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PlayColorado.com: Betting volume grows ahead of fall surge

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PlayColorado.com: Betting volume grows ahead of fall surge

 

Colorado’s sportsbooks used interest in baseball, early-season college football, and NFL futures betting to fuel the first month-over-month gain in betting volume since May. The boost to nearly $212 million in wagering in August also made Colorado just the sixth state to haul in more than $3 billion in lifetime bets, according to PlayColorado, which tracks the state’s regulated sports betting market.

“It’s encouraging to see a bump ahead of the most important four-month stretch of the year,” said Ian St. Clair, analyst for PlayColorado.com. “A mere taste of football in August showed its importance to sportsbooks. But what we saw last month is just a precursor for what we expect for the final four months of the year, which should bring an onslaught of fresh records.”

Colorado’s online and retail sportsbooks accepted $211.9 million in wagers in August, $208.3 million of which came through online operators, according to data released Monday by the Colorado Division of Gaming. Year-over-year, betting volume in August was up 64.7% from $128.6 million in August 2020 and up 16.9% from $181.3 million in July.

Gross gaming revenue hit $15.2 million in August. That is up 102.5% from $7.5 million in August 2020, though down 2.7% from $15.7 million in July. After promotional credits, net sports betting proceeds in August landed at $7.1 million, which yielded $726,365 in tax revenue.

August’s results brought a slew of fresh milestones, including surpassing $3 billion in lifetime wagering. Since launching in May 2020, Colorado’s sportsbooks have generated:

$3.2 billion in wagering, including $2.0 billion so far in 2021
$213.1 million in gross gaming revenue, including $137.3 million in 2021
$117.4 million in free bets
$95.7 million in taxable revenue
$10.2 million in state taxes
“Colorado is remarkably consistent, and continues to outperform the size of its population base,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for the PlayUSA.com network, which includes PlayColorado.com. “With even a decent football season, sportsbooks will reach $3 billion in wagers and $200 million in revenue for the year. Those would be impressive annual totals for a state that is still maturing as a sports betting market.”

With a flurry of fresh launches ahead of football season, including well-known brands like Barstool and the Sports Illustrated Sportsbook, Colorado is now home to more online operators than any other state with 26.

One of the intriguing aspects of Colorado’s market for operators is the wide range of sporting interests of its bettors. In August, baseball was again the most popular sport to bet on with $69.6 million in bets in August, up from $59.9 million in July. Tennis ($13.5 million), soccer ($11.5 million), basketball ($10.6 million), and table tennis ($8.1 million) all drew significant wagering in August, too.

But like every U.S. market, football is still king in Colorado. With a light inventory of games to bet on, including three Broncos preseason games, pro football drew $13.6 million in wagering, up from just $586,203 in July. College football attracted an additional $2.6 million. And the growth over the next four months will be substantial. In 2020, a year marred by the shutdown of major sports for months, 60.2% of the money wagered legally in the U.S. was placed from September through December. In 2019, 50.8% of all legal wagers were made during the last four months of the year.

“The difference between a great football season and a merely very good fall for sportsbooks may come down to how local teams fare,” said St. Clair. “If there is a concern for operators it is that Colorado, Colorado State, and Air Force each had significant missteps to open the season, which could dampen some enthusiasm. But the Broncos’ hot start will likely more than make up for that. If the Broncos can continue to play well, it could really drive sports betting to new heights.”

For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Colorado, visit PlayColorado.com/revenue.

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FANDOM DECODES THE TUG-OF-WAR FOR FAN ATTENTION BETWEEN GAMING & ENTERTAINMENT COMPANIES IN 2024 INSIDE ENTERTAINMENT STUDY

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Study Identifies a New Target Audience – The “Switchers” – and Why Dramas Could Be the Next Big Gaming Franchise

 

Forget the gaming vs. entertainment narrative. Fandom, the world’s largest fan platform, today released its annual Inside Entertainment study which reveals a nuanced reality: fans crave both immersive gaming worlds AND timeless storytelling across tv and film, NOT one or the other. Leveraging first-party data from Fandom’s extensive platform – 350 million monthly unique visitors, 45 million pages of content and 250k fan-powered wikis – coupled with a global study, Inside Entertainment: The Entertainment & Gaming Tug of War goes beyond industry headlines to:

  • Understand the dynamic coexistence between the gaming and TV/film industries
  • Identify a brand new audience – the “Switchers”
  • Detail why dramas and book adaptations present a huge opportunity to be the next hit video game franchise

“Every industry analysis refers to the battle for fans’ attention across entertainment and gaming but we’ve found that it’s not an either or. In fact, combined, entertainment and gaming experiences strengthen fan connection and deliver incremental engagement,” said Stephanie Fried, CMO of Fandom. “Understanding the interplay between these mediums is key to building authentic and enduring fan experiences; and understanding the value and role of each medium is essential for developing powerful marketing messaging to attract and retain fans.”

Key Findings

  • 67% of fans are spending the same or more time consuming content or playing video games, but their behavior is shifting:
  • 33% are spending less time on cable or in theaters – and the number one activity they’re switching to is gaming (59%

Switchers’ refers to the audience moving away from watching movies & binging TV shows in their free time to do other activities. Outside of gaming, switchers are also spending time:

On social media (47%), reading (56%) and doing hobbies (37%)
With 56% of the switcher audience spending time reading, it presents an opportunity to re-engage this audience and pull them back into the ecosystem with new content strategies, like book-to-game or book-to-film cross over adaptations

But don’t worry entertainment companies. Just as gaming is the #1 activity for entertainment fans, watching TV and movies is the #1 activity gamers turn to when taking a break from gaming – which means these industries are inevitably intertwined and could benefit from joint endeavors or conquest/win-back strategies

Drama could be #1 untapped genre for gaming companies to explore when looking for their next big hit. Our data uncovers that drama fans who also game gravitate towards genres like:

  • Role-Playing (RPG): 73%
  • Adventure: 72%,
  • Simulation: 62%,
  • Sandbox/Open World: 62%,
  • Puzzle: 60%

Gaming wins on super serving the emotional needs of fans, identifying a niche area streamers & studios should not only be aware of – but double down on:

  • 82% of gamers think video games are more interactive & engaging than movies and TV
  • 59% feel more accomplished when playing a video game
  • 53% like that they have more control in the story when playing video games
  • 45% feel more invested in the storylines in video games

Top 3 Takeaways For Advertisers and Marketers
 
1. Gaming is a Friend vs. a Foe

  • Despite common misconceptions, there is a true symbiotic relationship between the gaming and entertainment industries – they both serve different emotional needs for fans and can actually complement each other – with the right fan strategy.
  • Therefore, if studios, networks and streaming companies cater to the distinct emotional desires of their specific audiences, they can successfully influence a fan’s choice between mediums and content types and build out a more robust conquest strategy for both retention and acquisition.

2. Sway the Switchers

  • Switchers are the audience entertainment companies should be first and foremost targeting in this “tug of war” to capture fan attention, because switching to watching TV & movies is the first activity gamers engage in after they stop playing.
  • This underscores the importance for entertainment companies to develop strategies that resonate with these “switchers.”

3. Find your Niche

  • With the growing intersection between gaming and entertainment, it’s crucial for studios, networks, and streamers to align on a gaming strategy that drives viewer engagement and retention.
  • While many entertainment companies know they need a focus on gaming to drive their business forward – how and where are often barriers. Developing a gaming-specific fan strategy by finding niche pockets in the vast ecosystem – like targeting drama fans or creating book adaptations – is key for reaching a high affinity target at scale.

For an interview with a Fandom executive to discuss the study in more detail, please contact Rachelle Savoia at [email protected]

Methodology

The 2024 Inside Entertainment study regionally analyzes the dynamics between diverse forms of entertainment based on a survey of 5,500 entertainment and gaming fans aged 13-54 These insights were validated and deepened through Fandom’s proprietary, first-party data from 2024 – more than 350 million monthly unique visitors, 45 million pages of content across 250,000 wikis. This methodology provides a 360-degree view of franchises and fan interest across the entertainment and gaming landscape through the eyes of Fandom.

 

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BMM INNOVATION GROUP TO SHOWCASE COLLABORATION WITH INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED MASTER CHOCTAW ARTIST DG SMALLING AT INDIAN GAMING ASSOCIATION (IGA) TRADE SHOW APRIL 10-11

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The Company to Unveil Original Artwork Focused on BMM’s Mission to Protect Tribal Gaming and All Who Play

BMM Innovation Group (“BIG”, “BIG Group”, or the “Company”), a technology conglomerate providing world-class services and cutting-edge solutions to the global gaming industry through BMM Testlabs, BIG Cyber, and RG24seven Virtual Training, today announced a collaboration with internationally acclaimed Choctaw Nation Master Artist DG Smalling celebrating BMM Innovation Group’s relationship with Tribal suppliers, regulators, and operators. The artwork will be showcased at the IGA tradeshow April 10-11 at the Anaheim Convention Center in BIG’s Booth No. 628.

Smalling is best known for his single-line, continuous drawing technique in which his pen never leaves the paper until the image is complete. The piece he created with BIG is called ‘Hand to Hand’, representing the vital relationship between the BIG Group and Tribal gaming. Smalling will be giving away signed reprints of the piece from 2-4 pm on Wednesday, April 10 in BIG’s Booth No. 628.

BIG’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Martin Storm said, “We are honored to be able to work with such an internationally celebrated and recognized Tribal artist, DG Smalling, to create artwork that reflects our deep roots in Tribal gaming and the importance of the BIG companies in protecting Tribal gaming and all who play through best-in-class product testing and certification, cybersecurity protection solutions, and compliance-grade training.

Smalling said, “I was excited to create this piece for the BMM Innovation Group. This artwork depicts the role of BMM as an agency of quality control to protect Tribal sovereignty from outside intervention; the intersection of Tribal nations, Indian Gaming, and BMM as a day-to-day presence securing Indian Gaming integrity, and thereby, its sovereignty.”

Prior to his collaboration with BIG, Smalling had already made a name for himself in the gaming industry. In 2022, he achieved the distinction of being the first artist to fully collaborate with a slot machine manufacturer when he teamed up with Incredible Technologies to launch Class II slot games showcasing his art. In addition, Smalling has played a key role in spearheading a number of corporate-indigenous partnerships with leading companies like Amazon, Gary Platt Manufacturing, Emser Tile Native Narrative Series, and APMEX. Smalling holds the distinction of being authorized by the Delaware Nation of Oklahoma — through statute — to create on their behalf.

Smalling’s art and honors include the Department of the Interior’s Operation Lady Justice; featured artist at Epcot Disney World: State of Oklahoma Centennial Show in 2007; Grand Palais “Salon du Dessin et de la Peinture ĂĄ l’Eau” in Paris in 2011; and National Museum of the American Indian “Choctaw Codetalkers Celebration” in Washington, DC in 2012. In addition, Smalling has been commissioned to paint several portraits, including U.S. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, U.S. Congressman Tom Cole, and Sir Tony Blair, the former Prime Minister of the UK, among many other notable dignitaries. Some of Smalling’s notable commissions include APMEX Coins’ Asian Zodiac Series: Year of the Dragon (2024) ; APMEX Coins’ Grand Buffalo (2023); and Lady Justice of California Proclamation (2020). For more information, visit dgsmalling.ai.

 

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Endorphina explores the eternal fire in its newest slot release – All Ways Luck!

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One of the top casino game providers in the iGaming industry, Endorphina, has announced the release of another new slot game on March 28th, 2024. The new game is titled All Ways Luck and features 5 reels, 4 rows, and 243 fixed pay ways, increasing the chances of players winning big.

The main theme of the game is set around a powerful volcano, burning with eternal flames and erupting in fiery wins. The deserted land in this world challenges players to test their courage and take advantage of the fire that never burns out. Filled with exciting twists and dangerous turns, this Endorphina slot appeals to the most daring and bold players looking for an unpredictable adventure and hidden treasures.

Another layer of excitement is added to the player experience when the fury of the volcano causes an earthquake to shake the reels, presenting the player with Free Games. The Free Games in All Ways Luck ensures players will stay always lucky with multipliers and scattered symbols for even bigger wins. Just like previous Endorphina slots, All Ways Luck features the Classic Risk Game and Bonus Pop mechanics.

Will you be able to find the treasure guarded by the everlasting volcano? Try your luck and test your courage on All Ways Luck!

 

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