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COLORADO SPORTS BETTING’S $25.6 MILLION DEBUT A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IS TO COME

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Debut of sports betting among the best ever even without major sports being played, according to PlayColorado analysts

Colorado’s first month of sports betting topped the debut month of most of the largest markets in the country, even without a major sport to bet on. But the state’s much-delayed first official data release on Monday — which confirmed that Colorado’s sportsbooks generated $946,741 in operator revenue on $25.6 million in bets in May — is merely a glimpse into the bright future for Colorado’s sports betting market, according to PlayColorado analysts.

“Considering the circumstances of its first month, Colorado debuted about as well as any market could,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayColorado.com. “Ultimately the revenue that was driven while sports were mostly dormant is less important than sportsbooks launching and engaging sports bettors so they’re ready when major sports resume. By that metric, Colorado’s launch was a success.”

Only Indiana, which attracted $35.2 million in bets when retail sportsbooks launched in September 2019, produced a larger handle in its first month of legal sports betting than Colorado. And the Centennial State compared well with other, more established betting markets during the same month. In fact, Indiana, the country’s fourth-largest sports betting market, accepted $37.3 million in wagers in May, while Oregon recorded far less than Colorado with $7.3 million.

Anecdotally, it is likely the two largest brands in U.S. legal sports betting — DraftKings DraftKings Sportsbook/Golden Gulch Casino and FanDuel Sportsbook/Golden Gates Casino — led the Colorado market in its first month. But the state did not release data on individual operators.

More brands are coming, too. SBK Sportsbook/Bronco Billy’s Casino and Sky Ute Sportsbook/Sky Ute Casino and Resort have already launched this month. And possibly dozens of online and mobile sportsbooks are expected to open in Colorado.

“One of the primary reasons why Colorado fared well in its first month is that the top brands were ready to go from the beginning,” Gouker said. “Having FanDuel and DraftKings, in addition to BetMGM and BetRivers, accepting bets on the first day of operation is unprecedented. It shows just how much confidence operators have in the future of the Colorado market.”

With Colorado’s 10% tax rate, the revenue generated in May injected $96,538 into state coffers. But PlayColorado projects that the state’s handle could eventually reach $6 billion a year or more, so tax revenues will undoubtedly grow.

Before that happens, the sports world needs to reopen. $7.9 million of Colorado’s bets were placed on sports categorized as “other” than football, basketball, baseball, or myriad other sports. Remarkably, table tennis generated $6.6 million in bets while bettors were limited in May mainly to golf’s The Match: Champions for Charity, four nights of UFC fights, NASCAR, Bundesliga soccer, and Korean baseball.

“The real test won’t likely come until August, when presumably baseball, the NBA, and the NHL are in play, and the NFL season gets closer,” Gouker said. “But sportsbooks are laying the groundwork for a quick start. And that will be important once sports do resume.”

Colorado is expected to release its data for June next week.

For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Colorado, visit PlayColorado.com/news.

 

About the PlayUSA.com Network:
The PlayUSA.com Network is a leading source for news, analysis, and research related to the market for regulated online gaming in the United States. With a presence in over a dozen states, PlayUSA.com and its state-focused branches (including PlayColorado.com, PlayIndiana.com, and PlayNJ.com) produce daily original reporting, publish in-depth research, and offer player advocacy tools related to the advancement of safe, licensed, and legal online gaming options for consumers. Based in Las Vegas, the PlayUSA Network is independently owned and operated, with no affiliations to any casino — commercial, tribal, online, or otherwise.

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AGLC

Casino ATM Scam in Edmonton Reveals Money Laundering and Drug Links

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Law enforcement in Alberta continues to search for the last suspect in a sophisticated fraud operation that targeted ATMs in Edmonton-area casinos and resulted in over CAD 1 million ($720,487) in losses throughout Western Canada.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has confirmed that Hisham Ismaeel, 28, remains at large with a province-wide warrant for his arrest. He faces charges of fraud exceeding $5000 and possessing proceeds of crime. Police have already arrested four other men linked to the scheme. Investigators describe the operation as a well-planned effort to exploit financial systems and clean dirty money.

The accused, Elliot Miao, 42, Van Bau Ta, 39, Hassan Jaafar Haydar Ahmad, 37, and Dennis Jones, 42, showed up in the Alberta Court of Justice last week. They face charges from fraud and money laundering to owning criminal property. Miao also has a narcotics trafficking charge after police found cocaine when they searched with warrants.

Investigators claim the group made coordinated withdrawals at several casino ATMs, timing their transactions to avoid getting caught. This action messed up ATM networks in the area and showed flaws in the systems that banks and casinos use to stop misuse.

The RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region led an investigation that involved six search warrants in Edmonton. The Edmonton Police Service, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), and several banks supported this effort. Officials said the case shows how teamwork between public agencies and the private sector plays a key role in combating modern financial crime.

AGLC representatives pointed out that casino operators in the province must follow strict reporting and surveillance rules under Canada’s anti-money laundering laws. The specific casinos affected remain unnamed, but the Edmonton region has seven licensed facilities. AGLC said its policies helped spot problems and backed the RCMP’s investigation.

Compliance experts say this fraud shows how criminals change their methods to take advantage of weak spots in reporting limits and transaction checks. They claim that casinos, which deal with lots of cash, are still easy targets unless they keep improving their detection systems and teach their front-line workers to notice coordinated actions like several big withdrawals happening one after another.

For now, the case highlights both the money and crime aspects of casino-related fraud. Besides the million-dollar losses, finding drugs during the raids points to a bigger criminal operation where financial crimes and drug dealing overlap.

The post Casino ATM Scam in Edmonton Reveals Money Laundering and Drug Links appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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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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