Gambling in the USA

INDIANA SPORTSBOOKS LOSE OUT ON $165 MILLION IN APRIL BETS

Published

6 years ago

May 12, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

With retail sportsbooks shuttered and few events to draw bets, April could be low point, according to PlayIndiana.com

Indiana sportsbooks suffered their worst month ever in April — including a retail sector that did not produce a single bet — costing sportsbooks an estimated $165 million in bets, according to estimates from PlayIndiana.

With a minimized schedule of sports to bet on and casinos closed for the entire month, Indiana generated just $26.3 million in wagers, according to official reporting released Monday. During a month in which online and retail sportsbooks would have expected to draw at least $190 million in bets, April’s handle was down 64.8% from $74.8 million in March. That’s the lowest monthly handle ever for Indiana sportsbooks, which launched in October 2019 with $35.2 million in bets.

“April’s results are shocking, but not at all surprising,” said Dustin Gouker, chief analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “Bettors have very few places to turn in Indiana. In some states, online casinos have driven significant revenue. But that isn’t possible in Indiana. So the industry’s results will continue to be grim until the sports world figures out a way to reopen.”

April’s wagers still produced $5.5 million in adjusted gross revenue, essentially even with March. That yielded $522,085 in tax revenue for the state.

Without legal online casino games and poker, and no esports betting, bettors in Indiana have largely been limited since mid-March to fringe international sports and futures betting. In fact, $21 million of the state’s handle was generated by “other” sports, far more than football, basketball, and baseball.

The NFL Draft, and to a lesser extent the WNBA Draft, gave bettors some reason to engage with sportsbooks in April. Indiana, the first state to allow betting on professional sports drafts, generated $1.3 million in football-related wagers in April, most of which came from the NFL Draft.

“The shut down of sports has led to some creativity by Indiana’s bookmakers, and that creativity was rewarded with interest in the NFL Draft,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “Even though Indiana has missed out on some opportunities, regulators have at least been nimble enough to allow some unconventional ideas.”

There are reasons for cautious optimism. NASCAR is planning on revving up in May, which could draw betting interest. The PGA Tour is planning a June tee off while baseball and the NBA continue to search for a workable solution to restart their seasons. In addition, Indiana’s casinos and retail sportsbooks could open as early as June 14.

“It could be that April is the low point in what will undoubtedly still be a struggle until sports can resume with their regular schedules,” Gouker said. “If sports do resume relatively soon, online sportsbooks should recover quickly. In the meantime, sportsbooks will continue to look for creative ways to drive revenue.”

Because retail sportsbooks were shut down entirely in April—costing an estimated $40 million in in-person bets—online sportsbooks accounted for the entire handle in the state. DraftKings/Ameristar Casino led the market with $13.6 million in bets, up from $33.1 million in March. That generated $908,322 in gross receipts, down from $2.4 million. FanDuel/Blue Chip Casino was second with a $9.7 million handle, down from $21.6 million. That resulted in a $558,155 win, down from $1.5 million.

The market leaders were followed by:

BetRivers/French Lick Resort ($2.1 million handle, down from $3.6 million; $116,726 win, down from $343,482)
Hollywood Lawrenceburg/PointsBet ($449,638 handle, up from $334,237 handle; -$4,768 handle, down from $65,390)
BetMGM/Belterra ($418,195 handle, down from $2.1 million; $48,043 handle, down from $370,669)
BetAmerica/Rising Star Casino ($3,886 handle, down from $132,568; $3,519 win, down from $8,233)

The shutdown may have slowed the development of some sportsbooks apps, too. BetIndiana is still sorting through issues. And familiar brands such as William Hill, which operates a retail sportsbook at Tropicana Evansville, as well as Caesars, Fox Bet, and Unibet have yet to enter the market.

“The legacy of this shut down for the market could be in the way it has stunted its growth,” Welman said. “From lost revenue to less competition, the effects of this unprecedented shutdown will be felt well after sports resume.”

B2B

Xpoint secures new growth funding to supercharge geolocation innovation for real money gaming

Published

2 days ago

December 19, 2025

Wladimir P.

xpoint-secures-new-growth-funding-to-supercharge-geolocation-innovation-for-real-money-gaming

Bettor Capital leads the round as Xpoint accelerates product development and global deployment

Xpoint, a leading geolocation and compliance technology partner to the online real‑money gaming industry, today announced a fresh investment round led by existing investor Bettor Capital.

The capital will fast‑track Xpoint’s R&D roadmap and expand its product and engineering teams, accelerating delivery of next‑generation capabilities to operators worldwide.

Built for gaming from the ground up, Xpoint’s adaptable platform combines fast, accurate precision geofencing with advanced fraud detection to stop spoofing, block unauthorized wagers, and surface suspicious activity in real time, helping operators launch and scale confidently in online real-money gaming markets.

With flexible integration and rapid deployment tailored to sportsbook, iCasino, lottery, DFS, and sweepstakes use cases, Xpoint provides audit ready compliance automation across multi state and international markets. The platform also offers unique, patent-pending algorithms at jurisdictional borders to protect revenues and reduce player friction and drop off.

Xpoint’s recent momentum includes successful active and pending deployments with leading brands such as bet365 and PrizePicks in North America, with more to be announced soon. Xpoint is also live with clients in Brazil and the UAE, including the UAE Lottery and Play971, the first regulated online gaming and sports betting entity in the region.

“This new funding lands at the perfect time for our growth,” said Manu Gambhir, CEO of Xpoint. “We’re scaling up our teams to ship a wave of new capabilities that help operators defeat location spoofing, streamline compliance, and convert more good users—without compromising on precision, scale, or speed.”

“We are delighted to significantly increase our commitment to Xpoint to accelerate product development and deployment”, added David VanEgmond, Founder and Managing Partner at Bettor Capital, “In this industry, robust regulatory and compliance technology is absolutely essential, and Xpoint has proven to consistently deliver substantial value to a growing roster of real-money online gaming operators.”

New Jersey–based Bettor Capital is a venture capital firm specializing in early‑stage investments in technology companies within the real‑money online gaming ecosystem. Bettor Capital was among Xpoint’s first institutional backers and has increased its investment over time.

The post Xpoint secures new growth funding to supercharge geolocation innovation for real money gaming appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.

Andrzej Hyla Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan

Wazdan strengthens US footprint with launch on Caesars Entertainment’s online casino platforms in West Virginia

Published

3 days ago

December 18, 2025

Wladimir P.

wazdan-strengthens-us-footprint-with-launch-on-caesars-entertainment’s-online-casino-platforms-in-west-virginia

Wazdan today announced it has strengthened its North American presence with a new launch in West Virginia across Caesars Entertainment’s marquee online casino platforms, including Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino.

Facilitated by the Light & Wonder aggregation platform, the collaboration sees Wazdan titles go live on Caesars’ online gaming platforms serving players across the Mountain State.

West Virginia players can now access a selection of Wazdan’s top-performing releases, including 9 Coins Grand Gold Edition, Magic Spins and Hot Slot: 777 Crown, alongside the supplier’s signature engagement-boosting mechanics such as Cash Infinity, Hold the Jackpot and Sticky to Infinity, with each designed to elevate entertainment and deliver measurable growth for operators.

The latest expansion marks another key step for Wazdan in North America, following successful deployments across Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and earlier entries into West Virginia.

Andrzej Hyla, Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan, said: “Launching with Caesars Entertainment in West Virginia is a fantastic achievement for our team and a pivotal moment in our US strategy.

“Caesars is one of the most recognisable names in gaming and bringing our top titles to their online casino brands, via Light & Wonder, allows us to further broaden our reach while delivering the innovative experiences players have come to expect from Wazdan.”

Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, said: “Introducing Wazdan’s popular slot titles to our online casino players in West Virginia furthers our continued commitment to providing the best possible user experience.

“This addition expands our library of premium titles, which we look forward to offering across our online casino platforms in the Mountain State.”

The post Wazdan strengthens US footprint with launch on Caesars Entertainment’s online casino platforms in West Virginia appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.

Betly

White Hat Studios launches with Betly mobile sportsbook and casino in West Virginia

Published

5 days ago

December 16, 2025

Wladimir P.

white-hat-studios-launches-with-betly-mobile-sportsbook-and-casino-in-west-virginia

Partnership sees leading branded content and popular Jackpot Royale integrated into Delaware North’s Betly online casino in the Mountain State

White Hat Studios, the “House of Brands” provider to the United States iGaming market, has partnered with Delaware North to launch on its Betly mobile sportsbook and casino in West Virginia.

The leading provider aims to build its online casino offering with the addition of the industry’s top-performing games.

Betly players in West Virginia will now have access to White Hat Studios’ acclaimed portfolio of premium branded titles, including Ted, The Goonies, and the award-winning 7s Fire Blitz series.

Also included in the rollout are the popular Jackpot Royale and Jackpot Royale Express progressive jackpot networks, currently live across more than 40 titles, and the first Betly-branded iCasino game – Betly Player’s Choice Blackjack.

Designed to elevate player engagement and boost retention, the addition of these promotional tools adds another layer of excitement to the Betly casino offering.

White Hat Studios has made significant strides in its U.S. growth trajectory since launching in 2021, consistently delivering high-performing content across multiple states. West Virginia remains a key market for the provider, following its remarkable success in all seven regulated U.S. iGaming states.

The collaboration represents another major step in White Hat Studios’ expansion across regulated U.S. states and reinforces its reputation as a go-to content partner for forward-thinking operators.

Daniel Lechner, SVP Sales and Marketing at White Hat Studios, said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Delaware North on the Betly online casino app in West Virginia.

“This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering top-tier content quickly and seamlessly to operators across the U.S. With our portfolio of fan-favorite branded titles and innovative features like Jackpot Royale, we’re confident we’ll make an immediate impact for Betly and its players.”

Bob Akeret, General Manager for Betly, added: “We’re excited to welcome White Hat Studios onto our Betly platform in West Virginia. Their reputation for delivering engaging, high-quality games, especially branded content, makes them an ideal partner as we continue to elevate our casino experience.”

The post White Hat Studios launches with Betly mobile sportsbook and casino in West Virginia appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.