Canada
PlayIndiana.com: Sportsbooks get 2021 off on the right foot with nearly $350 million in January
Indiana sportsbooks opened 2021 with yet another impressive month, setting the state’s wagering record for the fifth consecutive month with nearly $350 million and posting a new high in revenue. January’s strong showing, which came as neighboring Michigan launched its sports betting market, is yet more evidence that Indiana is far from reaching its ceiling and capable of generating more than $3 billion in bets in 2021, according to analysts from PlayIndiana.
“This will be a particularly important year for Indiana’s sports betting industry,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “Illinois and Michigan, which were two feeder markets in the early days of sports betting in Indiana, will continue to grow. And Ohio is moving toward regulating sports betting, too. So sportsbooks will increasingly have to rely on in-state bettors. That said, the market continues to prove more than capable of standing on its own.”
Indiana sportsbooks accepted $348.2 million in wagers in January, according to official reporting released Friday. That is up 103.9% from $171 million in January 2019 — highlighting the industry’s dramatic year-over-year growth — and topped the previous record of $313.1 million set in December.
January’s wagering resulted in a record $29.3 million in adjusted gross operator revenue, up from $12.2 million in January 2019 and up from $24.1 million in December. The month’s bets yielded $2.8 million in state taxes.
The brisk start to the year offers a glimpse of what could come in 2021. If the growth continues through the year, the state could top $3 billion in bets, more than $200 million in revenue, and $20 million in state taxes, according to PlayIndiana projections.
“Assuming we don’t have any interruptions in the sports schedule like in 2020, a new high is almost assured in 2021,” said Dustin Gouker, analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “The biggest question is how much higher? That depends in large part on how well the market responds to increasing competition from its neighbors.”
Historically across legal jurisdictions, including Indiana last year, January tends to be relatively flat with December. But a late start to the NBA season meant that January offered the first full month of games and college basketball settled into a more robust conference schedule after a relatively sparse nonconference schedule as basketball, and bettors responded with $133.2 million in wagers, accounting for 38% of the state’s handle. Plus, January got a boost from an expanded NFL playoffs with two additional games over Wild Card weekend, including one with the Indianapolis Colts, which helped football draw $77.6 million in bets.
“Aside from the NFL’s expanded playoff, January was perhaps the most normal sports schedule since February 2020, offering our best gauge yet of where Indiana is as a market,” Welman said. “Even with increased competition from Michigan, which launched in late January, Indiana’s sportsbooks continue to perform well. Indiana’s significant interest in basketball differentiates the market from many in the U.S., and offers a positive sign for a market that is increasingly local.”
Online betting generated 85.1% of January’s handle, or $296.5 million, which was up from 84% in December. DraftKings/Ameristar Casino accounted for 35.2% of the state’s January handle with $122.6 million in bets, up from $112.7 million in December. Those bets produced $9.4 million in gross receipts, up from $5.1 million in December. FanDuel/Blue Chip Casino was second with $89.2 million in bets, up from $78.2 million, which produced $8.2 million in gross receipts.
Meanwhile, BetMGM/Belterra continues to make gains, accounting for 15.1% of the state’s handle with $52.4 million, up from $41 million in December. That yielded a $3.7 million win, up from $2.9 million.
The leaders were followed by:
- PointsBet/Hollywood Lawrenceburg ($13.5 million handle, up from $11.4 million; $1.4 million win, up from $1.2 million)
- BetRivers/French Lick Resort ($9 million handle, down from $10.6 million; 8$28,347 win, up from $803,868)
- William Hill/Tropicana Evansville ($5.1 million handle, up from $4.2 million; $543,439 win, down from $632,634)
- TheScore/Ameristar ($2.2 million handle, down from $2.8 million; $134,301 win, up from $85,721)
- Unibet/Horseshoe Hammond ($1.6 million handle, up from $1.4 million; $98,717 win, down from $108,609)
- Caesars/Horseshoe Hammond ($677,532 handle, up from $675,183; $34,008 win, up from $27,569)
- BetAmerica/Rising Star Casino ($171,253 handle, down from $209,608; $11,476 win, down from $14,505)
Meanwhile, retail sportsbooks produced $51.7 million in January wagers, up from $47.4 million in January 2020. Hollywood Lawrenceburg, nearest Cincinnati, led the retail market with a $13.4 million handle. Ameristar Casino was second with $9.6 million, followed by Horseshoe Hammond with $7.4 million.
“A year after launching, BetMGM has quietly become a major player in the state,” Gouker said. “DraftKings and FanDuel continue to be the dominant forces, but having more operators challenge the top is ultimately good for consumers.”
For more revenueinformation on Indiana sportsbooks, visit PlayIndiana.com/revenue.
Canada
Soft2Bet granted Ontario Certification of Registration and readies for imminent launch
Ontario Certificate is hugely promising as Soft2Bet continues its regulatory expansion
Soft2Bet, a leading provider of online betting and gaming solutions to regulated operators worldwide, is delighted to announce that it has been granted a Certificate of Registration in Ontario, Canada’s largest province, moving it one step closer to being able to launch its Tooniebet.com iGaming brand.
Obtaining its Certificate of Registration (Nbr: OPIG1280338) from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) will enable Soft2Bet to continue its expansion into the world’s largest regulated jurisdictions.
Ontario has been a major success story for regulated online sports betting and casino in North America in the past two years. The province launched its regulations in April 2022 and latest figures for the fourth quarter of 2023 showed that operators recorded a 21% rise in wagers to CA$17.2bn and a 22% increase in gross gaming revenues to CA$658m, the highest ever revenue total in Ontario’s wagering history. Online casino was the main driver of this growth and generated CA$13.7bn of the total stakes and CA$471m in GGR.
Elisabeth Isaksson, Head of Regulatory Compliance at Soft2Bet, commented: “Being registered with the AGCO in Ontario is testament to the work our compliance and regulatory teams are doing daily to enable our continued expansion in the world’s largest regulated markets. We’re immensely excited about taking our first steps in North America and look forward to licensing and launching in more jurisdictions in the region.”
Chief Business Development Officer Martin Collins added: “This Ontario certification is another significant and important step in our corporate expansion plans. It fits perfectly with our stated aim of growing our regulatory footprint and we very much look forward to continuing forward on this path.”
Soft2Bet is also actively working to obtain a licence in New Jersey and continue its expansion in the Americas. This activity comes after the group obtained B2C licences in Italy, Greece and Romania in 2023.
Boxes
Hacksaw Gaming and DraftKings Score Again in Ontario
2023 saw Hacksaw Gaming go live in West Virginia and New Jersey and now we have made our long-awaited entry in Ontario, Canada. Securing this trio has hit new heights and hopes for further successes throughout the rest of this year.
DraftKings Casino entered the iGaming market in Ontario in May of 2022 and partnered with Hacksaw Gaming in the back end of the same year. As Ontario’s regulated iGaming market only went live in April of 2022, the pair have given an outstanding performance with effective launch strategies and expansive footing in North America.
Apart from gaining an unprecedented reach across regulated markets, the mobile-friendly format of Hacksaw Gaming games can be visited on phone or tablet via the DraftKings Casino app. Boasting an impressive online casino’s selection of over 300 games, DraftKings now welcomes Hacksaw Gaming favourites such as Chaos Crew, Mines, Omnom and Boxes.
“The benchmarks we have set as a partnership are remarkable and we are ready to take on more challenges continuing into 2024,” the Chief Executive Officer for Hacksaw Gaming, Marcus Cordes, said.
BetVictor
Exploring Canada’s video Game Market: Survey Insights
Technology has become a great source of entertainment to many. Video games particularly have garnered interest from all demographics. In Canada, the gaming industry has experienced significant growth, fuelled by increased accessibility to gaming platforms and the growth of online gaming communities.
Statistics indicate that a large percentage of Canadians are engaged in gaming activities, whether it be playing console or PC games, mobile games, or online multiplayer games. The popularity of video games extends beyond leisure pastimes, with many Canadians participating in gaming competitions, attending gaming conventions, and consuming gaming-related content on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
The number of video game users in Canada reflects how broad the sector is, from mobile games to digital video games, download games and live streaming. In 2024, the gaming sector will see millions of users in each of these categories. Statista projects 13.38 million users for digital video games and 7.35 million users for online games respectively. It estimates that revenue in the Canadian video game market is expected to reach US$3,925.00m in 2024, so it is no surprise to observe the increasing popularity of the sector.
Well-known online casino provider BetVictor has compiled some key points from major surveys detailing the video game market to give further insight into its makeup and potential. The gaming culture in Canada is growing, which means the type of games and genres will grow along with the sector. Statista recently conducted a survey of 1 576 respondents aged 18 – 64 who are avid video game players, with telling results. In December 2023, a survey about preferred video game genres in Canada revealed the top four genres as being Action, Action – adventure, Adventure and casual games accounting for 31% of respondents’ preferences.
David Winter, Marketing Manager at BetVictor notes that “We’ve seen a steady increase in the popularity of action-themed and adventure-themed slots and many providers are exploring how to expand further into this market.”
The popularity of Action games such as platform and fighting games can be attributed to various factors, such as: social interaction, accessibility and inclusivity, social appeal, and cultural influence. With such a diverse audience, all these factors are crucial to understand the appeal of Action games.
In the digital age, gaming has transcended mere entertainment to become a cornerstone of culture, and nowhere is this more evident than in Canada. From coast to coast, a diverse community of gamers is thriving, reflecting the country’s inclusive spirit and passion for technology. Whether it’s the casual gamer enjoying a quick session on their smartphone or the dedicated enthusiast meticulously building a custom gaming PC, Canada offers a welcome haven for all kinds of gamers.
Diving deeper into the Statista results, Strategy games accounted for 29%. This shows us that players have a strong interest in tactical and decision-making games. While role-playing (RPG) and sports games garnered 22% each, simulation and shooters trailed slightly behind at 21% and 20% respectively.
MMO (massively multiplayer online games), as well as MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) and MOBA (multi online battle arenas) came in at 13% and 8% respectively, representing a significant but niche following. With such a diverse array of preferences, the survey underscores the multifaceted nature of interests among Canadian gamers. It highlights the need for game developers to cater for a wide range of genres and gameplaying styles in the Canadian market.
From action shooter games to role-playing adventures, the industry has something for every gaming enthusiast in the Canadian market. Overall, the popularity of video games in Canada reflects a growing cultural phenomenon, where gaming has become a mainstream form of entertainment and a significant aspect of modern-day leisure activities.
Statistics anticipate a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.10% for 2022-2027, resulting in a projected market volume of US$24.52bn by 2027. Canada’s online gaming market is experiencing a surge in popularity, with a surging number of Canadian players engaging in immersive virtual reality experiences.
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