Press Releases
PlayIndiana.com: Sports betting expectedly slows in April
Indiana’s sports betting industry experienced another month-over-month decline in April, as wagering dropped to its lowest level since October 2020. But in a state that has known little else but growth, the expected decline is indicative of the beginning of a typical sports betting slowdown period that will likely last until the beginning of football season, according to PlayIndiana, which provides news and analysis of the state’s gaming industry.
“Even a high volume of regular season baseball and NBA basketball games can’t make up for a calendar devoid of NFL and college football games, or a major betting event like the NCAA Tournament,” said Jessica Welman, lead analyst at PlayIndiana. “Because the pandemic turned the 2020 sports schedule on its head, Indiana hasn’t really experienced a full year of normal sports betting activity. But there are normal seasonal ebbs and flows in sports betting, and this is the start of what is historically the slowest period of every year.”
Indiana sportsbooks collected $236.4 million in wagers in April, according to official reporting released Wednesday. That is down 25.4% from $316.7 million in March and counts as the lowest monthly handle since sportsbooks generated a $230.9 million handle in October 2020.
April’s bets produced $20.1 million in adjusted gross revenue, down 23.8% from $26.4 million in March. That yielded $1.9 million in state taxes.
Indiana sportsbooks have already accepted $1.2 billion in bets through the first four months of the year. Even with a month-over-month decline in April, this year stands in stark contrast to 2020. In what was the low point of the year, online sportsbooks took in just $26.3 million in wagers in April 2020, while retail outlets were completely shuttered as the sports world went quiet.
“This is the first time we get to see how Indiana will perform during the spring and summer months, and through one month Indiana is meeting expectations,” said Nicole Russo, analyst for PlayIndiana. “With the Olympics ahead and the NBA Playoffs pushed back a month, this could actually be a better summer than in most years. And Indiana’s sportsbooks are well-positioned to take advantage.”
Online betting accounted for 88.4%, or $209.1 million, of the state’s handle, an increase from 88.1% in March. Retail sportsbooks generated the remaining $27.3 million in wagers, down from $37.5 million in March.
DraftKings once again topped all online operators with $79.3 million in online bets, down from $111.2 million in March. That produced $6.1 million in gross receipts, down from $8.5 million in March. FanDuel was second with $67.1 million in bets, down from $92.4 million in March. That produced $5.7 million in gross receipts, down from $6.8 million.
The leaders were followed by:
- BetMGM ($30.9 million handle, down from $39.4 million in March; $3.1 million win, down from $3.6 million).
- PointsBet ($10.3 million handle, down from $13.1 million; $794,476 win, down from $1.7 million)
- William Hill ($8.5 million handle, down from $9.5 million; $378,830 win, down from $879,577)
- BetRivers/French Lick Resort ($7.3 million handle, down from $9.2 million; $381,975 win, down from $829,034)
- TheScore ($3.2 million handle, up from $3 million; $128,670 win, down from $263,111)
- Unibet ($2 million handle, down from $2.1 million; $23,884 win, down from $139,283)
- WynnBet ($411,778 handle; $47,206 win)
- TwinSpires ($158,702 handle; -$8,929 win)
- Caesars (No handle; -$2,167 win, down from $1,392)
Hollywood Lawrenceburg, nearest Cincinnati, led the retail market again with $8.4 million in wagers. Ameristar East Chicago was second with $5.2 million.
The online market also got more competitive in April. First with the launch of WynnBET on April 1, then later with the launch of TwinSpires just ahead of the Kentucky Derby. Barstool is also gearing up for the much-anticipated launch of its app.
“Even as the market approaches its second birthday, operators remain bullish on Indiana,” Russo said. “With two of the highest-volume retail sportsbooks in the state already, Barstool’s online app could really move the market. Fresh entries into the market will keep the largest operators in the state on their toes and vying for new customers.”
For more revenue information on Indiana sportsbooks, visit PlayIndiana.com/revenue.
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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