Canada
New Report Reveals Each US States Most Popular Video Game of the Last Year and Decade
- A new report reveals each US state’s favorite video game over the last year and highlights the gaming franchises which have taken the US by storm.
- Roblox is the most popular game in the US and is loved by over 20 states.
- Among Us, the crazed lockdown game, came second in the US, ranking number one in 15 states.
The gaming industry is a multi-billion-dollar market, growing year-on-year, with millions of monthly competitors streaming and playing online. With the launch of the next-generation consoles and a year of lockdown, online gaming grew massively, seeing a 39% increase [1]. But, while hundreds of games are released every year, have you ever wondered which are the most popular in each US state?
By analyzing Google search volume and keywords data, a new report from TopUsCasinos.com has revealed the most loved games across all US states. The report highlights both the most popular games over the last 12 months and the most loved franchises over the last decade.
The Most Popular Games This Year
Taking the top spot for most popular game in the last year is the long-running PC game Roblox. Having millions of daily active users, the number one ranked game topped the charts in 20 US states, including Florida and California.
Lockdown crazes took over in the pandemic, with Among Us taking the gaming scene by storm. Released in 2018, the cross-platform game ranked second in the US, having 15 states name it their most popular video game. Minecraft, played by millions worldwide every month, secured third place and was favored by 11 states.
The Most Popular Franchises This Decade
With regular reboots and relaunches, it’s no surprise that the 30-year-old hedgehog, Sonic, is the number one ranked franchise in the last decade – rated the most loved across nine states. Joining Sonic in the number one spot is Madden NFL. Launched in 1988, and also featuring in nine states, Madden NFL is by far the most popular sports game. Other loved franchises which made the list were Mario, Metal Gear and Tony Hawk’s.
The 30 most popular games included the 2018 and 2019 winner of the Best Ongoing Game, Fortnite, as well as various recent releases and ongoing games such as Apex Legends, Call of Duty Warzone, GTA V, and FIFA.
Below is a list of each state’s most popular game and franchise of the last year and decade, respectively:
State |
Most Popular Game (Year) |
Most Popular Franchise (Decade) |
Alabama |
Roblox |
Sonic the Hedgehog |
Alaska |
Roblox |
Pokémon |
Arizona |
Among Us |
Metal Gear |
Arkansas |
Minecraft |
Dragon Ball |
California |
Roblox |
Metal Gear |
Colorado |
Roblox |
Tony Hawk’s |
Connecticut |
Roblox |
Mario |
Delaware |
Among Us |
Madden NFL |
District of Columbia |
Among Us |
Madden NFL |
Florida |
Roblox |
Sonic the Hedgehog |
Georgia |
Roblox |
Sonic the Hedgehog |
Hawaii |
Genshin Impact |
Metal Gear |
Idaho |
Minecraft |
Minecraft |
Illinois |
Minecraft |
Mario |
Indiana |
Roblox |
Mario |
Iowa |
Minecraft |
Madden NFL |
Kansas |
Genshin Impact |
Call of Duty |
Kentucky |
Roblox |
NBA 2K |
Louisiana |
Roblox |
Madden NFL |
Maine |
Minecraft |
Mario |
Maryland |
Among Us |
Sonic the Hedgehog |
Massachusetts |
Among Us |
Tony Hawk’s |
Michigan |
Among Us |
Mario |
Minnesota |
Roblox |
Madden NFL |
Mississippi |
Minecraft |
Sonic the Hedgehog |
Missouri |
Roblox |
Call of Duty |
Montana |
Among Us |
Sonic the Hedgehog |
Nebraska |
Minecraft |
Mario |
Nevada |
Roblox |
Metal Gear |
New Hampshire |
Minecraft |
Tony Hawk’s |
New Jersey |
Among Us |
Mario |
New Mexico |
Minecraft |
God of War |
New York |
Genshin Impact |
Metal Gear |
North Carolina |
Among Us |
Sonic the Hedgehog |
North Dakota |
Among Us |
Call of Duty |
Ohio |
Among Us |
Madden NFL |
Oklahoma |
Genshin Impact |
God of War |
Oregon |
Roblox |
Tony Hawk’s |
Pennsylvania |
Minecraft |
Madden NFL |
Rhode Island |
Among Us |
Mario |
South Carolina |
Roblox |
Sonic the Hedgehog |
South Dakota |
Among Us |
Madden NFL |
Tennessee |
Roblox |
God of War |
Texas |
Roblox |
Sonic the Hedgehog |
Utah |
Roblox |
Halo |
Vermont |
Genshin Impact |
Battlefield |
Virginia |
Among Us |
God of War |
Washington |
Among Us |
Call of Duty |
West Virginia |
Minecraft |
Metal Gear |
Wisconsin |
Roblox |
Madden NFL |
Wyoming |
Roblox |
Assassin’s Creed |
Further information can be found on site here: https://www.topuscasinos.com/news/the-most-popular-video-games-broken-down-by-state
Source: https://www.statista.com/topics/8016/covid-19-impact-on-the-gaming-industry-worldwide/
Blanka Homor
Playson Signs Agreement with Light & Wonder in Global Distribution Deal
Playson, the accomplished digital entertainment supplier, has forged a major global content deal with Light & Wonder to significantly enhance the reach of its extensive games portfolio.
This landmark agreement will enable Light & Wonder’s expansive operator network across the UK, Canada, and Latin America to gain access to Playson’s engaging offering.
UK-based operator Dazzletag Entertainment Ltd was the first to go live with the studio’s creative releases last month, with SUPERCHARGED CLOVERS: HOLD AND WIN and 3 POTS RICHES: HOLD AND WIN launched across its online casino brands.
Light & Wonder’s content marketplace is utilised by some of the biggest operator brands from across the globe, providing them with access to more than 3500 games from a host of third-party studios to allow them to build personalised, mobile-ready player experiences and stay ahead of regulatory changes.
The partnership signifies the strength of Playson’s reputation as a respected and highly sought-after provider to operators globally, as the rising demand for its games looks set to take the studio to new heights for 2025.
Blanka Homor, Sales Director at Playson, said: “Our deal with Light & Wonder is a major milestone in our strategic roadmap, as we embark on the next chapter of our global growth. This agreement expands our reach and allows us to deliver our appealing titles to new operators and players.
“The launch of our titles across Dazzletag’s two brands is a great start, and we are confident this relationship will further elevate our presence in the ever-evolving online casino space.”
Steve Mayes, Senior Director of Partnerships at Light & Wonder, said: “We are delighted to be working with such a highly respected digital entertainment provider and deliver their portfolio to our network. This strengthens our commitment to offering operators the best game releases available.
“We look forward to other successful launches in 2025, as we continue to support our operators with diverse content.”
The post Playson Signs Agreement with Light & Wonder in Global Distribution Deal appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Bragg Gaming Group
Bragg Gaming Announces Preliminary Unaudited Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 Strategic Initiatives and Guidance
Bragg Gaming Group announced its preliminary unaudited results for the year ended December 31, 2024 based on information currently available to management and certain strategic initiatives and issued financial guidance for 2025, highlighting anticipated double-digit growth in Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA driven by a strategic focus on proprietary and exclusive content.
Anticipated Full Year 2024 Results Highlights
The Company expects the financial results for full year 2024 to include the following highlights: Revenue not less than EUR 102 million, an increase of 9% from EUR 93.5 million for 2023, Adjusted EBITDA of not less than EUR 15.4 million, an increase of 1% from EUR 15.2 million for 2023.
Anticipated Financial Highlights for 2025
Revenue Guidance: Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2025, is expected to reach between EUR 117.5 million and EUR 123.0 million, representing double digit growth compared to the Company’s anticipated 2024 revenue.
Adjusted EBITDA Guidance: Adjusted EBITDA is forecasted to range between EUR 19.0 million and EUR 21.5 million, supported by a shift toward higher-margin product offerings.
Strategic Business Drivers
The Company is expecting to realize its anticipated 2025 results in part, as a result of certain strategic initiatives, including:
• Shift in Revenue Concentration: The percentage of revenue from the Company’s proprietary and exclusive content business is expected to increase providing a more margin-accretive mix and improving profitability with reduced reliance on third party content revenue by year end.
• Growth in Key Markets: Content-focused products, including proprietary, exclusive and aggregated content are projected to drive significant revenue growth in North America and Brazil, which are expected to contribute up to 10% and 15% of revenue, respectively by year-end.
• Brazil’s Growth Potential: The Company believes that its proprietary and exclusive content and aggregation businesses are strategically positioned to capture a significant share of Brazil’s $1.5 billion iGaming market, projected to more than double to over $3.3 billion by 2029, according to H2 Gambling Capital.
• US Market Penetration: The Company believes that it is strategically positioned for significant growth in the US market by leveraging its proprietary and exclusive content portfolio. Through integration with top-tier operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, Rush Street, Caesars and BetMGM, and licenses in all key iGaming states, the Company’s content is accessible to over 90% of the US iGaming market, valued at over $9.5 billion, according to H2 Gambling Capital. Under the leadership of Neill Whyte, Chief Commercial Officer, and Garrick Morris, SVP (Commercial, US & Canada), veterans of the iGaming industry with multi-decade successful market penetration experience under their belt, the Company has strong leadership to garner enhanced market share. It is expected that proprietary and exclusive content growth in the US will be further driven by the recently announced technology and content partnership with Caesars Entertainment Inc. This partnership, which leverages the Company’s cutting-edge technology and innovative development strengthens the Company’s profile in a competitive and dynamic market.
• Stronger Penetration in Major European Markets: Bragg aims to expand content distribution in key Western European markets, including Italy, UK, Spain, and Sweden, by leveraging existing integrations with top operators and implementing targeted sales strategies.
• Expand Exclusive Partnerships: The Company plans to increase its roster of partner studios to enhance the release cadence of titles in North America. Additionally, Bragg aims to grow exclusive content distribution in Central European markets, including the Czech Republic and Germany, through strategic partnerships with studios such as Gamomat and King Show Games.
• Stability in PAM Business: The Company’s PAM business is expected to remain flat year-over-year, an overall positive, despite the anticipated contraction of the Netherlands market in 2025 due to regulatory changes made in the fourth quarter of 2024.
• Enhanced Technology Profile: The Company continues to innovate with technologies such as FUZE, which provides bonuses, free rounds, tournaments, jackpots, recommendation engine and other engagement and promotional tools seamlessly across all iGaming, Sportbetting and iLottery products, requiring no additional integration. These advanced features enhance player experience and contribute to the growth of the Company’s product portfolio revenue.
• Data and AI Enhancements: By leveraging extensive gaming data, the Company generates actionable insights and employs AI-driven optimizations to elevate player experiences and enhance operator profitability, thereby accelerating profitable growth in proprietary and exclusive content verticals. Opportunities to leverage AI to reduce costs and enhance product margins are also being actively explored.
• Pipeline Opportunities: A robust pipeline of opportunities is under development, which, if realized, could further enhance 2025 performance but are not yet reflected in the current guidance.
• Stock Appreciation Rights Plan: Bragg has also introduced a new Stock Appreciation Rights (SAR) plan for its executive management team, further aligning management interests with those of shareholders. The SAR plan has been implemented under the Company’s Amended and Restated Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan and pays out only if the Company’s share price increases over a three-year period, with a full payout contingent on achieving a four-fold increase from a base price of $5 CAD. This structure ensures that executive compensation is firmly tied to delivering significant shareholder value. Additionally, the plan includes accelerated vesting provisions in the event of a change of control, preserving alignment with shareholder interests in all value-creation scenarios. SAR award payouts may be settled through the payment of cash, the issuance of shares, or through a combination of both, subject to the discretion of the Company’s Board and availability of shares under the Company’s equity incentive plan at the time.
“I am pleased with where we believe 2024 results will land and very excited about the strong growth trajectory outlined in our 2025 guidance. Our strategic investments in proprietary and exclusive content as well as various Data, Player journey and AI enhanced engagement features, are expected to drive our growth in 2025. By focusing on margin-accretive products, we are well-positioned to boost both revenue and profitability while pursuing opportunities in key markets such as Brazil and the United States. Our PAM product remains a top-tier performer, and while our 2025 growth will largely come from the content side of the business, we have exciting prospects to expand our PAM offering. Additionally, I’m particularly proud of the strong executive team that we have assembled at Bragg this past year. The recently announced Caesars deal highlights their impressive capabilities,” said Matevž Mazij, CEO of Bragg.
The post Bragg Gaming Announces Preliminary Unaudited Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 Strategic Initiatives and Guidance appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Canada
NorthStar Gaming Announces $43.4 Million Long-Term Debt Financing
NorthStar Gaming Holdings Inc. announced that the company has, subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, entered into a credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) in respect of a senior secured first lien term loan facility providing for loans in an aggregate principal amount of up to $43.4 million CAD (being the approximate equivalent of $30,000,000 USD) (the “Credit Facility”) to be made available by Beach Point Capital Management LP (“Beach Point”). Playtech plc (“Playtech”) and certain Playtech subsidiaries have agreed to provide credit support for certain obligations under the Credit Facility. The Credit Facility represents a significant milestone for NorthStar, strengthening its balance sheet and enabling the Company to continue to accelerate its growth initiatives.
“This is a pivotal moment for NorthStar, marking the largest financing in our history. This Credit Facility strengthens our balance sheet and directly supports our ability to scale operations and drive the business towards profitability with a single-minded focus. We are grateful to Beach Point Capital Management for their trust in our strategy and vision. We are also thankful for Playtech’s steadfast partnership which was instrumental in securing this funding, reinforcing their value both strategically and as a technology provider,” said Michael Moskowitz, Chair and CEO of NorthStar.
“Beach Point has deep experience investing across the gaming sector and is excited to partner with NorthStar to support their strategic initiatives. The online gaming sector has been growing rapidly, and this investment reflects our confidence in the Company’s leadership, market potential, and ability to deliver long-term sustainable growth. Likewise, we value the partnership with Playtech, who are contributing their leading technology, global reach, and strategic vision towards NorthStar’s continued success,” said Gabriel Fineberg, Managing Director at Beach Point.
The purpose of the Credit Facility is to support NorthStar’s continued growth by significantly strengthening the Company’s balance sheet. The Company will use the proceeds of loans made pursuant to the Credit Facility: (i) to repay the aggregate $9.5 million CAD principal amount (plus accrued interest) loaned to the Company by Playtech pursuant to unsecured, interest-bearing promissory notes dated April 25, 2024, September 13, 2024 and December 16, 2024; (ii) to fund an interest reserve account in respect of the Credit Facility in an amount equal to $7,000,000 CAD; (iii) for working capital and general corporate purposes; and (iv) to pay transaction costs in connection with the Credit Facility.
The post NorthStar Gaming Announces $43.4 Million Long-Term Debt Financing appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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