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PlayNJ.com: Sports betting slows, online casinos thrive in July

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The NBA Finals and the Olympics could not help New Jersey’s sportsbooks to counter a national trend that has typically made July the slowest month of sports betting. But with relatively strong sports-betting revenue, another monthly record for online gambling, and strong results from Atlantic City’s retail casinos, New Jersey’s gaming outlets set a fresh record for total gaming revenue in a month with $450.6 million in July, according to PlayNJ, which tracks the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.

“Atlantic City benefits from a boost in summer tourism, but July is a time when summer travel and busy schedules put online sports betting in the backseat, particularly for locals,” said David Danzis, lead analyst for PlayNJ.com. “In the end, online casino gaming, retail casinos, and online and retail sports betting work as a three-legged stool, and together they are helping the New Jersey gaming industry outperform most every market in the U.S.”

Online and retail sportsbooks accepted $578.7 million in bets in July, down 24.5% from $766.9 million in June, according to official data released Monday. July 2021 was up 83.7% from $315.1 million in July 2020, a month with the relaunch of baseball and the beginning of the NBA bubble.

July’s wagering was far less than February’s $743 million handle, previously the low point of the year. That echoes 2019, when July’s $251.4 million handle was the lowest monthly tally of that year.

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At 7.8%, the hold percentage remained high in July for New Jersey’s sportsbooks, yielding $55.0 million in gross gaming revenue. That was down 22.9% from $71.3 million in June and up 86.0% from $29.6 million in July 2021. In the end, sports betting produced $8.3 million in state and local taxes in July.

Baseball was the top sport in July with $195.4 million in wagering over the course of the month, up from $169.3 million in June. With the NBA Finals in July, basketball was second with $74.8 million, down from $190.9 million in June. Sports listed as “other,” which would include the Olympics, fell to $180.4 million from $234.8 million in June.

“The Olympics didn’t cause a spike in volume, which was held down even more by the significant difference in time zones,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayNJ.com. “The NBA Finals helped the state’s sportsbooks avoid a steeper decline, and the Olympics did offer sportsbooks a chance to reach new customers, which can be valuable down the road.

Online operators generated $529.4 million in wagers in July, or 91.5% of July’s statewide handle. FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet once again topped online operators with $29.5 million in gross revenue, down from $38.1 million in May.

FanDuel was followed in revenue by:

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  • Resorts Digital/DraftKings/Fox Bet ($10.6 million, down from $13.0 million in June)
  • BetMGM/Borgata ($5.9 million, up from $5.6 million)
  • Monmouth/William Hill/SugarHouse/TheScore ($2.0 million, even with June)
  • Ocean Casino/William Hill/Tipico ($1.5 million, down from $2.3 million)
  • Hard Rock/Bet365/Unibet ($925,775, up from $642,297)
  • Caesars Sportsbook/888sport/WynnBet ($193,331, down from $243,981)
  • Golden Nugget/BetAmerica ($79,223, down from $80,615)
  • Tropicana/William Hill ($36,490, up from $92,388)

Retail sportsbooks continued in their recovery, tallying $49.3 million in wagers in July, down from $83.9 million in June. Meadowlands/FanDuel topped all retail sportsbooks in July with $2.2 million in revenue.

“Casual sports bettors engage with sportsbooks less frequently in the heart of the summer,” Danzis said. “But the good news for sportsbooks is that sports betting will soon start to gain momentum as casual bettors return home from summer vacations and begin to turn their focus to football.”

Online casinos and poker

Online casinos and poker rooms continue to side-step any summer slowdown, generating a record $118.7 million in gross gaming revenue in July. That is up 35.7% from $87.5 million in July 2020 and up 10.9% from $107.1 million in May. July shattered the previous revenue high of $113.7 million set in March.

Online casino games alone generated $115.6 million in July, pushing lifetime revenue to $3.0 billion since online gambling launched in November 2013. And growth has been consistent from the beginning. Through seven months of 2021, online casino games and poker have generated $752.9 million in revenue, up 47.6% from $510.2 million through the same period in 2020.

“The bounce back in Atlantic City hasn’t slowed online casinos a bit,” Ramsey said. “Any worry that the return of casino visitation would come at the expense of online revenue should be alleviated now.”

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Other highlights from July’s report:

  • Borgata/BetMGM led the state with $36.5 million in casino and poker revenue, a record for any licensee over a single month. That topped rival Golden Nugget’s $33.5 million in revenue. Resorts Digital was third with $23.3 million in revenue.
  • The revenue from online casinos and poker rooms injected $20.8 million into state and local coffers.
  • Online casinos and poker generated $3.8 million in revenue per day over the 31 days in July, up from $3.6 million per day over the 30 days of June.
  • Online poker generated $3.1 million in revenue, down 36.2% from $4.8 million in July 2020.

For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting and online gaming, visit PlayNJ.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.com and its state-focused branches produce original daily reporting, publish in-depth research, and offer player advocacy tools related to the advancement of safe, licensed, and legal online gaming options for consumers. Based in Las Vegas, the PlayUSA Network is independently owned and operated, with no affiliations to any casino — commercial, tribal, online, or otherwise.

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Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa Opens with Legendary Guitar Smash and Star-Studded Celebration

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Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa officially opened its doors with a signature guitar smash, marking the arrival of Canada’s first fully integrated Hard Rock resort, a bold new destination where entertainment, hospitality, and music take center stage.

The $350 million resort brings the brand’s unmistakable energy to Canada’s capital, offering locals and visitors an immersive Hard Rock experience blending iconic music history with world-class entertainment, hospitality, dining, and gaming.

In true Hard Rock fashion, the opening festivities kicked off with the Canadian Tenors’ electrifying rendition of O Canada followed by the brand’s signature Guitar Smash, a modern take on the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony. Executives, dignitaries, and community leaders took the stage to ceremoniously smash guitars, signaling the official opening of the state-of-the-art entertainment destination.

A special moment included the presentation of a $100,000 donation to Ottawa Food Bank, reinforcing Hard Rock’s commitment to giving back to the communities it serves.

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“Bringing Hard Rock to Canada’s capital is an iconic milestone for our brand. We’re proud to expand our global footprint and create a destination where locals and visitors can experience world-class gaming, hospitality, and entertainment all in one place,” said Jim Allen, Chief Executive Officer of Hard Rock International.

“Our government is thrilled that Hard Rock chose Ontario for its first fully integrated hotel and casino venue in Canada. This new entertainment and hospitality destination will draw visitors from near and far to Ottawa, create and sustain hundreds of local jobs, and provide millions of dollars for local infrastructure and community programs,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming.

The post Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa Opens with Legendary Guitar Smash and Star-Studded Celebration appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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MIXI Receives AGCO Approval for PointsBet Acquisition

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PointsBet Holdings Limited announced that MIXI has received written confirmation that AGCO has no concerns with the proposed acquisition by MIXI of the shares in PointsBet Holdings Limited.

PointsBet has also received written confirmation from iGaming Ontario (iGO) in relation to MIXI’s proposed acquisition of shares in PointsBet.

Accordingly, the condition precedent to MIXI’s proposed PointsBet-Board recommended Takeover Bid relating to Ontario approvals in paragraph 4.5 of Schedule 1 of the Bid Implementation Deed dated 16 June 2025 (BID) has been satisfied.

MIXI’s proposed Takeover Bid remains subject to the satisfaction of certain other limited conditions as previously announced, including a 50.1% minimum acceptance of the proposed MIXI Offer (as defined in the BID).

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The Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission provided its approval on 24 March 2025 for MIXI to acquire PointsBet. PointsBet confirmed that MIXI’s proposed Takeover Bid is no longer subject to any gaming regulatory approvals.

The post MIXI Receives AGCO Approval for PointsBet Acquisition appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued monetary penalties totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto for multiple violations of provincial gaming standards. The penalties follow an impromptu after-party that was permitted to take place in the pre-dawn hours directly on the casino’s gaming floor.

On September 27, 2024, an electronic dance music event attended by thousands of people was hosted in the theatre adjacent to the casino at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. The event was marked by widespread intoxication, disorderly behavior, and numerous criminal and medical incidents – both inside and outside the venue – including alleged assaults, drug overdoses, and acts of public indecency. Although paid duty officers were present, additional police and emergency services were required to manage the situation.

In the midst of this high-risk environment, casino management approved an unscheduled request by the performing artist to host an after-party on the active gaming floor. The artist and more than 400 guests were permitted onto the gaming floor where the artist was allowed to perform amidst operational table games and gaming machines – without any prior risk assessment or planning.

As a result, security personnel were unable to effectively control the casino floor, including witness reports that an attendee was seen climbing onto slot machines. Failure to maintain appropriate control compromises the security, safety, and integrity of the casino floor. Following the conclusion of the event, the operator failed to promptly report these incidents to the AGCO as required.

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Based on the findings of its review, the AGCO’s Registrar has issued an Order of Monetary Penalty (OMP) totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. These penalties address critical failures in their operations, incident reporting, employee training, and the management of disturbances.

A gaming operator served with an OMP has 15 days to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.

“Casino operators have a fundamental duty to control their gaming environment. Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto’s lapses in this incident compromised the safety of patrons and the security and integrity of the gaming floor,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of AGCO, said.

The post AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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