Connect with us
European Gaming Congress 2024

Canada

ILLINOIS SPORTSBOOKS HIT RECORD $840 MILLION IN BETS IN OCTOBER Football, basketball betting spurs records for handle, revenue, and tax revenue as end of in-person registration requirements approaches, according to PlayIllinois

Published

on

 

Illinois sportsbooks reached a new monthly record for wagering and revenue for the first time since the reinstatement of in-person registration. With more than $840 million in wagers, Illinois joined the top 18 legal sports betting markets in the U.S. that — using five weekends of football, the opening of the NBA season, and baseball’s postseason — set a market wagering record in October, according to PlayIllinois, which tracks the state’s regulated sports betting market.

“A calendar with an extra weekend of NFL and college football, the opening of the NBA and NHL seasons, and baseball’s postseason was always going to bring more action than a quieter month,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayIllinois.com. “Regardless, a new high highlights the continued strength of Illinois’ market, and it should grow even stronger in the coming months.”

Retail and online sportsbooks combined to handle $840.4 million in wagers in October, shattering the record of $633.6 million set in March, according to official data released Tuesday. Wagers were up 40.9% from $596.5 million in September and up 93.4% from $434.6 million in October 2020, as betting in October hastened to $27.1 million per day from $19.9 million per day in the previous month.

Gross revenue rose 2.9% to $48.3 million in October from $47.0 million in October 2020 and up 8.4% from $44.6 million in September. October’s revenue still fell short of the record $49.9 million in gross revenue set in March. Taxable revenue did reach an all-time high, though, to $52.6 million in adjusted gross revenue, yielding $8.5 million in state and local taxes.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The record handle and revenue was good news for Illinois’ sportsbooks, which after the return of in-person online registration in April had not reached the highs seen in the months before. Illinois ranked No. 3 in March among all U.S. markets with $633.6 million in wagers, behind only New Jersey ($859.6 million) and Nevada ($640.8 million). Illinois still ranked No. 3 in October, but has lost ground to New Jersey ($1.3 billion) and Nevada ($1.1 billion) — the first two states to surpass $1 billion in wagers in a month.

But with HB 3136 awaiting signature, which would do away with in-person registration early next year, perhaps a $1 billion month could soon come to Illinois.

“The Illinois sports betting market is thriving in spite of the current online registration rules, so it’s exciting to imagine what it will look like when sportsbooks are untethered,” said Joe Boozell, lead analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “A surge of new operators will certainly come. And there are an untold number of Illinoisans sitting on the sidelines interested in making a bet through an online sportsbook, but not enough to make a trip to a retail sportsbook to register.” 

October’s growth was a direct result of the month’s busy sports calendar. Five weekends of football, including a Chicago Bears game each weekend, attracted $330.1 million in wagers on the sport. That is up from $230.6 million in September. The opening of the NBA season, including a hot start by the Chicago Bulls, drove $93.3 million in action. Meanwhile, baseball attracted $77.6 million in bets, followed by tennis ($53.4 million), and soccer ($36.2 million).

“The Bears’ struggles are dampening bettor enthusiasm somewhat, but NFL wagering isn’t dictated as much by the success of local teams as other sports,” Ramsey said. “The early success of the Bulls, however, and the short playoff run by the White Sox, were a definite help.” 

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Online betting accounted for $803.4 million of the wagers in October, or 95.6% of the state’s total handle. DraftKings/Casino Queen led the state with $315.3 million in combined online and retail handle, including $308.8 million in online wagers. The combined handle was up from $236.5 million in September and produced $11.7 million in gross revenue.

FanDuel was next with $236.7 million in online and retail wagers, including $235.4 million in online wagering. The combined handle was up from $156.2 million in September and created a market-best $22.3 million in gross revenue.

The leaders were followed by:

  • BetRivers/Rivers Casino ($135.7 million in wagers, including $119.0 million online; $8.0 million in revenue)
  • Barstool/Hollywood Aurora ($69.8 million in wagers, including $67.9 million online; $2.4 million in revenue)
  • PointsBet/Hawthorne Race Course ($62.4 million in wagers, including $59.6 million online; $2.8 million in revenue)
  • Caesars by William Hill/Grand Victoria ($14.0 million in wagers, including $12.7 million online; $593,941 in revenue)
  • Argosy ($4.0 million in retail wagers; $391,897 in revenue)
  • Hollywood Joliet ($1.8 million in retail wagers; $120,418 in revenue)
  • Par-A-Dice ($751,089 million in wagers; $43,120 in revenue)

“With only six in the state, Illinois is home to far fewer online sportsbook operators than any other major U.S. market,” Boozell said. “By next year, the number of online operators should grow well into the double-digits. An increase in competition would be hugely beneficial for bettors.”

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Canada

SGG Media Announces Exciting New PlayOJO Partnership

Published

on

sgg-media-announces-exciting-new-playojo-partnership

 

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.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

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.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

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.”

Continue Reading

Canada

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

Published

on

great-canadian-entertainment-and-petroglyph-development-group-announce-agreement-for-purchase-and-sale-of-elements-casino-victoria

 

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.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

“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.

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

Canada

Edmonton Oilers and Play Alberta Extend Partnership

Published

on

edmonton-oilers-and-play-alberta-extend-partnership

 

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.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

“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.

Continue Reading

Trending