Connect with us
European Gaming Congress 2024

Canada

PlayIndiana.com: Sportsbooks shatter wagering records in September

Published

on

 

Indiana’s retail and online sportsbooks celebrated the return of football in September to generate a record-breaking $355.4 million in wagers and $33.3 million in revenue. The surge is evidence of a new level of bettor enthusiasm, which could make any record short-lived, according to PlayIndiana, which tracks the state’s gaming industry.

“Football remains king, even when the Colts get off to a slow start as they did in September,” said Nicole Russo, an analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “A busy schedule of Indiana, Notre Dame, and Purdue football certainly helped boost interest, too. The bottom line, though, is that the state’s industry continues to grow and mature and that will likely lead to even stronger months ahead as baseball’s postseason starts and the NBA returns.”

Online and retail sportsbooks generated a record $355.4 million in bets in September, edging the previous record of $348.2 million set in January, according to official reporting released Tuesday. September’s handle was up 71.3% from $207.5 million in September 2020 and up 64.8% from $215.6 million in August, as bettors increased the pace of betting to $11.8 million per day over the 30 days of September. That is up from $6.9 million per day in September 2020 and $7 million per day in August.

Gross gaming revenue reached $33.3 million, topping the previous record of $31.7 million set in January. September’s revenue was up 196.4% from $11.2 million in September 2020 and up 99.4% from $16.7 million in August. Taxable revenue landed at $33.9 million in September, yielding $3.3 million in state taxes.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Through the year’s first nine months, Indiana’s sportsbooks have combined to generate $2.4 billion in wagering and $206.6 million in gross gaming revenue, already easily surpassing the $136.4 million in revenue on $1.8 billion wagered in all of 2020.

“The bar has been set much higher for Indiana’s sports betting market, and could double the wagering from last year,” said Eric Ramsey, an analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayIndiana.com. “Indiana remains one of the five largest sports betting markets in the country, and the growth is showing few signs of letting up at this point. Sportsbooks should approach $4 billion in wagers for the year.”

September featured a full college football schedule and three full weekends of NFL football, and bettors made wagers in droves as a result. Football attracted $148.6 million in wagering in September, which is a dramatic gain from the $48.4 million wagered on football in September 2020. Interest in the Colts remained strong even as they started 0-3, and sportsbooks even got a boost with the surprising Cincinnati Bengals.

Baseball was a popular bet, too, drawing $52.9 million in wagering in September. That is up from $30.5 million in September 2020.

“Sportsbooks have made a hard push to attract customers this fall,” Ramsey said. “We’re just starting to see the fruits of those promotions, but September’s wagering makes it clear that those efforts are already working to expand the overall customer base.”

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Online betting produced $320.1 million in wagers, 90.1% of September’s handle. DraftKings led online operators with a $130.4 million handle in September, down from $74.2 million in August. September’s bets produced $7.2 million in gross receipts, up from $4.4 million in August. FanDuel was again No. 2 in the state with $77.2 million in online wagering, up from $52.6 million in August. Those bets produced a state-best $10.6 million in gross receipts.

The leaders were followed by:

  • BetMGM ($37.1 million handle, up from $26.2 million in June; $4.5 million win, up from $2.5 million).
  • Caesars ($30.7 million handle, up from $16.9 million; $719,110 win, down from $977,286)
  • Barstool ($16.1 million handle, up from $8.6 million; $1.5 million win, up from $347,062)
  • PointsBet ($11.0 million handle, up from $5.9 million; $1.1 million win, up from $574,087)
  • BetRivers ($8.9 million handle, up from $5.8 million; $597,566 win, up from $409,812)
  • TheScore ($3.1 million handle, up from $1.8 million; $367,218 win, up from $28,776 loss)
  • WynnBet ($2.6 million handle, up from $777,706; $313,478 win, up from $77,443)
  • TwinSpires ($1.5 million handle, up from $1.3 million; $85,461 win, up from $37,866)
  • Unibet ($950,588 handle, up from $775,921; $54,315 win, up from $22,300)
  • BetWay ($615,790 handle, up from $301,696; $44,980 win, up from $5,081 loss)

Meanwhile, operators used football as an opportunity to gain market share. That includes high-profile partnership deals between the Colts and Caesars and WynnBET.

“Operators use the increased interest in betting that inevitably comes with football season to increase brand awareness and eventually carve out market share,” Russo said. “With so many brands operating in Indiana, the competition for deals with other high-profile brands like the Colts are fierce, but they can help boost visibility.”

Retail sportsbooks took in $35.3 million in wagering in September, up from $20.4 million in August. Hollywood Lawrenceburg, nearest to Cincinnati and one of the highest-volume retail sportsbooks in the U.S., led retail books in Indiana with $11.5 million in wagers, up from $5.6 million in August. Ameristar East Chicago was second with $5.0 million in bets, ahead of Horseshoe Hammond ($4.2 million).

For more revenue information on Indiana sportsbooks, visit PlayIndiana.com/revenue.
Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Canada

Relax Gaming joins forces with PointsBet to strengthen footprint in Ontario

Published

on

relax-gaming-joins-forces-with-pointsbet-to-strengthen-footprint-in-ontario

 

Relax Gaming, the iGaming aggregator and supplier of unique content, has significantly enhanced its presence in the Ontario market through an agreement with leading Canadian operator, PointsBet.

This partnership reinforces Relax Gaming’s aim to become a standout provider across North America, having already gained early success in Ontario. Relax became one of the first suppliers to deliver content to the region’s players in March 2022, debuting with over 120 games across multiple operators.

PointsBet pride themselves as one of Canada’s leading operators offering unmatched speed, ease of use, and a comprehensive array of pre-game and in-play sports betting options. This is complemented by a top-tier online casino which will now be boosted with the integration of Relax’s portfolio of slots and live dealer options.

With its authentic Canadian approach, PointsBet prioritises technology that minimises external dependencies to maintain control over its platform and has a commitment to responsible gambling best practices, ensuring a safe and secure environment for all players.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Martin Stålros, CEO at Relax Gaming, said: “Since we launched in Ontario we have enjoyed tremendous success, with our content hitting the sweet spot for the broad range of players in the Canadian province. This partnership with PointsBet will strengthen our presence in the market as the region’s leading operator integrates our rich content portfolio which will engage its player base.”

Scott Vanderwel, Chief Executive Officer at PointsBet, added: “Relax Gaming has established a strong reputation across North America and in Ontario in particular. The impressive range of content that will be integrated into our platform will increase engagement within our online platform and we are delighted to be able to provide more immersive experiences to our audiences.”

Established as one of the industry’s leading B2B suppliers, Relax Gaming was awarded GGA’s Product Launch of the Year in February 2023 for Dream Drop Jackpots. Money Train 3 names the 2023 CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards amongst its 6 Slot of the Year titles, while the brand also won the award for Skill Games Supplier at the 2023 EGR B2B Awards along with the Innovation in Mobile award at the 2023 SBC Awards.

Relax Gaming provides more than 4,000 online casino games, from its high-performing proprietary slots to a significant, varied library of content from hand-picked third-party studios via its partnership programmes.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading

Canada

Jackpot Digital Receives Approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority

Published

on

jackpot-digital-receives-approval-from-the-saskatchewan-liquor-and-gaming-authority

 

Jackpot Digital, a leading manufacturer of electronic multiplayer dealerless poker tables, has announced that it has received approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) to act as a registered supplier of gaming supplies and services to regulated casinos in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

The approval follows the Company’s news release dated February 6, 2024, announcing the signing of a licensing agreement with the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) to install the Company’s Jackpot Blitz dealerless poker ETGs into SIGA casinos.

SIGA operates seven casinos and Playnow.com in Saskatchewan. At the outset, SIGA proposes to install Jackpot Blitz machines at its Dakota Dunes and Gold Horse Casino properties, located in Saskatoon and Lloydminster, respectively.

Jackpot CEO Jake Kalpakian said: “We are excited to receive approval as a gaming equipment supplier in Saskatchewan. This represents the first major jurisdictional, non-tribal license received by Jackpot during our continuing expansion into the land-based casino market. We have many more license applications underway in the US and other Canadian provinces, which will dramatically impact our ability to accelerate the rollout of Jackpot Blitz across North America.”

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading

Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation

Play Alberta, CSEC Extend Partnership

Published

on

play-alberta,-csec-extend-partnership

 

Teams under the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) banner have expanded their long-term partnership with Play Alberta, the province’s premier iGaming destination. As part of the agreement, the Flames will feature AGLC’s responsible gambling program, GameSense, on their home helmets and a Play Alberta insignia displayed on their home jerseys. The Stampeders, Wranglers, and Roughnecks will integrate the Play Alberta logo onto their uniforms.

“There’s significant importance now to showcase meaningful responsible gambling efforts in the iGaming industry. I’m proud of our initiatives to provide GameSense with such a visible platform. GameSense promotes healthy gambling habits online and in person and including AGLC’s responsible gambling platform over the course of this partnership is a huge accomplishment,” Kandice Machado, Chief Executive Officer at AGLC.

The agreement makes Play Alberta the exclusive sports betting and online gaming partner of the Flames, Wranglers, Stampeders, and Roughnecks. Through the partnership, Play Alberta and CSEC will develop unique partnerships and in-arena giveaways during the season.

“Through GameSense, our partnership with Play Alberta equips our fans with the knowledge required if they wish to participate in gaming while they support their home team. We are both proud and excited to extend our relationship with Play Alberta that makes cheering for our teams that much more fun while also generating revenue to support the quality of life for Albertans,” said CSEC President and CEO Robert Hayes.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Alberta is the first jurisdiction in North America to partner with professional sports franchises and integrate PlayAlberta.ca and social responsibility branding onto uniforms. It upholds AGLC’s commitment to responsible play, raising awareness of GameSense and Self-Exclusion, resources that give bettors the tools they need to make healthy gambling choices.

In addition, proceeds generated through the website go toward the province’s General Revenue Fund. In 2023–24, $235 million was generated for programs and services that Albertans rely on every day through Play Alberta, an increase of more than $42 million from the previous year.

Continue Reading

Trending