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INDIANA’S SPORTS BETTING VOLUME DROPS TO LOWEST LEVEL IN NEARLY A YEAR Sportsbooks take in $194.5 million in bets in what is historically the slowest month of the year, but still tops $4 billion milestone for lifetime wagering, according to PlayIndiana

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Indiana’s sportsbooks slowed to less than $200 million for the first time in nearly a year, but volume was still enough to push the state’s lifetime handle past $4 billion — $3 billion of which has come over the last 12 months. July’s slowdown came during what is historically the month with the lowest sports betting volume in the U.S., a pattern that continued even as the NBA Finals and the first week of the Olympics gave this July an unusually busy sports calendar, according to PlayIndiana, which tracks the state’s gaming industry.

“Sports betting is ultimately for entertainment, and this time of year it can take a backseat to long weekends at the lake or summer barbecues,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayIndiana.com. “With people traveling at an accelerated rate this summer, it appears that the trough is even more pronounced than usual. But July should be the low point, as bettors begin to return from their summer vacations in August and excitement builds for the upcoming football season.”

Online and retail sportsbooks took in $194.5 million in bets in July, which is down 21% from $246.3 million in June, according to official reporting released Thursday. Averaged out over the 31 days of July, sportsbooks accepted $6.3 million in wagers per day, down from $8.2 million per day in June.

Gross gaming revenue remained relatively strong in July with $17.2 million, down 35.6% from $26.7 million, which equals an 8.9% hold. Adjusted gross revenue came in at $17.5 million, yielding $1.7 million in state taxes.

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Indiana’s results are in line with historical trends. Removing the pandemic-altered numbers produced in 2020, the lowest-volume month across the U.S. in both 2018 and 2019 was July.

Baseball topped all sports with $63.5 million in wagering, up from $60.5 million in June. The NBA Finals fueled $26.8 million in basketball betting in July, which was down from $77.1 million in June. Basketball has generated $896.9 million in bets so far this year, more than any sport by far, and has been the most bet-on sport in every month since December 2020.

“Indiana’s love of basketball has helped shield the state’s sportsbooks from some of the more pronounced seasonal dips experienced in other states, so a smaller volume of games in July was felt,” said Nicole Russo, analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “Betting interest on the Olympics appears to have been modest at best, and even with the NBA Finals being later than usual, it wasn’t enough to overcome fewer games being on the board.”

July’s wagering was enough to push Indiana past another significant milestone, becoming the state with the smallest population — other than Nevada — to reach $4 billion in lifetime handle. Since sports betting launched in Indiana in September 2019, sportsbooks have generated:

  • $4.1 billion in online and retail wagering, including $3.0 billion since Aug. 2020
  • $334.6 million in gross gaming revenue
  • $31.8 million in state taxes.

“The market has changed significantly since launch, but from the beginning Indiana has punched above its weight class among U.S. markets,” Welman said. “It remains a model market that states still considering the legalization of sports betting would be wise to emulate.”

Bettors made $174.6 million in online wagers in July, accounting for 89.8% of all bets made in the state. Retail betting accounted for the remaining $19.9 million in July, down from $27.9 million in June.

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DraftKings held on to its market lead in July with $60.2 million in online wagering, down from $75.6 million in June. July’s bets generated $4.7 million in gross receipts, down from $6.2 million in June. FanDuel closely trailed with $54.3 million in July wagering, down from $64.2 million in June. Those bets produced a market-best $5.3 million in gross receipts, down from $9.1 million.

The leaders were followed by:

  • BetMGM ($25.6 million handle, down from $29.2 million in June; $2.2 million win, down from $3.2 million).
  • William Hill ($7.9 million handle, down from $11.1 million; $228,927win, down from $3.0 million)
  • Barstool ($7.2 million handle, down from $10.4 million; $463,462 win, up from $33,167)
  • PointsBet ($7.0 million handle, down from $14.6 million; $747,400 win, down from $885,812)
  • BetRivers ($6.9 million handle, even with June; $659,187 win, up from $600,924)
  • TheScore ($3.4 million handle, down from $3.8 million; $73,512 win, down from $41,678)
  • Unibet ($852,852 handle, down from $1.0 million; $80,444win, up from $53,947)
  • WynnBet ($737,797 handle, down from $794,481; $109,614 win, down from $81,738)
  • TwinSpires ($536,783 handle, up from $561,116; -$5,043 win, down from $80,162)
  • BetWay ($30,859 handle, down from $55,218; -$1,059 win, down from -$25)

Hollywood Lawrenceburg, nearest to Cincinnati and one of the highest-volume retail sportsbooks in the U.S., led retail books in Indiana with $5.9 million in wagers, down from $9.0 million in June. Ameristar East Chicago was second with $3.04 million, narrowly topping $2.98 million at Indiana Grand and $2.7 million at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

“Retail betting is still trying to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels, and news of a fresh surge in the pandemic is the latest challenge for the industry,” Russo said. “Online sportsbooks will continue to flourish in the state, but it’s apparently going to continue to be a hard road for the retail side.”

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Canada

Soft2Bet granted Ontario Certification of Registration and readies for imminent launch

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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.

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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.

 

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Hacksaw Gaming and DraftKings Score Again in Ontario

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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.

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Exploring Canada’s video Game Market: Survey Insights

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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.

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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.

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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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