Canada
New Jersey Sportsbooks Surprise in May but Still Lag by Nearly $400 Million, According to PlayNJ
New Jersey’s online sportsbooks more than doubled the state’s combined handle in May, but still fell short of an ordinary May by nearly $400 million, according to PlayNJ estimates. This while online casinos and poker rooms continue to boom, buoying the Garden State’s gaming industry.
“May’s increase is a positive sign, but until major professional sports resume and Atlantic City casinos reopen, the gaming industry will look nowhere near normal,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayNJ.com. “But optimism can be found with DraftKings, which has become a darling of Wall Street since it became a publicly traded company. That shows just how much confidence investors have in the future of sports betting.”
New Jersey’s online sportsbooks managed to boost the state’s monthly handle to $117.8 million, up 115.8% from $54.6 million in April, according to official reporting released Friday. But May’s handle is down 63.1% from $318.9 million in May 2019 and still well short of the more than $500 million in bets that would have been made in an ordinary May, according to PlayNJ estimates.
May’s bets produced a surprising $9.9 million in gross revenue — more than tripling the $2.6 million in April 2020 — yielding $1.3 million in state taxes.
Sports categorized as “other” than football, basketball, and baseball generated $95.4 million in bets in May, up from $88 million in May 2019.
“The bottom-line sports betting numbers aren’t pretty, but there is a silver lining in how online sportsbooks have managed to survive these shutdowns,” said Eric Ramsey, an analyst for PlayNJ.com. “New Jersey’s operators have been creative in keeping bettors engaged and sportsbooks generating revenue, even when fringe sports are the only real attraction. Thanks to some imagination, it appears online sportsbooks will help the industry get through this.”
Without retail sportsbooks, online sportsbooks were the only revenue generator for the state. FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet led the market with $4.3 million in gross revenue.
“We are just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Gouker said. “Retail sports betting will take time to return to something resembling normal. But the path to recovery for online sportsbooks is simple: Sports need to come back. That is finally starting to happen.”
Meanwhile, online casinos and poker rooms rose to a new monthly record in May with a combined $85.9 million, up 7.5% from the record $79.96 million in April and up 134.7% from $36.6 million in May 2019.
Online casinos and poker generated a record $2.8 million per day during the 31 days in May, up from $2.7 million per day in April. That revenue yielded $12.9 million in state taxes. The Golden Nugget’s dominance of the market continued with $29.1 million in revenue, up from $27.6 million in April.
“Land-based gambling revenue almost certainly won’t return in June, and it will take some time to recover even when it does come back while Atlantic City casinos presumably navigate reduced capacity and relatively weak tourism demand,” Ramsey said. “Because of that, online casinos will be relied upon to bridge the revenue gap, even once land-based casinos reopen. Even if that online revenue can’t replace what has been lost from the shutdown, the overall gaming industry would be in much worse shape without it.”
For more, visit PlayNJ.com/news.
About the PlayUSA.com Network:
The PlayUSA.com Network and its state-focused branches is a leading source for news, analysis, and research related to the market for regulated online gaming in the U.S.
SOURCE PlayNJ.com
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Independent slots studio Thunderkick has agreed a deal with Ontario-based operator Betty to supply the rapidly growing online casino with a diverse collection of globally popular titles.
Betty, an official partner of sporting franchises Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, has risen to prominence since its 2022 establishment, when it was built following the consultation of 300 casino players to create the optimal iGaming environment.
Distinguishing itself from North American competitors by catering specifically to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors, the operator has curated a portfolio of 2,800 games, hand-picked to deliver customers maximum entertainment value.
Thunderkick’s content is the latest to be integrated into Betty’s online casino, and the agreement will see a selection of its most popular titles, including The Wildos 2, Midas Golden Touch 3, and Esqueleto Explosivo 3, made available to a greater number of Ontarian players.
Thunderkick marked its debut in the Canadian province in Q2 of 2024, and has since partnered with a network of leading operators to improve its market position. The collaboration with Betty will further amplify its visibility in a key jurisdiction as the provider looks to reinforce its reputation as a global slot developer.
Svante Sahlström, CCO at Thunderkick, said: “It’s our mission at Thunderkick to go deeper, not wider, in 2025. That means forging meaningful, lasting relationships in target markets as opposed to securing as many commercial deals as possible.
“Since entering Ontario over 12 months ago, we have worked tirelessly to enhance our presence in the province, and working with leading brands such as Betty allows us to bring our unique games to a deeper pool of Canadian players.”
Paraskeva Smirnova, Casino Operations Manager at Betty, added: “Betty’s USP has always been our drive to build a slot portfolio with the very best titles from the industry’s most creative suppliers.
“Thunderkick’s passion for slot development is there for all to see, and the introduction of its games to our casino further elevates the consumer experience.”
The post Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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BCLC is pleased to announce the return of the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference, taking place November 2–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.
This global event brings leading voices in research, policy and industry together to explore innovative approaches to safer gambling. Attendees can expect two days of forward-thinking dialogue, evidence-based insights and collaborative solutions to help shape the future of player health.
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available
New to the 2026 conference, BCLC is excited to offer sponsorship opportunities to organizations that share BCLC’s passion for safer gambling. Benefits of sponsoring New Horizons 2026 include industry visibility, leadership recognition and meaningful engagement with a global audience. To learn more about sponsorship, please e-mail [email protected].
Registration and program details will be released later this fall.
The post Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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Internet Gaming Operator by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
This significant milestone authorizes absolutebet to offer regulated iGaming services in Ontario’s legal market under the oversight of AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO).
The registration marks a key step in absolutebet’s mission to bring a trusted, responsible, and innovative online casino experience to Ontario players. absolutebet is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, meeting all provincial standards for player protection, responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity.
“Securing AGCO registration is more than a milestone—it’s the start of absolutebet’s journey in one of the most exciting regulated markets in the world,” said Chen Truman, Founder of absolutebet. “We are building a brand that will grow with the Ontario community and set the stage for future expansion.”
On the regulatory milestone, Krisztina Kalla, Legal & Regulatory Compliance Advisor of absolutebet, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work behind this license pay off. Securing AGCO registration has taken months of preparation and close collaboration with regulators and partners. I am very happy to see the result of that work, and even more excited as we move into the launch phase and open up the absolutebet community to Ontario players in a fun and responsible way.”
Ontario is recognized as one of the most competitive and fast-growing regulated iGaming markets in North America. With AGCO registration secured, absolutebet will move forward with the final stages of its iGO onboarding process in preparation for launch.
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The post absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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