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PlayIllinois.com: Sportsbooks suffer first month-over-month decline, but gain ground on nation’s top markets

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Illinois sportsbooks posted a month-over-month decline in betting volume for the first time since launching in late July, continuing what was a national trend in February. But the state still managed to narrowly surpass Pennsylvania to place third among U.S. states for the month. More concerning for what has been a booming industry in Illinois, though, is the return of in-person registration, which could stymie online sports betting growth for as long as it is in place, according to PlayIllinois, which provides news and analysis of the state’s gaming industry.

“Passing Pennsylvania should be momentous but it is almost certainly going to be short-lived, as the decision to return to in-person registration will likely mean the end of growth for the Illinois sports betting industry,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “Open registration has been a key component in making Illinois one of the largest sports betting markets in the country. Forcing people to physically appear in a retail sportsbook is a counterproductive measure, which should be apparent whenever Illinois April data is released.”

With open registration still in place in February, Illinois retail and online sportsbooks attracted $509.8 million in wagers, according to official data released Friday. That is down 12.3% from the record $581.6 million in January, an expected dip with fewer days during the month and only one NFL game to bet. That game, the Super Bowl, drew $45.6 million in bets, though some of those bets were accepted prior to February.

Bettors placed $18.2 million per day in the 28 days of February, which was down slightly from $18.8 million per day in January. Illinois’ relatively modest pullback made it the third-largest U.S. market in terms of money wagered, gaining ground on leaders New Jersey ($743 million) and Nevada ($554.1 million), while topping Pennsylvania ($509.5 million) for the first time.

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February’s handle also produced $30.3 million in operator revenue, down 38.7% from the record $49.4 million in January. But the month’s win produced $35.4 million in taxable revenue, which yielded $5.3 million in taxes for the state and another $541,832 in local taxes.

“February’s results in Illinois actually compare well to the other major markets in the U.S., showing that the state had yet to reach its ceiling,” said Joe Boozell, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “Even with the return of in-person registration, operators have set a good foundation of bettors that will sustain the industry, even as the rules stunt the market’s growth.”

For the first time in months, retail sportsbooks were open for a full month, attracting $19.6 million in bets. But online betting still drove 96.2%, or $490.2 million, of the state’s handle. That is down from 98.9%, or $575.2 million, in online betting in January.

DraftKings/Casino Queen remained the market leader by accepting $199.8 million in online and retail wagers in February, which was down from the operator’s $244.2 million handle in January but still represented 39.2% of the state’s total handle. $196.5 million of February’s bets came online.

FanDuel/Par-A-Dice Casino was second with its $158.9 million handle, $158.4 million of which came online. The operator’s overall handle was down from $173.5 million in January. BetRivers/Rivers Casino was third with $86.9 million in online betting and $96.4 million overall, down from $112.7 million in January.

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The market has also gotten more competitive, most notably from the March 11 launch of Penn National’s Barstool-branded app, which is partnering with Hollywood Casinos. But Barstool’s launch came just weeks before the end of open registration, hamstringing what has been a popular operator in both Pennsylvania and Michigan.

“Barstool had just three weeks to build a customer base in an open environment, which should put it at a permanent disadvantage against the market leaders,” Welman said. “That said, their brand is popular and should draw significant interest, helping to grow the market. It could be the last hurrah, of sorts, as new operators might be deterred by in-person registration.”

In February, Super Bowl betting drove more action than any other single event, of course. But the NBA and college basketball continued to be a popular bet, drawing $256.7 million, or 50.4% of the state’s total handle, even as college basketball betting is slowed by the ban on wagers on in-state college teams. And bettors placed $45.3 million on tennis, a surprising surge for what is a fringe betting sport in much of the U.S.

“Illinois has grown in ways that are typical of most major markets, with an overwhelming preference for major U.S. sports and driven less by single events,” Boozell said. “But tennis’ popularity shows that the state is unique in some ways, too. We will now see how operators adapt to the state’s regulatory decisions, which have created challenges that sportsbooks will have to overcome to grow in the future.”

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

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absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario

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Internet Gaming Operator by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

This significant milestone authorizes absolutebet to offer regulated iGaming services in Ontario’s legal market under the oversight of AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO).

The registration marks a key step in absolutebet’s mission to bring a trusted, responsible, and innovative online casino experience to Ontario players. absolutebet is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, meeting all provincial standards for player protection, responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity.

Securing AGCO registration is more than a milestoneit’s the start of absolutebet’s journey in one of the most exciting regulated markets in the world,” said Chen Truman, Founder of absolutebet. “We are building a brand that will grow with the Ontario community and set the stage for future expansion.”

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On the regulatory milestone, Krisztina Kalla, Legal & Regulatory Compliance Advisor of absolutebet, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work behind this license pay off. Securing AGCO registration has taken months of preparation and close collaboration with regulators and partners. I am very happy to see the result of that work, and even more excited as we move into the launch phase and open up the absolutebet community to Ontario players in a fun and responsible way.”

Ontario is recognized as one of the most competitive and fast-growing regulated iGaming markets in North America. With AGCO registration secured, absolutebet will move forward with the final stages of its iGO onboarding process in preparation for launch.

 

The post absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Alex Malchenko Head of Sales at Evoplay

Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment

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Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has partnered with Caesars Entertainment to expand its footprint in the Canadian market, following its initial entry earlier this year. The partnership integrates 20 of the studio’s top-performing titles onto Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Ontario, including fan-favourites such as Hot Triple Sevens, Triple Chili, and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy.

Having announced its official entrance into Ontario in March, the collaboration with Caesars marks a significant step in Evoplay’s local strategy. Further standout releases, such as Inner Fire Bonus Buy and Hot Volcano, also launched as part of the initial package, with additional player favourites, including Fruit Nova and Ice Mania.

The collaboration underlines Evoplay’s commitment to working with leading operators to deliver high-quality content tailored to regional audiences.

Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: “Launching with Caesars in Ontario marks a key milestone in our North American strategy.

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“It reflects both the strength of our portfolio and our commitment to providing innovative, high-performing content to operators of the highest caliber.”

Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, said: “Evoplay brings a fresh and dynamic approach to online gaming, which we’re excited to offer to our players in Ontario. This portfolio of standout titles adds to our growing content library and furthering our ongoing goal of delivering top-tier entertainment experiences to our players.”

The post Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO

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The iGaming Ontario Board of Directors has announced Joseph Hillier as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2025. Joseph’s depth in the Ontario igaming market combined with successful public and private sector careers make him the ideal President and CEO at this critical point in iGaming Ontario’s growth.

Joseph was most recently Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Secretary at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), where he delivered significant strategic and regulatory initiatives across the province’s alcohol, cannabis, gaming, and horse racing sectors. Prior to the AGCO, he served as Chief of Staff to Ontario Attorney General Hon. Doug Downey and led the development, launch and implementation of Canada’s first private sector-driven igaming market and the creation of iGaming Ontario. Joseph also spent more than a decade working in the financial and legal services sectors.

The Board expressed its sincere thanks to David Smith for serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since Martha Otton’s retirement.

The post iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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