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
Discover What’s Next for TCSJOHNHUXLEY at G2E Las Vegas 2025

The excitement is building for G2E Las Vegas 2025, and TCSJOHNHUXLEY is proud to announce its participation, showcasing a range of revolutionary products and solutions designed to elevate the gaming industry in the Americas. The team will be located at a new space on Booth #4439 in The Venetian Expo, Las Vegas from October 7-9, 2025.
G2E 2025 marks a pivotal moment as TCSJOHNHUXLEY presents a comprehensive portfolio of innovations. A major highlight will be the highly anticipated US debut of the A Plus Shuffler®, the company’s automated card shuffling machine designed to dramatically increase game speed and enhance security on the casino floor. Visitors will have the opportunity to see this advanced shuffler in action, demonstrating its ability to deliver a continuous, rapid supply of perfectly shuffled cards. The A Plus Shuffler®’s untraceable shuffling process strengthens game integrity and security, while its versatile design allows it to accommodate 1 to 8 decks with interchangeable shoes for both Poker and Blackjack.
Attendees can also see new developments across its wider portfolio. A particular highlight will be the groundbreaking Ora Blackjack Vue Display Controller, a revolutionary technology that is unlike anything else on the market. This display, which is the Blackjack equivalent of its popular Baccarat and Roulette displays, utilises advanced camera recognition for automatic card entry. It provides players with real-time data such as dealer hand history, live dealer odds, and historical statistics, making the game more accessible and enjoyable for everyone from novices to seasoned pros. The company will also be presenting the Supernova Progressive Jackpot System, TCSJOHNHUXLEY’s unique customisable platform that adds excitement to any live table game, and significant software updates to the popular digital game wheel Lumin8, which features an enhanced interface and new capabilities such as Promotion Mode and a bonus game sub-mode.
In addition to these new products and developments, TCSJOHNHUXLEY will be demonstrating its full range of market-leading solutions. This includes the Chipper Champ 3, the industry-standard for automated chip sorting known for its speed, accuracy, and reliability. For Roulette, the company will showcase its world-renowned solutions, including SaturnTM Velocity Auto Roulette wheel that delivers faster game speeds setting a new industry standard for speed and efficiency as well manual SaturnTM Roulette Wheels and the popular game Roulette Xtra. This game incorporates the company’s patented Blaze LED Surface Technology, which displays eye-catching animations and highlights winning numbers, adding a thrilling random multiplier bet of up to 500 to 1. The company will also present the next generation of its electronic gaming terminals, Qorex 2 with a suite of impressive new features.
The showcase of TCSJOHNHUXLEY’s world-class core product range will underscore the company’s renowned manufacturing expertise. From the precision of its globally recognised Roulette wheels and the superior craftsmanship of its Gaming Tables to the reliability of its Dice Shakers, visitors will witness firsthand the quality and dedication that define TCSJOHNHUXLEY products. This comprehensive portfolio demonstrates the company’s ability to create an end-to-end solution for all live game requirements.
Phil Lee, TCSJOHNHUXLEY Chief Financial Officer & Managing Director Americas comments, “This year’s G2E is a pivotal moment for us as we showcase our unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence. We are bringing some of our most significant innovations yet to the Americas market, underscoring our long-term commitment to our customers in the region. G2E provides the perfect platform to demonstrate how we are not just keeping pace with the industry but actively shaping its future. Our team are looking forward to discussing how our new solutions can directly address business challenges and drive growth.”
To secure your free pass and to learn more, please visit please visit tcsjohnhxuley.com and be sure to visit Booth #4439 where the TCSJOHNHUXLEY team look forward to welcoming you.
International News
EveryMatrix signs largest ever content aggregation deal with bet365

EveryMatrix has agreed its largest ever global casino aggregation deal supplying bet365 with both its own exclusive content and titles from more than 40 premium games providers.
SlotMatrix, part of the EveryMatrix Group, is the largest aggregation platform in the world with more than 37,000 games from 350+ global suppliers including the Group’s own, Armadillo and Fantasma Studios.
It will offer bet365 more than 40 vendors across multiple regulated markets including the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Mexico with further territories slated for future release.
The business unit was further bolstered in 2024 by the acquisition of Fantasma Games and, earlier this year, by a new management team focused on accelerating aggregation and content services expansion across both existing and new regulated markets.
This includes Mark Hothersall, Head of Business Development and Carl Gatt Baldacchino, Head of Account Management, both previously from Evolution Gaming.
They are responsible for driving forward the commercial success of SlotMatrix by accelerating the unit’s in-house games development, continually strengthening its third-party content offering and ensuring SlotMatrix provides exceptional customer service.
Ebbe Groes, Group CEO & Co-Founder EveryMatrix, said: “Today is very significant for the Group highlighting both just how much of a ‘must-have’ product SlotMatrix is for tier-1 brands across multiple markets and how far ahead it is compared to its rivals.
“We’re thrilled such a world-renowned brand such as bet365 has put their faith in us to drive their content strategy. SlotMatrix has truly come of age and, with an increased focus on ramping up our own games development and attracting even more premium vendors to the platform there really is no ceiling as to how far it can go.”
A bet365 spokesperson, added: “We are thrilled to partner with EveryMatrix. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in our commitment to providing exceptional products to our customers.”
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