in gross gaming revenue of April’s wagering, up 1,025.1% from $3.2 million in April 2020 though down 13.9% from $41 million in March. April’s receipts produced $26.3 million in taxable revenue, yielding $8.9 million in state taxes and $525,930 in local share assessment.

Local interest in the playoff runs of the Philadelphia 76ers and Pittsburgh Penguins, coupled with the start of the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates seasons, actually helped shallow the seasonal lull for Pennsylvania. Colorado (-18%), Indiana (-25.4%), Iowa (-26.7%), and Michigan (-30.5%) all experienced more dramatic month-over-month declines in April, while New Jersey (-13%) and Tennessee (-13.6%) were slightly better.

“Local teams performing well, such as the Sixers and Penguins, are always a powerful incentive for bettors in any state,” said Valerie Cross, analyst for PlayPennsylvania.com. “In the case of Pennsylvania, it was a key difference between meeting expectations and falling short in April.”

Online sports betting accounted for $439.1 million of April’s handle, or 91.6%, down from 91.8% in March. FanDuel/Valley Forge led online operators again with $167.6 million in online wagering, down from $202.8 million in March. Those bets led to $13.75 million in gross revenue, up slightly from $13.72 million in March, and $11.1 million in taxable revenue. DraftKings/The Meadows was a distant second with $105.7 million in bets, down from $116.6 million in February. That action created $6.4 million in gross revenue, down from $7.7 million in March, and $5.4 million in taxable revenue.

Handle from the Barstool-branded Penn National/Hollywood Casino app fell to $57.2 million in April, down from $65.2 million in March and the third consecutive monthly decline. Those bets yielded $2.6 million in gross revenue, down from $6.2 million in March.

The online leaders were followed by:

BetMGM/Hollywood Morgantown ($33 million handle, down from $37.4 million; $2.5 million in gross revenue, down from $3.1 million)
BetRivers/Rivers-Pittsburgh ($18.8 million handle, down from $24.8 million; $1.8 million revenue, down from $2.3 million)
Fox Bet/Mount Airy ($15.2 million handle, down from $17.5 million; $1.1 million revenue, down from $1.3 million)
Parx Casino ($14.2 million handle, down from $18.7 million; $1.7 million revenue, up from $1.4 million)
PlaySugarHouse/Rivers-Philadelphia ($13.4 million handle, down from $17.2 million; $995,423 in revenue, down from $1.1 million)
Unibet/Mohegan Sun Pocono ($7.2 million handle, down from $10.2 million; $436,595 revenue, down from $620,357)
Betfred/Wind Creek ($2.7 million handle, up from $2.2 million; $49,074 revenue, down from $152,563)
Caesars/Harrah’s ($2.1 million handle, down from $1.7 million; -$75,375 revenue, down from $144,858)
TwinSpires/Presque Isle ($2.1 million handle, down from $1.4 million; $33,622 revenue, down from $436,828)
Meanwhile, as restrictions on brick-and-mortar casinos loosened, including the return of drink service on April 4, retail sportsbooks generated $40.3 million in handle in April. That was down from $45.9 million in March. April’s action produced $4.8 million in gross revenue, while Rivers-Philadelphia topped the retail market with $7.7 million in bets, just ahead of Parx Casino’s $5.3 million.

The entirety of the state’s gross gaming revenue — including online and retail sports betting and online and retail casinos — reached $404.1 million in April, the second consecutive month of total gaming revenue surpassed $400 million.

“Retail betting, whether casino games or sports betting, continues to inch toward normal, while the gains in online revenues made over the last year continue to hold,” Cross said. “That has created an overall gaming market that easily surpasses pre-pandemic level, even if retail betting is not quite where it was.”

 

Online casinos and poker

With $105.5 million in gross revenue and $92.7 million in taxable revenue in April, Pennsylvania’s online and retail sports showed more dramatic year-over-year growth. Taxable was up 115.2% from $43.1 million in April 2020 even as it fell short of the record $97.7 million set in March.

Online casino wagering hit $3.2 billion in April, up 128.6% from $1.4 billion in April 2020. And with new operators coming online, including BetMGM/Hollywood Casino earlier this year and late-April’s online launch of Borgata/Rivers Philadelphia, that growth shows few signs of stopping.

“Online casinos continue to thrive, even as retail casinos operate under few restraints and competition among online operators heats up,” Cross said. “New operators joining the mix shows there is still a belief that the online casino market in Pennsylvania has not yet reached its peak.”

Other highlights from April:

April’s revenue produced $25.5 million in state taxes and another $13.1 million in local share assessments and county grants.
Online casino and poker rooms generated $3.1 million per day in taxable revenue over the 30 days of April, down from the record of $3.2 million per day set in March.
Penn National, which includes the DraftKings, BetMGM, and Hollywood casinos, topped the market with $36 million in revenue on $1.2 billion in wagers. Rivers-Philadelphia, which includes PlaySugarHouse and BetRivers casinos, was second with $26.6 million in revenue on $846.7 million in wagers.
Revenue at Mount Airy/PokerStars, which was the lone online poker operator in the state, hit $2.3 million. While newly launched online poker rooms BetMGM, under the Hollywood Casino Grantville license, and Borgata, under the Rivers Philadelphia license, combined to generate $27,071 in the two days each operated in April.
For more information on the revenue generated by Pennsylvania, visit www.playpennsylvania.com/revenue.

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Bragg Gaming

Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems

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Bragg Gaming Group, a leading online gaming technology provider, has confirmed a major cybersecurity incident that compromised its internal IT infrastructure in the early hours of Saturday, August 16, 2025.

The company detected unauthorized intrusion attempts that successfully breached its internal network, triggering an immediate and comprehensive incident response.

Key Takeaways

  • Bragg Gaming Group experienced a cybersecurity breach involving access to internal IT systems.

  • No customer personal data or payment information appears to have been compromised.

  • The company has enacted full containment and investigation protocols.

Details of the Breach

According to a preliminary forensic analysis by Bragg’s internal security team, the attack was a targeted breach aimed at the company’s internal computer environment. While the exact method of intrusion is still under investigation, early indicators suggest a sophisticated exploit of internal network vulnerabilities.

Fortunately, the company’s customer-facing systems, including sensitive user data and financial information, appear to have been unaffected. Bragg’s existing encryption protocols and access control systems successfully prevented the attackers from accessing customer information.

Immediate Response Measures

In response to the breach, Bragg launched a multi-tiered containment strategy, including:

  • Network Segmentation to isolate affected systems

  • Enhanced Monitoring of data flows across its Remote Games Server (RGS) platform

  • Security Audits of critical infrastructure, including the Bragg Hub and PAM systems

  • Engagement of Independent Cybersecurity Experts to assist in incident analysis and system hardening

Bragg’s Security Operations Center has also elevated its alert level, initiating 24/7 monitoring across all server clusters and network endpoints. In addition, company-wide penetration testing is now underway to proactively identify any residual vulnerabilities.

Business Continuity Maintained

Despite the severity of the breach, Bragg reports that its operations remain unaffected. All gaming services, including iCasino and sportsbook offerings across regulated markets, continue to function without disruption.

“While this incident is deeply concerning, we are confident in the rapid and thorough response initiated by our team,” a company spokesperson stated. “We remain committed to protecting our infrastructure, our partners, and most importantly, our players.”

Looking Ahead

As part of its response, Bragg has also launched mandatory security awareness training for all employees to reinforce best practices and prevent future incidents.

Cybersecurity analysts will continue working with Bragg to determine the full scope of the attack, improve system resilience, and maintain the trust of its users and stakeholders.

Bragg’s handling of the incident highlights both the evolving nature of cybersecurity threats and the importance of robust, responsive defense systems in the digital gaming sector.

Source: cybersecuritynews.com

The post Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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AGCO

AGCO Removes Cap on Seller Commission for Charitable Lottery Products

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has updated several lottery policies to remove the cap on seller commission for Paper Raffles and Media Bingo, along with removing the prohibition on Catch the Ace paper lotteries, to align with other charitable lottery products.

Licensed charities may now negotiate commissions directly with sellers and determine commissions, provided they are reasonable and tied to the cost of service provided by the seller.

These updates further the AGCO’s commitment to adopt an outcomes-based regulatory approach and reduce burden for the charitable gaming sector. Local charitable organizations will have greater flexibility to make decisions that best serve their fundraising objectives.

Important Reminders

• Charities must still receive approval for other expenses incurred under their licence and retain receipts for seller commission paid.

• Licensing authorities will not require documentation to be submitted as part of the application process, however, charities are still subject to audit to determine compliance.

• Charities are reminded of their legal requirement to meet their obligations under the Criminal Code and with respect to conducting and managing a charitable gaming scheme.

• As with all licensed charitable lottery events, charities must take the necessary steps to ensure that they are conducting and managing the lottery event within Ontario.

For charitable gaming-related inquiries, email an AGCO Eligibility Officer at [email protected] or call AGCO Customer Service at 1-800-522-2876, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The post AGCO Removes Cap on Seller Commission for Charitable Lottery Products appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Alon Segev

Segev LLP Celebrates 10 Years of Business-Focused Legal Innovation

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Leading business, technology, finance, and gaming law firm, Segev LLP, is proud to announce its 10th anniversary. Over the past decade, Segev has evolved from a bold idea into a multi-jurisdictional firm serving clients across Canada, the U.S., and beyond.

Built for innovation-driven industries, the firm is widely recognized for its work with companies at the forefront of gaming, crypto, technology, and emerging sectors. “Our 10-year anniversary is a defining moment,” said Founding Partner, Ron Segev. “It’s a testament to the strength of our team and our culture of teamwork, self-improvement, and growthall of which is directed at scoring wins for our great clients.”

As industries like fintech, crypto, iGaming, and AI have matured, so has the firm, often in parallel with its clients. “We’ve all grown together with our clients from one success to the next, whether it be helping clients complete financings or helping them close business,” said Managing Partner Alon Segev. “I look forward to continued growth for us and our clients in the next 10 years!”

The firm’s client-first approach has consistently earned recognition from top legal ranking guides. Segev LLP is ranked by Chambers and Partners as a “Leading Firm” and “Band-1” in Canada for Gaming Law and are also recommended by The Legal 500 and Lexology. These rankings reflect the team’s ability to deliver strategic, high-quality legal solutions that align with their clients’ business goals.

Recognized for their unique ability to exceed expectations and deliver out-of-the-box solutions, Segev LLP’s clients have affirmed: “The firm demonstrates its capability not only to understand complex matters, but also to offer solutions that are practical, pragmatic, and value-adding.”

“Segev possesses outstanding resources and maintains global partnerships, enabling it to deliver precise and informed responses to any queries related to the iGaming industry.”

“Epic service, very good, I won the case!”

“Great service, friendly atmosphere, and support.”

Several Segev team members also reflected on the milestone: “There was a moment early in my time here when I realized I wasn’t just being brought in to help; I was expected to contribute, take initiative, and run with big ideas. That stuck with me,” said Negin Alavi.

“Together with our clients, [Segev] has experienced remarkable growth over the past decade. I’m honored to have contributed to this journey and to celebrate these shared successes,” said David McHugh.

Segev has cultivated a thriving law practice on the principle that challenges are to be embraced as opportunities. The approach has enabled us to grow as lawyers, but more importantly, it has enabled us to ensure the success of our clients,” said Mark Balestra.

“Since joining through Segev’s Ontario expansion, I’ve had the chance to work alongside some of the sharpest and most collaborative lawyers in the gaming space,” added Manav Bhargava. “As a full-service firm and industry leader, Segev stands out for its ability to support innovative businesses with practical, forward-thinking legal advice.”

Segev LLP will commemorate the anniversary with a series of internal and external initiatives throughout the remainder of the year.

The post Segev LLP Celebrates 10 Years of Business-Focused Legal Innovation appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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