BetMGM
PlayIA.com: Iowa sportsbooks set per-day betting record during $144 million February
Iowa sportsbooks took in nearly $144 million in bets in February and took in more bets per day than in the state’s history, even as the state’s month-over-month handle fell from January’s surge. The bottom line is that the Hawkeye State’s sportsbooks continue to reap significant benefits of no in-person registration requirements, according to analysts for PlayIA, which tracks regulated online and retail gaming in the state.
“Iowa remains perhaps the most compelling case study yet on the effects of in-person registration requirements,” said Jessica Welman, an analyst for PlayIA.com. “February is a short month with only one NFL game to bet on, the Super Bowl, so the relatively flat month-over-month results can be misleading on the surface. But another strong showing still places Iowa in a class of states that are either larger or have far more mature gaming markets. And that would not be possible under the old requirements.”
Online and retail sportsbooks generated $143.6 million in wagers in February, according to official data released Friday. That is down 3.9% from the record $149.5 million handle in January. But betting per day in the 28 days of the month was a record $5.1 million, which was up from the $4.8 million per day bet in the 31 days of January.
February’s handle pushed Iowa’s lifetime handle to $1.1 billion, surpassing an eye-catching milestone.
The biggest reason for the two-month surge is the removal of in-person registration requirements in January. In fact, FanDuel reported new customer registrations multiplied by nearly a factor of seven from December to January, a direct result of the easing of registration requirements. And DraftKings said that by Jan. 5, it had registered more customers via mobile registration than through all of 2020.
Net receipts for sportsbooks did fall 32% month over month, to $7.7 million in February from $11.3 million in January. The month’s revenue still yielded $520,444 in state taxes.
As immediate and significant an effect as the removal of in-person registration requirements has been, it is not the sole reason the state’s sportsbooks remained busy in February. The Super Bowl brought in $16.2 million in wagers, most of which came in February. Bookmakers also benefited from robust interest in men’s college basketball, particularly No. 5 Iowa and Drake, which sits just outside the Top 25.
“When local teams enjoy strong seasons, as both Iowa and Drake are, interest in betting on their games goes up. We see that in every regulated sports betting market in the U.S.,” said Dustin Gouker, analyst for PlayIA.com. “With March Madness on the horizon, more growth almost certainly lies ahead. And sportsbooks should get an even bigger boost if Iowa or Drake can manage a prolonged run in the NCAA Tournament.”
For the month, online sports betting accounted for $143.6 million, or 87.2%, of the state’s overall handle. That brings it closer in line with markets with more mature online sports betting and no on-site registration requirements. In those states, about 90% of all bets are made online.
The surge in online sports betting continues to heat up the race for market share among operators. Iowa’s first online operator in August 2019, William Hill — which partners in Iowa with Prairie Meadows, Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs, Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo, Isle of Capri Bettendorf, Lakeside, and Harrah’s Council Bluffs — retook the online market lead with $45.2 million in online wagers in February. That netted a market-leading $2 million in receipts.
The Wild Rose license, which is anchored by DraftKings but includes BetRivers, took in $38.9 million in online wagers and $1.5 million net receipts. FanDuel, the nation’s largest sportsbook brand, helped put Diamond Jo in third place with $28.4 million in online bets, up from $26.9 million in January. Diamond Jo’s license, which includes BetMGM, netted $1.5 million on those bets.
Still emerging from COVID-related restrictions, retail betting generated $18.4 million, down from $28.8 million. Ameristar topped the retail market with $4.5 million in wagers, just ahead of Diamond Jo Worth’s $4.2 million.
William Hill and its partners lead across all betting platforms, with a combined retail and online handle of $50 million, or 34.8% of the state’s handle. In a U.S. market dominated by FanDuel and DraftKings, Iowa and Nevada are the only two states in which William Hill is the market leader.
“William Hill is still proving that early entry into a market is critically important,” Welman said. “But DraftKings and FanDuel are investing heavily in Iowa, and with their brand recognition, they are seeing a rapid return on that investment. We’ll see how long William Hill is able to hold them off.”
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Iowa, visit PlayIA.com/news.
Adam Greenblatt
BetMGM Secures Exclusive Online Casino Content Rights to “Family Feud” and “The Price is Right” with Fremantle Partnership
BetMGM, a leading iGaming and sports betting operator, announced a new and exclusive online casino rights partnership with Fremantle, a world leader in creating, producing and distributing entertainment content for over 100 years. The multi-year agreement secures the intellectual property rights for iconic game shows “The Price is Right” and “Family Feud” for slots, table games, and non-traditional casino games. The partnership establishes the foundation for BetMGM to create customized online casino content around both game show brands.
“This partnership unlocks various ways for BetMGM and Fremantle to collaborate and expand our brand. ‘Family Feud’ and ‘The Price is Right’ are two of the most popular game shows in North America, and we look forward to bringing their fun and excitement to our online casino in various exciting ways,” said Adam Greenblatt, Chief Executive Officer of BetMGM.
During select weeks throughout the upcoming seasons, BetMGM will be featured as a sponsor with exclusive, never-before-seen partnership integrations for “Family Feud” and “The Price is Right”. Throughout 2025 BetMGM and Fremantle will reveal additional details on these planned partnership activations.
Suzanne Lopez, COO of Fremantle North America, said: “Our exclusive deal with BetMGM and our premier game show IP represents a significant milestone for us both. This innovative collaboration paves the way for in-game branding across diverse online casino categories, while also providing opportunities for integrated TV sponsorships. It’s all about enhancing how fans of ‘The Price Is Right’ and ‘Family Feud’ connect with the shows in fresh, immersive ways.”
The company’s award-winning online casino is home to over 3500 titles across North American markets and one of the largest state-by-state exclusive jackpot networks. BetMGM’s jackpot network currently consists of more than 20 game titles including popular games such as MGM Grand Millions, Bison Fury, and Loot’En Khamun and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The post BetMGM Secures Exclusive Online Casino Content Rights to “Family Feud” and “The Price is Right” with Fremantle Partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
BetMGM
EveryMatrix content live in West Virginia with tier-1 brands
BetMGM and Rush Street Interactive (RSI) are live with EveryMatrix exclusive casino content in West Virginia further extending the technology and games supplier’s regulated US footprint.
EveryMatrix will provide both tier-1 US brands’ customers in the ‘Mountain State’ with games from its in-house studios. This includes Armadillo Studios and, later this year, content from newly acquired Fantasma Games via integration with SlotMatrix, its proprietary B2B aggregation platform, and the industry’s largest content library with 30,000+ games from 350+ studios.
This marks the third state both brands are live with EveryMatrix content following launches in New Jersey and Michigan.
The industry’s fastest growing iGaming technology provider has secured commercial agreements with multiple tier-1 operators in the US with delivery through SlotMatrix.
EveryMatrix has more than 300 global customers and holds North American licences in Ontario, New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Erik Nyman, President, EveryMatrix Americas, said: “Our North American footprint is rapidly growing, and we have ambitious plans to accelerate our roadmap across 2025 and beyond.
“SlotMatrix is at the core of our content integration strategy delivering tier-1 US and Canadian brands with new and existing high-performing content, strengthened later this year by Fantasma Games, that already has strong US market share and further bolstered by our vast aggregation portfolio.”
The post EveryMatrix content live in West Virginia with tier-1 brands appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
BetMGM
BetMGM Appoints Casey Hurbis as Chief Marketing Officer
BetMGM has appointed Casey Hurbis as its new Chief Marketing Officer. Reporting directly to BetMGM Chief Revenue Officer Matt Prevost, Hurbis brings 30 years of diverse consumer marketing expertise to BetMGM’s leadership team, positioning the brand to further accelerate its rapid momentum in the sports betting and iGaming industry.
“Building BetMGM from the ground up into one of the most recognizable brands in the sports betting and iGaming sphere has been an incredible accomplishment made possible by the tireless efforts of our amazing team. Bringing a visionary leader like Casey Hurbis on board adds another impactful advantage for our brand,” said Prevost.
Over the past three decades, Hurbis has spearheaded innovative, needle-moving strategies in consumer engagement, digital advertising, partnership development, experiential marketing and more — expertise that will evolve into big-impact initiatives for BetMGM. Most recently, Hurbis served as Chief Marketing Officer at Rocket Mortgage, where he led marketing strategies that captured the country’s attention for the nation’s largest retail mortgage lender. Highlights of his tenure include consecutive No.1 rankings on USA Today’s Ad Meter for Super Bowl commercials and the launch of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, which has become the most awarded event on the PGA Tour.
Hurbis said: “Sports betting is one of the most competitive and rapidly evolving industries in the marketing world, and I’m honored to join BetMGM at such an exciting time in its growth. BetMGM is a brand with incredible momentum, backed by a team that is redefining how we engage and entertain audiences. I look forward to pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation to not only attract new audiences but enhance the experience for our loyal players to even greater heights.”
Before joining Rocket Mortgage, Casey spent 24 years in automotive marketing, culminating in his role leading advertising and communications for FIAT and Alfa Romeo. Alongside his brand-building expertise, Casey is deeply committed to philanthropy, supporting organizations such as the Special Olympics, the Salvation Army and Bethany Christian Adoption Services. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Adcraft Detroit, Michigan State Communication Arts and Sciences, Brand Innovators and the Detroit Sports Commission.
Hurbis and BetMGM’s creative agency of record, Highdive, previously collaborated on three top-ranked Super Bowl campaigns at Rocket Mortgage, laying the foundation for even greater synergies and success at BetMGM.
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