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US iGaming: Three predictions for 2024

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US iGaming: Three predictions for 2024

 

Paddy Casey, Co-Founder at sports betting and iGaming developer The Unit, lists what we can expect from US iGaming in the coming year, covering regulation, the battle for market share and the importance of martech.

 

  1. iGaming continues to flex its muscles

Internet gaming continues to generate extraordinary revenue in the states that have legalized and embraced it. In October, for example, Pennsylvania’s iGaming revenue was up 24% month-on-month to $154.8m; a record month for the state where the total equates to a whopping 3x the sports-betting take. Pennsylvania is by no means a standout state, as New Jersey reported a 13% year-on-year increase in iGaming revenue for September, to $166.8million.

Where iGaming is fully regulated (as we’ve seen in the six states where it is live currently, with Rhode Island expected to launch fully in Q1 or early Q2 in 2024), it drives significant revenue for the state and offers a safe and protected environment for entertainment versus offshore, unregulated casinos. As states look to plug holes in the post-pandemic era, we anticipate at least two or three states will legalize igaming in 2024, with Indiana and New York being the obvious contenders to begin that process early in the year.

As has been the case since the birth of online gaming in the late 1990s and early 2000s, there are obvious fears about problem gaming and revenue streams moving away from bricks-and mortar casinos. Legislators will drive tough, and hopefully innovative, legislation to protect land-based casinos while paving the way for iGaming, which should in fact complement the land-based casinos. Players, much like music fans, will demand access to ‘live entertainment’; whether that’s in Madison Square Garden cheering on Billy Joel, or listening to Piano Man at home while watching the NFL.

The omni-channel experience with iGaming will become more important as BetMGM for example, can deepen its relationship with players through innovations such as its New Jersey Dual Play Roulette, which offers a truly immersive omni-channel experience. Add this to possibilities around loyalty schemes for resort stays, and this will prove super crucial in the CRM and LTV lifecycles.

Aside from the obvious heavyweights, brands which put players first, treat them like the central stakeholder they ought to be, and personalize the user experience through unique and engaging product and gaming content will be the winners.

 

  1. Competition creates cash

This year has been a rollercoaster, in terms of acquisitions and market exits. Kindred recently announced it will be leaving its North American experience behind as quickly as possible. Fanatics can now access every key sports betting state via its PointsBet USA acquisition and Penn Entertainment is planning to shoot for the stars by rebranding its sportsbook as ESPN Bet. Add DraftKings, FanDuel, Bet365 and BetMGM into the ring, and that is one hell of a battle for a share of players’ wallets.

Fanatics and ESPN Bet will most likely use their huge marketing budgets to attract the Gen Z bettors and casual sports fans. Winning the battle to attract, and more importantly retain, this key cohort of players will be significant. Marketing dollars will not be enough; product innovation will be crucial in the attempt to give players the experience they demand. They will demand to be entertained in ways they experience elsewhere.

Outside the ‘big three’ of FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM, in terms of US gaming market share, it will only be companies who continue to evolve and innovate their own offering that can close the gap. The likes of Entain and Angstrom, who are well known and have large wallets, can buy the maturity and experience needed. They can make inroads with the quality of their product and people, as well as via the acquisition of operators and challenger brands (particularly when more states go live with iGaming).

 

  1. Marketing tech and needle-like focus on ROI

With the big three effectively owning the sports-betting market and making gains in the iGaming space, the chasing pack will need to innovate with needle-like focus on ROI.

Martech is crucial for success in an industry that is seeing shifts in CPAs and one that has historically not merged fragmented data very well. As there is no real single view of acquiring through to retention, and almost zero real data, technology is holding operators back in the battle to retain Gen Z bettors and give them the experiences they demand; i.e. personalization.

Therefore, a holistic 360-view of customer data which is then deployed across multiple marketing channels is the key to being competitive in this landscape. As biddable platforms rely more and more on AI, it is essential that data which is representative of quality customers is used. As experienced industry veterans know, standard first-time depositor data is not enough. In fact, relying on incomplete customer insights can be detrimental to revenue.

As we all know, customer acquisition is only the starting point. Retention and cross-sell is essential to delivering the return on ad spend required to sustain campaigns in this competitive market.

The front-of-mind game is where the winners and losers will ultimately be determined. There is no personalization without sufficient marketing technology integration. Personalization is a key cog in the retention machine you must be leveraging.

As a result, a full martech stack is needed to operate an effective marketing department. The gap between the haves and have-nots in this space will widen not just year-on-year, but also month-on-month.

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The Mirage Hotel & Casino to Begin Transformation into Hard Rock Las Vegas on July 17, 2024

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Hard Rock International (HRI) announced its plans to cease operations of The Mirage Hotel & Casino as of July 17, 2024, to begin the transformation of the property into the highly anticipated Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas (HRHCLV).

Hard Rock will develop a new integrated resort featuring a nearly 700 ft. guitar-shaped hotel towering prominently in the center of the famous Las Vegas Strip.

“We’d like to thank the Las Vegas community and team members for warmly welcoming Hard Rock after enjoying 34 years at The Mirage. We’d also like to thank the Unions, community leaders, local and state government organizations and the Gaming Commission for their support and fair negotiations over the past year. Also, we are grateful to MGM for assisting with our transition,” Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International, said.

“While we pause for the incredible transformation of this iconic property, I’d like to thank all team members at The Mirage for their incredible commitment and helping us provide memorable experiences for our guests. We are planning to host collaborative hiring events with other employers in the Las Vegas community over the coming months. Connecting the thousands of talented Mirage team members who provide outstanding service with new employment opportunities is a top priority,” Joe Lupo, President of The Mirage, said.

HRHCLV is expected to double the current number of jobs at The Mirage for the Las Vegas community, while the renovation of the property will generate over 2500 construction jobs. Hard Rock will pay approximately $80 million in severance packages for eligible union and non-union employees remaining with the property through cessation of operations.

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Wynn Resorts Limited Reports First Quarter 2024 Results

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Wynn Resorts Limited has reported the financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024.

Operating revenues were $1.86 billion for the first quarter of 2024, an increase of $439.2 million from $1.42 billion for the first quarter of 2023. Net income attributable to Wynn Resorts, Limited was $144.2 million for the first quarter of 2024, compared to net income attributable to Wynn Resorts, Limited of $12.3 million for the first quarter of 2023. Diluted net income per share was $1.30 for the first quarter of 2024, compared to diluted net loss per share of $0.02 for the first quarter of 2023. Adjusted Property EBITDAR was $646.5 million for the first quarter of 2024, compared to Adjusted Property EBITDAR of $429.7 million for the first quarter of 2023.

“The strong momentum we experienced in our business throughout 2023 continued to build during the first quarter with Adjusted Property EBITDAR reaching a new all-time record. The investments we have made in our properties, our team and our unique programming continue to extend our leadership position in each of our markets. On the development front, vertical construction on the hotel tower at Wynn Al Marjan Island is well underway, and we are confident the resort will be a ‘must see’ tourism destination in the UAE. We are excited about the outlook for the Company, and we believe we are well positioned to deliver continued long-term growth,” Craig Billings, CEO of Wynn Resorts Limited, said.

Consolidated Results

Operating revenues were $1.86 billion for the first quarter of 2024, an increase of $439.2 million from $1.42 billion for the first quarter of 2023. For the first quarter of 2024, operating revenues increased $217.5 million, $181.0 million, $49.8 million, and $1.5 million at Wynn Palace, Wynn Macau, our Las Vegas Operations, and Encore Boston Harbor, respectively, from the first quarter of 2023.

Net income attributable to Wynn Resorts, Limited was $144.2 million for the first quarter of 2024, compared to net income attributable to Wynn Resorts, Limited of $12.3 million for the first quarter of 2023. Diluted net income per share was $1.30 for the first quarter of 2024, compared to diluted net loss per share of $0.02 for the first quarter of 2023. Adjusted net income attributable to Wynn Resorts Limited was $176.8 million, or $1.59 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2024, compared to adjusted net income attributable to Wynn Resorts, Limited of $33.3 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2023.

Adjusted Property EBITDAR was $646.5 million for the first quarter of 2024, an increase of $216.8 million compared to Adjusted Property EBITDAR of $429.7 million for the first quarter of 2023. For the first quarter of 2024, Adjusted Property EBITDAR increased $91.3 million, $92.4 million, and $14.7 million at Wynn Palace, Wynn Macau, and our Las Vegas Operations, respectively, and decreased $0.3 million at Encore Boston Harbor, from the first quarter of 2023.

Wynn Resorts Limited also announced that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.25 per share, payable on May 31, 2024 to stockholders of record as of May 20, 2024.

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Bragg Gaming Group First Quarter Revenue Rises 4.2% to EUR 23.8 Million

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Bragg Gaming Group, a global B2B content-driven iGaming technology provider, reported record financial results for the first quarter of 2024.

MatevĆŸ Mazij, Chief Executive Officer for Bragg, commented: “We carried our strong momentum in 2023 into the first quarter, delivering robust growth that underscores the ongoing success of our efforts to transform Bragg into a content-focused iGaming solutions provider across expanding North American and European markets. Year-over-year revenue increased by 4.2% to EUR 23.8 million, largely propelled by organic growth from our current client base, the addition of new customers in multiple jurisdictions, and impressive results from our in-house Wild Streak Gaming casino games studio.

“Although gross profit and Adjusted EBITDA saw modest decreases in the first quarter stemming from the extension and renegotiation of our agreement with Entain Plc to provide our PAM platform to BetCity.nl through 2025, we maintain a strong belief in our ability to achieve long-term growth and profitability. Our proprietary and exclusive third-party content continues to gain ground with an increasing number of top-tier operators globally, and we introduced a total of 19 new exclusive titles worldwide in the first quarter of 2024.

“Additionally, as we continue to make encouraging progress on our strategic alternatives review process, it’s important to emphasize that we are operating the business as usual and remain laser-focused on capitalizing on growth opportunities.

“With that in mind and in response to the increasing demand and growth in the iGaming marketplace, subsequent to quarter end, we took two significant steps to further fuel our growth initiatives. First, we secured a USD 7.0 million investment through a promissory note, enhancing our balance sheet flexibility as we continue to execute our strategy and explore strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value.

“Second, we bolstered our leadership team with the appointment of Neill Whyte as our new Chief Commercial Officer. With over 18 years of iGaming experience and a proven track record of driving growth through successful commercial partnerships, Neill’s expertise will be invaluable as we leverage our extensive content and product portfolio to expand in existing and new markets. This key hire is another testament to how we are scaling our organization for sustained growth and profitability.

“While the strategic review process progresses, we remain bullish on the opportunities ahead as the trend of iGaming regulation continues worldwide. We see exciting potential in newly regulating markets like Brazil, Peru and Finland, as well as untapped opportunities in regions like Africa that we are actively exploring.

“The strategic moves we have made have established Bragg as a vital content provider for premier international iGaming operators, reinforcing our base for reliable and lucrative growth. Equipped with the appropriate strategies, financial resources, and talent, we are well-prepared to maintain our business momentum while pursuing initiatives that foster cash flow growth and deliver increased value to our shareholders.”

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