

Canada
PlayNJ.com: Retail, online sportsbooks gain with NCAA Tournament while online casinos enjoy March Madness of their own
New Jersey sportsbooks surged on the strength of March Madness, including the largest retail handle in more than two years, but fell well short of the first $1 billion wagering month in U.S. sports betting history, perhaps delaying the milestone at least until football season, according to PlayNJ, which analyzes and researches the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market. This while online casino gaming continued shatter records in March, setting a fresh high with more than $113 million in revenue.
“March represents a much-needed bounce back after a somewhat disappointing February,” said Dustin Gouker lead analyst for PlayNJ.com. “It will probably be until football season before the state gets that first $1 billion month, but New Jersey’s online market has made a habit of outperforming expectations. Longer term, though, New Jersey’s market faces serious challenges, most notably New York’s expected launch of online sports betting later this year.”
New Jersey’s sportsbooks accepted $859.6 million in wagers in March, according to official data released Friday. That is the state’s highest monthly handle in a month without football, and a sharp difference from the $181.9 million handle in March 2020, a month marred by pandemic-related shutdowns. It is also up 15.7% from the $743 million handle in February.
Including March’s handle, New Jersey has posted the eight highest-volume months in U.S. sports betting history.
March’s wagers produced $60.8 million in revenue. That is up 360.9% from $13.2 million in March 2020, and up 31.5% from $46.2 million February. March’s win resulted in $7.7 million in taxes for the state.
The leap forward in March was expected with the return of the NCAA Tournament, which was immensely popular in 2019 in New Jersey but was canceled in 2020. To that end, basketball accounted for $441.7 million of the state’s handle in March, up from $320.3 million in January and $325.8 million in February. With 51.4%, basketball accounted for the largest share of March’s handle of any sport by far.
Retail sportsbooks generated $79.5 million in bets, the highest volume for retail books since January 2019.
“The popularity of college basketball is what led to the resurgence of retail sportsbooks, good news for a segment that hasn’t seen much over the last year,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for PlayNJ.com. “If New Jersey allowed betting on in-state college teams, the run by Rutgers could have given them an additional boost. Regardless, it was an excellent month for sportsbooks.”
Online betting accounts for 90.8%, or $780.1 million, of the state’s total handle in March. FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet topped the online market with $28.5 million in gross revenue, up from $24.9 million in February.
FanDuel was followed in revenue by:
Resorts Digital/DraftKings/Fox Bet ($14.1 million, up from $7.7 million in February)
BetMGM/Borgata ($6.5 million, up from $4.4 million)
Ocean Casino/William Hill ($2.8 million, up from $2 million)
Monmouth/William Hill/SugarHouse/TheScore ($2.2 million, down from $2.5 million)
Hard Rock/Bet365/Unibet ($1.4 million, up from $1 million)
Caesars Sportsbook/888sport ($721,776, up from $317,766)
Tropicana/William Hill ($142,633, up from $71,758)
Golden Nugget/BetAmerica ($111,453, up from -$37,143)
Meadowlands/FanDuel led all retail books with $2.8 million in revenue.
“New York’s decision to create a closed market was good news for operators who are heavily vested in New Jersey,” Gouker said. “By closing the market, the select few operators that will operate in New York will have to focus on profitability just to meet the state’s high revenue split. That will leave a window open for some operators to offer more competitive products and promote more aggressively than any operator in New York.”
Online casinos and poker
For all the attention paid to New Jersey’s sportsbooks, online casinos and poker remain the biggest winner in the state. Online casino games and poker generated a U.S. record $113.7 million in revenue, up 75.4% from $64.8 million in March 2020, which was the first month of a year-long expansion. March’s revenue topped the previous record of $103.8 million set in January.
Online casinos and poker generated a record $3.7 million per day over the 31 days in March, up from $3.4 million per day over 28 days in February. The result for the state was $17.1 million in taxes.
Revenue from online casinos was $111 million, up from $61.2 million in March 2020. Online poker produced $2.7 million, down from $3.6 million in March 2020.
For the first time in years Golden Nugget was not the market leader in March. Borgata generated a market record $36.2 million in revenue on online casino games and poker, up from $25.7 million in February. Golden Nugget generated $31.8 million in March revenue, up from $27.9 million in February.
“Borgata’s increasing focus on and success in the online market shows how the pandemic changed the dynamic for online casinos,” Ramsey said. “Even when we get past this pandemic, I don’t think gamblers will log into online casinos any less. Instead, this year-long surge points to a long-lasting market shift.
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting and online gaming in New Jersey, visit PlayNJ.com/news.
AGLC
AGLC Announces New Board Chair

Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has announced the appointment of Larry Spagnolo as the new Board Chair, effective August 15, 2025. This announcement follows the official Order in Council issued by the Alberta Government and marks a new chapter in AGLC’s ongoing commitment to support communities, encourage responsible choices and position Alberta as the best place to do business.
Larry brings a wealth of experience in technology and business leadership to the AGLC Board and will play an integral role in guiding AGLC’s strategic direction. He is currently serving as VP and GM of Emerson’s SaaS SCADA business and has held senior roles at Zedi and Telus, driving innovation, growth, and global success.
A strong advocate for education and community, Larry serves as Vice Chair of Athabasca University’s Board of Governors and has held board roles with NAIT and Polytechnics Canada. He was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his community contributions.
AGLC and the Board of Directors extend their heartfelt thanks to Len Rhodes for his leadership and dedication as Board Chair since August 2019. He decided not to seek a third term and will continue to serve in this role until August 14, 2025. Len led AGLC through some significant milestones, including reducing red tape by 51%, growth of the emerging cannabis industry and ensuring AGLC delivered a balanced approach to business development, social responsibility, and regulatory oversight.
The post AGLC Announces New Board Chair appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Bonus Guardian
Pinnacle Ontario live with CasinoEngine in North America debut

EveryMatrix has expanded its partnership with tier-1 operator Pinnacle powering its new casino in Ontario, Canada, using CasinoEngine platform technology – the first time its platform solution has gone live in North America.
The latest agreement builds on the two companies’ previous collaboration that saw EveryMatrix’s CasinoEngine productivity platform power the well-known brand’s global casino offering.
The new launch takes the relationship to North America, marking EveryMatrix’s debut CasinoEngine platform integration in that market.
BonusEngine, EveryMatrix’s cross-vertical bonusing tool will be integrated in the second phase of launch. This will equip Pinnacle Ontario with a host of bonus types as well as AI-powered bonus abuse solution Bonus Guardian.
BonusEngine is the first of multiple engagement tools from EveryMatrix’s EngageSuite that Pinnacle plans to integrate.
With this comprehensive toolkit at its disposal, and the opportunity to add even more casino products in the future, Pinnacle Ontario can tailor campaigns, segment audiences, and reward players more effectively, creating a world-class digital entertainment experience for its customers.
EveryMatrix has more than 300 global customers and holds North American licences in Ontario, New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Stian Enger Petersen, CEO, Casino, EveryMatrix, said: “This launch marks a key milestone for EveryMatrix as we bring our market-leading CasinoEngine platform to Canada for the first time.
“We’re delighted to expand our partnership with Pinnacle and support their ambitions in Ontario with a powerful combination of platform, content, and engagement tools that are proven to drive success.”
The post Pinnacle Ontario live with CasinoEngine in North America debut appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
AGCO
Prime Skill Games Inc. Official Response to AGCO Press Release

As CEO of Prime Skill Games Inc., I feel compelled to address recent comments made by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regarding so-called unapproved gambling machines in convenience stores across the province.
Let me be perfectly clear
Our machines are not gambling devices. They are entirely skill-based, fully compliant with the law, and built on the fundamental idea that players are in control. The outcome of every session is determined solely by the player’s ability, not by random chance.
Prime Skill Games is proud to be the only true skill game operating in Ontario today.
We categorically reject any suggestion that our products fall under the definition of unregulated gambling. Such statements are inaccurate, misleading, and fail to recognize the critical distinction between games of skill and games of chance.
We stand firmly behind the legality of our machines and the integrity of our operations. We will demonstrate this through every available means, whether through legal documentation, expert analysis, or, if necessary, before the courts. We are prepared and unafraid to defend the truth.
To our players, partners, and business community, we want to reassure you that our mission has not changed. We are committed to offering a responsible, transparent, and innovative entertainment experience. We will not be intimidated by broad and baseless accusations, and we will continue to move forward with strength and clarity.
Sincerely
Matt Zamroźniak
Chief Executive Officer
Prime Skill Games Inc.
The post Prime Skill Games Inc. Official Response to AGCO Press Release appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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