Canada
SPORTS WAGERING IN IOWA SLIDES FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE MONTH
Iowa’s sports betting volume dropped slightly in May and remained well below the market’s peak reached in March. The modest downtick in wagering to less than $115 million is a fresh reminder that it likely won’t be until football season before Iowa’s sports betting industry sees significant growth again, according to analysts from PlayIA, which tracks the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.
“There is no avoiding a summer slowdown, but Iowa’s sportsbooks are in a remarkably better position than this time last year when there was still so much uncertainty,” said Jessica Welman, analyst for PlayIA.com. “Sportsbooks will continue to be innovative this summer in an effort to keep bettors engaged with the remaining NBA season, baseball, and other sports, including the Olympics. Contrast that to last summer when most were in survival mode.”
Bettors placed $114.9 million in wagers at Iowa sportsbooks in May, according to official data released Thursday. That is down 2.9% from the $118.4 million in bets generated in April, and well short of the record $161.4 million in wagers in March. Betting fell to $3.7 million per day over the 31 days in May from $3.9 million over the 30 days in April.
Net operator revenue reached $6.1 million in May, down from $7.7 million in April. That resulted in $414,175 in tax revenue.
This is the second consecutive month-over-month decline for Iowa, which isn’t a surprise. In April, all but one U.S. legal sports betting jurisdiction reported a month-over-month decline, including all of the nation’s 10 largest markets. Of those, only Nevada (-29.1%) and Michigan (-30.5%) experienced a larger dip from March to April than Iowa’s 26.7% decline.
“Iowa is more driven by college athletics than the majority of the largest markets in the U.S., so the end of college basketball season was bound to have an outsized effect,” said Dustin Gouker, analyst for PlayIA.com. “But a surge by the Cubs and White Sox in May was a big help for sportsbooks. If both teams can remain relevant this summer, it should really be a boost ahead of football season.”
$99.9 million in bets were made online in May, representing 87% of the state’s overall handle. That is down from 88.3% of the state’s handle in April. Retail betting accounted for the remaining $15.0 million, up from $13.8 million in April.
William Hill, which partners with six Iowa casinos — Prairie Meadows, Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs, Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo, Isle of Capri Bettendorf, Lakeside, and Harrah’s Council Bluffs — led the market again with $37.6 million in wagers, including $35.3 million in online wagers. William Hill’s combined retail and online handle was down from $39.1 million in April and produced $1.1 million in net receipts.
Wild Rose, which includes DraftKings and BetRivers, was second with $33.8 million in online and retail wagering. That is down from $34.6 million in April. $33.5 million of those bets were made online. Wild Rose led the market with $1.4 million in net receipts.
Fueled by FanDuel and BetMGM, Diamond Jo took in $27.6 million in combined wagers, which included $24.3 million in online wagering. The combined bets led to a market-leading $2.5 million in net receipts.
“New operators will be pushing to launch ahead of football season, which will shake up the market a bit,” Welman said. “But for the moment, it appears the market leaders in Iowa are entrenched.”
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Iowa, visit PlayIA.com/news.
About the PlayUSA.com Network:
The PlayUSA.com Network is a leading source for news, analysis, and research related to the market for regulated online gaming in the United States. With a presence in over a dozen states, PlayUSA and its state-focused branches, including PlayIA.com, produce daily original reporting, publish in-depth research, and offer player advocacy tools related to the advancement of safe, licensed, and legal online gaming options for consumers.
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Independent slots studio Thunderkick has agreed a deal with Ontario-based operator Betty to supply the rapidly growing online casino with a diverse collection of globally popular titles.
Betty, an official partner of sporting franchises Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, has risen to prominence since its 2022 establishment, when it was built following the consultation of 300 casino players to create the optimal iGaming environment.
Distinguishing itself from North American competitors by catering specifically to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors, the operator has curated a portfolio of 2,800 games, hand-picked to deliver customers maximum entertainment value.
Thunderkick’s content is the latest to be integrated into Betty’s online casino, and the agreement will see a selection of its most popular titles, including The Wildos 2, Midas Golden Touch 3, and Esqueleto Explosivo 3, made available to a greater number of Ontarian players.
Thunderkick marked its debut in the Canadian province in Q2 of 2024, and has since partnered with a network of leading operators to improve its market position. The collaboration with Betty will further amplify its visibility in a key jurisdiction as the provider looks to reinforce its reputation as a global slot developer.
Svante Sahlström, CCO at Thunderkick, said: “It’s our mission at Thunderkick to go deeper, not wider, in 2025. That means forging meaningful, lasting relationships in target markets as opposed to securing as many commercial deals as possible.
“Since entering Ontario over 12 months ago, we have worked tirelessly to enhance our presence in the province, and working with leading brands such as Betty allows us to bring our unique games to a deeper pool of Canadian players.”
Paraskeva Smirnova, Casino Operations Manager at Betty, added: “Betty’s USP has always been our drive to build a slot portfolio with the very best titles from the industry’s most creative suppliers.
“Thunderkick’s passion for slot development is there for all to see, and the introduction of its games to our casino further elevates the consumer experience.”
The post Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
BCLC is pleased to announce the return of the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference, taking place November 2–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.
This global event brings leading voices in research, policy and industry together to explore innovative approaches to safer gambling. Attendees can expect two days of forward-thinking dialogue, evidence-based insights and collaborative solutions to help shape the future of player health.
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available
New to the 2026 conference, BCLC is excited to offer sponsorship opportunities to organizations that share BCLC’s passion for safer gambling. Benefits of sponsoring New Horizons 2026 include industry visibility, leadership recognition and meaningful engagement with a global audience. To learn more about sponsorship, please e-mail [email protected].
Registration and program details will be released later this fall.
The post Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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 milestone—it’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.”
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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