Canada
PlayIndiana.com: Sportsbooks get 2021 off on the right foot with nearly $350 million in January

Indiana sportsbooks opened 2021 with yet another impressive month, setting the state’s wagering record for the fifth consecutive month with nearly $350 million and posting a new high in revenue. January’s strong showing, which came as neighboring Michigan launched its sports betting market, is yet more evidence that Indiana is far from reaching its ceiling and capable of generating more than $3 billion in bets in 2021, according to analysts from PlayIndiana.
“This will be a particularly important year for Indiana’s sports betting industry,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “Illinois and Michigan, which were two feeder markets in the early days of sports betting in Indiana, will continue to grow. And Ohio is moving toward regulating sports betting, too. So sportsbooks will increasingly have to rely on in-state bettors. That said, the market continues to prove more than capable of standing on its own.”
Indiana sportsbooks accepted $348.2 million in wagers in January, according to official reporting released Friday. That is up 103.9% from $171 million in January 2019 — highlighting the industry’s dramatic year-over-year growth — and topped the previous record of $313.1 million set in December.
January’s wagering resulted in a record $29.3 million in adjusted gross operator revenue, up from $12.2 million in January 2019 and up from $24.1 million in December. The month’s bets yielded $2.8 million in state taxes.
The brisk start to the year offers a glimpse of what could come in 2021. If the growth continues through the year, the state could top $3 billion in bets, more than $200 million in revenue, and $20 million in state taxes, according to PlayIndiana projections.
“Assuming we don’t have any interruptions in the sports schedule like in 2020, a new high is almost assured in 2021,” said Dustin Gouker, analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “The biggest question is how much higher? That depends in large part on how well the market responds to increasing competition from its neighbors.”
Historically across legal jurisdictions, including Indiana last year, January tends to be relatively flat with December. But a late start to the NBA season meant that January offered the first full month of games and college basketball settled into a more robust conference schedule after a relatively sparse nonconference schedule as basketball, and bettors responded with $133.2 million in wagers, accounting for 38% of the state’s handle. Plus, January got a boost from an expanded NFL playoffs with two additional games over Wild Card weekend, including one with the Indianapolis Colts, which helped football draw $77.6 million in bets.
“Aside from the NFL’s expanded playoff, January was perhaps the most normal sports schedule since February 2020, offering our best gauge yet of where Indiana is as a market,” Welman said. “Even with increased competition from Michigan, which launched in late January, Indiana’s sportsbooks continue to perform well. Indiana’s significant interest in basketball differentiates the market from many in the U.S., and offers a positive sign for a market that is increasingly local.”
Online betting generated 85.1% of January’s handle, or $296.5 million, which was up from 84% in December. DraftKings/Ameristar Casino accounted for 35.2% of the state’s January handle with $122.6 million in bets, up from $112.7 million in December. Those bets produced $9.4 million in gross receipts, up from $5.1 million in December. FanDuel/Blue Chip Casino was second with $89.2 million in bets, up from $78.2 million, which produced $8.2 million in gross receipts.
Meanwhile, BetMGM/Belterra continues to make gains, accounting for 15.1% of the state’s handle with $52.4 million, up from $41 million in December. That yielded a $3.7 million win, up from $2.9 million.
The leaders were followed by:
- PointsBet/Hollywood Lawrenceburg ($13.5 million handle, up from $11.4 million; $1.4 million win, up from $1.2 million)
- BetRivers/French Lick Resort ($9 million handle, down from $10.6 million; 8$28,347 win, up from $803,868)
- William Hill/Tropicana Evansville ($5.1 million handle, up from $4.2 million; $543,439 win, down from $632,634)
- TheScore/Ameristar ($2.2 million handle, down from $2.8 million; $134,301 win, up from $85,721)
- Unibet/Horseshoe Hammond ($1.6 million handle, up from $1.4 million; $98,717 win, down from $108,609)
- Caesars/Horseshoe Hammond ($677,532 handle, up from $675,183; $34,008 win, up from $27,569)
- BetAmerica/Rising Star Casino ($171,253 handle, down from $209,608; $11,476 win, down from $14,505)
Meanwhile, retail sportsbooks produced $51.7 million in January wagers, up from $47.4 million in January 2020. Hollywood Lawrenceburg, nearest Cincinnati, led the retail market with a $13.4 million handle. Ameristar Casino was second with $9.6 million, followed by Horseshoe Hammond with $7.4 million.
“A year after launching, BetMGM has quietly become a major player in the state,” Gouker said. “DraftKings and FanDuel continue to be the dominant forces, but having more operators challenge the top is ultimately good for consumers.”
For more revenueinformation on Indiana sportsbooks, visit PlayIndiana.com/revenue.
Powered by WPeMatico
AGLC
Casino ATM Scam in Edmonton Reveals Money Laundering and Drug Links

Law enforcement in Alberta continues to search for the last suspect in a sophisticated fraud operation that targeted ATMs in Edmonton-area casinos and resulted in over CAD 1 million ($720,487) in losses throughout Western Canada.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has confirmed that Hisham Ismaeel, 28, remains at large with a province-wide warrant for his arrest. He faces charges of fraud exceeding $5000 and possessing proceeds of crime. Police have already arrested four other men linked to the scheme. Investigators describe the operation as a well-planned effort to exploit financial systems and clean dirty money.
The accused, Elliot Miao, 42, Van Bau Ta, 39, Hassan Jaafar Haydar Ahmad, 37, and Dennis Jones, 42, showed up in the Alberta Court of Justice last week. They face charges from fraud and money laundering to owning criminal property. Miao also has a narcotics trafficking charge after police found cocaine when they searched with warrants.
Investigators claim the group made coordinated withdrawals at several casino ATMs, timing their transactions to avoid getting caught. This action messed up ATM networks in the area and showed flaws in the systems that banks and casinos use to stop misuse.
The RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region led an investigation that involved six search warrants in Edmonton. The Edmonton Police Service, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), and several banks supported this effort. Officials said the case shows how teamwork between public agencies and the private sector plays a key role in combating modern financial crime.
AGLC representatives pointed out that casino operators in the province must follow strict reporting and surveillance rules under Canada’s anti-money laundering laws. The specific casinos affected remain unnamed, but the Edmonton region has seven licensed facilities. AGLC said its policies helped spot problems and backed the RCMP’s investigation.
Compliance experts say this fraud shows how criminals change their methods to take advantage of weak spots in reporting limits and transaction checks. They claim that casinos, which deal with lots of cash, are still easy targets unless they keep improving their detection systems and teach their front-line workers to notice coordinated actions like several big withdrawals happening one after another.
For now, the case highlights both the money and crime aspects of casino-related fraud. Besides the million-dollar losses, finding drugs during the raids points to a bigger criminal operation where financial crimes and drug dealing overlap.
The post Casino ATM Scam in Edmonton Reveals Money Laundering and Drug Links appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Bragg Gaming
Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems

Bragg Gaming Group, a leading online gaming technology provider, has confirmed a major cybersecurity incident that compromised its internal IT infrastructure in the early hours of Saturday, August 16, 2025.
The company detected unauthorized intrusion attempts that successfully breached its internal network, triggering an immediate and comprehensive incident response.
Key Takeaways
-
Bragg Gaming Group experienced a cybersecurity breach involving access to internal IT systems.
-
No customer personal data or payment information appears to have been compromised.
-
The company has enacted full containment and investigation protocols.
Details of the Breach
According to a preliminary forensic analysis by Bragg’s internal security team, the attack was a targeted breach aimed at the company’s internal computer environment. While the exact method of intrusion is still under investigation, early indicators suggest a sophisticated exploit of internal network vulnerabilities.
Fortunately, the company’s customer-facing systems, including sensitive user data and financial information, appear to have been unaffected. Bragg’s existing encryption protocols and access control systems successfully prevented the attackers from accessing customer information.
Immediate Response Measures
In response to the breach, Bragg launched a multi-tiered containment strategy, including:
-
Network Segmentation to isolate affected systems
-
Enhanced Monitoring of data flows across its Remote Games Server (RGS) platform
-
Security Audits of critical infrastructure, including the Bragg Hub and PAM systems
-
Engagement of Independent Cybersecurity Experts to assist in incident analysis and system hardening
Bragg’s Security Operations Center has also elevated its alert level, initiating 24/7 monitoring across all server clusters and network endpoints. In addition, company-wide penetration testing is now underway to proactively identify any residual vulnerabilities.
Business Continuity Maintained
Despite the severity of the breach, Bragg reports that its operations remain unaffected. All gaming services, including iCasino and sportsbook offerings across regulated markets, continue to function without disruption.
“While this incident is deeply concerning, we are confident in the rapid and thorough response initiated by our team,” a company spokesperson stated. “We remain committed to protecting our infrastructure, our partners, and most importantly, our players.”
Looking Ahead
As part of its response, Bragg has also launched mandatory security awareness training for all employees to reinforce best practices and prevent future incidents.
Cybersecurity analysts will continue working with Bragg to determine the full scope of the attack, improve system resilience, and maintain the trust of its users and stakeholders.
Bragg’s handling of the incident highlights both the evolving nature of cybersecurity threats and the importance of robust, responsive defense systems in the digital gaming sector.
Source: cybersecuritynews.com
The post Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
AGCO
AGCO Removes Cap on Seller Commission for Charitable Lottery Products

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has updated several lottery policies to remove the cap on seller commission for Paper Raffles and Media Bingo, along with removing the prohibition on Catch the Ace paper lotteries, to align with other charitable lottery products.
Licensed charities may now negotiate commissions directly with sellers and determine commissions, provided they are reasonable and tied to the cost of service provided by the seller.
These updates further the AGCO’s commitment to adopt an outcomes-based regulatory approach and reduce burden for the charitable gaming sector. Local charitable organizations will have greater flexibility to make decisions that best serve their fundraising objectives.
Important Reminders
• Charities must still receive approval for other expenses incurred under their licence and retain receipts for seller commission paid.
• Licensing authorities will not require documentation to be submitted as part of the application process, however, charities are still subject to audit to determine compliance.
• Charities are reminded of their legal requirement to meet their obligations under the Criminal Code and with respect to conducting and managing a charitable gaming scheme.
• As with all licensed charitable lottery events, charities must take the necessary steps to ensure that they are conducting and managing the lottery event within Ontario.
For charitable gaming-related inquiries, email an AGCO Eligibility Officer at [email protected] or call AGCO Customer Service at 1-800-522-2876, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The post AGCO Removes Cap on Seller Commission for Charitable Lottery Products appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
-
Latest News4 days ago
GAMESCOM 2025: GAMELOOP INTERACTIVE CHANNEL COMING TO SAMSUNG GAMING HUB
-
Bragg Gaming5 days ago
Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems
-
Latest News5 days ago
BC.GAME Launches “Nezha” Slot with Up to 46,656 Ways to Win and 10,000x Max Payout
-
Bell Link Jackpot4 days ago
EGT’s top-performing Bell Link jackpot and General cabinets with a successful debut in Argentina
-
Latin America4 days ago
EGT’s top-performing Bell Link jackpot and General cabinets with a successful debut in Argentina
-
BMM Innovation Group3 days ago
BMM Innovation Group to Spotlight Product Compliance, Cybersecurity, and Training Expertise at CGS Recife in Brazil This Week
-
Asia3 days ago
CGMC Awards Competency Certificates to 40 Trainees
-
Asia3 days ago
Indian Gaming Industry Expresses Concern About Proposed Online Gaming Bill