Connect with us

Canada

PlayIllinois.com: Sports betting drops, but Illinois still claims nation’s No. 2 market in April

Published

on

 

Illinois became the nation’s No. 2 market despite suffering the steepest month-over-month decline in sports betting volume in the young market’s history, joining New Jersey as the only states with an April handle of more than $500 million. The decline in wagering was in line with a typical seasonal slowdown in sports betting that affected nearly every U.S. market, and less than expected with the return of in-person registration on April 4, according to analysts from PlayIllinois, which tracks the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.

“Without the NFL or a major sports betting holiday like March Madness a decline in April was a near certainty,” said Joe Boozell, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “The Illinois market faced a double-whammy with the return of in-person registration, which will eventually eat away at the market’s ceiling even if it hasn’t dramatically impacted handle yet. And there is no easy solution to that without a legislative fix.”

Betting at Illinois’ retail and online sportsbooks fell 15.2% to $537.2 million in April from the record $633.6 million in March, according to official data released Wednesday. Betting volume in April dropped to $17.3 million per day over the 31 days of the month from $20.4 million per day in March.

April’s handle created $43.6 million in adjusted gross revenue, down from $44.3 million in March, yielding $6.5 million in state taxes and more than $527,100 in local taxes. The state has now produced $4.1 billion in wagering since sports betting launched in 2020.

All but one U.S. legal sports betting jurisdiction reported a month-over-month decline in April wagering, including the 10 largest markets. Illinois’s decline was more than New Jersey (-13%), Tennessee (-13.6%), and Pennsylvania (-14.4%), but shallower than Colorado (-18.8%), Virginia (-22.1%), Indiana (-25.4%), Iowa (-26.7%), Nevada (-29.1%), and Michigan (-30.5%).

Despite the decline in April only New Jersey took in more wagers, making Illinois the No. 2 market in the U.S. Nearly all of those declines can be explained by the expected seasonal drop in sports betting, which typically begins in April and continues until the football season. Illinois’ handle, though, also faced the return of in-person registration requirements, and the impact came swiftly.

“Illinois is proving to be remarkably resilient as a market, overcoming the inconvenience of in-person registration at least temporarily,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for the PlayUSA.com network, which includes PlayIllinois.com. “A concerted push before in-person registration went into place likely helped lessen the short-term effects, but it will be difficult for Illinois to keep pace with the nation’s top markets over the long term.”

The NBA easily generated the most action in April with $171.4 million, which was down from $365.7 million. Baseball was the second-most wagered-on sport, generating $121.2 million in bets.

Online wagering accounted for 95.5%, or $513.2 million, of all bets in April.

With the partial removal of the ban on wagering on in-state college teams — allowing retail sportsbooks to take bets on Northwestern, Illinois, Northern Illinois, and others — the state legislature did give retail books something to look forward to when college football returns. But the ban will remain for online sportsbooks, which will mute the importance of the change.

“The change is a positive one, but it won’t make a significant difference in the short-term,” Boozell said. “Illinoisans overwhelmingly place their bets online. So, any change that only affects retail betting will be limited in its impact. Hopefully this will be an incremental step toward lifting the ban entirely.”

FanDuel/Fairmont’s online and retail sportsbooks attracted $177.8 million in bets, the first time FanDuel has topped the market. DraftKings/Casino Queen was second with $169.6 million in combined handle. BetRivers/Rivers Casino fell to $84.3 million in combined handle. Barstool/Hollywood Casinos was fourth with $51.4 million, in its first full month of online operation.

“FanDuel catching DraftKings is a seismic shift in the dynamics of the market, and a credit to FanDuel’s campaign to register bettors ahead of in-person registration,” Welman said. “Barstool’s push to register customers before in-person registration took effect made a difference, too. But it will be difficult to make significant inroads on the market leaders, which all had months of being able to register customers unencumbered.”

Powered by WPeMatico

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Canada

What Canadian Slot Players Are Really Comparing in 2026: Payout Speed, Interac and RTP Transparency

Published

on

what-canadian-slot-players-are-really-comparing-in-2026:-payout-speed,-interac-and-rtp-transparency

Canadian online slot players are becoming more practical.

The old conversion model was simple: show a big welcome bonus, list a few popular games, and hope the player clicked through. That still has a place, but it no longer reflects how better-informed casino players compare sites in 2026.

The conversation has shifted.

Players are now asking sharper questions before they deposit. How fast can I cash out? Does the casino support Interac? Are the best games actually available in Canada? What happens after I win? Are the slot terms clear? Can I see RTP information without digging through a help centre?

For operators, affiliates and suppliers watching the Canadian market, this change matters. The slot player is not just bonus-led anymore. The player is becoming banking-led, payout-led and value-led.

Payout speed has become a decision factor

Withdrawal speed is one of the biggest practical differences between online casinos.

Many casinos still market themselves around welcome packages, but the post-win experience is where trust is won or lost. Players notice pending periods. They notice extra verification steps. They notice whether withdrawals are processed quickly or whether the process feels deliberately slow.

That is why comparison behaviour around fastest payout casinos in Canada has become more commercially important. A casino can have a large slot library and a generous bonus, but if the payout process is slow, many experienced players will look elsewhere.

This is especially true for slot players. Slots create quick sessions, frequent bonus rounds and unpredictable payout moments. A player who wins on a Friday night does not want to discover that the casino only starts reviewing cashouts on Monday.

Fast payout positioning is not just a payment feature. It is a trust signal.

Interac remains central to the Canadian player journey

Interac is still one of the most important payment expectations in Canada.

For many players, it feels familiar, local and practical. It connects online casino banking with everyday Canadian banking behaviour. That matters because casino payments are a high-friction moment. Players may be comfortable browsing games, comparing bonuses and reading reviews, but depositing money is where hesitation appears.

Clear information about Interac casino payments helps reduce that hesitation.

The most useful casino pages now explain more than whether Interac is accepted. They answer questions such as:

  • Is Interac available for deposits only, or withdrawals too?
  • Are there minimum and maximum limits?
  • Does account verification affect payout speed?
  • Are e-Transfer withdrawals supported?
  • Are there fees? Is Interac treated differently by province or operator?

This level of detail is valuable because Canadian players are not just asking “Can I pay?” They are asking “Can I deposit, play, withdraw and trust the process?”

That is a much more commercial question.

RTP transparency is becoming part of player value

RTP has always existed as a technical concept, but it is becoming more visible in player decision-making.

A casual player may not calculate long-term return percentages before every spin. But more players now understand that slot choice matters. They know that some games are more volatile, some bonuses are harder to clear, and some titles publish better long-term return figures than others.

This is why content around high-RTP slots is becoming more useful when it is presented properly.

The weak version of RTP content is an educational glossary: “RTP means return to player.” That is not enough anymore.

The stronger version connects RTP to actual player behaviour:

  • Which high-RTP games are worth knowing?
  • Which casinos offer strong slot libraries?
  • How does volatility affect the player experience?
  • Does the bonus structure make a high-RTP game less valuable?
  • Are high-RTP slots available on mobile?
  • Can Canadian players access the games easily?

RTP transparency does not mean players expect to beat the casino. It means they want clearer information before choosing where and what to play.

Mobile play is raising expectations

Canadian slot players are heavily mobile-led.

That changes the comparison process. A player may research on desktop, but the actual deposit and session often happen on a phone. If the casino lobby is slow, payment forms are clunky, or game filters do not work well on mobile, the player experience suffers.

Mobile also puts more pressure on clarity. Players do not want to scroll through huge blocks of bonus terms. They want fast answers:

  • Best casino for quick withdrawals
  • Best Interac option
  • Best slot lobby
  • Best high-RTP games
  • Best mobile experience

For affiliates and operators, this means page structure matters. Tables, verdict boxes, payment summaries and direct recommendations often outperform long, generic content.

The market is moving away from generic casino comparisons

The Canadian slots market is not short of casino lists.

The issue is that many lists look the same. Same bonus-first ranking. Same generic claims. Same vague “safe and secure” language. Same lack of useful payout or banking detail.

The better opportunity is to compare casinos around real player decisions.

For Canadian slot players, that often means:

  • How fast can I withdraw?
  • Can I use Interac?
  • What games are actually worth playing?
  • Is the casino reliable after I win?
  • Does the site work properly on mobile?
  • Are the terms clear enough to trust?

These questions are more practical than promotional. They also create stronger commercial intent.

A player searching for payout speed, Interac support or slot value is usually further along the decision journey than someone casually browsing a bonus list.

What this means for the industry

The Canadian slot player in 2026 is not necessarily less bonus-driven. But the bonus is no longer the whole story.

The market is becoming more mature, and mature players compare the full experience. They want payment confidence, game quality, mobile usability, transparent terms and fewer surprises after depositing.

For operators, this means the product experience has to support the marketing promise.

For affiliates, it means generic casino pages are losing their edge. The stronger play is to build content around the actual comparison points players care about.

Payout speed, Interac and RTP transparency are not side details anymore.

They are becoming part of the main decision.

The post What Canadian Slot Players Are Really Comparing in 2026: Payout Speed, Interac and RTP Transparency appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continue Reading

Alberta

Octoplay secures conditional Alberta iGaming supplier approval from AGLC

Published

on

octoplay-secures-conditional-alberta-igaming-supplier-approval-from-aglc

Octoplay has secured conditional licence approval from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission (AGLC), allowing the supplier to begin the process of offering its games catalogue to operators in Alberta.

The company said the approval positions it to launch in Canada’s newest regulated iGaming market when it opens in July. Octoplay is already live in Ontario with BetMGM and PokerStars, and has also entered the US through New Jersey and Michigan, according to the company.

“Alberta is one of the most strategic market openings on our 2026 roadmap. Entering it with the performance data we’ve built in Ontario, New Jersey, and Michigan gives us a strong foundation to be one of the first suppliers to partner with local tier-one operators as soon as the market opens,” says Ralitsa Georgieva, CEO at Octoplay.

“We’ve worked closely with the AGLC throughout the licensing process, and clearing the conditional stage reflects the strength of our compliance infrastructure,” says Martina Borg Stevens, Chief Legal Officer at Octoplay. “Our team has built a process that allows us to enter new regulated jurisdictions efficiently without compromising on the technical standards each regulator requires.”

Octoplay said Alberta adds to its regulated footprint, which it stated includes 17 operational markets: the United Kingdom, New Jersey, Michigan, Ontario, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Greece, Romania, Malta, Slovakia, Finland, Brazil, and Georgia.

The post Octoplay secures conditional Alberta iGaming supplier approval from AGLC appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continue Reading

Canada

Tonybet pays first $15,000 CAD prize in World Cup Card Collection Canada promo

Published

on

tonybet-pays-first-$15,000-cad-prize-in-world-cup-card-collection-canada-promo

Bronze card has been claimed during the group stage; silver and gold prizes remain available until 31 July.

Tonybet said it has paid out its first major prize in its World Cup Card Collection campaign for Canadian customers (excluding Ontario), after a player secured the promotion’s bronze card worth $15,000 CAD.

The operator said the World Cup Card Collection includes 51 cards to collect during the tournament: 48 digital cards tied to participating World Cup nations, plus three unique cards—gold, silver and bronze—linked to a $150,000 CAD total prize fund.

According to Tonybet, the bronze card has been available through the World Cup’s group stage and has now been claimed. The silver card is available during the knockout rounds up to the quarter-finals, while the gold card is held back for the closing semi-finals and final.

Tonybet Head of Product Kiryl Liudvikevich said: “With Canada co-hosting the World Cup for the first time, the tournament has felt closer to home than ever before for Canadians, and it has already delivered a moment most supporters could only dream about with the national team advancing to the knockout stages.

“For one lucky Canada supporter, it has now produced another story that will be worth retelling long after the final whistle has gone – with our lucky winner among the first Tonybet customers to win one of the unique cards in our World Cup Card Collection, taking home a cool $15,000 for managing to get his hands on bronze. Who will end up with silver and gold?”

Tonybet said the same three unique cards are also in circulation across its other markets, with varying outcomes so far. The World Cup Card Collection campaign runs until 31 July, with a $150,000 CAD prize pool for Canada and separate prize pools in other markets.

The post Tonybet pays first $15,000 CAD prize in World Cup Card Collection Canada promo appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania