Press Releases
PlayIllinois.com: Illinois sport-betting makes history by reaching $300 million in single month
Illinois is off to the fastest start in the history of U.S. legal sports betting, according to analysts for PlayIllinois. Illinois released official data on Friday, showing that sportsbooks generated $305.2 million in bets in September, making the Prairie State the fourth state to surpass $300 million in sports bets in a single month and the first to reach the milestone so quickly after launching.
“Illinois’ launch in July came just as U.S. major sports returned to action, and that may have helped hypercharge the market,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst at PlayIllinois.com. “Pent-up demand is expected to fuel a new market, but Illinois has been able to capitalize on the additional demand that has been unleashed after sports were shut down this spring. It’s been a perfect storm for sportsbook operators.”
Buoyed by an unprecedented schedule of U.S. major sports in September, a bevy of operator launches, and a continuation of remote registration, Illinois established its place as the fourth-largest sports betting market in the United States by more than doubling its monthly handle from $140.1 million in August.
Joining Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania as the only states with a handle of more than $300 million in any one month, Illinois reached the mark in just its third month after launch. By comparison:
- New Jersey surpassed $300 million for the first time in its sixth month after launch, and fourth month after launching online betting, when it tallied $330.7 million in November 2018.
- Pennsylvania hit $300 million in its 13th month after launch, and sixth month after launching online betting, when it tallied $316.5 million in November 2019.
Illinois’ September handle easily topped neighbor Indiana for the first time in September, which itself set a state record with $207.5 million in bets for the month, and Colorado, which generated $207.7 million.
Pennsylvania, the nation’s third-largest market and the most populous state with full-scale online sports betting, collected $462.8 million in September. The Keystone State, home to 12.8 million people, offers a strong comparison with Illinois, with its population of about 12.7 million.
“Pennsylvania gives Illinois a nice barometer for how the market is doing, and so far, Illinois is off to a much faster start,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “The ingredients for Illinois’ rapid expansion have been pretty simple so far: It is a huge market launching under unique circumstances. As long as remote registration continues there will be no single legal market more attractive for operators.”
September’s bets yielded $6.8 million in adjusted gross revenue statewide, down from $7.2 million in August, resulting in a $1.1 million into state coffers. Boosted by the continuation of remote registration — which has been extended through Dec. 12 — online bets at the state’s five online sportsbooks accounted for 97%, or $283.1 million, of September’s handle.
BetRivers/Rivers Casino, which has dominated the market so far, led the market again with $112.7 million in overall handle, including $98.6 million online. But FanDuel and DraftKings, the two largest sportsbook operators in the country, both gained ground in their first full month of operation in Illinois. DraftKings/Casino Queen rose to $98.3 million in bets, including $95.9 million online. FanDuel/Par-A-Dice Casino collected $78.6 million in bets, including $78.4 million online.
“DraftKings and FanDuel will continue to put pressure on BetRivers, which has really taken advantage of its early start in the market,” Welman said. “That should be an interesting race to watch over the next few months. The bottom line, though, is that the more top-flight operators that launch, the healthier and more mature the market will become.”
SX Bet is the fastest-growing on-chain betting exchange—built for the future of sports and crypto.
SX Bet has officially launched on Berachain, marking the next milestone in its cross-chain expansion strategy. With over 2 million bets placed, $675 million wagered, and 93% year-over-year growth in volume, SX Bet is reshaping the future of sports betting — and Berachain is the next big stage.
SX Bet’s Berachain launch comes with a unique incentive structure designed to reward bettors for their activity. Users can now place bets using the native $HONEY stablecoin and earn $SXBRT, a receipt token that can be staked to the SX Vault on BeraHub to generate weekly yields in $BGT, Berachain’s governance token. The more you win, the more you earn.
SX Bet will be hosting a summer Berachain betting tournament with a 69,420 bet credit prize pool from May 31 – July 14th and airdropping bet credits to top Berachain communities.
But the Berachain deployment is not just about incentives. It’s about creating a scalable global liquidity hub for bettors and builders alike. Builders can leverage SX liquidity to launch their own custom betting frontends and experiences.
“SX Bet isn’t just a single dApp — it’s a betting protocol anyone can build on. With this Berachain launch, we’re not just growing SX, we’re growing the entire Web3 betting ecosystem,” said Andrew Young, SX Bet Project Lead.
The cross-chain architecture enables shared liquidity across multiple blockchains, allowing users to place bets on their preferred chain without sacrificing odds or depth.
Already the top sports betting dApp by volume on Arbitrum, SX Bet has achieved sustained growth without relying on ongoing incentives — proving that sharp odds, fast UX, and a product-first approach win. Bettors choose SX for its peer-to-peer, non-custodial, on-chain model — a platform with the best odds, deepest liquidity, and a clear message: winners are welcome.
SX Bet is setting the standard for scalable sports betting infrastructure in Web3.
For bettors: more rewards, deeper liquidity, and better odds.
For builders: a plug-and-play liquidity engine to leverage and build upon.
For chains: a sticky, high-volume dApp proven to drive user growth and retention.
Start betting and earning on Berachain today: bera.bet
Win Systems, a leading provider of technology for the gaming and entertainment industry, will host an exclusive event on May 28 and 29 at its offices in Peru, where it will present a showroom dedicated to present its latest innovations in products and solutions for casinos and venues.
One of the main highlights of the event will be the live presentation of the Gold Club Colors electronic roulette, an evolution of the company’s flagship model that incorporates a high level of aesthetic and functional customization. This upgraded version allows the product design to be adapted to the visual identity of each casino, providing a unique opportunity to enhance the ambiance and distinctive character of every venue. Operators will be able to fully customize the LED colors and handrests, as well as other key components such as the cylinder, ball track cone, and cylinder cover, achieving seamless integration with the casino environment. This flexibility makes the Gold Club Colors a strategic tool to stand out visually and enrich the gaming experience.
“We want our partners and operators in Peru to experience this firsthand. This event will not only allow them to explore our products in detail but also see how the new functionalities of the Colors take the gaming experience to the next level,” said Galy Olazo, Country Manager Peru.
In addition to the aesthetic customization options, attendees will be introduced to the new game layout design and the innovative dynamic paytable, which adjusts payouts according to each game’s dynamics, offering a more strategic and engaging experience for players.
The Win Systems showroom in Peru is a unique opportunity to see one of the world’s most renowned electronic roulettes in action—now with more technology, more customization, and more value for operators.
Win Systems invites all interested parties to schedule an appointment by writing to [email protected].
The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) has released the program for its upcoming annual conference, to be held in Toronto from 20-23 October.
With the theme ‘Resilient regulation: Exploring what works, why and what’s next’, the event brings together global regulators and thought leaders to examine how regulatory frameworks can evolve to meet today’s challenges.
The four-day program explores timely issues, including the rise of AI and behavioural analytics, the impact of converging technologies, cross-border collaboration and the continued push to strengthen responsible gambling policies.
IAGR President Ben Haden said the program offers a strong preview of the content and conversations delegates can expect in Toronto.
‘This year’s program showcases the breadth and complexity of the challenges facing gambling regulators worldwide, from protecting player wellbeing to tackling illegal markets and understanding new technologies,’ Haden said.
‘I encourage regulators, researchers and policy professionals from around the world to join us in Toronto. The conference is a space to learn, share experience, challenge assumptions and shape the future of effective, collaborative regulation.’
Confirmed speakers and panellists include:
- Andrew Rhodes, CEO, Gambling Commission, Great Britain
- Anders Dorph, Director, Danish Gambling Authority, Denmark
- Dr Karin Schnarr, CEO and Registrar, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, Canada
- Mark Vander Linden, Director of Research and Responsible Gaming and Carrie Torrisi, Chief of Sports Wagering Division, Massachusetts Gaming Commission, United States
- Bashir Are, CEO, Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Nigeria
- Teo Chun Ching, Chief Executive, Gambling Regulatory Authority, Singapore
- Ladipo Abiose Akolade, Founder, GamblePause Initiative Africa, Nigeria
- Rasmus Kjaergaard, CEO, Mindway AI, Denmark
- Tracy Parker, Senior Vice President, Accreditation, Advisory and Insights, Responsible Gambling Council, Canada
- Pedro Romero, Chief of Safer Gambling Partnerships, BetBlocker, Gibraltar
- Sonia Wasowska, Head of Supervision, General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, United Arab Emirates
- Steven Blackburn, Partner, Ashurst Risk Advisory, Australia
The event will be held at The Westin Harbour Castle on Toronto’s waterfront.
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