Canada
PlayUSA.com: Super Bowl to generate $500 million in legal wagers
U.S. bettors will place more than $500 million in wagers on Super Bowl LV at legal online and retail sportsbooks across 21 U.S. jurisdictions where sports betting in some form is legal, according to projections by PlayUSA, which provides news and analysis of the U.S. gaming industry. Whether those projections are met or surpassed, the matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Feb. 7, will almost certainly become the most legally wagered-on single event in U.S. history.
“With the expansion of legal sports betting over the last year, both in terms of new markets and growth within existing markets, a historic weekend is inevitable,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayUSA.com. “Half a billion dollars or more bet on one game seems almost unfathomable, but considering the direction of the U.S. market, that handle is easily within reach.”
With 20 states and Washington D.C., representing a population of about 120 million, now offering some form of legal sports betting, a year-over-year jump is certain. Last year, 14 states, representing a population of 70 million, allowed for legal Super Bowl bets. Those 14 states combined for an estimated Super Bowl handle of $300 million, according to PlayUSA.
The Super Bowl is always the most bet-on single sporting event in the U.S. In 2020, the American Gaming Association estimated that $6.8 billion was bet in the U.S., both legally and illegally.
For this year’s game:
- Sports betting is legal in at least some form in Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington D.C., and West Virginia.
- Two of the most populous legal states, Michigan and Virginia, launched online sports betting just last week.
- Illinois, Colorado, and Tennessee did not offer any form of legal sports betting for last year’s Super Bowl. Together they represent three of the seven largest legal sports betting markets currently operating in the U.S. Michigan is also expected to quickly join the upper tier of U.S. markets.
- Nevada, the second-largest market in the U.S., is expected to lead all U.S. markets with $125 million in bets on the big game, according to PlayUSA projections. No. 1 New Jersey, which is less event-driven than Nevada, is expected to take in $75 million in Super Bowl wagers.
- PlayUSA projects Illinois to be No. 3 with $60 million in bets.
“The potential this year is enormous compared to last year, with legal sports betting available to 50 million more people than last year’s Super Bowl,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for PlayUSA. “The U.S. market has changed so much over the last year. Not only has it nearly doubled in size, but bettors now make a higher percentage of their bets online compared with a year ago. And sportsbooks will utilize the Super Bowl to aggressively promote themselves to new customers, especially in fledgling markets like Michigan and Virginia.”
The Mahomes-led Chiefs are consensus 3-point favorites over the Brady-led Bucs, with an over/under that could surpass the Super Bowl record of 57 points by kickoff. Prop bets and in-game wagering will also add significantly to the handle, especially as bettors have become more accustomed to betting via mobile apps.
Already books are offering prop bets, including who will be the first player to score, who will win the coin toss, and the over/under on how many players will throw a pass during the game.
“It’s an intriguing matchup with two of the biggest names in the sport, Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady, facing off, and that should help compensate for both teams being from relatively small markets,” Gouker said. “With the expansion of the sports betting market, it is close to a certain win for the industry, with the potential to reach more customers than ever before.”
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AGLC
Alberta iGaming Corporation Appoints Dan Keene as its CEO
Dan Keene, who served as the interim CEO of the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC), has been appointed to the role permanently, effective April 21, 2026. Under his leadership, AiGC will launch Alberta’s regulated iGaming market on July 13. Keene has played a pivotal role in shaping the province’s gaming landscape, both through his work standing up AiGC and in his previous roles at the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC).
“Dan brings deep operational experience and a strong track record in gaming and market development. His leadership will be essential as the Alberta iGaming Corporation prepares for launch and delivers a regulated market built on social responsibility and player protection,” said Sanjeev Kad, Board Chair, Alberta iGaming Corporation.
About Dan Keene
Serving as Vice-President, Gaming at AGLC since July 2022, Keene overseen a broad portfolio, including gaming retail services, technical operations, compliance, online gambling, player loyalty, supply chain, electronic gaming, and product development across Alberta. He has been instrumental in advancing consumer-focused initiatives. He co-led the creation of Winner’s Edge, Alberta’s first province-wide casino loyalty program, and guided the operations of PlayAlberta.ca, currently, the province’s only regulated online gambling platform. Previously, Keene worked at AGLC as Manager, Casino Products. In this role, he led a team of specialists responsible for selecting slot games and terminals for Alberta’s 30 casinos and 750 VLT locations. Before joining AGLC, he completed successful tenures with Molson Breweries and Century Casinos Inc.
The post Alberta iGaming Corporation Appoints Dan Keene as its CEO appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Berkley Egenes
Xsolla Brings Creator Strategy and Game Commerce Expertise to Toronto’s Leading Industry Events
Xsolla, a global video game commerce company, is participating in two leading co-located industry events, XP Game Summit Toronto and Xsolla Connect Toronto, on May 21-22, in Toronto. Xsolla will engage with partners, creators, and industry leaders across both events, focusing on the evolving gaming ecosystem.
At XP Game Summit Toronto, Xsolla will showcase its Web Shop solution, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform that helps developers build and scale their own storefronts outside traditional app stores. The Web Shop ecosystem integrates storefronts, LiveOps tools, and player engagement features, enabling studios to strengthen player relationships while increasing revenue and operational control.
Xsolla will also highlight its global payments infrastructure, which supports more than 1000+ payment methods across 200+ geographies. Designed to optimize conversion and deliver localized checkout experiences, Xsolla Payments enables developers to reach players worldwide while adapting to regional preferences and regulatory environments.
Additionally, Xsolla will showcase how they are connecting developers with premium entertainment-based intellectual property (IP). By simplifying licensing and partnership opportunities, Xsolla Agency helps studios enhance player acquisition, drive engagement through LiveOps, and unlock new monetization pathways.
In addition to showcasing its product offerings and solutions, Xsolla will also present a featured panel session titled “Building the Creator Pipeline: How Smart Partnerships Are Scaling Influencer Marketing”. The panel will include John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla; Scott Christian, Studio Director & Founder of Hilltop Games; Gem Johnson, CEO at Corvian Marketing; and Corina (Newby) Diaz, Marketing and Social Media Director at Mighty Yell. They will share practical insights on building sustainable creator ecosystems, leveraging strategic partnerships, and driving measurable impact through influencer marketing initiatives.
In addition to the company’s participation in XP Game Summit Toronto, Xsolla will host Xsolla Connect Toronto, further expanding opportunities for meaningful engagement between developers and publishers through curated programming and networking experiences. Xsolla Connects are designed to give local communities the opportunity to engage, collaborate, and integrate with Xsolla’s industry leaders in an open and transparent environment and through conversations.
“Toronto continues to emerge as a key hub for gaming innovation and collaboration in North America. We’re excited to participate in XP Game Summit and host the Xsolla Connect to connect with the community while sharing insights on how creators and partnerships are helping to build the future of game growth,” said Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla.
“Toronto has built itself into a major Canadian video game hub. We are glad to contribute to the continued growth of the local industry as well as Ontario’s Game Industry as a whole. What makes it special is the combination of deep technical talent, global creative diversity, and a production ecosystem that truly scales. That’s why gatherings like XP Game Summit and Xsolla Connect matter so much: they bring that energy together, and we’re excited to be part of it and help showcase what this community can do,” said John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada at Xsolla.
The post Xsolla Brings Creator Strategy and Game Commerce Expertise to Toronto’s Leading Industry Events appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Canada
St8 extends Wazdan content distribution into Ontario
St8 has extended its partnership with slot supplier Wazdan into Ontario, adding the supplier’s content to St8’s aggregation platform for operators in the Canadian province.
Under the agreement, St8 has integrated a selection of Wazdan slot titles for Ontario operators, including Mighty Fish
: Blue Marlin, 36 Coins
, Mighty Wild
: Panther Grand Diamond Edition and Mighty Wild
: Gorilla. The roll-out also includes Wazdan mechanics such as Cash to Infinity
, Sticky to Infinity
and Hold the Jackpot
.
David Fall, Business Development Manager at St8, said: “Our partnership with Wazdan has already delivered impressive results, and extending the collaboration into Ontario is an exciting next step for both companies.
“Wazdan consistently develops high-performing content backed by innovative engagement features, and we are pleased to further strengthen our offering for operators in one of North America’s most important regulated regions.”
Andrzej Hyla, Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan, said: “This collaboration into Ontario with St8 is another milestone for Wazdan as we continue to build our presence across regulated North American markets.
“Wazdan goes above and beyond for our partners by delivering intuitive products that focus on the quality of the user’s experience, and St8’s platform provides an excellent route for our content to reach more operators and players. It has been a very rewarding process so far, and we look forward to building on this momentum together.”
The post St8 extends Wazdan content distribution into Ontario appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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