Canada
PlayVirginia.com: Sports betting volume slows in July
Virginia’s sports betting volume slumped in July to the lowest level since sportsbooks first launched, echoing a trend that has affected every major market in the U.S. But the seasonal decline in wagering will be short-lived as causal bettors return home from summer vacations and turn their attention to football, according to PlayVirginia, which tracks the state’s gaming market.
“July brings a relatively light sports schedule and summer vacations that typically make it the slowest month in sports betting, and Virginia is not immune from a trend that has affected every major market,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for the PlayUSA.com network, which includes PlayVirginia.com. “The momentum should change quickly as football draws nearer and casual bettors return home. The next five months should bring significant growth to Virginia’s fledgling sports betting industry.”
Bettors placed $161.9 million in wagers at Virginia’s sportsbooks in July, down 31.1% from $234.9 million in June, according to data released Wednesday by The Virginia Lottery. The pace of betting was the slowest ever, too, dropping from $7.8 million in wagers per day over the 30 days of June to $5.2 million over the 31 days of July.
Gross gaming revenue did remain relatively high, dropping 9.3% to $20.0 million in July from $22.0 million in June. The hold percentage was 12.3% in July, which helped partially offset the low volume. Adjusted gross revenue dropped to $12.7 million, yielding $1.9 million in state taxes, including $46,611 for problem gambling support.
The pandemic skewed 2020 data, but July was the lowest volume month across the U.S. in both 2018 and 2019 so a dip in Virginia was hardly a surprise. The NBA Finals and the opening week of the Olympics made this July a bit busier than normal. But the NBA Finals represents just six games, and bettors were not particularly moved by the Olympics.
“The NBA Finals and the Olympics, which featured a stark time difference, didn’t particularly move the needle,” said Dann Stupp, lead analyst for PlayVirginia.com. “The Olympics should do modestly better in August, when high-profile team sports like basketball reached the medal rounds. But in the end, there just isn’t enough to attract widespread betting, which makes a relatively large win key in helping sportsbooks weather the seasonal slowdown.”
Despite a slow July, Virginia continues to perform well as a sports betting market. Since Jan. 21, Virginia sportsbooks have accepted $1.5 billion in wagers, which has resulted in $127.0 million in gross gaming revenue. With the busiest months likely still ahead, the state could bring in more than $3 billion in wagers by year’s end.
To that end, Barstool Sports made its debut on Aug. 10, giving Virginia another high-profile brand. And more are planning to launch either before or during the football season.
“Virginia’s sportsbooks remain in an excellent place, and new operators are a good sign that the market is healthy and attractive,” Stupp said. “Increasing competition should help engage new customers and force the largest operators in the state, including FanDuel and DraftKings, to continue to vie for attention. The most important months of the year are still ahead, and competition will help spur the entire market.”
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Virginia, visit PlayVirginia.com/revenue.
Stats Perform, the global leader in sports AI, data and technology, has announced an official data partnership with the Northern Super League (NSL). The partnership will allow world-leading Opta data to be collected live from every NSL league game for the next three years.
Beginning this month, the Northern Super League (NSL) establishes a new era in Canadian sport as the country’s first professional domestic women’s soccer league — an ambitious and transformative initiative co-founded by former Canadian international and Olympic medallist Diana Matheson. Its inaugural season kicks off on April 16 and will feature six teams who have assembled multinational player rosters with extensive club and international experience, including 100-cap Canadian internationals Desiree Scott and Quinn.
Once the action begins, detailed data from every on-ball event, including advanced AI-powered Opta Analytics metrics such as Expected Goals (xG) and Expected Assists (xA), will be captured and distributed via feeds and Stats Perform products, including OptaAI Studio. This will enable various broadcasters, publishers and rights holders to generate stories and insights throughout the NSL season and provide them straight to the league’s fans in real time.
As part of the agreement, the NSL’s League Office and every NSL club will also have access to Opta Search, part of OptaAI Studio. This will allow their content creators to leverage all Opta data collected during the NSL season in the creation of data-led stories on the stand-out performers, and will help them generate key talking points for publication on official league and club platforms. Opta Search will also empower the NSL’s media team to create a range of data visualizations, including player shot maps and touch maps, to visually illustrate the impact of different players’ on-field performances.
Christina Litz, NSL President, said: “We are thrilled to have Stats Perform on board as our official data partner. When we talk about detailed performance data in soccer, Opta is the gold standard, so we are delighted to have it powering each of our official digital channels. As the season progresses, we want to put the spotlight on all the on-field heroes who emerge and having access to world-class data will help us tell their stories and inspire a new generation of Canadian soccer fans.”
Steve Xeller, Chief Revenue Officer at Stats Perform, said: “Stats Perform has been a huge supporter of expansion leagues around the world, so we are very pleased to be partnering with NSL in the lead-up to their first domestic campaign. Seeing a fully professional women’s soccer league launch in Canada is an incredibly exciting development for the sport in North America and we see considerable potential in working proactively with the League’s Head Office to help the competition grow, using the power of AI and data-led storytelling to build fan communities across the continent.”
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Africa
INCENTIVE GAMES SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION DEAL FOR NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND UK WITH LIGHT & WONDER
Leading B2B games provider, Incentive Games, today announced its new agreement with premium gaming company and content provider Light & Wonder, Inc.
Through this agreement, Incentive Games will distribute its premium pay-to-play games – including new arcade-style titles – to key global regulated markets including the USA, Canada, South Africa, UK, and within Europe via Light & Wonder’s extensive operator network. Additionally, Incentive Games’ popular free-to-play content will be made available to a wider audience through Light & Wonder’s content marketplace.
The agreement brings together two industry leaders in iGaming and the strengths of both companies to deliver exceptional player experiences and elevate customer engagement.
Ahmed Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games said, “This agreement is a landmark moment in our company’s history. Previously, we’ve worked directly with major operators such as bet365, FanDuel, and Sky Bet. Now, we can distribute our games via Light & Wonder, an exceptional aggregator that we trust will handle our games with care.”
Steve Mayes, Senior Director of Partners at Light & Wonder, said: “We are excited to work with Incentive Games, a leader in gamification solutions. We look forward to leveraging their innovative platform and bringing their customisable crash and fast game content to all major regulated markets.”
The post INCENTIVE GAMES SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION DEAL FOR NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND UK WITH LIGHT & WONDER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
PENN Entertainment announced that it has launched theScore Casino, a new stand-alone iCasino app in Ontario. The dedicated online casino experience leverages the popular theScore brand, which has been a mainstay in the Ontario market for decades. Now available on Android, iOS, and desktop, customers can login using their existing theScore Bet credentials, allowing for a seamless experience across online gaming platforms.
theScore Casino operates on the same cutting-edge proprietary technology platform as PENN’s online Hollywood Casino, which launched as a standalone product in the US in December. The product was recently ranked by Eilers & Krejcik as the #2 overall iCasino product in the US.
theScore Casino, also available within theScore Bet app, offers a variety of online slots, table games, and live dealer content, including original titles from PENN Game Studios, the company’s in-house game development studio. theScore Casino also includes bespoke live dealer tables and exclusive games such as Blue Jays Blackjack, an original title leveraging theScore Bet’s partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays.
“We’re excited to introduce our dedicated iCasino product in Ontario under the well-known and trusted theScore brand. We’ve built a strong online gaming foothold in the Ontario market and are primed to deliver an even better casino experience with our proven stand-alone app. Our customer-friendly platform features more than 1200 games, dozens of original titles and intuitive game play that distinguishes our product and positions us for even greater success,” said Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Interactive at PENN Entertainment.
The post PENN Entertainment Launches Stand-alone iCasino App, theScore Casino, in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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