Canada
New Jersey sportsbooks surge with another historic month
New Jersey’s sportsbooks capitalized on an unprecedented confluence of major U.S. sports to set yet another all-jurisdiction record with nearly $750 million in September. And with the record, the Garden State’s handle year-to-date has surpassed the first nine months of 2019, a remarkable trajectory considering major sports were shut down for months, according to PlayNJ.
“September was a once-in-a-lifetime moment on the sports calendar when all four major U.S. sports were playing meaningful games all at once, which was obviously a boon for sportsbooks,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst at PlayNJ.com. “The growth seen over the last two months will likely level off once the sports schedule returns to normal. But it’s clear New Jersey’s sports betting industry is setting a new floor.”
Wagers at New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks soared to $748.6 million in September, up 68% from $445.6 million in September 2019 and easily surpassing the all-jurisdiction record of $668 million set by New Jersey just last month. New Jersey sportsbooks have now collected $3.3 billion in bets through the first nine months of 2020, up from $2.96 billion through the corresponding months in 2019.
The state’s sportsbooks have now collected $9.1 billion in wagers since the industry launched in June 2018, surpassing yet another milestone.
September’s bets produced $45.1 million in gross operator revenue, up 14.1% from $37.9 million in September 2019. Those revenues yielded $5.6 million in state taxes.
In August, New Jersey generated nearly $200 million more than Nevada’s $474.9 million handle, and appears poised to outpace the nation’s No. 2 market significantly yet again. New Jersey’s sportsbooks took in a whopping $159.5 million in football bets in September. But bettors also placed another $208.3 million on “other” sports, a classification that includes hockey, $115.3 million on baseball, and $98.8 million on basketball.
“Bringing all the major sports together at once enabled New Jersey to show off its unique ability to attract significant action on a wide variety of sports,” Gouker said. “New Jersey is less event-driven and football commands a smaller share of the overall handle than Nevada, which is an obvious benefit under the current circumstances.”
Online bets accounted for 90.7%, or $678.7 million, of September’s handle. That was up from 90.1% in August and 84% in September 2019. FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet topped the market with $25.1 million in gross revenue, up from $17.6 million in August. FanDuel was followed in revenue by:
- Resorts Digital/DraftKings/Fox Bet ($4.8 million, down from $10 million in August)
- BetMGM/Borgata ($3.7 million, up from $3.3 million)
- Ocean Casino/William Hill ($2.3 million, up from $1.2 million)
- Monmouth/William Hill/Sugarhouse/TheScore ($2.3 million, up from $1.7 million)
- Hard Rock/Bet365/Unibet ($947,986, up from $530,136)
- Golden Nugget/BetAmerica ($168,391, up from $41,851)
- Tropicana/William Hill ($109,185, up from $51,948)
- Caesars Sportsbook/888sport ($244,974, up from -$41,648)
Struggling retail sportsbooks showed modest improvement, generating $69.8 million in bets, up from $66 million in August. FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands once again topped retail books with $3.1 million in revenue.
“September’s results hint at a $1 billion month someday soon, which would’ve been impossible to fathom two years ago,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for PlayNJ.com. “As we can see with Unibet’s recent launch, online sportsbooks will continue to be where we see growth and where operators will continue to invest.”
Online gambling eyes $950 million for 2020
New Jersey online casinos and poker rooms continued their place as the industry’s most consistent performer in September with a near-record $87.6 million in revenue, up 113% from $41.1 million in September 2020. September’s revenue injected $13.2 million into state coffers, giving New Jersey $103 million in taxes from online casinos and poker so far this year.
Now the industry has a bigger number in sight — $950 million in annual revenue.
Through the first three quarters of 2020, online gambling has generated $685.6 million, up 102.2% from $339 million through the first nine months of 2019. The industry would have to average $88.1 million per month, only a slight uptick, over the final three months of 2020 to reach $950 million for the year.
“Nearly $1 billion in revenue is a staggering figure to think about, and every dollar has been vital in keeping New Jersey’s gaming industry afloat during a difficult year,” Ramsey said. “The growth in online revenue has begun to flatten after a spring surge, but the importance of online gambling to the overall health of the industry continues to grow.”
Some other highlights from September’s report:
- Online casinos and poker generated $2.9 million a day over the 30 days of September, breaking the record $2.83 million a day produced in August.
- Revenue from online casinos alone was $85.1 million, up from $84.7 million in August.
- Online casino games have now generated $2.01 million in revenue since launching in November 2013.
- Online poker produced $2.6 million in September revenue, down from $3 million in August.
- The Golden Nugget’s market dominance continued with $26 million in September, down from $27.7 million. Borgata was second with $19.8 million.
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting and online gaming in New Jersey, visit PlayNJ.com/news.
About the PlayUSA.com Network:
The PlayUSA.com Network is a leading source for news, analysis, and research related to the market for regulated online gaming in the United States. With a presence in over a dozen states, PlayUSA.com and its state-focused branches produce original daily reporting, publish in-depth research, and offer player advocacy tools related to the advancement of safe, licensed, and legal online gaming options for consumers. Based in Las Vegas, the PlayUSA Network is independently owned and operated, with no affiliations to any casino — commercial, tribal, online, or otherwise.
Powered by WPeMatico
Bragg Gaming Group, a leading global B2B iGaming content and technology provider, announced it has entered into a new financing agreement with the Bank of Montreal (BMO), a leading North American financial institution, pursuant to which BMO has made available to the Company certain credit facilities in a maximum aggregate amount of up to US$6.0 million to support its ongoing working capital and general corporate requirements (the BMO Facilities).
In connection with the closing of the BMO Facilities, Bragg has successfully repaid in full the outstanding promissory note with entities controlled by Doug Fallon (the Prior Note Indebtedness). The new BMO Facilities replace the Prior Note Indebtedness, signalling a significant step in the Company’s financial strategy to partner with a major commercial bank to support its growth.
“We are very pleased to establish this new relationship with the Bank of Montreal, a recognized leader in financial services. This new credit facility strengthens our balance sheet and provides us with a flexible capital structure to execute our strategic plan. The ability to secure financing from a major North American bank underscores the confidence in our business and our long-term growth prospects. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with BMO,” said Robbie Bressler, CFO of Bragg Gaming Group.
The BMO Facilities are secured by, amongst other things, a first-ranking security interest over all of the assets of the Company and certain of its key operating subsidiaries, and are uncommitted and are repayable upon the earlier of (i) demand by BMO, (ii) the occurrence of certain insolvency events, and (iii) on the one-year anniversary of the closing date, unless a one-year extension is granted at BMO’s discretion.
The agreement includes customary legal and financial covenants, including a requirement for the Company to maintain a Total Funded Debt to EBITDA ratio not exceeding 2.50:1.00, and a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of not less than 1.25:1.00. These financial covenants are to be tested on a consolidated basis at the end of each fiscal quarter.
The Company currently expects to draw on the BMO Facilities in Canadian dollars, which would result in estimated borrowing costs of 6.9%–7.9% for Prime-based loans or 5.9%–6.9% for CORRA-based loans, depending on the period of the draw and the Company’s leverage ratio. Standby fees on the unused portion of the revolving facility will range from 0.75% to 1.75% per annum, depending on leverage.
Management believes that based on the terms of the BMO Facilities, the Company’s borrowing costs on an annualized basis will be less than half of its Prior Note Debt.
Matevž Mazij, CEO of Bragg Gaming Group, said: “Securing this BMO facility represents a critical milestone in our strategic plan to strengthen Bragg’s financial foundation and accelerate value creation for our shareholders. With our cybersecurity incident contained and our borrowing costs cut by more than half, we are laser-focused on executing our strategic shift toward higher-quality earnings. The Company is prioritizing margin and cash generation over lower-margin revenue, and synergies realized post-quarter end to become a leaner operation. We’ve already realized EUR 2 million in annualized synergies and are on track to achieve our 20% Adjusted EBITDA margin target for the second half of 2025.
“Our recent leadership additions in AI and innovation, combined with our expanding partnerships with operators like Fanatics and Hard Rock Digital, position us to pursue highly accretive growth opportunities methodically. The Company remains focused on growing the business in a sustainable and margin-accretive manner, with strong momentum in the proprietary content and technology pipeline positioning Bragg for long-term profitable growth.
“We understand the importance of delivering results for our shareholders, and our board and management team are fully aligned and committed to executing the strategic initiatives that will drive value. With improved financial flexibility, a strengthened operational foundation, and clear milestones ahead, we believe we have the right strategy and team in place to unlock Bragg’s full potential. We remain committed to maximizing shareholder value as we build sustainable, profitable growth and ensure our strong operational performance translates into appropriate market valuation.”
Cyber Breach Update
The Company has also provided an update on its previously announced cybersecurity incident initially detected on August 16, 2025.
Immediately following detection, Bragg took appropriate steps to mitigate any potential impact of the breach. With the assistance of independent cybersecurity experts, the Company has followed industry best practices and considers that the incident is now resolved.
There continues to be no indication that any personal information was affected and the breach has had no impact on the ability of the Company to continue its operations. Bragg has also provided assurances to its customers regarding the security of its game titles. The Company has experienced no negative impact on its revenue or profitability and does not expect that the cost of responding to the incident will have a material financial impact on the Company.
The Company has already applied knowledge gathered from the investigation of the event to enhance its cyber security defenses.
The post Bragg Gaming Group Enteres into New Financing Agreement with Bank of Montreal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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.
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.
-
Compliance Updates7 days agoCalifornia Gambling Control Commission Reviews Licensing and Ownership Transfers at September 18 Meeting
-
eSports4 days ago
Thunderpick Partners with Oddin.gg and Introduces BetPeek, First Fully Interactive Esports Viewing Platform
-
Africa4 days agoAfrican iGaming Alliance Appoints Former Botswana Regulator Peter Kesitilwe as CEO
-
bet3654 days ago
EveryMatrix signs largest ever content aggregation deal with bet365
-
Canada4 days ago
Bragg Gaming Group Enteres into New Financing Agreement with Bank of Montreal
-
Brazil4 days ago
Games Global partners with Spin Gaming to launch Brazil’s first fully localised live casino offering
-
Balkans4 days ago
GLI Returns as Sponsor of the Regulators’ Roundtable at EEGS 2025
-
eSports3 days ago
Finland’s Esports Betting Gets a Lift Through Oddin.gg and Veikkaus Partnership
