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PlayIllinois.com: Sports betting drops, but Illinois still claims nation’s No. 2 market in April

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Illinois sportsbooks

 

Illinois became the nation’s No. 2 market despite suffering the steepest month-over-month decline in sports betting volume in the young market’s history, joining New Jersey as the only states with an April handle of more than $500 million. The decline in wagering was in line with a typical seasonal slowdown in sports betting that affected nearly every U.S. market, and less than expected with the return of in-person registration on April 4, according to analysts from PlayIllinois, which tracks the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.

“Without the NFL or a major sports betting holiday like March Madness a decline in April was a near certainty,” said Joe Boozell, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “The Illinois market faced a double-whammy with the return of in-person registration, which will eventually eat away at the market’s ceiling even if it hasn’t dramatically impacted handle yet. And there is no easy solution to that without a legislative fix.”

Betting at Illinois’ retail and online sportsbooks fell 15.2% to $537.2 million in April from the record $633.6 million in March, according to official data released Wednesday. Betting volume in April dropped to $17.3 million per day over the 31 days of the month from $20.4 million per day in March.

April’s handle created $43.6 million in adjusted gross revenue, down from $44.3 million in March, yielding $6.5 million in state taxes and more than $527,100 in local taxes. The state has now produced $4.1 billion in wagering since sports betting launched in 2020.

All but one U.S. legal sports betting jurisdiction reported a month-over-month decline in April wagering, including the 10 largest markets. Illinois’s decline was more than New Jersey (-13%), Tennessee (-13.6%), and Pennsylvania (-14.4%), but shallower than Colorado (-18.8%), Virginia (-22.1%), Indiana (-25.4%), Iowa (-26.7%), Nevada (-29.1%), and Michigan (-30.5%).

Despite the decline in April only New Jersey took in more wagers, making Illinois the No. 2 market in the U.S. Nearly all of those declines can be explained by the expected seasonal drop in sports betting, which typically begins in April and continues until the football season. Illinois’ handle, though, also faced the return of in-person registration requirements, and the impact came swiftly.

“Illinois is proving to be remarkably resilient as a market, overcoming the inconvenience of in-person registration at least temporarily,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for the PlayUSA.com network, which includes PlayIllinois.com. “A concerted push before in-person registration went into place likely helped lessen the short-term effects, but it will be difficult for Illinois to keep pace with the nation’s top markets over the long term.”

The NBA easily generated the most action in April with $171.4 million, which was down from $365.7 million. Baseball was the second-most wagered-on sport, generating $121.2 million in bets.

Online wagering accounted for 95.5%, or $513.2 million, of all bets in April.

With the partial removal of the ban on wagering on in-state college teams — allowing retail sportsbooks to take bets on Northwestern, Illinois, Northern Illinois, and others — the state legislature did give retail books something to look forward to when college football returns. But the ban will remain for online sportsbooks, which will mute the importance of the change.

“The change is a positive one, but it won’t make a significant difference in the short-term,” Boozell said. “Illinoisans overwhelmingly place their bets online. So, any change that only affects retail betting will be limited in its impact. Hopefully this will be an incremental step toward lifting the ban entirely.”

FanDuel/Fairmont’s online and retail sportsbooks attracted $177.8 million in bets, the first time FanDuel has topped the market. DraftKings/Casino Queen was second with $169.6 million in combined handle. BetRivers/Rivers Casino fell to $84.3 million in combined handle. Barstool/Hollywood Casinos was fourth with $51.4 million, in its first full month of online operation.

“FanDuel catching DraftKings is a seismic shift in the dynamics of the market, and a credit to FanDuel’s campaign to register bettors ahead of in-person registration,” Welman said. “Barstool’s push to register customers before in-person registration took effect made a difference, too. But it will be difficult to make significant inroads on the market leaders, which all had months of being able to register customers unencumbered.”

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GR8 Tech Brings “Best Workplace 2024” and Fresh LatAm Insights from BIS SiGMA Americas

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GR8 Tech Brings “Best Workplace 2024” and Fresh LatAm Insights from BIS SiGMA Americas

 

GR8 Tech’s participation at the recent BIS SiGMA Americas event held in SĂŁo Paulo was quite successful, highlighted by winning the ‘BEST WORKPLACE 2024’ award at the SiGMA Americas Awards and holding over 150 meetings with operators and other stakeholders. These interactions have laid a solid foundation for GR8 Tech’s strategic expansion in the region and provided the team with significant insights into the evolving Latin American iGaming market.

A Closer Look at the Brazilian Market and Wider LatAm

Brazil is not synonymous with Latin America. Each country on the continent has its own unique characteristics,Evgen Belousov, GR8 Tech CEO.

The most important thing to understand in the LatAm region is that it’s very diverse. There are significant cultural and operational differences that necessitate a localized approach. For example, “Brazil’s rhythm is distinct; life starts in the afternoon, and business interactions reflect this laid-back pace. To thrive here, understanding and integrating into the local lifestyle is essential.

Belousov further discussed the Brazilian market’s competitive nature, highlighting retention strategies’ crucial role. “The churn rate is high as players frequently shift between operators lured by aggressive marketing. Hence, having robust retention mechanisms, such as real-time tools and enticing bonus mechanics, is crucial to maintaining a loyal customer base,” he added.

Yevhen Krazhan, CBDO, addressed trending compliance and market preferences. “Regulation is a hot topic, with a keen focus on product compliance. Moreover, while classic sportsbooks saturate the market, emerging interests lie in areas like fantasy sports and social gaming, which present new opportunities for differentiation and growth.”

Thomas Carvalhaes, Senior Business Development Manager for the Latin America region, provided his expertise during the panel discussion “Understanding the demands and evolution of the B2B market”, highlighting the demand for localization and intuitive technology. “In Latin America, where many markets are still learning the ropes of iGaming, the simplicity of the technology is key. Products need to be user-friendly to ensure they meet the expectations of a clientele that values straightforward and engaging gaming experiences,” Carvalhaes explained.

Future Directions and Engagements

Building on the insights and achievements from BIS SiGMA Americas, GR8 Tech is actively expanding its presence in Brazil and LatAm, establishing its reputation as a key player in the region. The company is also exploring opportunities in other global markets, with Asia as the next target at SiGMA Asia, scheduled for June 3-6 in Manila, Philippines. This upcoming event presents another fantastic opportunity for GR8 Tech to demonstrate the capabilities of its flagship GR8 Sportsbook platform and forge new partnerships in another exciting and diverse region. We invite all our partners and clients to stay tuned, following our updates at https://gr8.tech/.

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Kambi Group plc Signs Landmark Sportsbook Partnership with Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

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One of the largest Indian nations in the United States to utilize Kambi’s market-leading turnkey sportsbook on property and online in exclusive nationwide partnership

Kambi Group plc (Kambi), the world’s trusted sports betting partner, has signed a landmark multi-state sportsbook agreement with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (Choctaw Nation), one of the largest Indian nations in the United States, to provide its sports betting technology and services to Choctaw Nation’s gaming entities.

Choctaw Nation, operator of Choctaw Casinos and Resorts, owns a selection of gaming and hospitality destinations throughout southeastern Oklahoma and is the official and exclusive casino and resort partner of the Texas Rangers, Major League Baseball’s World Series Champion. Choctaw Nation’s flagship resort is located near the Texas border and in close proximity to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with a population of more than eight million people.

The long-term deal will see Choctaw Nation combine its digital and ecommerce expertise with Kambi’s market-leading turnkey sportsbook with the ambition to become an online and retail sports betting powerhouse. Pending regulatory approvals, the agreement includes the scope to expand into multiple states.

The relationship with Choctaw Nation strengthens Kambi’s position as the sportsbook partner of choice for Indian nations across the United States, with Choctaw Nation selecting Kambi for its proven online and retail technology as well as its collaborative approach to delivering tailored sports betting solutions.

“This is a landmark partnership for Kambi with exciting long-term potential,” the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer for Kambi, Kristian Nylen, said. “Not only does Choctaw Nation have fantastic, well positioned gaming and entertainment facilities in Oklahoma, but its proven track record in developing successful digital businesses gives me every confidence that together we will create thrilling sports betting experiences for its players.

“Due to these exciting credentials, Choctaw Nation was an obvious partner, so I am therefore delighted it saw the benefits of Kambi’s proven technology and recognized our shared values. Trust remains paramount through each tribal partnership and we look forward to delivering a best-in-class sportsbook that generates long-term sustainable revenues for the Choctaw Nation.”

“We are thrilled to have entered into a long-term agreement with Kambi,” the Commerce Senior Executive Officer for Choctaw Nation, Heidi Grant, said. “Adding Kambi’s best-in-class technology and custom player offerings to Choctaw Nation’s brand and market positioning, Choctaw Nation is poised to remain well positioned as the premier, full-service, vertically integrated gaming operator throughout our region.”

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Play’n GO announces expansion of PokerStars partnership with Pennsylvania launch

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Play’n GO announces expansion of PokerStars partnership with Pennsylvania launch

 

Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, has today announced its partnership with world-famous gaming brand PokerStars has expanded into a third US state, as the studio’s games are now live with the operator in Pennsylvania.

Play’n GO and PokerStars have already established a successful partnership in the US, following agreements in the states of Michigan and New Jersey, as well as teaming up for a Michigan-exclusive game built around the state’s National Hockey League team, the Detroit Red Wings. This latest announcement sees PokerStars players in the Keystone State gain access to classic Play’n GO titles such as Book of Dead and Reactoonz.

Play’n GO is now licensed in six US states and is aiming to be active in every regulated market, in the US and around the world.

Magnus Natt och Dag, Commercial Director North America at Play’n GO, said: “Following our recent licensing approval in Pennsylvania, we eagerly anticipate the launch of our games with PokerStars, our third operator to go live in Pennsylvania. PokerStars share our vision for a safe, regulated iGaming industry, and we’re confident of further success together in the coming months and years.”

Brent Rovner, North American Casino Director at PokerStars said: “We are thrilled to launch Play’n GO in Pennsylvania, making their games available in all our active US states. We’re confident that our customers will enjoy these games for years to come.”

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