Canada

TENNESSEE SPORTSBOOKS MAKE GAINS IN JUNE With $174 million in wagers and $18 million in revenue, sports betting enjoys offseason bounce, according to PlayTenn analysts

Published

3 years ago

July 28, 2021

(LAS VEGAS) — Tennessee’s sportsbooks capitalized on sports such as NASCAR, tennis, and golf in June to make gains in betting volume and in gross gaming revenue, producing a relatively strong offseason month, according to PlayTenn, which tracks the Tennessee gaming market.

“Tennessee remains in line with much of the country’s other legal sports betting markets, with some positive signs,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for the PlayUSA.com network, which includes PlayTenn.com. “June’s revenue and volume boost shows the industry is still healthy. Not only does it increase tax receipts, but it also better positions sportsbooks as we move closer to the football season.”

Bettors wagered $174 million at Tennessee’s online sportsbooks in June, according to official data released Tuesday by the Tennessee Education Lottery and Sports Wagering Advisory Council. That is up 8% from $161 million in May and the first month-over-month gain since March. The pace of betting increased, too, to $5.8 million per day over the 30 days of June from $5.2 million per day in May.

Sportsbooks also won a greater share of wagers in June, producing $18 million in gross gaming revenue, up 17% from $15.4 million in April. The month’s win produced $16 million in taxable revenue, yielding $3 million in tax revenue for the Volunteer State.

Tennessee’s 15.5% decline in betting volume from $206 million in March to June is outperforming much of the U.S. March brought the highest betting volume in U.S. history, with $4.6 billion in legal bets placed across the U.S. With no football or betting holiday like March Madness, combined U.S. handle fell to $3.7 billion in both April and May. That is off 19.6% from March’s high, and the combined U.S. handle in June is on pace for a similar total as April and May.

A chief reason for Tennessee’s boost in June, though, is the seasonal change of the sports landscape. Wagers on sports such as golf, tennis, and auto racing are primarily futures bets, which are much more volatile than spread or moneyline wagers that are more typical with major team sports.

“Golf and auto racing are less popular than football with bettors, obviously, but those sports can help sportsbooks offset the dip in interest that occurs every summer,” said Nicole Russo, analyst for PlayTenn.com. “They can be critically important in helping to smooth out the natural seasonality of sports betting, and that might be especially true in an Olympics year such as this one.”

The bump in revenue is good news for sportsbooks in more ways than just the profitability of a single month. June’s 10.3% hold — the share of wagers that sportsbooks keep on events that are completed — marks just the second month sportsbooks have met the state’s 10% mandatory hold requirement and the first time since November.

Sportsbooks’ hold of 9.1% since launching in November is short of the threshold, even though it is higher than most regulated markets in the U.S. That could be a topic for the Sports Wagering Advisory Council as it considers new state regulations.

“I would be surprised if the SWAC does not strongly consider a change to the state’s mandatory hold requirement,” Russo said. “Since the rule’s inception, it has felt like too high a threshold, and now we are seeing that borne out as the Tennessee market continues to mature.”

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

British Columbia Lottery Corporation

SCCG Management Signs Contract with British Columbia Lottery Corporation

Published

6 days ago

April 29, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

sccg-management-signs-contract-with-british-columbia-lottery-corporation

SCCG Management has signed a contract with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), the B.C. Crown corporation which conducts and manages commercial gambling in the province, including lotteries, casinos, and online gaming. This partnership aims to undertake a comprehensive assessment and strategic enhancement of BCLC’s diverse operations.

The work between SCCG and BCLC will involve a thorough review of technological infrastructures, strategic market positioning, and the integration of various gaming modalities. SCCG’s extensive expertise will be pivotal in harmonizing BCLC’s online and physical gaming experiences.

Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management, said: “Our collaboration with BCLC represents a remarkable opportunity to push the boundaries of innovation within the gaming industry. We are committed to deploying our resources and expertise to enhance BCLC’s operational efficiencies and customer engagement strategies. It’s an honor to partner with an organization that has a robust impact on the community through its support of public initiatives.”

AGCO

AGCO Requires Ontario Gaming Operators to Stop Offering WBA Bets Due to Integrity Concerns

Published

2 weeks ago

April 22, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

agco-requires-ontario-gaming-operators-to-stop-offering-wba-bets-due-to-integrity-concerns

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has mandated all Ontario-registered sportsbook operators to halt offering and accepting wagers on World Boxing Association (WBA) events immediately. This measure is being taken to protect the Ontario betting public following concerns that WBA-sanctioned boxing matches are not adequately being safeguarded against match-fixing and insider betting.

Since December 2023, the AGCO has been conducting a comprehensive review of suspicious wagering activity on a WBA-sanctioned title fight between Yoenis Tellez and Livan Navarro that was held in Orlando, Florida. Suspicious betting patterns on the bout lasting over 5.5 rounds were reported to the AGCO by two registered independent integrity monitors and detected in Ontario by a registered igaming operator. Media reports also alleged that Tellez’s Manager placed $110,000 on the match lasting longer than 5.5 rounds at a Florida casino. The bout ended with Tellez knocking out Navarro in the 10th round.

Following an intensive review that included outreach to the WBA, Ontario-registered gaming operators, independent integrity monitors, and regulators in other jurisdictions, the AGCO has concluded that bets related to WBA events do not currently meet the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.

The AGCO requires all Ontario-registered gaming operators to ensure the sport betting products they offer are on events that are effectively supervised by a sport governing body. At a minimum, the sport governing body must have and enforce codes of conduct that prohibit betting by insiders.

Registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate to the AGCO that the WBA prohibits betting from insiders, which could include an athlete’s coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, medical professionals, or others with access to non-public information. Further, registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate that the WBA took any action to investigate or enforce the allegations of potential match-fixing and insider wagering.

The AGCO has indicated to registered operators that in order for WBA betting products to be reinstated in Ontario, operators must demonstrate that the WBA effectively supervises its events, thus bringing them into compliance with the Registrar’s Standards. In December 2022, the AGCO required gaming operators to stop offering bets on UFC events for similar issues related to insider betting safeguards. Within a month, UFC amended its policies and implemented new protocols that allowed the AGCO to reinstate betting on UFC events in the province.

“Ontarians who wish to bet on sporting events need to be confident that those events are fairly run, and that clear integrity safeguards are in place and enforced by an effective sport governing body. Knowing the popularity of boxing in Ontario, we look forward to reinstating betting on WBA events once appropriate safeguards against possible match-fixing and insider betting have been confirmed,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Registrar and CEO of AGCO, said.

Andrew Cochrane Chief Business Officer of GiG

GiG increases Ontario market presence, powering the launch of Casino Time

Published

2 weeks ago

April 18, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

gig-increases-ontario-market-presence,-powering-the-launch-of-casino-time

Gaming Innovation Group Inc. (GiG), has announced the launch of Casino Time, powered by its award winning iGaming platform and pioneering real-time rules engine LogicX, with revolutionary sportsbook, SportX soon to follow, to further extend its footprint in the regulated Canadian province of Ontario.

The launch of Casino Time carries extra significance, marking only the second time that on-demand, regulated online Bingo has been made available in Ontario. The new Bingo product vertical, launched alongside a strong Casino offering, will be boosted by GiG’s new sportsbook, SportX, as part of a planned release later this year.

GiG has focused its solutions on driving exponential growth in revenue for operators with its highly scalable iGaming platform, offering localised third party content and leading suppliers for the Ontarian market. GiGs peerless gamification layer creates an optimised and immersive casino experience tailored to regional preferences, swelling client retention and player engagement.

Canadian owned and operated, Casino Time is a joint venture amongst leading retail operators in Ontario’s Charitable Gaming sector, delivering Bingo, Slots and Live Dealer Casino Games. Promising a personalised service and community experience, Casino Time is continuing its long-standing partnership with local charities, introducing its joint fundraising model into the iGaming space for the first time.

Now coming towards the end of its second year of licensed operations, Ontario has emerged as one of the largest iGaming markets in North America, second only to New Jersey according to data supplied by Vixio. The first and as yet only Canadian province to launch a regulated market, Ontario boasts more than 1.6 million active player accounts spread over 40 plus operators, generating €1.3 billion in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in its first year of trading, with this data supplied by iGaming Ontario.

Andrew Cochrane, Chief Business Officer of GiG, said: “GiG continues to set the pace with a strong cadence of brand launches in 2024, and I’m pleased that when operators are seeking platform solutions in regulated markets, GiG is leading the pack. Our partnership with Casino Time, will help deliver something new and exciting to the Ontarian market, and further helps to demonstrate the flexibility of our solutions, adapting to match the regional aspirations of our partners to deliver growth.”

D’Arcy Stuart, CEO of Casino Time, said: “We are thrilled to partner with GiG as the core technology provider of our iGaming platform. Their powerful suite of player engagement tools, as well as diverse content and regulatory integrations, underpin our ability to serve and delight our player community. Our hybrid online and offline customer network, as well as unique bingo offerings, will drive exciting opportunities as the platform and the marketplace continues to grow.”