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PlayIllinois.com: Sportsbooks post huge month, but March could be ‘last hurrah’ for major growth

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PlayIllinois.com: Sportsbooks post huge month, but March could be 'last hurrah' for major growth

 

Illinois sportsbooks set records for betting and revenue in March, easily reaching $600 million in monthly wagering for the first time and again surpassing Pennsylvania, a dramatic turn one year after the industry’s launch was spoiled by the pandemic-related shutdown of major U.S. sports. But as far as Illinois has come, the state’s newfound position as the nation’s No. 3 market could be short-lived as in-person registration requirements begin to take hold, said PlayIllinois, which analyzes and researches the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.

“March Madness helped deliver a huge month for Illinois, but March is essentially a ‘last hurrah’ for the state’s rapid growth,” said Joe Boozell, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “Illinois will still be one of the largest U.S. markets because of the population of the state, but it will be difficult to maintain its current status as the U.S. No. 3, much less catch Nevada. No matter how appealing a market, there isn’t any easy way to overcome the inconvenience of in-person registration.”

Spurred by March Madness, betting at Illinois’s retail and online sportsbooks surged to $633.6 million in March, according to official data released Monday. That is up 24.3% from $509.8 million in February and easily topped the previous record $581.6 million in January. Bettors placed $20.4 million per day in the 31 days of March, up from $18.2 million per day in February.

March’s high volume produced $49.9 million in operator revenue, up 64.6% from $30.3 million in February and narrowly topping the record $49.4 million in January. The month’s win created $44.3 million in taxable revenue, which yielded $6.6 million in state taxes and another $493,543 in local taxes.

Illinois surpassed Pennsylvania ($560.3 million) in monthly handle for the second straight month and gained ground on New Jersey ($859.6 million) and Nevada ($641 million). In doing so, the state surpassed $3 billion ($3.6 billion) in lifetime handle.

That stands in stark contrast to March 2020, when Illinois launched retail sportsbooks, taking in $997,739 in bets before a wave of sports cancellations essentially put a hold on sports betting in Illinois until July.

“The growth over the last year has been staggering, making Illinois the quickest to $3 billion in U.S. history,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIllinois. “The question now becomes what will happen when the brakes are hit on that growth? Does it alarm lawmakers enough to make a change? Or will Illinois be satisfied with where the sports betting market has been frozen in place?”

The NCAA Tournament was the main driver in March, generating an estimated $176.8 million in bets even as bettors were barred from wagering on Illinois and Loyola Chicago. The NBA also drew well, helping to push basketball betting to $365.7 million. The previous high for basketball in a month was $256.7 million.

Tennis also continues to do especially well in Illinois, hitting $47.2 million in wagering, the second-most wagered-on sport.

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“Illinois has grown in some unique ways, but the state’s love of basketball has really carried the state over the last few months,” Boozell said. “If the ban on betting on in-state college teams didn’t exist, Illinois would have likely been the No. 2 market in the U.S. in March.”

Online wagering accounted for 96.1%, or $609 million, of all bets in March. Retail betting generated the remaining $24.6 million.

DraftKings/Casino Queen represented 32.2% of the state’s entire handle in March, generating $207.6 million in online and retail wagers, up from the operator’s $199.8 million handle in February. Nearly $203.9 million of March’s bets came online.

FanDuel/Fairmont attracted $195.2 million in bets — $194.9 million of which came online. BetRivers/Rivers Casino continued to lose pace with the market leaders, generating $95.7 million in online betting and $106.9 million overall, up from $86.9 million in February.

The leaders were followed by:

PointsBet/Hawthorne Race Course ($55 million in wagers, including $53.6 million online; $5.1 million in revenue)
Barstool/Hollywood Casinos ($48.9 million in wagers, including $47.8 million online; $1.1 million in revenue)
William Hill/Grand Victoria ($14.2 million in wagers, including $13.3 million online; -$270,456 in revenue)
Argosy ($4.1 million in wagers; $410,477 in revenue)
Hollywood Joliet ($1.2 million in wagers; $127,344 in revenue)
Par-A-Dice ($628,286 in wagers; -$163,180 in revenue)

“One of the biggest issues with the return of in-person registration is it puts newly launched operators at a permanent disadvantage,” Welman said. “In one way, Barstool was fortunate to launch when it did, helping them build a foundation. But growth will be difficult for all operators, and especially those that are farther away from the largest population centers.”

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.

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Blokotech appoints Nicolas Castearena as Commercial Director LATAM

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Blokotech appoints Nicolas Castearena as Commercial Director LATAM

 

Blokotech, a leading innovator in iGaming software solutions, has appointed Nicolas Castearena as Commercial Director LATAM, to accelerate growth across Latin America.

Castearena joins Blokotech with an impressive track record of cultivating high-value partnerships and expanding throughout LATAM. His career covers the crypto and Web3 sectors, where he showed a deep understanding of technology, innovation, and market dynamics.

Blokotech Commercial Director LATAM Nicolas Castearena said: “Blokotech’s potential for this region is immense and I cannot wait to play my role in ensuring we deliver on our targets. My localised knowledge and understanding of market nuances will be a valuable addition to the business.”

As Co-founder and CEO of Hashrate Solución, Nicolas has generated strong results by connecting iGaming solutions with real-world market needs – highlighting his entrepreneurial mindset and ability to spot opportunities in emerging tech spaces.

Blokotech Co-Founder and CEO Salvatore Messina added: “Nicolas brings the ideal balance of commercial expertise, technological insight, and strategic vision. His appointment marks a major moment in our LATAM expansion, and we’re hyper-confident about the value he’ll bring to our business and clients in the region.”

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Delaware Park Converts from VizExplorer to Quick Custom Intelligence’s (QCI) Enterprise Platform

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Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), a leading provider of cutting-edge casino management solutions, is thrilled to announce that Delaware Park has selected the QCI Enterprise Platform to elevate its data-driven operations.

The strategic decision to transition from VizExplorer to QCI’s innovative platform highlights Delaware Park’s commitment to providing an enhanced guest experience through superior analytics and real-time operational insights.

Delaware Park, a prominent gaming destination in Delaware, is well-known for offering its guests exceptional service. By adopting the QCI Enterprise Platform, Delaware Park will now leverage advanced marketing and data analytics to optimize their performance and guest satisfaction.

Terry Glebocki, President & General Manager of Delaware Park, shared her thoughts on the transition: Delaware Park Casino is excited to partner with QCI. “The real-time insights and innovative analytics provided by QCI will enable us to make data-driven decisions that will enhance the overall experience for our customers and improve our internal processes.”

Andrew Cardno, CTO of QCI, expressed his excitement about the partnership: “We are honored to welcome Delaware Park to the expanding network of gaming properties utilizing the QCI Enterprise Platform. By choosing QCI, Delaware Park demonstrates a strong commitment to innovation, and we look forward to supporting their efforts to streamline operations and drive revenue.”

Melissa Chiaurro, President of VizExplorer, also commented on the collaboration: “The Viz team is excited to begin transitioning our clients to the QCI Platform. This move will not only enhance their analytical capabilities but also offer a more user-friendly experience and deeper insights into player behaviors. We are committed to making the migration process as smooth as possible and are eager to see the innovative opportunities that QCI will unlock for our partners.”

 

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Confut USA and BetExpo explore the football and iGaming market

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Confut USA and BetExpo join forces to provide a unique experience, bringing together speakers and professionals from the global football and iGaming industries in a single event, which will take place on June 11th and 12th, at the Hilton Miami Downtown.

Over the course of two days, participants will have the opportunity to explore topics such as sports betting, market trends, technological innovations and business opportunities.

Arthur Lobo, CEO of Confut, commented on the partnership: “The partnership with BetExpo represents a strategic merger of two industries that go hand in hand: football and iGaming. This move not only expands the diversity of content at the event, but also creates an ecosystem that is conducive to generating business between companies in the betting sector, clubs, leagues and other stakeholders. In addition, it promotes fundamental discussions on regulation, technology integration and best practices in the market.”

In addition, Pedrão Bet, CEO of BetExpo, also stated how positive the union of the two events will be:

“The partnership between BetExpo and Confut represents a strategic union of great impact, combining expertise, innovation and joining two sectors that are rapidly expanding in the global market.”

For brands looking to activate their business in these two markets, Confut USA and BetExpo offer exclusive business opportunities and experiences.

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