Gambling in the USA
INDIANA SPORTSBOOKS MAKE MOST OF FEBRUARY WITH $187 MILLION IN BETS Super Bowl and basketball drive state handle to new monthly record, according to PlayIndiana analysts
The Super Bowl helped Indiana’s retail and online sportsbooks post a February that landed another monthly record. And with March Madness ahead and new online casinos launching, Indiana is positioned to weather the launch of retail sports betting in Michigan and Indiana, according to analysts from PlayIndiana.com.
“Indiana’s market continues to mature, including the launch of more online sportsbooks, even as the football season ends,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “The state has a near-perfect storm of success, and will continue to be among the shining stars in legal sports betting even as neighboring states move to legalize sports betting.”
Indiana’s February handle hit $187.2 million, up 9.6% from a then-record $170.8 million handle generated in January, according to official reporting released Tuesday. February produced $11.1 million in adjusted gross revenue, down 15.9% from $12.9 million, yielding $1.1 million in state taxes.
Bettors placed $11.6 million in bets on football, almost entirely on the Super Bowl. And basketball continues to be a significant draw, generating $90.2 million in February wagers. Even Oscars betting appeared to be a hit, accounting for a significant portion of the $39.7 million wagered on the state’s “other” events.
“The Super Bowl was the single most significant event in February, but Indiana has done exceptionally well with basketball,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “That balance is helping Indiana avoid a post-football slump, which is common in jurisdictions such as Nevada.”
Indiana’s market advantages, most notably its ability to attract out-of-state bettors, have continued to hold, too. None of Indiana’s neighbors have launched legal sports betting yet, and because Indiana does not require in-person registration for mobile users, the Hoosier State can easily capitalize by allowing out-of-state bettors to simply cross the state line to make a bet.
Indiana will remain a friendly neighbor for sports bettors for the foreseeable future. Illinois and Michigan have legalized sports betting, with both launching retail betting this week. That will have some impact, but it should be blunted without an online component yet in either state. And progress toward legalizing sports betting is uncertain in both Kentucky and Ohio.
“Indiana’s relationship with out-of-state bettors takes many forms, ranging from those who cross the border to make bets at nearby land-based sportsbooks to those who hop over the state border in cars and place bets by phone,” Welman said. “Indiana’s sportsbooks have been aggressive in attracting that business, of course. It won’t last forever, but Indiana should enjoy the advantage while it’s there.”
Online sportsbooks generated $145.9 million in bets in February, or 77.9% of the state’s handle. And more sportsbooks came online with the Feb. 25 launch of BetMGM, which operates under the Belterra Casino license. PointsBet/Hollywood Lawrenceburg launched on March 5, and BetIndiana/Hard Rock is expected to launch this month, too.
In February, DraftKings/Ameristar Casino remained the online market leader with $74.1 million in bets, up from $66 million in January. That generated $5.7 million in gross receipts, up from $4.6 million. But FanDuel/Blue Chip Casino continued to gain ground on its rival, tallying a $63.8 million handle in February, up from $49.5 million. That resulted in a $2.7 million win, up from $1.9 million.
The market leaders were followed by:
- BetRivers/French Lick Resort ($7.7 million handle, down from $7.8 million; $348,869 win, down from $590,178)
- BetAmerica/Rising Star Casino ($212,953 handle, up from $89,622; -$6,169 win, down from $1,854)
- BetMGM/Belterra ($70,061 handle; $13,175 win)
Market proximity continues to dictate Indiana’s retail market. Horseshoe Hammond, near Chicago, has consistently led the retail market. In February, Horseshoe Hammond posted a $12.4 million handle, down from $13.7 million in January. That generated $52,445 in gross receipts, down from $1.8 million. Horseshoe Hammond was followed by:
- Hollywood Lawrenceburg ($6.8 million handle, down from $7.8 million; $308,577 win, down from $578,993)
- Ameristar Casino ($5.9 million handle, down from $7 million; $345,660 win, down from $1.4 million)
- Indiana Grand ($4.7 million handle, down from $5 million; $516,760 win, up from $365,318)
- Harrah’s Hoosier Park ($4.5 million handle, down from $5.4 million; $301,764 win, down from $321,785)
- Caesars Southern Indiana ($2.2 million handle, down from $2.4 million; $16,774 win, down from $143,966)
- Blue Chip Casino ($2.1 million handle, down from $2.7 million; $3,008 win, down from $279,868)
- Tropicana Evansville ($1.6 million handle, down from $2 million; $31,513 win, down from $210,974)
- Belterra Casino ($864,230 handle, down from $934,724; $46,173 win, up from $8,077)
- French Lick Resort ($387,656 handle, down from $533,634; $27,015 win, down from $14,132)
- Rising Star Casino ($123,393 handle, down from $213,552; $11,723 win, up from -$40,497)
“The successful partnership between DraftKings and Ameristar Casino in East Chicago, which generates the largest combined online and retail handle, crystalizes Indiana’s market advantages,” Welman said. “The DraftKings app was first to the market, and its ease of use has kept it on top. Meanwhile, Ameristar continues to draw heavily from the Chicago market.”
For more revenue information on Indiana sportsbooks, visit PlayIndiana.com/revenue.
Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – January 13-19
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
International Game Technology PLC announced that it is the first gaming industry supplier to receive the Internet Compliance Assessment Programme (iCAP) Ready accreditation for its iLottery operations from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). Based on the original iCAP designed for gaming operators, iCAP Ready is a U.S. accreditation programme designed for gaming suppliers who are committed to upholding responsible gaming standards across their products and services. Supported by the NCPG, iCAP Ready utilises best practices from the Internet Responsible Gambling Standards to ensure suppliers implement and maintain responsible gambling policies, provide effective staff training and offer comprehensive player support tools.
Light & Wonder Inc. has announced Simon Johnson as the new CEO of the Company’s iGaming business. Simon has been with Light & Wonder since 2017 and has been instrumental in driving the international commercial efforts of the Gaming business in his most recent role as Senior Vice President and International Managing Director. As part of his new role, Simon will report directly into Light & Wonder President and CEO Matt Wilson and join the Company’s Executive Leadership Team.
Las Vegas sports betting venture Circa Sports awarded $20,266,000 in prizes to the winners of its professional football contests, Circa Survivor and Circa Million VI. Highlights of the winnings included the largest Circa Survivor pool in contest history of $14.26 million. This was split equally among C3 Picks, DREAM STAKES, MEATBALL BROTHERS, PUMBAPACK9, TY1823, VODKA JOHNNY, WHATEVERYALLWANT and Whiskey Business. The $1 million Circa Million VI prize went to Team BP.
Partnerships
ESPN and PENN Entertainment announced that 10 additional retail sportsbooks at key PENN properties will be rebranded to “ESPN BET Sportsbook” in early 2025 (subject to all regulatory approvals), increasing the total number of ESPN BET branded sportsbooks at PENN properties to 19. The new ESPN BET locations will serve customers across Pennsylvania, Colorado, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana and West Virginia under PENN’s popular Hollywood and Ameristar Casino brands.
The Ottawa Black Bears announced an extensive partnership agreement with PowerPlay Online Sportsbook and Casino that will see the company’s logo featured on the club’s home and away jerseys. In addition to the jersey partnership, PowerPlay will also have branding elements inside the goal crease, behind the bench, on the LED display ring and along the rinkboards for Black Bears home games at Canadian Tire Centre. As part of the deal, PowerPlay also becomes the exclusive sportsbook and online casino partner for the Ottawa Black Bears.
The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, announced a multi-year partnership naming Cloudbet as the official and exclusive Sports Betting and Online Casino Partner of the PFL. This new collaboration will bring crypto-powered betting to PFL events, starting with the highly anticipated Road to Dubai Champions Series on January 25. Cloudbet has been a trusted name in the cryptocurrency world for over a decade. With this partnership, they will bring a whole new way to engage with MMA fans by combining their expertise in crypto sports betting with PFL’s innovative approach to fighting.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – January 13-19 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
ADG
Arizona Department of Gaming Releases October Sports Betting Figures
Bettors in Arizona wagered approximately $791 million on sports in October of 2024, according to a new report by the Arizona Department of Gaming. This represents an approximate 22% increase when compared to October of 2023.
The state collected approximately $2.35 million in privilege fees in the month.
The post Arizona Department of Gaming Releases October Sports Betting Figures appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Betting Hero
Neosurf & Betting Hero to reveal results of their in-depth study into US online gambling and payment habits in exclusive two-part webinar series
Neosurf, the globally trusted provider of swift and secure cash-to-digital payment solutions, has announced it will be sharing the findings of a recent study into the online betting habits, preferences and frustrations of US players in an exclusive two-part webinar series beginning on January 14th.
Neosurf commissioned the research via Betting Hero – a leading US-based iGaming portal with expertise in casino, sports betting and DFS. The webinars will see Neosurf CEO Americas, Sue Page, Betting Hero’s Co-Founder and President, Jai Maw, and Senior Director of Product and Research, Ernie Ropas, dive into the report’s key findings and discuss what some of the more surprising results could mean for operators.
The survey, which featured respondents from New Jersey, Colorado and North Carolina, aimed to help operators and regulators within the gambling industry better understand the typical US bettor – how and why they bet, what tools they use to manage their budget and what Responsible Gaming means to them. The findings will be revealed in the webinars and used to identify areas where Neosurf’s products can help operators provide a better user experience.
The research highlighted several aspects of payments and responsible gaming that bettors felt could be improved. Problems with payments remain an issue – 52% of respondents said that they’d experienced payment issues in the past year, and with over 50% depositing and withdrawing multiple times each month, there is a significant cost impact to the operators.
Additionally, respondents indicated they’d be in favour of using a service that could share pre-verified ID information with operators, with ease of use for new payment methods and seamless integration across multiple platforms identified as important factors in their choosing and remaining loyal to a single sports betting platform.
Sue Page, Neosurf CEO Americas, said: “It was important to us to gain a more detailed insight into the US sports bettor. We wanted to talk to the players and ask questions that no one else is asking, and through our collaboration with Betting Hero I’m delighted that we now have a comprehensive piece of research.
“Offering valuable insights into player habits – how and why they bet, the ongoing pain points they’re experiencing with payments and their thoughts on Responsible Gaming—we’ll be taking a deep dive into the results of the survey in our two-part webinar series starting at 10:00 ET on January 14th, and we encourage all US-focused operators and regulators to join us.”
The post Neosurf & Betting Hero to reveal results of their in-depth study into US online gambling and payment habits in exclusive two-part webinar series appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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