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PlayPennsylvania.com: Sportsbooks tick up while online casinos soar

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Pennsylvania’s retail and online sportsbooks rose in May, but lost out on about $275 million in potential bets, according to PlayPennsylvania estimates, while gamblers again turned to online casinos and poker rooms in record numbers. And with land-based casinos reopening in June and major sports slowly returning, the Keystone State is entering its recovery phase.

“May was another challenging month for Pennsylvania’s gaming industry, but it appears that it will be the last month of online casinos and poker rooms being the only bearer of good news,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayPennsylvania.com. “The casinos that have recently reopened appear to be experiencing relatively strong traffic, and sports bettors are finding increasingly more to bet on. Recovery for the entire industry will be a long road, but there are reasons for optimism.”

Pennsylvania sportsbooks would have expected to accept more than $350 million in a typical May. Instead, online sportsbooks generated $77.5 million in wagers, up 68.4% from April’s $46 million handle, according to official data released Tuesday. This during another month that again featured no retail sports betting, which would have generated nearly $40 million in a typical May, PlayPennsylvania estimates. In-person sports bets produced $35.9 million in May 2019, before online sports betting launched.

May’s handle yielded $4.8 million in gross revenue, up from $3.2 million in April, and $1.6 million in state taxes.

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With NASCAR and some European soccer reopening in May, bettors had more to bet on, which helped drive interest. Boxing and the PGA Tour recently restarted, too. And the MLS and the NBA appear ready to begin in July.

“A normal menu of sports would likely mean an almost instant recovery for online sportsbooks, though we may still be a few months from that happening,” said Valerie Cross, analyst for PlayPennsylvania.com. “Pennsylvania’s online sportsbooks have been savvy in keeping their customers engaged with sports well outside the mainstream. That will only help when things begin to return to normal.”

FanDuel Sportsbook at Valley Forge Casino once again topped the market with a May handle of $29.6 million, up from $19 million in April. Those bets fueled $2.5 million in taxable revenue, up from $1.3 million. FanDuel was followed by:

  • DraftKings at The Meadows ($21.8 million handle, up from $12.6 million; $908,635 taxable revenue, up from $706,589)
  • Rivers-Philadelphia ($8.5 million handle, up from $5.9 million; $457,952 revenue, up from $309,551)
  • Fox Bet at Mount Airy ($7.8 million handle, up from $3.7 million; $351,876 revenue, up from $229,469)
  • Rivers-Pittsburgh ($4.9 million handle, up from $2.4 million; $272,898 revenue, up from $190,013)
  • Parx Casino ($3.8 million handle, up from $2.2 million; $278,850 revenue, up from $193,662)
  • Unibet at Mohegan Sun Pocono ($714,400 handle, up from $92,521; $43,912 revenue, up from $14,362)
  • Presque Isle Downs ($265,938 handle, up from $97,107; $6,036 revenue, up from -$4,066)
  • Harrah’s ($143,991 handle, up from $28,155; $1,545 revenue, up from -$557) 

Online casinos and poker boom

With many gamblers still homebound in May, online casinos and poker rooms continued their meteoric growth, setting a new record with $55.9 million in gross revenue. That was up 29.7% from $43.1 million in April and nearly triple from $19.5 million in February.

A remarkable $1.8 billion was bet on online table games and slots in May — up from $1.4 billion in April — producing $51.2 million in revenue. And Mount Airy/PokerStars, the lone poker operator in Pennsylvania, again generated more revenue than any single state with legal online poker by generating $4.6 million, down from $5.3 million in April.

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Casinos and poker revenue hit $1.8 million per day in the 31 days of May, up from $1.4 million per day in April. Operators, though, were still out of the $286.1 million land-based casinos generated in May 2019. But with casinos reopening in June, the state’s sole reliance on online revenue will change.

“As welcome as the online revenue has been, it can’t come close to replacing what was lost with the shutdown of land-based casinos,” Cross said. “So far early signs are good for Pennsylvania’s land-based casinos, but they are still navigating diminished capacity and uncertain demand as they reopen. For that reason, online casino games and poker will remain critical in bridging revenue gaps as Pennsylvania casinos recover.”

Rivers-Philadelphia led the online casino market with $17.6 million in revenue on $641.3 million in wagers, up from $13.7 million in revenue on $477 million in wagers in April. DraftKings, a sudden Wall Street darling, enjoyed a strong debut of its online casino under the Penn National license. After launching on May 1, DraftKings helped boost Penn National to $9 million in revenue on $313.4 million in wagers from $4.6 million in revenue and $122.2 million in wagers in April.

“DraftKings’ online casino is a well-designed product, and bettors obviously reacted positively,” Gouker said. “FanDuel and DraftKings are the dominant players in the state, and their dominance will only grow as their online casinos grow and sports betting returns.”

For more information on the revenue generated by Pennsylvania, visit www.playpennsylvania.com/revenue.
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Casino Time Partners with GeoLocs for Enhanced Geolocation Compliance in Ontario

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GeoLocs by mkodo, proven and trusted provider of geolocation services built exclusively for the iGaming industry, is excited to announce its partnership with casino operator, Casino Time. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in delivering secure and seamless online gaming experiences to Casino Time players in Ontario.

With the legalisation of iGaming in Ontario 2 years ago, regulatory compliance and player safety are top priorities for operators across North America. GeoLocs state-of-the-art geolocation compliance technology, coupled with its dedication to data protection (as seen by the recent ISO certification), provide Casino Time with guaranteed compliance while prioritising player privacy.

Through GeoLocs’ intuitive and easy-to-implement SDK and the highly self-serviceable GeoLocs platform, Casino Time provides its players with a seamless user experience, requiring no additional downloads, resulting in uninterrupted access to their favourite games while maintaining compliance with Ontario’s iGaming regulations.

Jeffrey Holmes, COO at Casino Time said: “Casino Time’s mission is to create the best possible gaming experience for its users and partnering with GeoLocs for our geolocation verification service means that we can provide our players with an online casino experience like no other. An experience that is secure and seamless, whilst also remaining compliant with regulations set out by the province of Ontario. The support provided by the team at GeoLocs has been incredible and their knowledge of geolocation and the Ontario market is second to none. With GeoLocs, we can ensure that our operations meet regulatory requirements while delivering a frictionless experience for our players.”

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Stuart Godfree, Managing Director at mkodo, said: “We are excited to partner with Casino Time to support their expansion into the Ontario iGaming market. GeoLocs is designed to prioritise data protection and regulatory compliance while delivering a seamless experience for both operators and players. With GeoLocs technology, Casino Time can operate with confidence, knowing that they are meeting regulatory standards and providing their players with a safe and secure gaming environment.”

The partnership between GeoLocs and Casino Time demonstrates a shared commitment to excellence, compliance, and player experience in the iGaming industry. By leveraging GeoLocs’ advanced geolocation technology, Casino Time aims to enhance its position as a leading provider of online gaming experiences in Ontario.

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Great Canadian Entertainment and Petroglyph Development Group Announce Historic Transaction of Casino Nanaimo

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Great Canadian Entertainment, Canada’s leading gaming and hospitality company, announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its landmark Vancouver Island property, Casino Nanaimo, to Petroglyph Development Group Ltd (Petroglyph) in a historic transaction for both parties. Petroglyph is a wholly owned corporation of the Snuneymuxw First Nation dedicated to realizing the economic potential of the Nation.

Great Canadian’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the transaction, which remains subject to customary closing conditions as well as customary approvals by the regulatory authorities. Under the terms of the definitive agreement, the Company will provide transition services to Petroglyph for up to two years post-closing.

“We are very pleased to have executed this agreement. As the operator of Casino Nanaimo since its inception in 1986, we believe that under Petroglyph’s steady management, this transaction will provide Casino Nanaimo, its guests and team members with an exciting new chapter. We look forward to the closing and then working with the Petroglyph team during the transition period to ensure an outstanding outcome for all parties,” said Matt Anfinson, Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

“We celebrate our partnership with Great Canadian and our entry into B.C.’s casino industry. We are committed to bringing Snuneymuxw’s local expertise to an established tradition of outstanding guest service and meaningful community contributions. Honouring the decades of work by past Snuneymuxw Chiefs and Councils, we look forward to closing the definitive agreement and realizing our collective vision with the Great Canadian team. This collaboration promises to bring significant benefits and substantial economic growth to our Nation and the local community,” said Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse.

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Erralyn Joseph, President of Petroglyph Development Group (PDG), said: “The Snuneymuxw group of companies are profoundly honoured to support Snuneymuxw economic growth in significant and meaningful ways. In addition to our pending acquisition of the business, we are honoured to announce the return of the associated land once closing is completed, a part of the Snuneymuxw xwsol’lexwel village. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are pleased to share this news and remain committed to advancing the region’s economic growth in support of all its residents.”

Ian Simpson, Chief Executive Officer of PDG, said: “Acquiring this significant asset will unlock unprecedented economic potential for Snuneymuxw and PDG, paving the way for transformative growth in Snuneymuxw’s economy and the profits that PDG returns to our Nation.”

McMillan is serving as legal counsel to Great Canadian. McCarthy Tétrault is acting as legal counsel and KPMG Corporate Finance Inc. is acting as financial advisor to Petroglyph.

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Canada set to host the next BLAST R6 Major with world’s best Rainbow Six esports players to compete in Montreal in November

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World’s best Rainbow Six Siege esports teams from 9 regions will compete in Montreal, Canada. $750,000 in total prize pool up for grabs at final Major of 2024.

Today, Ubisoft and BLAST have released details for the final BLAST Rainbow Six Major of Season 2024, which is due to take place in Montreal, Canada from 7 to 17 of November.

Rainbow Six Esports is back in Canada for the first time since 2023, with Montreal’s Verdun Auditorium set to welcome 20 of the world’s best teams over two weeks in November. The BLAST R6 Major Montreal will feature a three-phase format with the final weekend playing out in front of a live audience with thousands of fans expected to pack out the Verdun Arena.

Tickets are available here: eventim.ca

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Dates & location:

  • Phase 1: 7 – 8 November – not open to public
  • Phase 2: 10 – 13 November – not open to public
  • Phase 3: 15 – 17 November – open to the public at the Verdun Auditorium, Montreal

Venue: Verdun Auditorium

Address: 4110 Bd LaSalle, Verdun, QC H4G 2A5, Canada

With Stage 2 of the Regional Leagues is set to get underway from September, teams across the nine different regions of BLAST R6 will be looking to become one of the 20 teams to qualify for the Montreal Major. These teams will compete for the lion’s share of the USD $750,000 prize pool, as well as points to qualify for the Six Invitational 2025.

Montreal and Rainbow Six have a long history together since the teams behind the development of Rainbow Six Siege are based in Ubisoft offices in Montreal. The city had previously hosted international Rainbow Six Esports tournaments such as the 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2023 editions of Rainbow Six’s SIX Invitational where Brazilian team w7m had been crowned World Champions.

Additional details on the venue, ticketing, and more are available via Eventim here: eventim.ca

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For more information about BLAST R6, please visit rainbow6.com and follow us on social media.

 

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