Canada
PlayNJ.com: Retail, online sportsbooks gain with NCAA Tournament while online casinos enjoy March Madness of their own
New Jersey sportsbooks surged on the strength of March Madness, including the largest retail handle in more than two years, but fell well short of the first $1 billion wagering month in U.S. sports betting history, perhaps delaying the milestone at least until football season, according to PlayNJ, which analyzes and researches the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market. This while online casino gaming continued shatter records in March, setting a fresh high with more than $113 million in revenue.
“March represents a much-needed bounce back after a somewhat disappointing February,” said Dustin Gouker lead analyst for PlayNJ.com. “It will probably be until football season before the state gets that first $1 billion month, but New Jersey’s online market has made a habit of outperforming expectations. Longer term, though, New Jersey’s market faces serious challenges, most notably New York’s expected launch of online sports betting later this year.”
New Jersey’s sportsbooks accepted $859.6 million in wagers in March, according to official data released Friday. That is the state’s highest monthly handle in a month without football, and a sharp difference from the $181.9 million handle in March 2020, a month marred by pandemic-related shutdowns. It is also up 15.7% from the $743 million handle in February.
Including March’s handle, New Jersey has posted the eight highest-volume months in U.S. sports betting history.
March’s wagers produced $60.8 million in revenue. That is up 360.9% from $13.2 million in March 2020, and up 31.5% from $46.2 million February. March’s win resulted in $7.7 million in taxes for the state.
The leap forward in March was expected with the return of the NCAA Tournament, which was immensely popular in 2019 in New Jersey but was canceled in 2020. To that end, basketball accounted for $441.7 million of the state’s handle in March, up from $320.3 million in January and $325.8 million in February. With 51.4%, basketball accounted for the largest share of March’s handle of any sport by far.
Retail sportsbooks generated $79.5 million in bets, the highest volume for retail books since January 2019.
“The popularity of college basketball is what led to the resurgence of retail sportsbooks, good news for a segment that hasn’t seen much over the last year,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for PlayNJ.com. “If New Jersey allowed betting on in-state college teams, the run by Rutgers could have given them an additional boost. Regardless, it was an excellent month for sportsbooks.”
Online betting accounts for 90.8%, or $780.1 million, of the state’s total handle in March. FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet topped the online market with $28.5 million in gross revenue, up from $24.9 million in February.
FanDuel was followed in revenue by:
Resorts Digital/DraftKings/Fox Bet ($14.1 million, up from $7.7 million in February)
BetMGM/Borgata ($6.5 million, up from $4.4 million)
Ocean Casino/William Hill ($2.8 million, up from $2 million)
Monmouth/William Hill/SugarHouse/TheScore ($2.2 million, down from $2.5 million)
Hard Rock/Bet365/Unibet ($1.4 million, up from $1 million)
Caesars Sportsbook/888sport ($721,776, up from $317,766)
Tropicana/William Hill ($142,633, up from $71,758)
Golden Nugget/BetAmerica ($111,453, up from -$37,143)
Meadowlands/FanDuel led all retail books with $2.8 million in revenue.
“New York’s decision to create a closed market was good news for operators who are heavily vested in New Jersey,” Gouker said. “By closing the market, the select few operators that will operate in New York will have to focus on profitability just to meet the state’s high revenue split. That will leave a window open for some operators to offer more competitive products and promote more aggressively than any operator in New York.”
Online casinos and poker
For all the attention paid to New Jersey’s sportsbooks, online casinos and poker remain the biggest winner in the state. Online casino games and poker generated a U.S. record $113.7 million in revenue, up 75.4% from $64.8 million in March 2020, which was the first month of a year-long expansion. March’s revenue topped the previous record of $103.8 million set in January.
Online casinos and poker generated a record $3.7 million per day over the 31 days in March, up from $3.4 million per day over 28 days in February. The result for the state was $17.1 million in taxes.
Revenue from online casinos was $111 million, up from $61.2 million in March 2020. Online poker produced $2.7 million, down from $3.6 million in March 2020.
For the first time in years Golden Nugget was not the market leader in March. Borgata generated a market record $36.2 million in revenue on online casino games and poker, up from $25.7 million in February. Golden Nugget generated $31.8 million in March revenue, up from $27.9 million in February.
“Borgata’s increasing focus on and success in the online market shows how the pandemic changed the dynamic for online casinos,” Ramsey said. “Even when we get past this pandemic, I don’t think gamblers will log into online casinos any less. Instead, this year-long surge points to a long-lasting market shift.
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting and online gaming in New Jersey, visit PlayNJ.com/news.
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AGLC
PointsBet Canada Officially Begins Registration Process in Alberta
PointsBet Canada has announced that it has commenced the registration process in Alberta and can now begin marketing activities, positioning the company to enter the province as Alberta prepares to become Canada’s second open and competitive regulated iGaming market.
Eligible Alberta residents can now pre-register at https://www.pointsbet.ca/ to receive notification of PointsBet’s launch, along with an exclusive welcome offer, ahead of the full platform rollout expected in the coming months.
This development follows the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) streamlined process, enabling PointsBet Canada to introduce its premium sports betting and online casino experience while final registration steps continue.
“Alberta’s move toward an open, competitive iGaming framework is a positive step for Canadian players, offering more choice and consumer protections in a safe and regulated environment. We’re excited to introduce our innovative, Canadian-focused sports betting and online casino products to Alberta residents, supported by industry-leading speed, responsible gaming tools, and local expertise,” said Scott Vanderwel, CEO of PointsBet Canada.
The post PointsBet Canada Officially Begins Registration Process in Alberta appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Canada
Kambi Group Becomes the Official Sportsbook Partner of Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
Kambi Group has formally assumed contractual responsibilities for OLG’s multi-channel sportsbook following the successful completion of the novation agreement with FDJ Gaming Solutions France (FDJ) and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), with OLG launched its Kambi-powered sportsbook on 27 January.
Kambi, the home of premium sports betting solutions, confirmed that it has formally assumed contractual responsibilities for the provision of sports betting services to OLG, having successfully met all conditions of the previously agreed novation agreement.
The completion follows the announcement in 2025 that Kambi had been selected by FDJ to take over FDJ’s role as OLG’s long-term sports betting partner with OLG’s consent and pending the satisfaction and completion of specific conditions. With these conditions now met, Kambi has officially assumed responsibility for the provision of sports betting services to OLG across both its retail and digital channels, with OLG gone live with its Kambi-powered sportsbook on 27 January.
OLG offers sports betting through PROLINE (retail) and PROLINE+ (online) with 100% of its profits reinvested into Ontario. Powered by Kambi’s Turnkey Sportsbook, OLG’s sports betting operations will benefit from Kambi’s market-leading technology and services, designed to deliver a scalable, compliant and engaging betting experience for players.
Werner Becher, Kambi Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to have officially completed this transition and to begin this next chapter of our partnership with OLG. Having met the necessary conditions of the novation agreement, Kambi is excited to become the official sportsbook provider and to have launched with one of the world’s most respected lottery operators. We value our partnership with OLG and look forward to leveraging our proven technology to help them drive sustainable growth and provide a safe and entertaining betting product for their customers in Ontario.”
Duncan Hannay, OLG President and CEO, added: “OLG strives to provide a market leading PROLINE sports betting experience for our players. We look forward to working alongside our new partner, Kambi, who offers a proven track record of product excellence and reliability, as we deliver on our commitment to give back to the people and communities of Ontario. This is an exciting step forward for both organizations.”
The post Kambi Group Becomes the Official Sportsbook Partner of Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Canada
High Roller Technologies Signs Letter of Intent with Kindbridge Behavioral Health to Support Responsible Gambling in Ontario
High Roller Technologies Inc., operator of the award-winning, premium online casino brands High Roller and Fruta, announced it has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with Kindbridge Behavioral Health (Kindbridge) to support its commitment to responsible gambling in Ontario, subject to licensing and regulatory approval.
Through the planned partnership with Kindbridge, High Roller intends to offer eligible Ontario players who choose to self-exclude a confidential pathway to support that helps individuals understand their options and take next steps at their own pace. The experience begins with education and a guided triage process, followed by the option to connect with no-cost peer support and, when appropriate, licensed Canadian clinicians. Using a stepped-care approach, individuals can start where they feel ready and access additional support over time, based on their needs and goals.
“We believe entertainment should always be enjoyed responsibly. Partnering with Kindbridge reinforces our commitment to player wellbeing by ensuring that anyone who may be experiencing challenges with their gambling activity has access to meaningful, professional support. This collaboration reflects our responsibility not only as an operator, but as a trusted brand that puts people first,” said Seth Young, Chief Executive Officer at High Roller.
Kindbridge works with gaming operators across North America to deliver early-intervention programs designed to identify, assess, and support at-risk individuals, including integration with self-exclusion and responsible gaming workflows.
“Building strong, accessible pathways to support is an essential part of effective responsible gambling programs.nOperators are uniquely positioned to assist individuals who may be experiencing distress by helping connect them to appropriate care. We’re proud to work with High Roller to expand access to specialized clinicians and evidence-based resources, supporting healthier outcomes for players and more effective responsible gambling frameworks,” said Daniel Umfleet, Founder & CEO of Kindbridge Behavioral Health.
Seth Young, who currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of High Roller, is a current shareholder, member of the Board of Advisors, and former member of the Board of Directors at Kindbridge.
The post High Roller Technologies Signs Letter of Intent with Kindbridge Behavioral Health to Support Responsible Gambling in Ontario appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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