Press Releases
PlayIllinois.com: Sportsbooks hit $450 million for first time
Illinois online and retail sportsbooks collected more than $450 million in wagers in November, setting a fresh record for monthly handle to place fourth among legal sports betting markets in the U.S. It’s a remarkable ascent for a fledgling market that has become the fourth state in history to enjoy a month with more than $450 million in bets, according to PlayIllinois, which offers news and analysis of the state’s gaming industry.
“Illinois’ success is more than just a large population fueling impressive numbers that dwarf smaller states,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “Illinois is rivaling markets such as Pennsylvania that are far more mature and just as large, and it’s doing it because the top online sportsbooks in the country are investing heavily in the market and Illinois bettors are responding with an unprecedented fervor.”
Illinois bettors placed a record $451 million in wagers in November, according to “approximate” data released Wednesday by the Illinois Gaming Board. That is up nearly 4% from $434.6 million in October. Only New Jersey ($931.6 million) and Nevada ($609.4 million) — the two oldest legal sports betting markets in the U.S. — and Pennsylvania ($491.9 million) generated more in bets during November 2020.
November’s bets produced $41 million in adjusted gross revenue for the operators, down slightly from the state record $42.2 million in revenue generated in October. Those gains yielded $6 million in state taxes.
Despite a relative leveling from October to November, Illinois’ ascent remains unprecedented. New Jersey did not surpass $450 million in monthly handle until its 17th month after launch. It took Pennsylvania even longer, reaching the mark with $462.8 million in September 2020, 23 months after launch.
Aside from the suspension of the state’s in-person registration requirements, much of what has fueled the market is interest in regional sports, particularly the Chicago Bears and Notre Dame. But the Bears went 0-4 in the month, and without baseball and the NBA Finals, November offered less to bet on than in October. In addition, retail sportsbooks were shuttered in mid-November because of Covid-related restrictions.
That did not slow bettors, though, as the Illinois market showed resilience in the face of obstacles.
“At this point, it makes sense to adjust our expectations up for the market,” said Joe Boozell, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “The retail market was shut down in November, and this was the first month since the market really heated up in July that the sports schedule was slower than the month before, and yet sportsbooks still made gains. Such resilience shows that Illinois is maturing more quickly than anyone imagined.”
With retail sportsbooks shuttered for the second half of the month, online sports betting accounted for the vast majority of all bets. Specific operator data was not immediately released.
With only five online operators, Illinois is still home to a relatively short roster of sportsbooks. But Penn National’s Barstool-branded app, BetMGM, and Unibet are among those that are expected to launch in Illinois in the coming months, which should give the state a boost.
“Remarkably, Illinois has done all this with just a handful of operators and without some of the best-known brands in the industry,” Boozell said. “The gains will continue to attract operators, and could have Illinois poised to challenge even the largest market in the U.S., so long as the state’s in-person registration requirement remains suspended.”
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Illinois, visit PlayIllinois.com/news.
About the PlayUSA.com Network:
The PlayUSA.com Network is a leading source for news, analysis, and research related to the market for regulated online gaming in the United States. With a presence in over a dozen states, PlayUSA.com and its state-focused branches (including PlayIndiana.com, PlayIllinois.com, PlayNJ.com and PlayPennsylvania.com) produce daily original reporting, publish in-depth research, and offer player advocacy tools related to the advancement of safe, licensed, and legal online gaming options for consumers. Based in Las Vegas, the PlayUSA Network is independently owned and operated, with no affiliation to any casino — commercial, tribal, online, or otherwise.
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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