Connect with us

Canada

Pennsylvania Sportsbooks Join Elite Club with $462.8 Million in September, According to PlayPennsylvania

Published

on

 

Pennsylvania’s online and retail sportsbooks took advantage of a perfect storm of major U.S. sports in September to easily generate a record $462.8 million in bets. By doing so, Pennsylvania entered an exclusive club of gaming markets, joining New Jersey and Nevada, that have surpassed $450 million in wagers in a single month, according to PlayPennsylvania.

“With the beginning of the NFL season, a full schedule of baseball, and the NBA and NHL playoffs, there may never be such a confluence of sporting events again,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayPennsylvania.com. “Like New Jersey, Pennsylvania has created a well-rounded market that can drive significant action on every major sport. That market dynamic was able to bear fruit in September in a way that may never be fully possible again.”

September’s handle, which was released Friday, was up 137.9% from $194.5 million in September 2019 and easily surpassed the previous record of $365 million set just last month. But the record wagers produced just $6.3 million in taxable revenue, down from $18.3 million in August and $14.9 million in September 2019, a result of heavy promotion and some unlucky results for sportsbooks. September revenue yielded $2.1 million in state taxes and another $125,398 in local share assessments.

“The question now becomes whether Pennsylvania can sustain this level once the sports calendar returns to normal,” said Valerie Cross, analyst for PlayPennsylvania.com. “Pennsylvania has etched a place in the top tier of gaming markets and could possibly pass Nevada as the nation’s No. 2 market before the end of the year.”

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Online wagering accounted for 89.5%, or $414.1 million, of September’s handle. FanDuel Sportsbook/Valley Forge Casino extended its online supremacy with $168 million in online bets, up 16.2% from $144.6 million wagered in August. Those bets produced $2.4 million in taxable revenue. Also, Penn National’s Barstool Sports-branded sportsbook on Hollywood Casino’s license generated $29.9 million in bets, losing $2.8 million on those bets, in just two weeks of operation.

“Barstool adds a brand name with a uniquely loyal following, and its launch comes with high hopes,” Gouker said. “On the surface it seems like it has the potential to eat into the dominant market shares of FanDuel and DraftKings. But that is no easy task considering how entrenched both have become in the Pennsylvania market.”

In-person betting reached $48.7 million in September bets, winning $5.1 million on those bets. Rivers-Philadelphia claimed the top retail spot with $11.4 million in bets and gross revenue of $1.2 million.

Online gambling

Online casino games and poker continued their hot streak in September, combining to produce a record $57 million in gross operator revenue, or $1.9 million per day over the 30 days of September. That is up from August, when online gambling generated $55.9 million, or $1.8 million per day for the 31 days of August.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

September’s revenue yielded $16 million in state taxes and another $3.8 million in local share assessments.

“Pennsylvania’s online casinos generate nearly five times as much in bets as sports betting, and revenue doesn’t fluctuate nearly as much,” Cross said. “That has quickly made online gambling a dependable and significant tax revenue driver for the state, accomplishing the main goal of regulation.”

Rivers-Philadelphia’s brands topped online casinos with $16.1 million in revenue on $578.8 million in wagers.

SOURCE PlayPennsylvania.com

Powered by WPeMatico

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Canada

Bragg Gaming Group Enteres into New Financing Agreement with Bank of Montreal

Published

on

bragg-gaming-group-enteres-into-new-financing-agreement-with-bank-of-montreal
Reading Time: 3 minutes

 

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.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

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.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

“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.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

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.

Continue Reading

Betty

Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership

Published

on

thunderkick-commits-to-growth-in-ontario-with-betty-partnership

 

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.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

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.”

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The post Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Continue Reading

BCLC

Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026

Published

on

save-the-date:-bclc’s-new-horizons-in-safer-gambling-conference-returns-november-2026

 

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].

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

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.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania