Press Releases
ILLINOIS SPORTSBOOKS HIT $400 MILLION IN WAGERING IN AUGUST Sports betting volume rises in August, foreshadowing what will be a busy fall, according to PlayIllinois

Illinois sportsbooks began to emerge from a summer slowdown in August with an 8.5% gain in betting volume from July, the first month-over-month gain in wagering since March. The boost to more than $400 million in wagering was welcome ahead of a critical time of year for the industry, according to PlayIllinois, which tracks the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.
“Interest in baseball, particularly the White Sox, coupled with the return of football in August, set the stage for what will certainly be the busiest four-month stretch ever for Illinois’ legal sports betting industry,” said Eric Ramsey, an analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayIllinois.com. “After summer, any gain is welcome. But the gains in August should pale in comparison to what we see with a full football schedule.”
Illinois’ retail and online sportsbooks accepted $400.4 million in bets in August, up 185.8% from $140.1 million in August 2020 and up 8.5% from $369.1 million in July, according to official data released Tuesday. The per-day betting volume grew to $12.9 million over the 31 days of August, up from $4.5 million per day in August 2020 and $11.9 million per day in July.
Gross gaming revenue fell 12.3% to $32.7 million in August from $37.3 million in July, which produced $26.8 million in adjusted gross revenue. August’s profit yielded $4.3 million in state and local taxes.
Baseball garnered the most interest in August, drawing $139.6 million in wagers, up from $124.0 million of action in July. Tennis ($43.4 million) and soccer ($30.8 million) drew significant interest, too. With just a handful of college and NFL preseason games, in addition to futures betting, football attracted $17.2 million in wagering.
August’s volume helped push the industry to $4.0 million in wagers and $326.3 million in gross gaming revenue for the year. And with football projected to draw more than $20 billion in wagering across the country, the state could reach $6 billion in wagering and $500 million in gross revenue by year’s end.
“There is little question that the final four months of the year will bring an onslaught of fresh records,” said Joe Boozell, lead analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “The biggest unknown is how much will in-person registration and the ban on wagering on in-state college teams drag on betting volume. We know it will be a strong finish to the year for sportsbooks, but it won’t be as good for the industry as it could have been.”
August’s wagering included $380.2 million in online bets, accounting for 95.0% of the state’s handle. DraftKings/Casino Queen topped Illinois again with $149.2 million in combined online and retail handle, up from $122.7 million in July. The operator took in a market-best $146.6 million in online wagers, too. In all, DraftKings generated a market-leading $11.3 million in gross gaming revenue, a notable gain from $9.5 million in July after the operator began offering profitable same-game parlays.
FanDuel was second with $111.5 million in online and retail wagers, down from $118.5 million in bets in July. $110.9 million of August’s wagering came online. The result was $10.5 million in gross gaming revenue.
The leaders were followed by:
- BetRivers/Rivers Casino ($73.5 million in wagers, including $64.8 million online; $6.1 million in revenue)
- PointsBet/Hawthorne Race Course ($28.9 million in wagers, including $27.3 million online; $2.5 million in revenue)
- Barstool/Hollywood Aurora ($26.4 million in wagers, including $25.5 million online; $2.1 million in revenue)
- Caesars by William Hill/Grand Victoria ($6.5 million in wagers, including $5.2 million online; -$157,256 in revenue)
- Argosy ($3.3 million in retail wagers; $242,700 in revenue)
- Hollywood Joliet ($771,613 in retail wagers; $74,856 in revenue)
- Par-A-Dice ($266,658 in wagers; $5,043 in revenue)
“The return of football brings in high betting volume, which is a motivator for every operator,” Boozell said. “But the value of football season for sportsbooks isn’t just in short-term profitability. Strong engagement offers sportsbooks an opportunity to grow their customer base by using aggressive promotions and other marketing strategies. And that can pay off even after the football season ends.”
For more revenue information, visit PlayIllinois.com/revenue.
Latest News
Spintec Strengthens its Partnership with Merkur in Colombia and Peru

At the Peru Gaming Show in June, strategic partners Merkur Gaming and Spintec entered a new chapter in their partnership in Latin America. The two companies signed a distribution agreement for Colombia and Peru, marking an important milestone in their collaboration. Their united presence at the show highlighted the strength of this alliance, which continues to deliver considerable advantages to their already winning cooperation across the region.
Spintec’s debut appearance this year was a highlight of Merkur Gaming stand at Jockey Plaza in Lima. The Slovenian specialist in Electronic Table Games (ETGs) featured an impressive range of products that combined innovation, reliability, and performance. Their Karma and Charisma product lines were the big showstoppers with their unbeatable combination of innovation and reliability. These products are gaining traction and popularity all over the world for a very good reason: they are fully engaging and attractive to look at, while also being extremely dependable.
And the quality of Spintec’s portfolio is already delivering measurable results in the region. The renowned research company Eilers & Krejcik recognized Spintec as the top-performing ETG supplier in South America in their April 2025 Latin America Game Performance Report. This achievement propels the partnership in Peru and Colombia even further. It not only underlines the seamless integration of Merkur’s powerful regional presence with Spintec’s technological leadership in ETGs but also serves as a testament to the importance of companies’ growing strategic alliance.
“ETGs are a valuable and strategic addition to Merkur’s already robust product portfolio,” said Dominik Raasch, Management Board Member, Merkur Games. “Our partnership with Spintec is built on a shared vision of delivering excellence, innovation, and value to our customers. The joint market presence we are creating in Latin America is only the beginning.”
Goran Sovilj, Global Sales Director at Spintec, echoed the sentiment: “Our collaboration with Merkur Gaming continues to deepen, and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved together. With their strong local teams, infrastructure, and sales support, we are perfectly positioned to take the leading role in the ETG market in Latin America, and beyond.”
As the companies continue to strengthen and widen their strategic alliances in the region, their commitment to joint innovation, market leadership and next-level gaming experiences grows even further. The optimism is based on past achievements, but also on a very positive outlook towards future growth.
Latest News
ACR POKER CONCLUDES MONSTER VENOM TOURNAMENTS, DELIVERING OVER $10 MILLION IN PRIZE POOLS AND EPIC FINAL TABLE BATTLES

ACR Poker wrapped up its flagship Dual Venom tournaments, delivering over two weeks of big poker action and awarding more than $10 million in prize pools as players worldwide battled for massive payouts and coveted bounties.
The $8 Million NLH Venom drew 3,392 entrants across six Day 1 flights, pushing the prize pool to $8,480,000. The tournament concluded with Southern California resident David ‘IamYorFather’ Gonzalez, 54, claiming the NLH Venom crown after a fierce final table battle against elite opponents. The champion eliminated runner-up ‘ArkaduktusFrRM’, earning $665,163 and $45,000 in bounties.
“I’m still trying to process what just happened. Even days later it all seems so surreal. I was especially thrilled to be able to overcome being the short stack at the final table,” Gonzalez shared. “The money was a blessing because I have quite a few family members in need and this allows me to support them fully.”
Adding to the excitement, ‘sorka1975’ claimed the $500,000 top bounty, with ‘ArkaduktusFrRM’ ($210,000) and ‘AndreWard’ ($205,000) rounding out the top three mystery bounty winners.
ACR Pros kept the action buzzing throughout, with Chris Moneymaker firing up multiple bullets in the opening Day 1s, and Michael Loncar, Rob Kuhn, and Katie Lindsay earning their spots in Day 2. Fans can rewatch the final table action on ACR Poker’s Twitch channel, featuring Rob Kuhn and Drew Gonzalez.
Meanwhile, the $2 Million PLO Venom, tying ACR Poker’s biggest Omaha tourney ever, attracted 830 entrants and a $2,075,000 total prize pool. ‘FutureTrunks’ ultimately secured the first-place prize of $208,217, plus $146,250 in bounties.
“It was awesome to see such a solid turnout and fun atmosphere in both Venom tourneys,” said Moneymaker. “Huge congrats to the winners and everyone who hit those incredible bounties.”
From Venom Fever to the Venom Vault, ACR Poker offered players hundreds of low-cost opportunities to win $2,650 Venom seats. One standout success came from ‘xGetxRektx’, who turned an $0.80 Venom Vault Key into an incredible $15,000 bounty and $6,500 cash prize.
While the Venom tourneys have concluded, ACR Poker is ensuring the action continues with more exciting tournaments approaching, including September’s Online Super Series XL, boasting a $50 million guarantee.
Latest News
Rivalry Reports Q2 2025 Results Highlighting Record Unit Economics, Structural Efficiency, and Strategic Progress

Rivalry Corp. (the “Company” or “Rivalry”) (TSXV: RVLY), an internationally regulated sports betting and media company, today announced financial results for the three and six-month period ended June 30, 2025 (“Q2 2025”). All dollar figures are quoted in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.
Q2 2025 marks Rivalry’s second full quarter operating under its restructured business model initiated in late 2024, centered on efficiency, improved player monetization, and deeper operational discipline. The Company’s results continue to demonstrate the impact of this shift, with record net revenue per player, reduced expenses, and a significantly narrowed net loss.
“We’ve rebuilt Rivalry into a lean, high-performance engine,” said Steven Salz, Co-Founder and CEO of Rivalry. “Player monetization is at all-time highs, the product is stronger than ever, and we’re doing more with less.”
Key Highlights
- Net revenue in Q2 2025 increased 24% sequentially to $1.6 million, up from $1.3 million in Q1 2025, despite a declining expense base and completely flat marketing spend.
- Operating expenses declined 62% YoY to $3.6 million, down from $9.5 million in Q2 2024, reflecting substantial cost reductions and improved operational focus.
- Net loss narrowed 59% YoY to $2.19 million, down from $5.37 million in Q2 2024, and improved sequentially from $2.99 million in Q1 2025.
- Average Customer Acquisition Cost payback across H1 2025 was approximately 1.5 months, reflecting improved funnel conversion, higher player value, and stronger retention – all achieved under constrained spend conditions.
- Run-rate monthly operating expenses remain approximately $600,000 USD, consistent with the Q1 2025 press release.
Adjusted Operating Metrics
As with Q1 2025, a meaningful portion of Q2 2025 expenses were non-recurring or non-operational, including annual audit costs, regulatory fees, and legacy vendor payments from prior periods. On a run-rate basis:
- Adjusted G&A expense1 was $1.7 million, compared to the reported $2.5 million.
- Adjusted Technology and Content expense1 was approximately $440,000, versus $854,000 reported.
These adjustments reinforce that Rivalry is operating increasingly closer to breakeven on a structural basis, with the Q2 2025 reported net loss largely a function of historical payables and costs from prior quarters.
Record Player Economics
Performance improvements continued in Q2 2025, with record-high player monetization across multiple dimensions. These gains were driven by an improving product, high value player segmentation, enhanced onboarding, retention, and engagement improvements across the platform.
- Net revenue per player increased 49% quarter-over-quarter, and was 210% higher than the historical average prior to the Q4 2024 transformation.
- Wagers per player rose 7% quarter-over-quarter, and nearly 300% above the pre-rebuild average.
- Average monthly deposits per player increased 28% quarter-over-quarter, following a 175% increase in Q1 from historical levels.
- Deposit frequency per player climbed 22% quarter-over-quarter, compounding earlier gains, up 115% from historical levels in Q1.
Strategic Review and Operational Focus
Rivalry’s previously announced evaluation of strategic alternatives (the “Strategic Review”) remains ongoing. The Company continues to explore a range of potential outcomes aimed at maximizing shareholder value. There is no assurance regarding the timing or results of the Strategic Review.
As part of the Strategic Review, Rivalry is focused on:
- Normalizing the cost base to the aforementioned run rate by resolving non-recurring liabilities and payables from prior periods.
- Activating a controlled growth strategy, supported by high marketing efficiency and a 1.5-month Customer Acquisition Cost payback average observed throughout 2025.
- Targeted cost optimization, with additional reductions being assessed for H2 2025.
“This Strategic Review is about enabling growth from a fundamentally stronger base,” said Salz. “We’ve rebuilt the engine. Now we’re focused on unlocking its full potential.”
-
Latest News5 days ago
Quick Custom Intelligence Welcomes Industry Veteran Melissa Chiaurro as Vice President of Business Development
-
Latest News5 days ago
Uruguay Introduces New 0.75% Tax on Casino and Gaming Bets
-
Latest News5 days ago
EGT Digital in a strategic partnership with Pepeta in Kenya
-
Latest News5 days ago
EveryMatrix signals LatAm expansion plans with CIBELAE membership
-
Latest News5 days ago
Cactus Founder Nickolas Ribeiro Defends Industry’s Continued Commitment to Responsible Gaming
-
Gambling in the USA7 days ago
Fanatics Betting and Gaming, Boyd Gaming Announce Missouri Partnership
-
Canada4 days ago
Golden Nugget Online Casino Debuts in Ontario
-
Latest News4 days ago
Brazil Congress Told to Focus on $6.4B Gambling Revenue Losses to the Black Market