Press Releases
ILLINOIS SPORTSBOOKS HIT $140 MILLION IN AUGUST DESPITE OBSTACLES Overcoming inconsistent remote registration and limited sportsbook options, Illinois now the fifth-largest legal market in the U.S., according to PlayIllinois
Illinois online and retail sportsbooks attracted $140.1 million in bets in August, making the state the fifth-largest legal market in the U.S. The state’s rapid ascension comes even as in-person registration rules remain inconsistent and tenuous, and without the largest operator in the country for much of the month, according to PlayIllinois analysts.
“August’s results are a testament to just how lucrative a market Illinois truly can be,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “In-person registration was stunting growth, and that ended on Aug. 21. And FanDuel did not launch until the end of the month. Even with that, Illinois found itself ahead of Colorado, which has matured much more quickly, and on the heels of Indiana, the country’s fourth-largest market.”
The $140.1 million wagered in August was up 167% from $52.5 million in July, according to official reporting released Tuesday. That is more than Colorado’s $128.6 million in August, but less than neighboring Indiana’s $169 million.
August’s bets produced $7.2 million in adjusted gross revenue statewide, which yielded $1.2 million in taxes.
Without football, Illinois’ strong August performance came almost entirely on the power of the Major League Baseball, NBA, and NHL games. It was helped by remote registration — which allows bettors to sign up for an account without ever physically appearing at a state sportsbook — for the last 10 days of the month.
“The NFL will generate far more interest, and with mobile registration back for all of September, the pool of bettors will certainly grow significantly,” Gouker said. “August is really just a first taste of what Illinois can do as a market.”
BetRivers/Rivers Casino in Des Plaines — which had a significant head start on its competition — was by far the state’s largest revenue producer. BetRivers/Rivers Casino accepted a whopping $118 million in online and retail bets, yielding $6.3 million in adjusted gross revenue.
DraftKings — the nation’s No. 2 online sportsbook, operating under the Casino Queen license in Illinois — drew in $13.1 million in online bets. Rival FanDuel — the nation’s No. 1, which is partnering with Par-A-Dice Casino — attracted $4.2 million in bets after launching Aug. 28.
“BetRivers’ head start is a massive advantage that both FanDuel and DraftKings will have to try to overcome,” Gouker said. “But they are the two largest operators for numerous reasons, and it will be interesting to watch how long it will take for those two to eat into BetRivers’ market lead.”
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Illinois, visit PlayIllinois.com/news.
Latest News
THE UNIT TO STEP UP EXPANSION PLANS WITH OPENING OF NEW YORK CITY OFFICE
The Unit aims to grow its presence in the Americas with move to new Manhattan location in January 2025 at Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub
The Unit, a leader in product design and development for sports betting and iGaming, will proudly open its new office in New York City, as part of its long-term global expansion objectives, in January 2025.
The Americas division was established in 2023 with the launch of The Unit’s partnership with online operator PlayStar Casino. The New York City office, located in the heart of Manhattan, will now be the hub for The Unit’s activity in the Americas.
This new base will be located at Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub, which was launched to help Irish business owners expand their North American operations. The offices at 2 Grand Central Tower are a great asset to Irish companies aiming to expand their operations in the United States and beyond. This is an ideal location for The Unit to grow its footprint in the region.
The project will be put into practice by The Unit’s Head of Business Development & Account Management Mark O’Hare, who has relocated to New York and will be responsible for The Unit’s commercial growth in the region.
With product and development teams in Ireland and Moldova, the addition of an American hub is further proof The Unit holds an unwavering commitment to becoming the partner of choice, on a global scale, throughout the industry.
Paddy Casey, Co-founder at The Unit, said: “These are exciting times for The Unit, and with plans in place to exponentially grow our presence in the Americas across the next few years, the start of 2025 will be the perfect time for us to move into one of the most vibrant cities in the world.
“This will be the ideal addition to our existing bases in Ireland and Moldova. The flexible workspace the hub can provide will be integral to our plans and will give us the opportunity to grow the team.
“This is an excellent opportunity for us to touch base with clients in the Americas and strategise further launches. We’re looking forward to mapping out our future in the region with our team on the ground there.
“I would like to thank Mark O’Hare for making the move to New York, and I’m sure both he and his team will have the skills and experience to execute our vision for the Americas division across the long-term.”
Tania Sheikh, Manager of NYC Hub for Bank of Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to welcome The Unit to the NYC Hub. The facilities we can provide have helped businesses scale up and connect with their partners, and we are proud to offer that opportunity to The Unit.
“We look forward to hosting The Unit and wish them well in their endeavors to grow their business here.”
The Unit has solidified its strong track record of building world-class, scalable and efficient products for the sports betting and iGaming sector in recent years.
As The Unit embarks on this exciting period of growth, the company remains committed to delivering exceptional products and services to its clients. With its experienced team, best-in-class product development capabilities, and focus on innovation, The Unit is poised to shape the future of the sports betting and iGaming industries.
Latest News
Golden Matrix Group to Participate in the 2025 ICR Conference
Golden Matrix Group Inc., a developer and licensor of online gaming platforms, systems, and gaming content, today announced that management will participate in the 2025 ICR Conference on January 13-15, 2025 at the Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando, FL.
Zoran Milosevic, Chief Executive Officer of Meridianbet, will participate in a fireside chat with an equity research analyst on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 2:30 PM ET and will also be available for meetings during the conference.
Canada
Be #GiftSmart: Scratch the Idea of Gifting Scratch & Win Tickets to Kids
BCLC reminds adults to gift responsibly this holiday season
With the holiday season in full swing, BCLC is reminding British Columbians to gift responsibly and scratch lottery products from their shopping lists for kids.
“Scratch & Win tickets can make great stocking stuffers for the adults in your life, but they’re not for kids,” said Ryan McCarthy, BCLC’s Director of Player Health. “The research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behaviour as they grow up. While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.”
While Scratch & Win tickets are among the most common ways kids can be introduced to gambling, children are increasingly exposed to various online forms, such as gambling streams.
“With the convergence of gaming and gambling, youth are becoming more exposed to gambling content in online spaces like streaming sites, where creators are able to live-stream their own gambling, usually while playing online slots and instant games,” said Dr. Luke Clark, Director for Gambling Research at UBC. “Our research at the UBC Centre for Gambling shows that a higher frequency of watching online gambling streams is associated with a more positive attitude towards gambling and a high intention to gamble in the future.”
In B.C., it is illegal to sell lottery products to anyone under the age of 19 and BCLC encourages adults to have conversations with the kids in their lives about the risks associated with gambling.
“Open and honest conversations are crucial when it comes to navigating childhood exposure to gambling,” said McCarthy, who shared the following tips to adults:
- Monitor for gambling-related lifestyle changes. For example, developing a positive attitude towards gambling or a preoccupation with video games or streaming sites.
- Be a positive role model. Exhibit safer gambling behaviour and talk about the risks.
- Limit exposure. Monitor kids’ online activities and discourage engagement with gambling content. Explain how gambling is based on chance.
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