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PlayIllinois.com: Sports betting slows, but Illinois quickest ever to $5 billion in wagering

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Illinois sportsbooks

 

Wagering at Illinois sportsbooks slowed in June to below $500 million for the first time since December 2020 while revenue once again surged, as the effects of summer’s sports calendar and in-person registration requirements continued to be felt. Even as the Prairie State remains in line with trends seen in most major U.S. markets, Illinois managed to reach $5 billion in lifetime handle quicker than any market in U.S. history, according to analysts from PlayIllinois, which tracks the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.

“Illinois sportsbooks is very much continuing down the same path as most major U.S. markets in June, with revenue surging despite the seasonal headwinds working to keep handle down,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayIllinois.com. “Fortunately for them, sportsbooks only have to endure one more month of sluggish action before the fall sports season reignites the industry.”

Illinois’ retail and online sportsbooks took in $476.5 million in wagers in June, down 6.1% from $507.3 million in May, according to official data released Thursday. That is the lowest handle in the state since sportsbooks collected $449.2 million in November 2020. The day-by-day pace of betting slowed to $15.9 million over the 30 days of June, which was down from $16.9 million per day in May.

The month’s handle placed Illinois No. 3 in the U.S. in June, behind New Jersey ($766.9 million) and Nevada ($545.5 million), but ahead of Pennsylvania ($420.2 million). More impressive, though, June’s handle pushed the lifetime total for the state to $5.1 billion. Illinois is just the fourth state to reach $5 billion, and the state’s sportsbooks did it in 16 months, breaking New Jersey’s record of 18 months.

“Even with all the twists and turns over the last year, namely the back-and-forth with in-person registration requirements and pandemic restrictions, Illinois continues to break new ground,” said Joe Boozell, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “Illinois bettors remain highly engaged, keeping the state entrenched among the nation’s sports betting heavyweights like Nevada and New Jersey.”

As June’s handle fell, gross gaming revenue rose 31.8% to $48.2 million from $36.6 million in May. That is the third highest revenue total in state history, only surpassed by the record $49.9 million set in March and $49.4 million in January. July’s gross revenue produced $47.5 million in adjusted gross revenue, yielding $7.7 million in state and local taxes.

The revenue jump is a product of the way bettors tend to engage with summer sports.

Basketball remained the top sport, attracting $126.9 million in bets, which was down from $154.3 million in wagering in May. Baseball betting remained relatively flat, producing $126.7 million in bets, up from $126.1 million in May.

Meanwhile, parlay bets swelled to $101.1 million in bets, generating a whopping $22.8 million in revenue for sportsbooks. Tennis jumped to $40.3 million in wagers from $32.6 million in May.

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“Bettors interact with individual sports like golf and tennis differently than major U.S. team sports like football, placing more futures bets and single-game parlay bets that carry lower odds to win,” Ramsey said. “For sportsbooks those bets are particularly important during the summer when volume drops. And it puts sportsbooks in an excellent position as football season approaches.”

$451.7 million, or 94.8%, of June’s bets were made online. DraftKings/Casino Queen remained in the market lead with $160.2 million in combined online and retail handle, down from $170.1 million in May. June’s handle included $157.1 million of online bets and $14.0 million in gross gaming revenue.

FanDuel’s online and retail sportsbooks attracted $156.3 million in bets in June, which was flat from May. The month’s bets, $155.3 million of which came online, generated a market-leading $20.3 million in gross gaming revenue.

BetRivers/Rivers Casino rose to $83.2 million in combined handle, including $71.2 million in online wagering. That led to $7.5 million in gross gaming revenue.

The leaders were followed by:

  • PointsBet/Hawthorne Race Course ($35.6 million in wagers, including $33.6 million online; $3.4 million in revenue)
  • Barstool/Hollywood Aurora ($30.4 million in wagers, including $28.7 million online; $2.1 million in revenue)
  • William Hill/Grand Victoria ($6.6 million in wagers, including $5.9 million online; $504,006 in revenue)
  • Argosy ($2.7 million in retail wagers; $359,010 in revenue)
  • Hollywood Joliet ($1.2 million in wagers; $95,949 in revenue)
  • Par-A-Dice ($360,804 in wagers; -$69,131 in revenue)

The fight for market share was largely static in June. This as lawmakers continue to grapple with in-person registration requirements and a $20 million licensing fee for online-only operators.

“Without a legislative fix, in-person registration will continue to be an issue that alters the market,” Boozell said. “Worse, if no operator pays the hefty online-only fee when those licenses become available in December it could make in-person registration permanent. We will see if legislators are able to either lower the price of the online-only licenses to make them more attractive or make it so that the online-only licenses aren’t the trigger for remote registration.”

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RG24seven collaborates with industry experts to expand landmark Sports Betting training for gaming employees

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RG24seven Virtual Training, the industry-leading, free video-based virtual training system for casino and gaming employees and a BMM Innovation Group (BIG) company, is pleased to expand training offerings to include new sports betting courses. The new courses highlight the fundamentals of sports betting, the legal landscape, ethics and marketing, and responsible gaming practices.

Wendy Anderson, CEO of RG24seven Virtual Training, said, “We all play a part in upholding the reputation and credibility of our industry. We brought together top experts in the industry to create these courses and ensure that gaming employees are fully informed about all aspects of working in and around sports betting.”

Victoria Reed, CEO of Better Change and Strategic Advisor for RG24seven, added, “We also want to provide gaming employees with as much information as possible about the variables that influence the sports betting industry, such as the laws, its reputation, and why it’s important that we remain as ethical as possible. We hope learners will gain a strong working knowledge of sports betting, as well as understand the significance of the regulations, integrity in sports, and responsible gaming.”

Anderson concluded, “Sports betting is meant to be fun, and it’s even more so when you fully understand not only the terminology but also how you can protect both yourself and your customers from gambling harm. We welcome gaming company executives, managers, and other representatives to request organization-wide access to our new training.”

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Latest News

Wildly popular ‘Fortune Tiger’ game among PG Soft Brazil rollout

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Global iGaming powerhouse SkillOnNet has announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with award-winning game developer PG Soft bringing the studio’s acclaimed content to the regulated Brazilian market.

The move comes just months after SkillOnNet went live in Brazil with its licensed brands PlayUZU.br and BacanaPlay.br, as one of the first operators to gain approval from the brand-new licensing regime.

The integration of PG Soft’s engaging portfolio, including the wildly popular Fortune Tiger, will bolster SkillOnNet’s offering in one of the most exciting emerging markets in the world.

Fortune Tiger, known locally as Jogo do Tigrinho, has become a cultural phenomenon in Brazil. Its rapid rise has been fueled by viral marketing on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, where influencers showcase big wins and gameplay tips.

PG Soft’s content is already live in over 100 countries and supports 23 languages and 100 currencies. Known for rich visuals and innovative mechanics, the studio has earned global recognition for its ability to connect with players across diverse markets.

SkillOnNet operates more than 40 brands in regulated markets globally and boasts a platform of over 7,000 titles from the industry’s top providers. PG Soft’s integration further diversifies SkillOnNet’s content portfolio, solidifying its position as a key player in Brazil’s rapidly growing iGaming landscape.

Jani Kontturi, Head of Games at SkillOnNet said: “Brazil is a market full of potential, and we’re investing heavily to ensure we become a top-tier operator here. PG Soft’s content, especially Fortune Tiger, has already made a big impact in the region. This collaboration strengthens our commitment to localising our offering and bringing world-class entertainment to the market.”

PG Soft commented: “We’re delighted to extend our partnership with SkillOnNet into Brazil, a market where our games – especially Fortune Tiger – have really resonated with players. SkillOnNet is a leading name in regulated markets, and their ambitious plans for Brazil match our own. We’re confident that this collaboration will set a new benchmark for quality and engagement in the region.”

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Conferences

EGT Digital at SBC Summit Americas 2025: High-tech gaming solutions for brilliant performance

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EGT Digital at SBC Summit Americas 2025: High-tech gaming solutions for brilliant performance

 

EGT Digital is ready for its first memorable participation in SBC Summit Americas. The company has prepared a fascinating range of innovative online gaming products, which will be available at booth C290.

EGT Digital will demonstrate its impressive portfolio of in-house developed slot games, including over 140 popular titles, as well as the jackpot bestsellers Bell Link, High Cash, Clover Chance, and Single Progressive Jackpot.

Visitors will also be able to learn more about the 4-level multi-denomination Gods & Kings Link, the latest member of the company’s jackpot family. Its first 2 games – Glorious Alexander and Ape of Luck, will provide players with numerous opportunities for winning and entertainment.

The newest addition to Clover Chance – the 5×6 Fruity Shots game, will also attract players’ attention. With a vibrant cocktail theme, it will offer functionalities such as the Toppling Reels feature, adding extra excitement by filling empty positions with new symbols, thus creating even more chances to win.

The company’s iGaming platform X-Nave will also be on display to provide operators with everything they need to build and grow their online business. It will demonstrate its 4 main modules: Sport Product, Gaming Aggregator, CRM Engine, and Payment Gateway. Standing out with great versatility, each of them is able to function as part of the turnkey solution or independently, as they allow seamless integration with third-party developments.

The Sport Product will introduce its rich sports and esports content across a number of markets around the world. EGT Digital’s Gaming Aggregator will reveal a vast range of over 13,000 titles from more than 130 popular providers, as well as a lot of functionalities for content personalization. X-Nave’s CRM Engine with its ever-evolving player management tools and bonus features, as well as the Payment Gateway, covering a wide variety of payment methods, will further expand operators’ capabilities to create customized and more engaging offerings for their customers.

“SBC Summit Americas is a well-established event, bringing together key players from across the LATAM region,” said Tsvetomira Drumeva, Head of Sales at EGT Digital. “I am confident that our participation will provide us with numerous options to start new high-potential collaborations and strengthen our existing partnerships. We are also happy to be among the finalists in the SBC Awards Americas 2025 this year.”

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