Press Releases
PlayIndiana.com: Indiana sportsbooks show resiliency with uptick in May
Bettors at Indiana’s retail and online sportsbooks were more active in May compared to April, a welcome result after April’s month-over-month slowdown, even as May revenue slipped slightly. But even with the market advantages that helped spur the positive turn, Indiana’s sports betting industry will have to wait until football season kicks off before betting volume returns to the highwater marks hit earlier this year, according to PlayIndiana, which tracks the state’s gaming industry.
“Even with the expected slowdown over the last two months, no Midwestern state has held its ground better than Indiana,” said Nicole Russo, analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “Some of that can be attributed to local events driving interest, including the Indy 500. But the market’s structural advantages that were built in before sports betting launched is also paying dividends.”
Bettors placed $254.4 million in wagers in May at Indiana’s retail and online sportsbooks, according to official reporting released Friday. That is up 7.6% from $236.4 million in April, even as May’s handle remained well shy of the $316.7 million handle in March.
May’s bets produced $18.9 million in adjusted gross revenue, down 6.1% from $20.1 million in April and yielding $1.8 million in state taxes. Last month’s results are significantly improved over May 2020, when online retail and sportsbooks generated just $3.2 million in revenue on $37.3 million in bets.
A slowdown from April until the kickoff of football season is to be expected, but Indiana has some advantages over other legal markets in the U.S. during the slower months. For one, the Indianapolis 500 in May helped drive wagering in Indiana more than in most legal jurisdictions. Secondly, Indiana sportsbooks have been particularly aggressive in finding new ways to take advantage of opportunities, such as aggressive promotional offerings for the Indiana Pacers’ play-in tournament appearance. That helped push basketball betting to $82.4 million in May.
“In open and competitive betting markets such as Indiana, sportsbooks have significant incentive to find alternative events to fuel bettor interest even while the sports calendar is slower,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “Whether that means heavy promotion of a Pacers play-in game or future innovations built around the upcoming Olympics, operators will do what they can to hold their market position. And ultimately, that’s good for the entire market.”
Online betting accounted for 89.8%, or $228.4 million, of the state’s handle, an increase from 88.4% in April. Retail sportsbooks generated the remaining $26 million in wagers, down from $27.3 million in April.
DraftKings narrowly held its grip on the online market lead with $81.8 million in online bets, up from $79.3 million in April. Those bets yield $2.9 million in gross receipts, down from $6.1 million in April. FanDuel was just behind with $79.3 million in bets, up from $67.1 million in April. Those bets were enough to lead the state with $7.6 million in gross receipts, up from $5.7 million.
Indiana’s online market got more competitive in May with Penn National’s launch of its Barstool-branded online sportsbook on May 18. In less than two weeks, bettors poured $6.3 million in wagers, yielding a $267,512 win. That represents the sixth-highest betting volume among Indiana operators.
“Barstool is the most anticipated launch since the opening few months of the market, and for good reason,” Welman said. “In states where Barstool operates, including Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Michigan, Barstool has proven to be a market disruptor, even if it hasn’t overtaken the likes of FanDuel or DraftKings. May’s results are a small sample size, but there is enough to envision that a similar dynamic is building in Indiana.”
The leaders were followed by:
- BetMGM ($29.3 million handle, down from $30.9 million in March; $2.5 million win, down from $3.1 million).
- PointsBet ($11.3 million handle, up from $10.3 million; $1 million win, up from $794,476)
- William Hill ($8.2 million handle, down from $8.5 million; $173,885 win, down from $378,830)
- BetRivers/French Lick Resort ($6.8 million handle, down from $7.3 million; $438,229 win, up from $381,975)
- TheScore ($2.9 million handle, down from $3.2 million; $125,729 win, down from $128,670)
- Unibet ($1.3 million handle, down from $2 million; $83,089 win, up from $23,884)
- TwinSpires ($504,680 handle, up from $158,702; $53,878 up from -$8,929)
- WynnBet ($485,306 handle, down from $411,778; $56,074 win, up from $47,206)
- Caesars (no handle; -$136 win)
On the retail side, Hollywood Lawrenceburg, nearest to Cincinnati, led the retail market again with $8.4 million in wagers, even with $8.4 million in April. Ameristar East Chicago was second with $4.4 million.
“The retail market is beginning to show new life as pandemic concerns wane,” Russo said. “Out-of-state bettors remain the lifeblood of the retail market. So long as Ohio and Kentucky resist legalizing sports betting, and pandemic-related restrictions don’t return, retail sportsbooks should continue to return to health.”
For more revenue information on Indiana sportsbooks, visit PlayIndiana.com/revenue.
Breaking New Ground in Brazil: Blitzcrown’s Crash Games Now GLI Certified
Blitzcrown, MVG’s pioneering games studio, has secured Brazilian Certification as well as GLI-19 Certification from GLI(Gaming Laboratories International) for its industry-changing three Crash titles. This landmark achievement marks a significant milestone in the company’s expansion into Brazil’s thriving online gaming market, positioning Blitzcrown at the forefront of the region’s rapidly evolving iGaming landscape.
The license comes at an important time for Brazil’s gaming sector, following the launch of the new licensing regime that started on January 1, 2025. The regulatory framework, signed into law in December 2023, has transformed the industry’s prospects.
The certification encompasses 3 innovative crash games: Crash, Fast Crash, and Twin Crash. This strategic milestone establishes Blitzcrown as the premier provider of certified Crash games in the Brazilian market, demonstrating the company’s unwavering commitment to regulatory excellence and gaming integrity. With the GLI-19 and Brazil certification process successfully concluded in March, Blitzcrown has solidified its position as an industry pioneer in this dynamic and emerging market.
Crash games are a recent addition to the global iGaming market, featuring the dynamic evolution of real-time multipliers and immediate reward structures. Blitzcrown has stood out by establishing groundbreaking game mechanisms that offer different and exciting gameplay experiences. Standard Crash provides players with a standard multiplier-based gaming experience, and Fast Crash is optimized for users seeking quick, intense multiplier experiences. The Twin Crash is an original format allowing players to place simultaneous bets on two separate multipliers.
Building on this momentum, Blitzcrown has announced plans to expand its certified portfolio with two additional versions of its innovative Plinko games, demonstrating the company’s strategic commitment to market expansion. This forward-looking initiative underscores Blitzcrown’s dedication to continuous innovation and sustainable growth in the regulated gaming markets.
Blitzcrown is MVG’s edge-game studio focused on pushing game ideas beyond their norms through innovative and non-traditional gaming experiences. The studio has been particularly recognized for its groundbreaking approaches in various game categories, including its successful Crash and Plinko series.
George Cho from MVG said: “This GLI certification testifies to Blitzcrown’s unwavering commitment to offering top-quality, fair gaming systems. We are well placed to take advantage of Brazil’s exciting new regulatory environment and the vast growth potential of the online gaming industry.”
Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, is set for its latest appearance at BiS SiGMA Americas in São Paulo, Brazil, from April 7-10, 2025. The company will be based at Stand M30, where it will not only showcase its LatAm innovations but also celebrate its 32nd birthday.
This major milestone brings an extra layer of excitement to Belatra’s time in Brazil. iGaming professionals visiting the stand will enjoy an immersive experience inspired by the studio’s popular classics Make it Gold and Mummyland Treasures. Belatra’s stand includes a smoky bar for a mysterious touch, a prize-filled game for visitors, and a live Mummy roaming the event floor to bring the experience to life.
Belatra’s extensive portfolio of award-winning titles brings together timeless hits with powerful, innovative themes, providing unforgettable entertainment for players.
With a strong foothold in LatAm, Belatra’s regional team, based in Buenos Aires, and Belatra’s global team will be in São Paulo to explore new collaborations and showcase its localised approach to the market.
Andrés Troelsen, Belatra Games’ Commercial Director for Latin America, said: “Our Latin American presence grows ever stronger with the region forming a major part of our growth strategy. We’re happy to be back in São Paulo for BiS SiGMA Americas to connect with partners and explore new opportunities. This year is extra special as we celebrate our 32nd birthday, so come raise a glass with us at our smoky bar!”
New certification for emerging-markets leader arrives ahead of key industry summit in Sao Paulo and awards recognition
QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has had its platform and games successfully approved for the Peruvian market, demonstrating that its premier B2B platform and all-encompassing content conforms to the latest legislative updates to enhance and regulate Peru’s local gaming environment.
Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Commerce and Tourism (MINCETUR) has now issued an online gaming licence to QTech Games, whereby all its platform products and games are now deemed legally permitted. This includes its new software service for retail, QTech Hybrid, which allows land-based partners to scale their operations online. QTech Hybrid simplifies transactions by enabling deposits, withdrawals and gameplay while allowing access to players both in-shop and on personal devices.
This breakthrough hybrid solution has quickly won clients and awards in the comparably fragmented African market (most recently in March for Best Innovation at AGE Lagos), and now promises to do likewise across LatAm, where QTech Games has already signed several major clients for both its aggregation platform and its QTech Hybrid solution. This activity has seen it again nominated for Best Aggregator at the SiGMA Americas Awards, which kickstart the SiGMA Americas summit (7-10 April) next week, as the igaming world converges on Sao Paulo for a must-attend conference in another of QTech Games’ “focus markets” for 2025.
Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “It’s fantastic to have certified our aggregation platform in Peru via MINCETUR – and I’m pleased to say we have more such approvals pending across the continent. We attended fantastic events in Rio and, more recently, SAGSE 2025 in Buenos Aires – and anticipate more of the same at SiGMA Americas in Sao Paulo next week, where we’re also thrilled to have been shortlisted for Best Aggregator at their LatAm Awards. Given the venue, Brazil will be dominating the discussion for many at SiGMA Sao Paulo. However, we’ll also be looking beyond Brazilian borders this year, and are already active in Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay. We know our QTech Hybrid solution will work very well wherever we put a pin on the LatAm map.”
QTech Games delegates will be present at five more LatAm summits in 2025, with SiGMA Americas (7 April) the next port of call – followed by GAT Expo Cartagena (28 April), SBC Americas (13 May), Peru Gaming Show (18 June) and GAT Expo Mexico (28 Aug).
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