Gambling in the USA
Indiana Sportsbooks Lose Out On $125 Million In March Wagers
Without NCAA Tournament, NBA, baseball, and more, sportsbooks attract $75 million in bets, according to PlayIndiana
Indiana’s retail and online sportsbooks were hit hard in the first weeks of the coronavirus shutdown, costing the state an estimated $125 million in wagers in March, according to PlayIndiana. And with no immediate end in sight, the industry will continue to navigate treacherous waters in the months ahead.
“This is an unprecedented stoppage for legal sportsbooks, and there is no playbook for them to follow to help manage the crisis,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “Obviously, the sports betting industry is just one facet in a crisis that is affecting us all, too often tragically. But it is a business that employs hundreds in Indiana and generates millions in state taxes. And the bottom line is that there will be no significant relief until the sports world begins to open back up.”
Indiana appeared to be headed for its first month of more than $200 million in bets. Instead, the state’s retail and online sportsbooks collected just $74.8 million in March wagers, down 60% from the record $187.2 million in February, according to official reporting released Thursday. Almost all of the handle was generated before March 11, when the NBA shut down its season and sent a cascade of closures through the sports world.
March’s bets produced $5.5 million in adjusted gross revenue, down 50.5% from $11.9 million in February, and yielded $522,0825 in tax revenue for the state.
The shutdown wiped out nearly three weeks of games, including the NBA and the opening of the Major League Baseball season. The loss of the NCAA Tournament, one of the largest sports betting holidays in the U.S., proved particularly damaging. Indiana sportsbooks could have generated more than $50 million in tournament-related wagers, PlayIndiana estimates.
“There is no way to replace the revenue that would have been generated from the NCAA Tournament, which in legal jurisdictions generates more action than the Super Bowl,” said Jessica Welman, an analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “The NCAA Tournament can’t be rescheduled, but professional leagues are beginning to draw plans to begin games again. We still don’t know what that looks like or when it will happen. Whether spectators are there to watch in-person or not, though, online sportsbooks should again be able to attract bettors, which will be welcome news for the industry.
Other than some minor international events and futures betting, mainly on the NFL, sportsbooks have gone completely silent. That could change in a minor way without a single game being played. Sportsbooks are now accepting bets on Friday’s WNBA Draft and the NFL Draft later this month.
“We don’t expect a lot of betting on the WNBA and NFL drafts, but we suspect that each will draw more interest than either would under ordinary circumstances,” Welman said. “People are looking for some sense of normalcy while they practice social distancing, and the drafts and futures betting is providing at least some outlet for bettors.”
In March, online sportsbooks generated 81.3%, or $60.8 million, of the state’s handle. DraftKings/Ameristar Casino led the market with $33.1 million in bets, down from $74.1 million in February, and generated $2.4 million in gross receipts, down from $5.7 million. FanDuel/Blue Chip Casino was second with a $21.6 million handle, down from $63.8 million. That resulted in a $1.45 million win, down from $2.7 million.
The market leaders were followed by:
- BetRivers/French Lick Resort ($3.6 million handle, down from $7.7 million; $343,482 win, down from $348,869)
- BetAmerica/Rising Star Casino ($132,568 handle, down from $212,953; $8,233 win, up from -$6,169)
- BetMGM/Belterra ($2.1 million handle, up from $70,061; $370,669 win, up from $13,175)
- Hollywood Lawrenceburg/PointsBet ($334,237 handle, $65,390 win)
Horseshoe Hammond led the retail market with $3.4 million in bets, down from $12.4 million in February. That generated $211,475 in gross receipts, up from $52,445. Horseshoe Hammond was followed by:
- Hollywood Lawrenceburg ($2.6 million handle, down from $6.8 million; $65,390 win, down from $308,577)
- Ameristar Casino ($2.1 million handle, down from $5.9 million; $232,186 win, down from $345,660)
- Indiana Grand ($1.7 million handle, down from $4.7 million; $95,088 win, down from $516,760)
- Harrah’s Hoosier Park ($1.8 million handle, down from $4.5 million; $32,459 win, down from $301,764)
- Caesars Southern Indiana ($800,758 handle, down from $2.2 million; -$25,689 win, up from $16,774)
- Blue Chip Casino ($693,011 handle, down from $2.1 million; $10,736 win, up from $3,008)
- Tropicana Evansville ($594,036 handle, down from $1.6 million; -$49,753 win, down from $31,513)
- Belterra Casino ($242,689 handle, down from $864,230; -$35,082 win, down from $46,173)
- French Lick Resort ($81,343 handle, down from $387,656; -$16,027 win, down from $27,015)
- Rising Star Casino ($43,686 handle, down from $123,393; -$5,903 win, down from $11,723)
“Online sportsbooks will bounce back more quickly than their retail counterparts, which face a much more uncertain future as the coronavirus pandemic continues,” Gouker said. “In states where online casino games and poker are legal, such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania, casino operators have had a bit softer landing. But Indiana has really borne the brunt of this crisis, unfortunately.”
For more revenue information on Indiana sportsbooks, visit PlayIndiana.com/revenue.
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
The Michigan Gaming Control Board has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Duranbah Limited N.V., the operator of MyBookie.ag, based in Curaçao. The site offers a variety of casino-style games, such as slots, poker and live-dealer games like blackjack, roulette and craps. It also allows users to place bets on sporting events and horse races. MyBookie.ag offers numerous payment methods for deposits and the funding of players’ accounts, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, PayPal, various cryptocurrencies and MoneyGram. However, withdrawals can only be made via Bitcoin or bank wire transfer. The MGCB’s investigation revealed that MyBookie.ag’s operation of online casino-style games for paying customers, without a valid Michigan gambling license, breaches several state laws.
Altenar has increased its focus on the North American iGaming market with the appointment of Matthew Ferrara as Sales Manager. Based in Miami, Ferrara has previously spent two years working in Croatia as a live trader on US sports for Superbet before returning to the United States to join micro-betting provider Kero Sports as Business Development Manager, specialising in outbound sales and strategic partnerships. He now strengthens Altenar’s sales team and will focus primarily on the North American market as the sportsbook provider looks to expand its operation.
SUZOHAPP has announced the appointment of Jim Kirner as its new Sales Director for North America. With over 20 years of experience in the gaming industry, Jim brings a wealth of expertise to his role and will be pivotal in driving SUZOHAPP’s sales and product strategies across the region. Throughout his career, Jim has been instrumental in driving transformational changes in the gaming sector, helping companies innovate and enhance the player experience. Prior to joining SUZOHAPP, Jim held key leadership positions at IGT, DiTRONICS, Interblock and Aruze Gaming Global.
Partnerships
The National Football League has announced a partnership with the Responsible Gambling Council to develop and implement a comprehensive responsible gambling training programme specifically designed for university and college student-athletes. The RGC and NFL have identified student athletes as an important audience for targeted responsible gambling and problem gambling prevention initiatives, as previous research has shown their susceptibility to risky gambling behaviour. The programme will launch with a pilot phase at eight universities and colleges across Canada in the upcoming 2025 spring semester. Insights and feedback from this phase will be used to refine and improve the programme before its broader rollout to 30 university and college institutions in the 2025–26 school year.
The PGA TOUR, PENN Entertainment and ESPN are launching a live betting stream on PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+. The ESPN BET branded stream will provide key data, insights and live betting analysis during coverage of six marquee FedExCup events across the 2025 PGA TOUR season. ESPN BET on PGA TOUR LIVE, set to premiere at the WM Phoenix Open on ESPN+ starting Thursday, Feb. 6, is made possible by a new multi-year agreement between the PGA TOUR and PENN Entertainment, the operator of ESPN BET. The deal designates ESPN BET as an Official Betting Operator of the PGA TOUR.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – January 27-February 2 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Great Canadian Entertainment and Petroglyph Development Group announced that PDG has closed the previously announced acquisitions of Casino Nanaimo and Elements Casino Victoria from Great Canadian, in historic transactions for both parties. PDG is a wholly owned corporation of Snuneymuxw First Nation (the “Nation”) and is dedicated to realizing the economic potential of the Nation. The transactions, originally announced on June 24, 2024, for Casino Nanaimo and September 10, 2024, for Elements Casino Victoria, have received all required approvals from the regulatory authorities.
BetConstruct, a global pioneer in iGaming and sports betting solutions, has announced a significant milestone in the gaming industry. Through its affiliate entity, BetConstruct has become the first iGaming company authorized to facilitate the issuance of both Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) licenses. This remarkable achievement was made possible by obtaining a direct license authorization from the Tobique First Nation in Canada. The Tobique First Nation, renowned for its innovative and forward-thinking regulatory approach, has entrusted BetConstruct’s affiliate entity with the authority to oversee applications and facilitate the issuance of licenses from its jurisdiction. This partnership underscores shared values of innovation, transparency and a commitment to responsible gaming practices.
Partnerships
With the global social casino market projected to surpass $11 billion in 2028, MFC Games is seizing the moment with a groundbreaking partnership. Teaming up with TinyRex Games, MFC Games is combining innovation and expertise to redefine the social casino experience. This collaboration will bring TinyRex’s games to MFC Games’ highly innovative and anticipated 2025 multiplayer-first social casino platform, Clash Casino. Clash Casino is poised to set a new standard in iGaming by blending the thrill of competitive multiplayer gameplay with the thrill of reimagined classic casino experiences. Featuring real-time, multiplayer competition and social media, user network-driven mechanics, Clash Casino is designed to captivate a new generation of players and set the stage for the future of social casinos.
Global esports and gaming organisation Gen.G announced that it has established an official partnership with Logitech G, a specialist in advanced gaming gear, who will collaborate with Gen.G across the organisation to develop the optimal gaming environment for its professional players, academy students and fans. Logitech G will provide its latest innovative products like the PRO X SUPERLIGHT 2 DEX wireless gaming mouse and introduce customized solutions tailored to each team. Gen.G’s esports roster includes its highly successful League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) team along with Rocket League and VALORANT.
Hard Rock Bet, Florida’s only legal sportsbook, is bringing jai-alai fans closer to the fronton as the World Jai Alai League (WJAL) opens its 2025 Battle Court Winter season. Through Hard Rock Bet, WJAL fans across the state of Florida will have access to an extensive range of betting options and be able to watch each match live on the app’s streaming hub for a dynamic wagering-viewing experience. Jai-Alai is among the over 20 sports available for Florida players on Hard Rock Bet’s top-rated and easy-to-use mobile app, which offers fast deposits and withdrawals, daily promotions and a free online Loyalty Rewards programme.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – January 20-26 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The post Gila River Resorts & Casinos hosts $5.9 million Big Game prop play contest appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
-
Bragg Gaming Group5 days agoBragg Gaming Announces Preliminary Unaudited Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 Strategic Initiatives and Guidance
-
Australia7 days ago
NSW: Minns Government Moves to Ban Gambling Advertising from Trains
-
Canada6 days agoNorthStar Gaming Announces $43.4 Million Long-Term Debt Financing
-
Asia7 days ago
DigiPlus Introduces Tools for Players to Control Gaming Time and Bets
-
Central Europe6 days ago
Promatic Games now live in Slovakia
-
Balkans6 days ago
Pateplay’s newest partner in Bosnia and Herzegovina
-
Asia6 days ago
BETBY PARTNERS WITH SABA SPORTS TO DELIVER ESPORTS CONTENT THROUGH BETBY GAMES
-
Latest News5 days ago
Week 5/2025 slot games releases
