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PlayIA.com: Iowa sportsbooks hit $150 million in January

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Iowa’s sportsbooks flourished in their first full month without in-person registration, easily surpassing the state record with nearly $150 million in bets. And with many of the biggest sports betting brands, including DraftKings and FanDuel, now gaining a foothold in the Hawkeye State, Iowa is poised for far more growth, according to analysts for PlayIA, which tracks regulated online and retail gaming in the state.

“January was the just first test of an unshackled market, but it didn’t take long to realize just how much Iowa’s sportsbooks have been held back by the state’s in-person registration requirements,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayIA.com. “These will be an exciting next few months in the market, with some of the biggest sports-betting holidays — namely the Super Bowl and March Madness — buoying what should be rapid expansion. This is a whole new era in Iowa sports betting.”

Online and retail sportsbooks combined to take in $149.5 million in wagers, according to official data released Friday. That is up 42.7% from the record $104.8 million handle in December. Those bets increased net receipts to $11.3 million, up 50.5% from $7.5 million in December, which yielded $765,673 in state taxes.

Iowa is the first major U.S. market to report January data, but only seven states drew more in bets in December. Tennessee was seventh with $180.9 million in December wagering.

Online betting was the clear winner for Iowa. 80.8% of all bets, or $120.8 million, were made online. In December, online betting accounted for 74.5%, or $78.1 million, of all bets. In the U.S., about 82% of all legal sports bets are made online, with most of the states without in-person registration requirements, such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania, taking in closer to 90%.

“Iowa’s market already showed a strong preference for online sportsbooks, but the change in the requirements should bring the state more in line to what we see in states such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIA.com “In the pre-pandemic environment, online growth actually grew the pie rather than siphoning off significant action from the retail market. Once the market normalizes, that pattern should hold in Iowa, too.”

The end of the state’s in-person registration requirement altered the landscape for operators, too. DraftKings, the dominant brand on the Wild Rose license, helped wrestle the market lead away from William Hill/Prairie Meadows, but only slightly. The Wild Rose license, which includes DraftKings and newly launched BetRivers, accounted for 33% of the state’s online handle in January with $40.1 million in bets. William Hill, though, still attracted $39.8 million and led the market with $2.9 million revenue, making it the state’s single-largest brand. FanDuel, the nation’s largest sportsbook brand, fueled Diamond Jo’s $26.9 million in online bets. The Diamond Jo license, which also includes newly launched BetMGM, was second in revenue ($2.2 million), topping No. 3 Wild Rose ($2 million).

Diamond Jo Worth topped the retail market with $7.2 million in wagers.

“FanDuel and DraftKings own the market lead in nearly every legal U.S. market, so it’s no surprise that they capitalized on the rules change to increase their market share,” Gouker said. “But William Hill is proving to be a tough competitor. The battles over market share are now just beginning to heat up, though. That is good for consumers, who will benefit from fierce competition among operators.”

For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Iowa, visit PlayIA.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 and its state-focused branches (including PlayIA.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 affiliations to any casino — commercial, tribal, online, or otherwise.

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AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued monetary penalties totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto for multiple violations of provincial gaming standards. The penalties follow an impromptu after-party that was permitted to take place in the pre-dawn hours directly on the casino’s gaming floor.

On September 27, 2024, an electronic dance music event attended by thousands of people was hosted in the theatre adjacent to the casino at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. The event was marked by widespread intoxication, disorderly behavior, and numerous criminal and medical incidents – both inside and outside the venue – including alleged assaults, drug overdoses, and acts of public indecency. Although paid duty officers were present, additional police and emergency services were required to manage the situation.

In the midst of this high-risk environment, casino management approved an unscheduled request by the performing artist to host an after-party on the active gaming floor. The artist and more than 400 guests were permitted onto the gaming floor where the artist was allowed to perform amidst operational table games and gaming machines – without any prior risk assessment or planning.

As a result, security personnel were unable to effectively control the casino floor, including witness reports that an attendee was seen climbing onto slot machines. Failure to maintain appropriate control compromises the security, safety, and integrity of the casino floor. Following the conclusion of the event, the operator failed to promptly report these incidents to the AGCO as required.

Based on the findings of its review, the AGCO’s Registrar has issued an Order of Monetary Penalty (OMP) totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. These penalties address critical failures in their operations, incident reporting, employee training, and the management of disturbances.

A gaming operator served with an OMP has 15 days to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.

“Casino operators have a fundamental duty to control their gaming environment. Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto’s lapses in this incident compromised the safety of patrons and the security and integrity of the gaming floor,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of AGCO, said.

The post AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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IGT and Atlantic Lottery Sign Eight-Year Video Lottery Central System Technology Agreement

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International Game Technology PLC announced that its subsidiary, IGT Canada Solutions ULC (hereinafter “IGT”), signed an eight-year agreement with Atlantic Lottery to supply its IntelligenEVO video lottery central system technology across Atlantic Canada. The agreement includes the option for multiple extensions and positions the Atlantic Lottery to become the first World Lottery Association (WLA)-affiliated lottery operator to deploy IGT’s next-generation central management system in a game-to-system (G2S) distributed market.

“By leveraging IGT’s IntelligenEVO technology, Atlantic Lottery will power its video lottery network with the industry’s best-in-class central system and position itself to maximize future contributions to good causes. As an organization that prioritizes system security and exceptional player experiences, Atlantic Lottery believes that IGT’s IntelliegnEVO solution will help generate high player satisfaction and optimal network performance,” said Michael MacKinnon, Atlantic Lottery VP, Product.

“As a long-time supplier to Atlantic Lottery, IGT looks forward to helping the Lottery achieve its growth and player engagement goals with our leading-edge IntelligenEVO video lottery central system. IGT’s IntelligenEVO is a scalable technology for the WLA market that is backed by decades of experience and operator feedback, and maximizes the benefits of real-time data, cloud-based technologies and in-depth analytics,” said David Flinn, IGT SVP Canada, EMEA and LATAM, Gaming Sales.

With peak system security, network availability and responsible gaming functionalities, IntelligenEVO is a reliable, scalable solution that can meet the needs of today and in the future. The solution will accelerate time-to-market and enables the Atlantic Lottery to benefit from the system’s suite of player-focused functionality. The technology’s G2S and open API design optimizes data collection and delivery and will enable Atlantic Lottery to customize their program for evolving player needs.

The post IGT and Atlantic Lottery Sign Eight-Year Video Lottery Central System Technology Agreement appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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BetRivers

NetGaming Goes Live in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive via BetRivers Platform

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NetGaming, a fast-growing online casino content supplier, is proud to announce its launch in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive, Inc., a leading online casino and sports betting company in the United States, Canada and Latin America. This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone for NetGaming as it continues to expand its footprint across regulated North American markets.

As part of the launch, Ontario players on BetRivers can now enjoy a diverse portfolio of NetGaming titles, known for their high-quality graphics, immersive gameplay, and unique themes. Standout games such as Zeus’s Thunderbolt, Bison Gold, and Fireball Inferno are among the first to go live, with additional titles set to follow soon.

This partnership is just the beginning. NetGaming plans to extend its collaboration with Rush Street Interactive into Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Mexico over the coming months.

Pallavi Deshmukh, CEO of NetGaming, commented: “We are thrilled to go live with Rush Street Interactive, a powerhouse operator with a strong presence and loyal player base. This launch marks a significant milestone in our
North American expansion strategy and underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional gaming experiences tailored to local player preferences across the region.”

Richard Schwartz, CEO of Rush Street Interactive, commented: “We are pleased to partner with NetGaming to bring innovative, premium games to our players in Ontario. This collaboration aligns with our strategy to offer world-class
entertainment through engaging, action-packed online casino games. We look forward to expanding this partnership into additional regulated markets in the months ahead.”

This strategic partnership highlights both companies’ dedication to providing high- quality, innovative, and responsible entertainment to players in regulated markets.

The post NetGaming Goes Live in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive via BetRivers Platform appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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