Press Releases
COLORADO SPORTS BETTING’S $25.6 MILLION DEBUT A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IS TO COME
Debut of sports betting among the best ever even without major sports being played, according to PlayColorado analysts
Colorado’s first month of sports betting topped the debut month of most of the largest markets in the country, even without a major sport to bet on. But the state’s much-delayed first official data release on Monday — which confirmed that Colorado’s sportsbooks generated $946,741 in operator revenue on $25.6 million in bets in May — is merely a glimpse into the bright future for Colorado’s sports betting market, according to PlayColorado analysts.
“Considering the circumstances of its first month, Colorado debuted about as well as any market could,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayColorado.com. “Ultimately the revenue that was driven while sports were mostly dormant is less important than sportsbooks launching and engaging sports bettors so they’re ready when major sports resume. By that metric, Colorado’s launch was a success.”
Only Indiana, which attracted $35.2 million in bets when retail sportsbooks launched in September 2019, produced a larger handle in its first month of legal sports betting than Colorado. And the Centennial State compared well with other, more established betting markets during the same month. In fact, Indiana, the country’s fourth-largest sports betting market, accepted $37.3 million in wagers in May, while Oregon recorded far less than Colorado with $7.3 million.
Anecdotally, it is likely the two largest brands in U.S. legal sports betting — DraftKings DraftKings Sportsbook/Golden Gulch Casino and FanDuel Sportsbook/Golden Gates Casino — led the Colorado market in its first month. But the state did not release data on individual operators.
More brands are coming, too. SBK Sportsbook/Bronco Billy’s Casino and Sky Ute Sportsbook/Sky Ute Casino and Resort have already launched this month. And possibly dozens of online and mobile sportsbooks are expected to open in Colorado.
“One of the primary reasons why Colorado fared well in its first month is that the top brands were ready to go from the beginning,” Gouker said. “Having FanDuel and DraftKings, in addition to BetMGM and BetRivers, accepting bets on the first day of operation is unprecedented. It shows just how much confidence operators have in the future of the Colorado market.”
With Colorado’s 10% tax rate, the revenue generated in May injected $96,538 into state coffers. But PlayColorado projects that the state’s handle could eventually reach $6 billion a year or more, so tax revenues will undoubtedly grow.
Before that happens, the sports world needs to reopen. $7.9 million of Colorado’s bets were placed on sports categorized as “other” than football, basketball, baseball, or myriad other sports. Remarkably, table tennis generated $6.6 million in bets while bettors were limited in May mainly to golf’s The Match: Champions for Charity, four nights of UFC fights, NASCAR, Bundesliga soccer, and Korean baseball.
“The real test won’t likely come until August, when presumably baseball, the NBA, and the NHL are in play, and the NFL season gets closer,” Gouker said. “But sportsbooks are laying the groundwork for a quick start. And that will be important once sports do resume.”
Colorado is expected to release its data for June next week.
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Colorado, visit PlayColorado.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.com and its state-focused branches (including PlayColorado.com, PlayIndiana.com, and PlayNJ.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.
Latest News
THE UNIT TO STEP UP EXPANSION PLANS WITH OPENING OF NEW YORK CITY OFFICE
The Unit aims to grow its presence in the Americas with move to new Manhattan location in January 2025 at Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub
The Unit, a leader in product design and development for sports betting and iGaming, will proudly open its new office in New York City, as part of its long-term global expansion objectives, in January 2025.
The Americas division was established in 2023 with the launch of The Unit’s partnership with online operator PlayStar Casino. The New York City office, located in the heart of Manhattan, will now be the hub for The Unit’s activity in the Americas.
This new base will be located at Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub, which was launched to help Irish business owners expand their North American operations. The offices at 2 Grand Central Tower are a great asset to Irish companies aiming to expand their operations in the United States and beyond. This is an ideal location for The Unit to grow its footprint in the region.
The project will be put into practice by The Unit’s Head of Business Development & Account Management Mark O’Hare, who has relocated to New York and will be responsible for The Unit’s commercial growth in the region.
With product and development teams in Ireland and Moldova, the addition of an American hub is further proof The Unit holds an unwavering commitment to becoming the partner of choice, on a global scale, throughout the industry.
Paddy Casey, Co-founder at The Unit, said: “These are exciting times for The Unit, and with plans in place to exponentially grow our presence in the Americas across the next few years, the start of 2025 will be the perfect time for us to move into one of the most vibrant cities in the world.
“This will be the ideal addition to our existing bases in Ireland and Moldova. The flexible workspace the hub can provide will be integral to our plans and will give us the opportunity to grow the team.
“This is an excellent opportunity for us to touch base with clients in the Americas and strategise further launches. We’re looking forward to mapping out our future in the region with our team on the ground there.
“I would like to thank Mark O’Hare for making the move to New York, and I’m sure both he and his team will have the skills and experience to execute our vision for the Americas division across the long-term.”
Tania Sheikh, Manager of NYC Hub for Bank of Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to welcome The Unit to the NYC Hub. The facilities we can provide have helped businesses scale up and connect with their partners, and we are proud to offer that opportunity to The Unit.
“We look forward to hosting The Unit and wish them well in their endeavors to grow their business here.”
The Unit has solidified its strong track record of building world-class, scalable and efficient products for the sports betting and iGaming sector in recent years.
As The Unit embarks on this exciting period of growth, the company remains committed to delivering exceptional products and services to its clients. With its experienced team, best-in-class product development capabilities, and focus on innovation, The Unit is poised to shape the future of the sports betting and iGaming industries.
Latest News
Golden Matrix Group to Participate in the 2025 ICR Conference
Golden Matrix Group Inc., a developer and licensor of online gaming platforms, systems, and gaming content, today announced that management will participate in the 2025 ICR Conference on January 13-15, 2025 at the Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando, FL.
Zoran Milosevic, Chief Executive Officer of Meridianbet, will participate in a fireside chat with an equity research analyst on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 2:30 PM ET and will also be available for meetings during the conference.
Canada
Be #GiftSmart: Scratch the Idea of Gifting Scratch & Win Tickets to Kids
BCLC reminds adults to gift responsibly this holiday season
With the holiday season in full swing, BCLC is reminding British Columbians to gift responsibly and scratch lottery products from their shopping lists for kids.
“Scratch & Win tickets can make great stocking stuffers for the adults in your life, but they’re not for kids,” said Ryan McCarthy, BCLC’s Director of Player Health. “The research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behaviour as they grow up. While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.”
While Scratch & Win tickets are among the most common ways kids can be introduced to gambling, children are increasingly exposed to various online forms, such as gambling streams.
“With the convergence of gaming and gambling, youth are becoming more exposed to gambling content in online spaces like streaming sites, where creators are able to live-stream their own gambling, usually while playing online slots and instant games,” said Dr. Luke Clark, Director for Gambling Research at UBC. “Our research at the UBC Centre for Gambling shows that a higher frequency of watching online gambling streams is associated with a more positive attitude towards gambling and a high intention to gamble in the future.”
In B.C., it is illegal to sell lottery products to anyone under the age of 19 and BCLC encourages adults to have conversations with the kids in their lives about the risks associated with gambling.
“Open and honest conversations are crucial when it comes to navigating childhood exposure to gambling,” said McCarthy, who shared the following tips to adults:
- Monitor for gambling-related lifestyle changes. For example, developing a positive attitude towards gambling or a preoccupation with video games or streaming sites.
- Be a positive role model. Exhibit safer gambling behaviour and talk about the risks.
- Limit exposure. Monitor kids’ online activities and discourage engagement with gambling content. Explain how gambling is based on chance.
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