Press Releases
PlayIllinois.com: Sportsbooks suffer first month-over-month decline, but gain ground on nation’s top markets
Illinois sportsbooks posted a month-over-month decline in betting volume for the first time since launching in late July, continuing what was a national trend in February. But the state still managed to narrowly surpass Pennsylvania to place third among U.S. states for the month. More concerning for what has been a booming industry in Illinois, though, is the return of in-person registration, which could stymie online sports betting growth for as long as it is in place, according to PlayIllinois, which provides news and analysis of the state’s gaming industry.
“Passing Pennsylvania should be momentous but it is almost certainly going to be short-lived, as the decision to return to in-person registration will likely mean the end of growth for the Illinois sports betting industry,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “Open registration has been a key component in making Illinois one of the largest sports betting markets in the country. Forcing people to physically appear in a retail sportsbook is a counterproductive measure, which should be apparent whenever Illinois April data is released.”
With open registration still in place in February, Illinois retail and online sportsbooks attracted $509.8 million in wagers, according to official data released Friday. That is down 12.3% from the record $581.6 million in January, an expected dip with fewer days during the month and only one NFL game to bet. That game, the Super Bowl, drew $45.6 million in bets, though some of those bets were accepted prior to February.
Bettors placed $18.2 million per day in the 28 days of February, which was down slightly from $18.8 million per day in January. Illinois’ relatively modest pullback made it the third-largest U.S. market in terms of money wagered, gaining ground on leaders New Jersey ($743 million) and Nevada ($554.1 million), while topping Pennsylvania ($509.5 million) for the first time.
February’s handle also produced $30.3 million in operator revenue, down 38.7% from the record $49.4 million in January. But the month’s win produced $35.4 million in taxable revenue, which yielded $5.3 million in taxes for the state and another $541,832 in local taxes.
“February’s results in Illinois actually compare well to the other major markets in the U.S., showing that the state had yet to reach its ceiling,” said Joe Boozell, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “Even with the return of in-person registration, operators have set a good foundation of bettors that will sustain the industry, even as the rules stunt the market’s growth.”
For the first time in months, retail sportsbooks were open for a full month, attracting $19.6 million in bets. But online betting still drove 96.2%, or $490.2 million, of the state’s handle. That is down from 98.9%, or $575.2 million, in online betting in January.
DraftKings/Casino Queen remained the market leader by accepting $199.8 million in online and retail wagers in February, which was down from the operator’s $244.2 million handle in January but still represented 39.2% of the state’s total handle. $196.5 million of February’s bets came online.
FanDuel/Par-A-Dice Casino was second with its $158.9 million handle, $158.4 million of which came online. The operator’s overall handle was down from $173.5 million in January. BetRivers/Rivers Casino was third with $86.9 million in online betting and $96.4 million overall, down from $112.7 million in January.
The market has also gotten more competitive, most notably from the March 11 launch of Penn National’s Barstool-branded app, which is partnering with Hollywood Casinos. But Barstool’s launch came just weeks before the end of open registration, hamstringing what has been a popular operator in both Pennsylvania and Michigan.
“Barstool had just three weeks to build a customer base in an open environment, which should put it at a permanent disadvantage against the market leaders,” Welman said. “That said, their brand is popular and should draw significant interest, helping to grow the market. It could be the last hurrah, of sorts, as new operators might be deterred by in-person registration.”
In February, Super Bowl betting drove more action than any other single event, of course. But the NBA and college basketball continued to be a popular bet, drawing $256.7 million, or 50.4% of the state’s total handle, even as college basketball betting is slowed by the ban on wagers on in-state college teams. And bettors placed $45.3 million on tennis, a surprising surge for what is a fringe betting sport in much of the U.S.
“Illinois has grown in ways that are typical of most major markets, with an overwhelming preference for major U.S. sports and driven less by single events,” Boozell said. “But tennis’ popularity shows that the state is unique in some ways, too. We will now see how operators adapt to the state’s regulatory decisions, which have created challenges that sportsbooks will have to overcome to grow in the future.”
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Illinois, visit PlayIllinois.com/news.
The worlds of street culture and cutting-edge entertainment collide as Street League Skateboarding (SLS) and online gaming powerhouse Stake announce a new global partnership.
This partnership, which kicked off with Stake center stage as the Presenting Rights Partner of SLS Miami and the first SLS Takeover in Santa Monica in May, will run throughout the SLS Championship Tour season, culminating with the Super Crown in SĂŁo Paulo in December.
The wide-ranging partnership will see Stake prominently featured across the live events with branding on key skate course features and broadcast segments at the biggest skateboarding events worldwide.
Additionally, fans can expect to see the Stake brand integrated into the unique SLS social content, including the “What’s at Stake” event preview, and the all-new Game of S.T.A.K.E. – a creative twist on the classic Game of Skate, which will feature a head-to-head battle between SLS pros.
To round out the partnership, Stake will also be the presenting rights partner of the annual Trick of the Year contest, which allows skaters worldwide to submit their tricks for the illustrious prize. The Trick of the Year award winners will be announced in December.
“We’re excited to welcome an exciting brand like Stake to the SLS family”, said Frank Lamicella, CEO of Thrill Sports and parent company of SLS. “This partnership will deliver innovative activation elements and experiences to both our brands and fans as we travel the world for the 2025 SLS Championship Tour.”
“Skateboarding is more than sport – it’s fashion, music, culture, and raw energy. That’s exactly the space Stake loves to play in, and SLS is the perfect partner to bring that to life,” said Akhil Sarin, Chief Marketing Officer at Stake. “This alignment makes it an excellent partnership for our brand.”
Leading business, technology, finance, and gaming law firm, Segev LLP, is proud to announce its 10th anniversary. Over the past decade, Segev has evolved from a bold idea into a multi-jurisdictional firm serving clients across Canada, the U.S., and beyond.
Built for innovation-driven industries, the firm is widely recognized for its work with companies at the forefront of gaming, crypto, technology, and emerging sectors. “Our 10-year anniversary is a defining moment,” said Founding Partner, Ron Segev. “It’s a testament to the strength of our team and our culture of teamwork, self-improvement, and growth – all of which is directed at scoring wins for our great clients.”
As industries like fintech, crypto, iGaming, and AI have matured, so has the firm, often in parallel with its clients. “We’ve all grown together with our clients from one success to the next, whether it be helping clients complete financings or helping them close business,” said Managing Partner Alon Segev. “I look forward to continued growth for us and our clients in the next 10 years!”
The firm’s client-first approach has consistently earned recognition from top legal ranking guides. Segev LLP is ranked by Chambers and Partners as a “Leading Firm” and “Band-1” in Canada for Gaming Law and are also recommended by The Legal 500 and Lexology. These rankings reflect the team’s ability to deliver strategic, high-quality legal solutions that align with their clients’ business goals.
Recognized for their unique ability to exceed expectations and deliver out-of-the-box solutions, Segev LLP’s clients have affirmed: “The firm demonstrates its capability not only to understand complex matters, but also to offer solutions that are practical, pragmatic, and value-adding.”
“Segev possesses outstanding resources and maintains global partnerships, enabling it to deliver precise and informed responses to any queries related to the iGaming industry.”
“Epic service, very good, I won the case!”
“Great service, friendly atmosphere, and support.”
Several Segev team members also reflected on the milestone: “There was a moment early in my time here when I realized I wasn’t just being brought in to help; I was expected to contribute, take initiative, and run with big ideas. That stuck with me,” said Negin Alavi.
“Together with our clients, [Segev] has experienced remarkable growth over the past decade. I’m honored to have contributed to this journey and to celebrate these shared successes,” said David McHugh.
“Segev has cultivated a thriving law practice on the principle that challenges are to be embraced as opportunities. The approach has enabled us to grow as lawyers, but more importantly, it has enabled us to ensure the success of our clients,” said Mark Balestra.
“Since joining through Segev’s Ontario expansion, I’ve had the chance to work alongside some of the sharpest and most collaborative lawyers in the gaming space,” added Manav Bhargava. “As a full-service firm and industry leader, Segev stands out for its ability to support innovative businesses with practical, forward-thinking legal advice.”
Segev LLP will commemorate the anniversary with a series of internal and external initiatives throughout the remainder of the year.
Latest News
Quick Custom Intelligence Partners with ComOps to Offer Secure, Scalable Off-Site Human Player-Development Services for Casinos
Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), the global leader in AI-driven casino analytics, today announced a strategic partnership with ComOps, a hospitality performance partner delivering support-as-a-service solutions that enhance guest experiences and improve workforce efficiency. Through this partnership, QCI clients can now extend their host teams with ComOps’ bilingual (English/Spanish) player-development agents, available as fractional or fully virtual support.
Key Benefits for Casino Operators:
Turn-key scalability: ComOps agents operate directly within the QCI Enterprise Platform, receiving real-time access to player lists, campaign tasks, and performance dashboards. This allows properties to rapidly scale host operations without increasing headcount.
Secure, compliant operations: Agents access property systems via Microsoft® Virtual Desktop with multifactor authentication. All work is performed in a secured, clean-desk facility—no phones, pens, or paper—protecting player data and marketing offers.
Full-service guest engagement: Services include inbound and outbound telemarketing, VIP event invitations, and follow-up calls are executed from QCI’s dynamic call lists. When required, ComOps agents can enter hotel reservations directly into leading PMS platforms, Agilysys PMS, Oracle OHIP, or Infor HMS, to complete the guest journey.
Rapid deployment: Game Changing Technologies (GCT) will provision and manage all additional QCI licenses required, streamlining onboarding and accelerating time-to-value.
“Our customers are scaling faster than ever, and staffing expert host talent can be a major constraint,” said Dr. Ralph Thomas, CEO of QCI. “By integrating ComOps’ secure, off-site human agents into the QCI workflow, operators can instantly expand capacity, maintain data integrity, and focus on delivering personalized guest experiences that drive revenue.”
“Casinos need flexible, cost-effective ways to deepen player relationships,” added Robert Levine, CEO of ComOps. “This partnership combines ComOps’ hospitality expertise with QCI’s real-time analytics to help properties increase trip frequency, elevate guest engagement, and optimize VIP experiences.”
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