Press Releases
PlayIndiana.com: Sportsbooks shatter record with $230 million in October
Indiana sportsbooks enjoyed a record-shattering October, setting highs in revenue and handle, as bettors were spurred by local interest in the NFL and the return of Big Ten football. In a month that resembled a normal sports schedule more than any month since the pandemic began, October’s handle was more than $230 million, a sign that Indiana’s recent gains are sustainable, according to analysts from PlayIndiana.
“With a schedule that was more comparable to an ordinary October, Indiana’s sportsbooks fared well and offered a clearer read on where Indiana’s market stands,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “Interest in the Indianapolis Colts, Indiana University, and Notre Dame is helping as the state transitions from a market that relies on Chicago to one that is more reliant on local bettors.”
Without a once-in-a-lifetime schedule to drive interest, as was the case in September, bettors still made $230.9 million in bets in October, according to official reporting released Tuesday. That breaks the record $207.5 million hit in September and is up 151.8% from $91.7 million in October 2019.
October’s bets also produced a record $21.1 million in adjusted gross revenue for the state’s operators. That is up 82.9% from $11.5 million in October 2019 and easily surpassing the record $14.3 million in revenue generated in September. The month’s revenue yielded $2 million in taxes in October.
Indiana has now generated $1.6 billion in bets since launching in September 2019, but the state was topped in September by both Colorado and Illinois to fall to sixth. However, the state is becoming less reliant on the Chicago market. Bets on the Colts and the surprising Hoosiers fueled $84.7 million in bets on football. That more than offset the losses of betting inventory in basketball, which drew $10.8 million in bets, and baseball, which chipped in $26.6 million in wagers.
And sportsbooks continue to be imaginative with the types of bets they offer, including offering odds on the Halloween Candy Bowl, a professional candy eating contest held in Las Vegas in late October.
“The market continues to sustain itself by being innovative, which is going to be critical as competition from neighboring states such as Illinois and Michigan increases,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “Wringing a few extra dollars from Joey Chestnut downing candy corn might not be a game-changer on its own. But it is a sign of a larger strategy by sportsbooks to diversify their boards in interesting ways.”
Online betting generated 83.6%, or $193 million, of October’s handle. That is up slightly from 83.5% in September. William Hill launched its online sportsbook, but DraftKings/Ameristar Casino continued to easily lead Indiana’s online market with $90.5 million in bets, up from $83.5 million in September. October’s wagers led to $8.6 million in gross receipts, up from $3.2 million September.
The online market leader was followed by:
- FanDuel/Blue Chip Casino ($63.6 million handle, up from $56.5 million; $7.1 million in gross receipts, up from $2.3 million.
- BetMGM/Belterra ($20.1 million handle, up from $13.2 million; $1.8 million win, up from $1.3 million)
- BetRivers/French Lick Resort ($7.8 million handle, up from $6.2 million; $632,752 win, up from $340,387 )
- PointsBet/Hollywood Lawrenceburg ($7.1 million handle, up from $6.2 million; $862,865 win, up from $281,042)
- Unibet/Horseshoe Hammond ($1.8 million handle, up from $624,525; $188,558 win, up from -$28,340)
- BetAmerica/Rising Star Casino ($189,108 handle, up from $88,832; -$10,016 win, down from $13,565)
- Caesars/Horseshoe Hammond ($403,136 handle, down from $494,622; $31,182 win, up from -$13,954)
- TheScore/Ameristar ($1.5 million handle, up from $407,678 handle; $123,494, up from $44,130 win)
- William Hill ($149,897 handle; $65,406 win)
Retail sportsbooks continued to make gains, combining for a $37.9 million handle in October, up from $34.3 million in September. Hollywood Lawrenceburg, nearest Cincinnati, led retail books with a $11.5 million handle, up from $9.9 million in September.
“Indiana is among the largest markets that DraftKings holds an advantage over rival FanDuel, leveraging its early entry last year into market dominance,” Welman said. “Even as competition has grown, including the entry of William Hill to the market, the top of the online sportsbook food chain has remained remarkably stable.”
Online casino update
Indiana is also inching closer to online casino games, too. Sen. Jon Ford is pushing for legislation next year that would legalize online gambling in the state and give a boost to the state’s gaming industry.
The draft bill proposes a 15% tax rate and would initially authorize 14 casinos and racinos among other proposals
“Indiana built a regulatory framework that has been successful for sportsbooks, and I am confident it can do so again with online casinos,” Gouker said. “The process is still in its infancy, but online gaming offers hope to a casino industry that has been hit hard by the pandemic.”
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 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.
South Africa is once again positioning itself as a leader in ethical gambling practices, with the upcoming Responsible Gambling Summit 2025 set to take place on 13–14 November 2025 at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Gauteng. This landmark event will gather international experts, regulators, and industry professionals to address the most pressing challenges in responsible gambling across Africa.
Hosted by the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation (SARGF) in collaboration with major regulatory bodies such as the National Gambling Board, Eastern Cape Gambling Board, and Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, the summit aims to drive forward an evidence-based, solutions-focused agenda that ensures gambling growth does not come at the cost of public well-being.
As South Africa continues to see rising participation in both land-based and gambling online, the summit is timely. It will tackle issues ranging from technological safeguards and public health integration, to policy harmonisation and vulnerable population protection.
Advocating for Safer Online Gambling
As South Africa strengthens its role in setting responsible gambling standards, SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za remains at the forefront of this effort in the online casino space. Our portal is more than a online casino listing site — it is a trusted source of expert advice, consumer guidance, and responsible gambling advocacy.
Since our inception, we have maintained a clear policy: we only recommend licensed, regulated casinos in south africa that adhere to strict player protection measures. These include transparent terms, fair bonus practices, and built-in tools such as deposit limits, time-outs, and self-exclusion options.
“The online gambling landscape in South Africa is growing rapidly,” says a spokesperson for SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za. “But with growth comes responsibility. Our mission is to ensure players have access to safe, ethical gambling environments. We support the goals of the Responsible Gambling Summit and encourage every operator to prioritise the welfare of their players.”
Practical Frameworks for Change
The Responsible Gambling Summit 2025 will focus on seven key thematic areas:
- Understanding gambling behaviour and disorders through science-led approaches.
- Overcoming barriers to effective policy implementation, including gaps in education and enforcement.
- Leveraging technology, such as AI-driven risk detection and real-time player monitoring.
- Adopting global regulatory best practices tailored to South African realities.
- Protecting at-risk individuals and communities, especially youth and those in lower-income brackets.
- Educating the public on the risks of gambling and how to stay safe.
- Building international networks to ensure future readiness and consistency across borders.
Each session is designed to lead to real-world outcomes, with progress monitored and reported biennially. This commitment to transparency aligns with broader calls for industry-wide accountability.
How Players Can Gamble Responsibly
Whether you’re new to online casinos or an experienced player, here are some essential responsible gambling tips:
- Treat gambling as entertainment, not a way to make money.
- Set a time limit before you start and stick to it.
- Only gamble with money you can afford to lose.
- Avoid playing when you are upset, stressed, or intoxicated.
- Use built-in responsible gaming tools provided by licensed operators.
- Keep track of your play history and regularly review your habits.
- Seek help if gambling is no longer fun, or if it begins to impact your personal life.
At SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za, we make these practices easier by highlighting casinos that offer responsible gambling features as part of our review process. Each recommended site undergoes a thorough evaluation based on licensing, fairness, transparency, and player protection standards.
Our Commitment to the South African Gambling Community
With a growing base of South African users, SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za plays an important educational role in the online gambling space. Our platform offers in-depth guides, news updates, free bonus casinos, free spins casinos and strategy articles designed to help players make informed decisions.
We actively follow developments in gambling regulation and work to ensure our listings are in line with the latest responsible gambling initiatives. As the conversation around ethical gambling evolves, so does our content — reflecting the high standards that South African players deserve.
South Africa’s leadership in responsible gambling sets a high standard not just for the continent, but for the global industry. By playing at casinos that are transparent, regulated, and committed to safety — such as those featured on SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za — players can enjoy the entertainment of gambling while staying in control.
Leading sportsbook provider grows US sports offering with addition of in-play Bet Builders and expanded prop betting
Altenar has expanded its portfolio of US sports by adding more Major League Baseball (MLB) content for the 2025 season.
As part of the enhancement, Altenar has added in-play Bet Builders to allow live betting during MLB games, offering operators the chance to benefit from a surge in the bet type’s popularity. There is also an expanded range of prop betting available on both pre-match and live games, with a vast range of odds now offered on player, team and game props.
Altenar already offers fast markets and micro-betting options, along with same-game parlays, player specials and pitcher lines for the popular league.
An official distributor of MLB data since 2019, Swish Analytics delivers rich, reliable and fast information that enables the development of highly engaging user markets, which are now available to Altenar’s operator partners.
These additions reinforce Altenar’s commitment to delivering relevant and tailored content for US-facing partners, while continually striving for excellence as a sportsbook provider.
Antonis Karakousis, Director of Operations at Altenar, said: “Altenar is driving innovation in US sports by pushing the boundaries of what is possible with our offering. We will continue to grow our presence in this vertical and ensure that our full suite of pre-match, in-play, and at-bat betting products defines the next generation of engagement for our operators’ MLB fans.
“In addition to the above, the development of our MLB Live Bet Builder is another strong statement that reflects our commitment to listening to users’ needs. Enhancing the Bet Builder experience remains a key focus and a central part of our product strategy.”
Altenar will showcase its enhanced terminal at SBC Summit Americas 2025 from May 13–15. Attendees can visit the stand or book a demo to explore the terminal’s new capabilities first-hand here.
Canada
AGCO issues penalties of $151,000 against Great Canadian Entertainment for alleged age verification failures
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued $151,000 in penalties to Great Canadian Entertainment for allegedly failing to prevent minors from accessing gambling on multiple occasions at three Toronto-area casinos.
As part of its investigation, the AGCO reviewed four separate incidents in which minors allegedly gained access to the casino floors and in which some of these minors participated in gambling activities – two cases at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, and one at each of Casino Ajax and Pickering Casino Resort.
The AGCO is committed to ensuring casinos meet Ontario’s high standards of harm reduction and responsible gambling. The AGCO’s Standards require operators to ensure only eligible individuals are permitted into a gambling site and strictly prohibit access to anyone under 19 years of age (except in the course of employment). The Standards also mandate that casino employees have the necessary competence, skills, experience and training to effectively carry out their duties, including age verification.
This enforcement action underscores the AGCO’s dedication to protecting youth and other vulnerable individuals.
A casino operator served with an Order of Monetary Penalty by the AGCO Registrar has the right to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.
“Ontario casino operators have an obligation to ensure minors are not able to access casino floors or activities such as slot machines or table games. The AGCO will continue to monitor and hold all casino operators accountable for fulfilling this important role.” – Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, AGCO.
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