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PlayIllinois.com: Sportsbooks catapult to more than $430 million in bets

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Illinois sportsbooks hastened an already historic pace in October with more than $430 million in bets during the month, reaching a level in only four full months that no other jurisdiction has reached in fewer than 16 months. It’s been a stunning start only made possible by the dismissal of the state’s in-person registration requirement for online sportsbooks among other factors, according to analysts for PlayIllinois.

“Illinois is exploding at a pace we’ve never seen before, putting it on track to join the largest markets in the country by year’s end,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “This wouldn’t have been possible if lawmakers’ original intentions were met. If Gov. J.B. Pritzker hadn’t suspended the in-person registration mandate, as was originally required, there is no way Illinois could have reached these heights so soon.”

Illinois sportsbooks drew $434.6 million in bets in October, according to official data released Thursday. That is up 42.4% from $305.2 million in September and the fourth largest handle among legal jurisdictions in the U.S., behind only New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.

By comparison, the nation’s largest sports betting market, New Jersey, did not surpass $430 million in handle until its 16th month after launch. It took Pennsylvania even longer, reaching the mark with $462.8 million in September 2020, 23 months after launch.

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“Illinois has long been an intriguing market, but nobody expected this kind of start,” said Joe Boozell, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “The market is still nowhere near maturity and yet it may still challenge Pennsylvania and Nevada in the coming months. We projected the market to one day take in $10 billion in bets annually, and while that is still likely a few years away, it could come quicker than anyone dreamed, too.”

With a sports schedule that included a full month of NFL football, the World Series, the NBA Finals, and the return of Big Ten football, October’s bets yielded a whopping $42.2 million in adjusted gross revenue, up dramatically from $6.8 million in September. Those gains resulted in $6.3 million in state taxes.

Regional interest was a key contributor to October’s results. Football led all sports by attracting $186.7 million in bets, up from $91.4 million. That was bolstered by a 5-1 start to the season, in addition to hot starts by Northwestern and Notre Dame.

“In every regulated market, when local teams do well a corresponding uptick in betting is expected, so it’s not a surprise to see that in Illinois,” Welman said. “That said, the weeks since October haven’t been as kind for the Bears. But that early interest has been baked in, so it shouldn’t get in the way of overall market growth.”

Online sports betting accounted for 94.3% of all bets in October, or $409.8 million, and the three largest operators continue to dominate the market. DraftKings/Casino Queen led the market for the first time with $141.4 million in overall handle, including $138.5 million online. That is up from $98.3 million overall and $95.9 million online in September. BetRivers/Rivers Casino continued to capitalize on its early launch with $115.5 million overall and $101.5 million online, up from $112.7 million overall and $98.6 million online in September. FanDuel/Par-A-Dice Casino made gains, too, with $105.6 million overall and $105.2 million online, up from $78.6 million overall and $78.4 million online.

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“BetRivers has really done well in getting a head start on DraftKings and FanDuel, but holding off the two largest sportsbooks operators in the country is all but  impossible,” Boozell said. “That said, with a bevy of new competitors set to launch in the coming months, the landscape should significantly change behind the state’s three biggest operators.”

 

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 PlayIndiana.com, PlayIllinois.com, PlayNJ.com and PlayPennsylvania.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 affiliation to any casino — commercial, tribal, online, or otherwise.

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SGG Media Announces Exciting New PlayOJO Partnership

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Industry-leading social media marketing agency SGG Media is thrilled to announce an exciting new collaboration with the prominent Canadian online casino PlayOJO.

Under the new agreement, SGG Media is set to become PlayOJO’s exclusive provider of live-action casino shows. Leveraging SGG Media’s extensive network of over 2,500 sports and casino influencers, these shows will stream thrilling casino experiences directly to PlayOJO players. Viewers will have the opportunity to interact with the streamers and place bets while witnessing all the exciting live casino action offered by PlayOJO.

Following the live shows, SGG Media will create and share short video highlights of the most captivating moments from the games across various social media platforms, engaging with SGG’s combined following of over 75 million fans. This is the third largest database of sports social media followers, a huge portion of whom have crossover potential and interest In the online casino industry.

The marketing agency has achieved significant success with its casino streams in 2024. They launched their groundbreaking ‘Casino Stream’ show in February. This innovative show offers nightly live-action casino games, providing viewers with an immersive experience in the fast-paced world of roulette, blackjack, slots, and other online games.

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PlayOJO is one of the most popular legal online casinos in Ontario. The casino collaborates with major developers and content providers in the industry, offering a distinctive and enjoyable online casino experience to Ontarian’s, all of which will be highlighted as a result of this deal.  “We’re thrilled to partner with the SGG team as we introduce our live casino shows in Canada. This unique live show experience will highlight PlayOJO’s best-in-class online casino, featuring slots, live casino, and table games, truly demonstrating why PlayOJO is the home of feel-good fun!”, says the PlayOJO Team.

SGG Media and PlayOJO are dedicated to ensuring a fun and safe online casino environment for players. Both parties will display clear responsible gambling messages throughout the streams, helping to inform players to gamble legally and responsibly.

Speaking about this commitment to responsible gambling, Troy Paul, CEO of SGG Media, said, “We want to create a fun and exciting show, but also make sure viewers know this is a legal casino and players need to wager only money they can afford to lose as entertainment.”

On the deal, Paul said: “We are extremely excited to begin working alongside PlayOJO. It is a brand that wants to drive innovation in the industry, sharing our vision for a more community-driven online casino experience.”

Through our streams, our micro-influencers and content creators will help shine a spotlight on PlayOJO’s fantastic gaming experiences while also growing a community that will want to return for more.

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This extends beyond the streams, with our huge network of micro-influencers sharing video content across their platforms, ensuring engagement continues after the stream goes off the air.”

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Great Canadian Entertainment and Petroglyph Development Group Announce Agreement for Purchase and Sale of Elements Casino Victoria

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Great Canadian Entertainment announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell Elements Casino Victoria to Petroglyph Development Group Ltd. (PDG) in yet another historic transaction for both parties.

This transaction comes on the heels of the previously announced definitive agreement for Great Canadian Entertainment to sell its other landmark property and business on Vancouver Island, Casino Nanaimo, to PDG. PDG is a wholly owned corporation of the Snuneymuxw First Nation (the Nation) and is 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. The Company will provide transition services to PDG for up to two years post-closing.

“We are very pleased to have executed this second historic agreement with the Snuneymuxw First Nation. From its original opening as View Royal Casino in 2001, to major expansion and rebranding of the property in 2018 as Elements Casino Victoria, we are looking forward to the next chapter for this beautiful and historic Vancouver Island destination under PDG’s stewardship. We are excited to work with the Petroglyph team during the transition period to ensure yet another outstanding outcome for the community, our guests, our team members, and the Nation,” said Matt Anfinson, Chief Executive Officer of Great Canadian Entertainment.

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“We celebrate our growing partnership with Great Canadian and our continued progress toward building a strong Snuneymuxw economy that provides a solid foundation for Snuneymuxw self-determination and nationhood. With the acquisition of a second casino operation, we continue to honour the decades of work by past Snuneymuxw leadership who tirelessly pursued this goal, as we begin to realize various opportunities that contribute to optimizing Snuneymuxw socioeconomic potential. Our Nation is sharply focused to make investments that bring returns to our people and builds our presence in the economy so that Snuneymuxw takes its rightful place. Today, we also celebrate our partnership with the B.C. Lottery Corporation in our shared pursuit to support the growth of the provincial economy and First Nation participation,” said Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse.

Erralyn Joseph, President of PDG, said: “This measured acquisition is one that PDG celebrates on our quest to build a corporate enterprise that reinvests into Snuneymuxw First Nation. With a strong operating plan that includes risk mitigation and yields sizable gains, PDG is well on its way to generating wealth for Snuneymuxw and taking a seat at the local, regional, provincial, national and global economic tables. 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 PDG.

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Edmonton Oilers and Play Alberta Extend Partnership

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The Edmonton Oilers and Play Alberta announced a new agreement that makes Play Alberta the exclusive sports betting and online gaming partner of the Edmonton Oilers.

The deal will see the Play Alberta logo featured prominently on the Oilers home jerseys and GameSense, AGLC’s responsible gambling program, displayed on the helmets of the Oilers for each home game.

“Play Alberta is proud to continue its partnership with the Edmonton Oilers over the next several seasons. We value our patrons and the fans of the Oilers and are thrilled to see PlayAlberta.ca, Alberta’s trusted gambling platform along with the best-in-class responsible gambling program – GameSense – as prominent fixtures on the Oilers uniformsuniforms,” said Kandice Machado, Chief Executive Officer at AGLC.

PlayAlberta.ca is a leader in the iGaming landscape in the province. All money generated through the site goes to the General Revenue Fund, which supports programs and services that Albertans rely on every day. In addition, the website has integrated AGLC’s GameSense and Self-Exclusion programs to better support players in their gambling journey.

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“We are proud to call Play Alberta the official sportsbook of the Edmonton Oilers. With the revenue generated by Play Alberta going to valued services and programs that help enrich the lives of Albertans, donning the Play Alberta logo on our iconic home jersey is a testament to our long-term commitment to communities across Oil Country,” said Stew MacDonald, President & Chief Revenue Officer, OEG Sports & Entertainment.

The relationship between the Edmonton Oilers and PlayAlberta.ca will allow fans to experience the Play Alberta and GameSense brands through promotions in Rogers Place and ICE District, as well as giveaways throughout the season, including game tickets and memorabilia.

This past year, PlayAlberta.ca generated $235 million in net sales, an increase of more than $42 million from 2022-23. That number contributes to the $1.5 billion in total gaming revenue that’s sent to Alberta’s General Revenue Fund and supports programs and services that Albertans rely on every day.

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