Canada

PlayIllinois.com: $580 million January at Illinois sportsbooks marks the beginning of a year of growth

Published

5 years ago

March 11, 2021

Illinois became the fourth U.S. state to take in more than $500 million in sports bets in a single month — nearly reaching $600 million in January — reaching the milestone even as retail sportsbooks remained closed for much of the month. But as rapid as the ascension of Illinois’s sports betting market has been, the state will need new sportsbook operators to come online to help raise the market’s ceiling, according to PlayIllinois, which offers news and analysis of the state’s gaming industry.

“No state has come close to reaching $500 million in handle in such a short time frame after launching, and to reach that mark with just five online operators and retail casinos closed for much of January is even more impressive,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “Multiple factors had to come together to make that happen. The next step for the market is to get more operators online, which will help expand the pool of bettors.”

Illinois online operators attracted $581.6 million in bets in January, 98.9%, or $575.2 million, of which came online, according to official data released Wednesday. January’s handle was up 18.3% from $491.7 million in December, the fourth most among legal U.S. markets, behind only New Jersey ($958.7 million), Nevada ($646.5 million), and Pennsylvania ($615.3 million) during that month.

January’s bets pushed Illinois past $2 billion in lifetime handle, but more importantly, it generated a record $49.4 million in operator revenue, up 106.8% from $23.9 million in December. The win yielded $7.2 million in taxes for the state and another $479,052 in local taxes.

January is just the opening month in a year that could bring in more than $6 billion in wagers and $450 million in operator revenue, according to PlayIllinois projections. But that assumes continued maturity, including the addition of new operators.

To that end, Illinois will get a boost with the addition of Penn National’s Barstool-branded app, which is scheduled to launch on Friday and has made waves in Pennsylvania since launching there in September.

“Seeing an impactful operator such as Barstool launch is a reminder that Illinois still has so much more room to grow,” said Joe Boozell, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “A few uncertainties could slow the market, including the potential return of in-person registration. But January’s results are more evidence that 2021 will almost certainly mark a sizable leap forward for the state’s sports betting market.”

January’s results were helped by football wagering, including on the Chicago Bears’ brief playoff appearance. Football brought in $158.3 million bets, or 27.2% of the state’s handle. But with the NBA enjoying its first full month in January, basketball drew in $229.7 million, 39.5% of the state’s total handle.

With the state’s ban on betting on in-state college teams, sportsbooks did miss out on the opportunity to capitalize on the college basketball success of Illinois and Loyola Chicago, both of which have been among the nation’s best teams for much of the year. But legislation is currently proposed that could remove the ban, which would allow bettors to place wagers on local teams.

“In every legal market local teams, particularly those that are playing well, are crucial in fueling bettor engagement with sportsbooks,” Welman said. “Illinois isn’t alone in barring betting on in-state college teams, but it does artificially suppress wagering.”

DraftKings/Casino Queen took in 42% of the state market share with its $244.2 million combined handle in January, which was up from $195.4 million in December. That included $243.5 million in online bets. FanDuel/Par-A-Dice Casino was No. 2 in January with $173.5 million, including $173.3 million online. Overall handle was up from $144.5 million overall. BetRivers/Rivers Casino was No. 3 with $109 million in online betting and $112.7 million overall, up from $111.2 million in December.

Many retail sportsbooks reopened on Jan. 15, when pandemic related closures were lifted. Still, sportsbooks managed to attract $6.3 million in in-person bets.

“Having retail sportsbooks reopen was an important step for the state industry, even if sportsbooks weren’t as busy as they would’ve been during an ordinary year,” Boozell said. “With the retail market back in business, and the roster of online sportsbook operators growing, the coming months should offer a more trustworthy gauge of where Illinois is as a market.”

For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Illinois, visit PlayIllinois.com/news.

Canada

PointsBet Canada to Contest Proposed 5-Day Suspension by AGCO

Published

17 hours ago

March 2, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

pointsbet-canada-to-contest-proposed-5-day-suspension-by-agco

PointsBet Canada confirmed it will request a hearing before the independent Licence Appeal Tribunal to contest the Notice of Proposed Order issued by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) on February 12, 2026, proposing a five-day suspension of its operator registration.

PointsBet claims that the proposed sanction overemphasized an isolated incident that was a result of human error, not a systemic issue. The company also said that it did not intentionally withhold information from gaming regulators, and it immediately sent the necessary information once it was discovered.

The operator, which launched in Ontario in April 2022, also said that it cooperated fully with the AGCO’s investigation.

“We have a strong compliance record in Ontario and remain fully committed to the highest standards of integrity and player protection. We look forward to presenting our case at the Tribunal,” said Scott Vanderwel, PointsBet Canada Chief Executive Officer.

The post PointsBet Canada to Contest Proposed 5-Day Suspension by AGCO appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Canada

CasinoCanada enters partnership with Beef Casino

Published

5 days ago

February 25, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

casinocanada-enters-partnership-with-beef-casino

CasinoCanada has partnered with Beef Casino, an online gaming platform operated by Royal Partners. The partnership will enhance Beef Casino’s brand visibility in Canada through editorial coverage and targeted digital promotion.

CasinoCanada will produce in-depth reviews, analytical comparisons, and SEO-focused content for Canadian audiences and also generate SEO-based traffic to Beef Casino. This content will offer players accurate, transparent insights into Beef Casino’s offerings and support its regional growth.

CasinoCanada is an online casino information portal run by SEOBROTHERS.

Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR at SEOBROTHERS, commented: “Our cooperation with Beef Casino reflects our strategy of working with established operators that prioritize compliance, security, and user experience. Backed by Royal Partners’ extensive portfolio and operational expertise, Beef Casino brings strong value to the Canadian market. Through CasinoCanada.com, we aim to deliver clear, research-based content and sustainable traffic growth, building a partnership grounded in consistency and measurable results.”

Beef Casino operates under a licence from the Curaçao Gaming Authority. Managed by Royal Partners, one of the leading direct advertisers in the gambling sector, the brand benefits from a network of 17 proprietary products and over 1 million active users worldwide, according to the Royal Partners website.

The platform features thousands of premium gaming titles, including popular slots and a comprehensive Live Casino experience. Beef Casino uses advanced encryption technologies and operates under a trusted international licence to protect personal and financial data. 24/7 support is available via Live Chat, email, and hotline.

Lena Patrubeika, Head of EU-department at Royal Partners, stated: “The collaboration between Beef Casino, managed by Royal Partners, and CasinoCanada.com is built on a professional and disciplined approach. We find their team to be responsive to our brand’s requirements and consistent in their communication. The primary benefit of this partnership is the transparency they maintain throughout the workflow. Looking ahead, we aim to maintain this steady cooperation and continue fulfilling our mutual objectives.”

The agreement highlights both parties’ commitment to transparency, operational efficiency, and long-term growth in the competitive Canadian iGaming market.

The post CasinoCanada enters partnership with Beef Casino appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Adjusted EBITDA

Bragg Gaming Announces Select Preliminary Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results, and Issues Full Year 2026 Guidance

Published

6 days ago

February 25, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

bragg-gaming-announces-select-preliminary-unaudited-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2025-financial-results,-and-issues-full-year-2026-guidance

Bragg Gaming Group has announced that its preliminary unaudited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2025 are expected to come within its previously issued guidance ranges for both revenue and Adjusted EBITDA.

The Company anticipates the fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results to include the following highlights:

Fourth quarter 2025 revenues to be approximately EUR 27.7 million, an increase of 1.8% from EUR 27.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, and Adjusted EBITDA to be approximately EUR 6 million (representing an Adjusted EBITDA Margin2 of approximately 16.6%), compared to EUR 4.7 million (representing an Adjusted EBITDA Margin of approximately 17.2%) in the fourth quarter of 2024. High-margin proprietary content revenue grew by 70% in Q4-2025 over Q4-2024, primarily driven by growth in the US.

Full year 2025 revenues to be approximately EUR 106.1 million, an increase of 4.0% from EUR 102.0 million in 2024, and Adjusted EBITDA to be approximately EUR 16.6 million (representing an Adjusted EBITDA Margin of approximately 15.6%), compared to EUR 15.8 million (representing an Adjusted EBITDA Margin of approximately 15.5%) in 2024. The Company notes that, excluding the Netherlands given its challenging regulatory environment, expected 2025 revenues would represent an 18% increase from 2024, driven by the Company’s performance in Brazil and the US.

These figures are preliminary and unaudited, and actual revenues, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA margin may differ.

Bragg is providing this information at this time because of planned investment community meetings to be held ahead of the release of its fourth and full year 2025 financial results and conference call in March 2026.

Anticipated Financial Highlights for 2026

Revenue Guidance: Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2026 is expected to be in the range of EUR 97.0 million to EUR 104.5 million, despite Bragg anticipating that it will have to continue navigating increasingly complex regulatory compliance requirements and recent tax changes in the Netherlands and other regions in which the Company operates.

Adjusted EBITDA Guidance: Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2026 is forecasted to be in the range of EUR 16.0 million to EUR 19.0 million (representing an Adjusted EBITDA Margin of approximately 16.0% to 18.0%), supported by factors which include a continuing shift toward higher-margin product offerings and the structural cost savings expected from Bragg’s recently announced initiative to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to drive cost efficiencies and improve operational excellence.

Matevž Mazij, Chief Executive Officer for Bragg, said: “Based on the preliminary results, we delivered another record year in 2025, as demonstrated by increased revenue and higher Adjusted EBITDA. Now in 2026, we remain confident in our ability to successfully navigate evolving international regulatory and taxation developments, continue to increase our overall content market share in Brazil and the United States, aggressively pursue emerging alternative markets, such as Historical and Live Racing and Prediction Markets, and move into new jurisdictions that offer opportunities for higher margin content business. At the same time, we plan on thoughtfully harnessing the power of the Bragg AI Brain to reduce our overall cost structure, drive EBITDA growth, and move toward sustained net profitability. We look forward to updating investors as we progress.”

The post Bragg Gaming Announces Select Preliminary Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results, and Issues Full Year 2026 Guidance appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.