Latest News
OpenBet: Inside the Rise in Wagering on Women’s March Madness

Wagering on women’s sports is experiencing a meteoric rise in popularity, according to the latest data provided by global sports betting company OpenBet. The excitement surrounding the NCAA’s Women’s March Madness, boosted by the ‘Caitlin Clark Effect’, has marked a sea change for a sport and competition in which the men’s game has historically dominated wagering activity.
This year, the women’s college basketball championship saw record wagers processed through the OpenBet sports betting platform, as South Carolina’s victory over Iowa it clutched the title of most watched national basketball game in five years.
The tournament’s Final Four also attracted an average of 10.8 million views per match, up more than 130% on last year and higher than the men’s game. This upward trend in recognition of women’s sport shows no sign of slowing down.
“The women’s national championship between Iowa and South Carolina was the highest wagered event of the entire tournament,” said Jake Schmidt, MTS Trader at OpenBet.
As interest in women’s basketball skyrockets, OpenBet is strengthening its player props offering to remain competitive and attract more bettors than ever before.
“A constituent and increasing offering of player prop markets is vital to ensuring the popularity of women’s March Madness across the sports betting landscape continues to grow,” Schmidt said.
“With different universities making the tournament each year, I believe this will continue to keep consumers engaged as it is something new each year.”
There also continues to be wider coverage of women’s sports in the US media and on TV than ever before. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, at the age of just 22, has left a lasting impact on women’s basketball as the NCAA’s top scorer and gaining endorsements from the likes of Nike.
“This year, there were multiple high-profile players driving this increase in popularity,” said Schmidt.
“The media highlighted all games including key players such as USC’s Juju Watkins, South Carolina’s coach Dawn Staley and player Kamilla Cardoso, and others from LSU, UConn and Iowa Hawkeyes.”
Another reason for its increase in prominence and wagering activity is down to the length of time women typically spend at college.
“In contrast to the men’s game, female athletes generally choose to remain in college for longer before choosing to participate in the WNBA draft, allowing consumers to get to know them more and build familiarity,” said Schmidt.
OpenBet continues to deliver a robust and reliable betting engine enabling more people than ever to wager on women’s sports with confidence. As this trend continues, the award-winning provider will add further player props and sports to exceed expectations from sports bettors.
Industry News
Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations

Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. announced that Carlo Santarelli has been appointed Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations, a new position at the Company. Mr. Santarelli will begin his new position on August 18, 2025 and will report to GLPI President and Chief Operating Officer, Brandon Moore.
Mr. Santarelli brings over 25 years of Wall Street experience in Equity Research and Investment Banking to his new role and joins the Company from Deutsche Bank where he was Managing Director of Gaming & Lodging Equity Research. Prior to Deutsche Bank, Mr. Santarelli held similar positions at Bear Stearns, JP Morgan and Wells Fargo. He consistently ranked highly in Institutional Investor and other sell-side analyst research polls as a thought leader in the space, providing unique perspectives on industry events and trends with his data-driven approach and stock picking talent. Carlo Santarelli graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Economics in 2000.
Peter Carlino, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GLPI, said: “We’ve known and respected Carlo’s research work on the gaming, lodging and gaming REIT sectors for many years. Carlo brings to GLPI an in-depth knowledge of the industry and its participants, having experienced GLPI’s original formation of the gaming triple-net-REIT structure from a research analyst and capital markets perspective. We value his deep network of contacts among institutional investors, sell-side analysts and a wide range of gaming industry operators and we look forward to the value of his contributions.”
In his new role, Mr. Santarelli will work with Mr. Carlino and GLPI’s senior management to develop and evaluate growth opportunities and strategic relationships, and will oversee investor relations interactions.
Industry News
VIP Play Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer

VIP Play, a technology-driven leader in interactive consumer engagement, announced that Jim Mackey, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, will step down from his role, effective August 8, 2025.
The Company has initiated a transition process and is in the process of identifying a successor. Mackey will assist in an orderly transition over the coming weeks.
“We thank Jim for his contributions to the Company, particularly during a transformative period for our business. We remain focused on executing our strategic priorities, including financial visibility, operating efficiency, and delivering value to our stakeholders,” said Les Ottolenghi, CEO of VIP Play.
Latest News
BETBY LAUNCHES COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON PERU’S REGULATED GAMBLING MARKET

BETBY, the premium supplier of cutting-edge sportsbook solutions, has published a detailed report titled “The Peruvian Breakthrough: A Market Ready for Takeoff”, offering a thorough analysis of the country’s newly regulated iGaming industry.
Following the implementation of Peru’s online gambling framework in 2024, this report explores the legislative transformation, market growth trends, and consumer behavior shaping one of Latin America’s most promising emerging markets.
The report covers several key aspects, including:
✅ Evolution of Peru’s gambling legislation and its impact on market structure and operator licensing;
✅ Market performance analysis, including land-based vs. online growth and mobile channel adoption;
✅ Economic indicators, such as GDP contribution, per capita GGR, and projected market size through 2030;
✅ Player profiles and betting behavior, with insights into frequency, motivations, and engagement across age and gender groups;
✅ Digital readiness, including mobile usage, internet speeds, and device preferences;
✅ Competitive landscape, with a breakdown of leading operators and changes in market share.
🔗 DOWNLOAD the report to discover strategic insights and unlock growth opportunities in Peru’s regulated gambling ecosystem.
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