Canada
BettingUSA report: education key to unlocking US sports betting market
Operators, suppliers and regulators share their thoughts on where the industry is at three years after PASPA was repealed
BettingUSA.com has produced a special report looking at how the industry can maximise the full potential of legal sports betting in the USA.
The nline and mobile sports betting comparison site has spoken to operators, suppliers and regulators to determine the key challenges the industry has faced in the early days.
These industry leaders have also provided their thoughts on how they can be overcome and what lessons can be learned from the progress made in the three years since PASPA was repealed.
Ultimately, these experts and BettingUSA.com believe education, technology and responsible gambling will be the key to the USA becoming the largest legal sports betting market in the world.
Here are some key insights from the report:
“Education is a big obstacle in every state you launch. And it really plays itself out because sports betting is not a national opportunity; it’s very much state-by-state. It’s an entirely new process and each time you need to make tweaks to appeal to the consumer. It’s always going to rear its head, too.” – Patrick Eichner, PointsBet
“As the competition is moving at lightning pace, we are doubling down on product this year, with a significant investment into growing our UX, product and development teams as we grow from a single state operator to a national, multi-state one.” – Daniel Graetzer, Carousel Group
“American sports are perfect for in-play betting, and this combined with the reams of data that is available means that players will quickly come to expect these markets and odds, so long as the enabling legislation in each state allows for them to be offered remotely.” – Simon Nobel, Champion Sports
“The market for sports betting is significant and in high demand. It would be foolish to think that we shouldn’t be as serious about sports betting as we are with casino gaming. Just like casinos, sportsbooks must be tightly regulated to ensure that there is integrity in the system.” – Douglas Harbach, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
The report also provides insight into the role that media companies will play in the sports betting space and how affiliates are helping to educate players about legal online sports betting.
The full report can be found here.
Mike Murphy, Founder of BettingUSA.com, said: “We created this report to gauge where the legal sports betting industry is at three years after PASPA was first repealed.
“While tremendous progress has been made to date, it is clear the sector is not without its teething issues especially when it comes to technology, regulation, safe gaming and education.
“From the experts we have spoken to, it seems these challenges can be overcome and if we are able to do so, the US will undoubtedly become the largest legal betting market in the world.
“This report provides tremendous insight from those at the cutting edge of the industry and their thoughts will undoubtedly shape the direction we take over the next three years.”
Powered by WPeMatico
British Columbia Lottery Corporation
BCLC to Open Retail PROLINE Sportsbook Lounges at Two Casinos
The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) is expanding its retail sportsbook offerings by opening two new PROLINE sportsbook lounges in the coming weeks.
Chances Casino Kelowna will host B.C.’s first in-person sportsbook lounge when the Chances Kelowna PROLINE Sportsbook Lounge opens for a sneak peek on Super Bowl Sunday before opening to the public the next day, on Monday, Feb. 10. The lounge will feature a massive 25-foot screen as well as food and drink and PROLINE betting.
BCLC will then open the province’s second in-person sportsbook lounge at Parq Casino in Vancouver in March.
A spokesperson from the crown corporation said that “the lounges offer something for sports lovers and sports bettors alike, including a best-in-class sports viewing experience and sports-betting terminals offering a full suite of competitive and live odds.”
“The sportsbook lounge is not just for sports betting, it is a go-to viewing destination for both regular gamedays and, for the biggest sporting events of the year, where B.C. sports fans and sports bettors can watch their favourite teams together, the home of the home team.”
BCLC has plans to introduce future sportsbook lounges at other casinos around the province.
Lounges will showcase BCLC’s modernized sportsbook
The two sportsbook lounges will be major showcases for BCLC’s expanded and revamped PROLINE, which it unveiled last fall on the eve of the NFL season. PROLINE replaced the Sports Action sportsbook that BCLC shut down last May after 33 years.
The post BCLC to Open Retail PROLINE Sportsbook Lounges at Two Casinos appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Blanka Homor
Playson Signs Agreement with Light & Wonder in Global Distribution Deal
Playson, the accomplished digital entertainment supplier, has forged a major global content deal with Light & Wonder to significantly enhance the reach of its extensive games portfolio.
This landmark agreement will enable Light & Wonder’s expansive operator network across the UK, Canada, and Latin America to gain access to Playson’s engaging offering.
UK-based operator Dazzletag Entertainment Ltd was the first to go live with the studio’s creative releases last month, with SUPERCHARGED CLOVERS: HOLD AND WIN and 3 POTS RICHES: HOLD AND WIN launched across its online casino brands.
Light & Wonder’s content marketplace is utilised by some of the biggest operator brands from across the globe, providing them with access to more than 3500 games from a host of third-party studios to allow them to build personalised, mobile-ready player experiences and stay ahead of regulatory changes.
The partnership signifies the strength of Playson’s reputation as a respected and highly sought-after provider to operators globally, as the rising demand for its games looks set to take the studio to new heights for 2025.
Blanka Homor, Sales Director at Playson, said: “Our deal with Light & Wonder is a major milestone in our strategic roadmap, as we embark on the next chapter of our global growth. This agreement expands our reach and allows us to deliver our appealing titles to new operators and players.
“The launch of our titles across Dazzletag’s two brands is a great start, and we are confident this relationship will further elevate our presence in the ever-evolving online casino space.”
Steve Mayes, Senior Director of Partnerships at Light & Wonder, said: “We are delighted to be working with such a highly respected digital entertainment provider and deliver their portfolio to our network. This strengthens our commitment to offering operators the best game releases available.
“We look forward to other successful launches in 2025, as we continue to support our operators with diverse content.”
The post Playson Signs Agreement with Light & Wonder in Global Distribution Deal appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Bragg Gaming Group
Bragg Gaming Announces Preliminary Unaudited Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 Strategic Initiatives and Guidance
Bragg Gaming Group announced its preliminary unaudited results for the year ended December 31, 2024 based on information currently available to management and certain strategic initiatives and issued financial guidance for 2025, highlighting anticipated double-digit growth in Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA driven by a strategic focus on proprietary and exclusive content.
Anticipated Full Year 2024 Results Highlights
The Company expects the financial results for full year 2024 to include the following highlights: Revenue not less than EUR 102 million, an increase of 9% from EUR 93.5 million for 2023, Adjusted EBITDA of not less than EUR 15.4 million, an increase of 1% from EUR 15.2 million for 2023.
Anticipated Financial Highlights for 2025
Revenue Guidance: Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2025, is expected to reach between EUR 117.5 million and EUR 123.0 million, representing double digit growth compared to the Company’s anticipated 2024 revenue.
Adjusted EBITDA Guidance: Adjusted EBITDA is forecasted to range between EUR 19.0 million and EUR 21.5 million, supported by a shift toward higher-margin product offerings.
Strategic Business Drivers
The Company is expecting to realize its anticipated 2025 results in part, as a result of certain strategic initiatives, including:
• Shift in Revenue Concentration: The percentage of revenue from the Company’s proprietary and exclusive content business is expected to increase providing a more margin-accretive mix and improving profitability with reduced reliance on third party content revenue by year end.
• Growth in Key Markets: Content-focused products, including proprietary, exclusive and aggregated content are projected to drive significant revenue growth in North America and Brazil, which are expected to contribute up to 10% and 15% of revenue, respectively by year-end.
• Brazil’s Growth Potential: The Company believes that its proprietary and exclusive content and aggregation businesses are strategically positioned to capture a significant share of Brazil’s $1.5 billion iGaming market, projected to more than double to over $3.3 billion by 2029, according to H2 Gambling Capital.
• US Market Penetration: The Company believes that it is strategically positioned for significant growth in the US market by leveraging its proprietary and exclusive content portfolio. Through integration with top-tier operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, Rush Street, Caesars and BetMGM, and licenses in all key iGaming states, the Company’s content is accessible to over 90% of the US iGaming market, valued at over $9.5 billion, according to H2 Gambling Capital. Under the leadership of Neill Whyte, Chief Commercial Officer, and Garrick Morris, SVP (Commercial, US & Canada), veterans of the iGaming industry with multi-decade successful market penetration experience under their belt, the Company has strong leadership to garner enhanced market share. It is expected that proprietary and exclusive content growth in the US will be further driven by the recently announced technology and content partnership with Caesars Entertainment Inc. This partnership, which leverages the Company’s cutting-edge technology and innovative development strengthens the Company’s profile in a competitive and dynamic market.
• Stronger Penetration in Major European Markets: Bragg aims to expand content distribution in key Western European markets, including Italy, UK, Spain, and Sweden, by leveraging existing integrations with top operators and implementing targeted sales strategies.
• Expand Exclusive Partnerships: The Company plans to increase its roster of partner studios to enhance the release cadence of titles in North America. Additionally, Bragg aims to grow exclusive content distribution in Central European markets, including the Czech Republic and Germany, through strategic partnerships with studios such as Gamomat and King Show Games.
• Stability in PAM Business: The Company’s PAM business is expected to remain flat year-over-year, an overall positive, despite the anticipated contraction of the Netherlands market in 2025 due to regulatory changes made in the fourth quarter of 2024.
• Enhanced Technology Profile: The Company continues to innovate with technologies such as FUZE, which provides bonuses, free rounds, tournaments, jackpots, recommendation engine and other engagement and promotional tools seamlessly across all iGaming, Sportbetting and iLottery products, requiring no additional integration. These advanced features enhance player experience and contribute to the growth of the Company’s product portfolio revenue.
• Data and AI Enhancements: By leveraging extensive gaming data, the Company generates actionable insights and employs AI-driven optimizations to elevate player experiences and enhance operator profitability, thereby accelerating profitable growth in proprietary and exclusive content verticals. Opportunities to leverage AI to reduce costs and enhance product margins are also being actively explored.
• Pipeline Opportunities: A robust pipeline of opportunities is under development, which, if realized, could further enhance 2025 performance but are not yet reflected in the current guidance.
• Stock Appreciation Rights Plan: Bragg has also introduced a new Stock Appreciation Rights (SAR) plan for its executive management team, further aligning management interests with those of shareholders. The SAR plan has been implemented under the Company’s Amended and Restated Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan and pays out only if the Company’s share price increases over a three-year period, with a full payout contingent on achieving a four-fold increase from a base price of $5 CAD. This structure ensures that executive compensation is firmly tied to delivering significant shareholder value. Additionally, the plan includes accelerated vesting provisions in the event of a change of control, preserving alignment with shareholder interests in all value-creation scenarios. SAR award payouts may be settled through the payment of cash, the issuance of shares, or through a combination of both, subject to the discretion of the Company’s Board and availability of shares under the Company’s equity incentive plan at the time.
“I am pleased with where we believe 2024 results will land and very excited about the strong growth trajectory outlined in our 2025 guidance. Our strategic investments in proprietary and exclusive content as well as various Data, Player journey and AI enhanced engagement features, are expected to drive our growth in 2025. By focusing on margin-accretive products, we are well-positioned to boost both revenue and profitability while pursuing opportunities in key markets such as Brazil and the United States. Our PAM product remains a top-tier performer, and while our 2025 growth will largely come from the content side of the business, we have exciting prospects to expand our PAM offering. Additionally, I’m particularly proud of the strong executive team that we have assembled at Bragg this past year. The recently announced Caesars deal highlights their impressive capabilities,” said Matevž Mazij, CEO of Bragg.
The post Bragg Gaming Announces Preliminary Unaudited Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 Strategic Initiatives and Guidance appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
-
Asia7 days ago
Skillhub Online Games Federation and Global Esports Federation Unite to Bring Global Esports Tour 2025 to India
-
Australia6 days ago
NSW: Minns Government Moves to Ban Gambling Advertising from Trains
-
Bragg Gaming Group4 days ago
Bragg Gaming Announces Preliminary Unaudited Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 Strategic Initiatives and Guidance
-
Latest News7 days ago
Zillion Games unveils stunning asian-themed slots for Chinese New Year
-
BETBY7 days ago
BETBY TO SHOWCASE INNOVATIVE SPORTSBOOK SOLUTION IN BRAZIL TOUR DE FORCE
-
Asia6 days ago
DigiPlus Introduces Tools for Players to Control Gaming Time and Bets
-
Canada5 days ago
NorthStar Gaming Announces $43.4 Million Long-Term Debt Financing
-
Central Europe5 days ago
Promatic Games now live in Slovakia