Canada

INDIANA SPORTSBOOKS STAY HOT WITH FRESH ROUND OF RECORDS IN NOVEMBER Basketball’s popularity in Indiana spurs $463 million in betting as revenue shatters record with nearly $50 million, according to PlayIndiana

Published

2 years ago

December 13, 2021

Indiana sportsbooks narrowly set a third consecutive monthly betting record with more than $463 million in wagers, producing a surge in revenue of nearly $50 million. The good times for sportsbooks won’t end anytime soon with college basketball joining football and the NBA in the winter sports mix, according to PlayIndiana, which tracks the state’s gaming industry.

“Basketball betting, both college and professional, is more important in Indiana than almost every other legal sports betting market in the U.S.,” said Jake Garza, an analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “Indiana’s best months are typically when college basketball and the NBA are in full stride, and the NFL is still in play. And with Purdue among the nation’s best and Indiana off to a good start, bettors are particularly incentivized this year to bet on college basketball.”

In November, online and retail sportsbooks generated $463.7 million in wagers, up 84.4% from $251.4 million in November 2020, according to official reporting released Friday. The month’s handle even topped October’s $461.1 million handle, which was buoyed by five full weekends of college football and the NFL. Bettors hastened the pace of betting to $15.5 million per day over the 30 days of November from $14.9 million per day over the 31 days in October.

November’s gross revenue surged to $47.1 million, obliterating the former record $33.3 million set in September. Revenue was up 86.7% from $25.3 million in November 2020 and up 71.2% from $27.8 million in October. November’s win created a record $47.7 million in taxable revenue, too. And that yielded $4.5 million in state taxes, also a new highwater mark for the state.

Indiana’s sportsbooks have now generated $419.2 million in revenue on $3.4 billion wagers so far this year, crossing the $3 billion wagering mark for the first time. In fact, this year sportsbooks are on pace to more than double the $1.8 billion in wagers and $137.4 million in revenue sportsbooks generated in all of 2020.

A significant portion of 2021’s wagering has come over the last three months, which has produced $92.9 million in revenue on $1.3 billion in wagers.

“Obviously, 2020 was an unusual year, but Indiana’s year-over-year growth has been staggering so far,” said Eric Ramsey, an analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayIndiana.com. “Historically, December and January have been the highest-volume months of the football season in the state. So, the best months are likely still ahead, too.”

Online betting accounted for $422.9 million, or 91.2%, of November’s handle. Retail betting accounted for the remaining $40.8 million.

DraftKings topped all online operators in the state by handling $166.2 million in bets, up from $150.7 million in October. The month’s wagers produced $12.6 million in gross receipts, up from $7.8 million in October. FanDuel was second in the state with $109.8 million in online wagering, down from $113.3 million in October. Those bets still led to a state-best $15.6 million in gross receipts, up from $9.2 million in October.

The online leaders were followed by:

BetMGM ($46.3 million handle, down from $47.7 million in September; $4.5 million win, up from $3.5 million).
Caesars ($43.9 million handle, up from $40.2 million; $3.0 million win, up from $435,658)
Barstool ($17.2 million handle, down from $21.7 million; $962,701 win, up from $689,883)
BetRivers ($13.6 million handle, even with October; $1.0 million win, up from $767,393)
PointsBet ($12.4 million handle, up from $12.2 million; $962,701 win, up from $819,702)
Unibet ($4.3 million handle, up from $2.1 million; $325,267 win, up from $22,781 loss)
WynnBet ($3.9 million handle, up from $4.1 million; $281,620 win, up from $278,764)
TheScore Bet ($2.3 million handle, down from $3.2 million; $281,641 win, down from $622,447)
Betway ($1.5 million handle, up from $1.3 million; $32,990 loss, down from $37,035)
TwinSpires ($1.4 million handle, down from $1.9 million; $197,330 win, up from $180,188)

Hollywood Lawrenceburg led Indiana’s retail books with $12.7 million in wagers. That was down from $15.6 million in October. Ameristar East Chicago was second with a $6.3 million handle, ahead of Indiana Grand ($5.1 million), Harrah’s Hoosier Park ($4.8 million), and Horseshoe Hammond ($4.1 million).

Hollywood Lawrenceburg has become one of the top-grossing retail sportsbooks in the U.S. in large part because of its proximity to Cincinnati. But as Ohio nears legalization, Indiana’s online and retail casinos may soon not be able to count on their eastern neighbors to boost wagering.

“The state’s sportsbooks have weathered this before when Illinois and Michigan launched sports betting,” Garza said. “Every time, Indiana has managed to thrive in spite of the loss of out-of-state bettors. Indiana’s market is more than capable of standing on its own.”

For more revenue information on Indiana sportsbooks, visit PlayIndiana.com/revenue.

British Columbia Lottery Corporation

SCCG Management Signs Contract with British Columbia Lottery Corporation

Published

5 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.”