Press Releases
PlayIllinois.com: Sports betting nearly reaches $600 million in September

Football fueled a surge in betting in September at Illinois sportsbooks, which combined to generate nearly $600 million in wagers. September’s handle was short of the state record of $633.6 million in March, dampened by an in-person online registration rule that will likely be lifted on March 5, according to PlayIllinois, which tracks the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.
“September will set a U.S. record for legal sports betting, and Illinois was able to meet those expectations,” said Joe Boozell, lead analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “But as strong as September’s results were, in-person registration continues to limit Illinois’ ceiling. Assuming the governor signs the bill that will put an end to the rule on March 5, Illinois will begin breaking through this monthly handle plateau in spring.”
Bettors poured $596.5 million in wagers into Illinois retail and online sportsbooks in September, up 95.4% from $305.2 million in September 2020 and up 49% from $400.4 million in August, according to official data released Monday. September’s handle equates to $19.9 million in bets per day, up from $10.2 million per day in September 2020 and up from $12.9 million over the 31 days of August.
Accordingly, gross revenue rose 279.3% to $44.6 million in September from $11.8 million in September 2020 and up 36.3% from $32.7 million in August. That led to $40.0 million in adjusted gross revenue in September, yielding $6.5 million in state and local taxes.
With the first three weekends of the NFL and a full month of college games played in September, football drew $230.6 million in wagers. That is up from just $17.2 million in August. Baseball attracted $115.9 million in bets, down from $139.6 million in August. Tennis ($55.3 million) and soccer ($34.3 million) also generated significant interest.
“The NFL, and to a lesser extent college football, is irreplaceable in its ability to motivate bettors,” Boozell said. “General interest in football helps Illinois’ sportsbooks overcome the struggles of the Chicago Bears, and the ban on betting on in-state college teams. Plus, sportsbooks continued to capitalize on the playoff run by the White Sox in September.”
Only New Jersey ($1.01 billion) and Nevada ($786.7 million) attracted more bets during September than Illinois, which surpassed Pennsylvania’s $578.8 million.
Since launching legal sports betting in 2020, Illinois has generated:
- $6.5 billion in wagers, fourth most among all markets during that time
- $508.3 million in gross revenue
- $78.3 million in state taxes
“With the end to in-person registration in sight, Illinois’ future is awfully bright again,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayIllinois.com. “It is not difficult to imagine a world where it is again challenging the nation’s largest sports betting markets.”
Online betting accounted for 95.5%, or $569.9 million, of the state’s handle in September. DraftKings/Casino Queen topped the state with $236.5 million in combined online and retail handle, up from $149.2 million in August. That included an Illinois-best $232.1 million in online wagers. The operator took in $8.0 million in gross revenue on September’s bets, up from $11.3 million in August.
FanDuel was again second with $156.2 million in online and retail wagers, up from $111.5 million in bets in August. $155.0 million of August’s wagers came online. FanDuel’s combined handle created $18.0 million in gross revenue.
The leaders were followed by:
- BetRivers/Rivers Casino ($98.5 million in wagers, including $87.3 million online; $9.3 million in revenue)
- Barstool/Hollywood Aurora ($46.5 million in wagers, including $45.3 million online; $4.2 million in revenue)
- PointsBet/Hawthorne Race Course ($43.9 million in wagers, including $41.9 million online; $3.6 million in revenue)
- Caesars by William Hill/Grand Victoria ($9.4 million in wagers, including $8.2 million online; $595,393 in revenue)
- Argosy ($3.3 million in retail wagers; $412,858 in revenue)
- Hollywood Joliet ($1.3 million in retail wagers; $257,992 in revenue)
- Par-A-Dice ($629,829 in wagers; $159,804 in revenue)
“DraftKings and FanDuel have been the main beneficiaries of Illinois’ relatively small roster of operators, which is still absent some of the nation’s largest operators, including No. 3 BetMGM,” Ramsey said. “Ideally, with the latest changes there will be renewed interest in Illinois from operators.
Latest News
RG24seven collaborates with industry experts to expand landmark Sports Betting training for gaming employees

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.”
Latest News
Wildly popular ‘Fortune Tiger’ game among PG Soft Brazil rollout

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.”
Conferences
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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