Canada

WHO IS THE LEGAL U.S. SPORTS BETTOR? PROFILE EMERGES IN PICKSWISE.COM 1ST ANNUAL SURVEY OF U.S. SPORTS BETTORS

Published

3 years ago

September 9, 2021

GamingAmericas.com

Football (professional and college) is still king but most bettors play multiple sports;

Newer bettors are younger and more diverse as legal sports betting gains traction;

Bettors do their homework, consume more content, hunger for insights and information;

Trust, ease of use drive choice of sportsbooks.

Not surprisingly, sports bettors in the U.S., predominantly men in their 30s and 40s, love to watch and wager on football, according to a new, comprehensive survey of U.S. sports bettors conducted by Beacon Research for Pickswise.com, a leading U.S. platform for free betting analysis and advice. The inaugural Pickswise.com Annual Sports Bettor Survey included 1,500 self-identified U.S. sports bettors of legal betting age residing in states with legal sports betting.

Football (both professional and college) ranked as the most frequent choice for wagering for most bettors (73%) with basketball as a close second (62%), and baseball, boxing, soccer and horse racing rounding out the second tier. Nearly one-quarter of respondents said they bet daily. Most say their average stake is between $50-$99. The sports bettors also indicate they are avid sports consumers, spending significant time on research and analysis, on pre- and post-game sports news, and watching games themselves.

This unique look into the burgeoning U.S. legal sports bettor revealed a number of behaviors reflecting a high level of investment and participation: most wager weekly, have more than one mobile sportsbook account, bet on several different sports, make use of many bet types, and say they are more likely to watch the games they’ve bet on. And, 97% of those surveyed said they are interested in research and analysis before they wager, with 80% trusting content from outlets that are not directly affiliated with a sports book.

Compared to the general U.S. adult population, U.S. sports bettors primarily skew male, white and affluent. And the survey reveals a new population of sports bettors who are younger and more diverse—both by race and by gender. People of color represent one-third of those who began wagering in the past year, compared to just a quarter of longer-term bettors. Similarly, three-in-ten new bettors are female, compared to 23% of longer-term bettors.

“As legal sports betting continues to expand here, a profile is emerging of highly engaged fans with an appetite for information, analysis and insights to inform their picks,” said Dan Pozner, Spotlight Sports Group’s VP of Content. “Based on the results of this first Pickswise.com Survey, three-quarters say they spend at least an hour each week on research before placing bets. We believe that as the legal betting market continues to grow, so too will the market for quality content that helps bettors, especially new ones, navigate their way through it smartly.”

Among the specific findings, U.S. sports bettors:

Wager frequently
- 70% say they bet at least weekly, and one-quarter bet daily
- 61% place at least three bets per week, with nearly one-quarter placing five or more
- 74% have multiple mobile sportsbook accounts; though, just 31% say they shop for the best odds before betting
Do their homework
- 97% are interested in research and analysis
- Nearly three-quarters spend at least an hour on research each week with 30% spending more than two hours
- 81% conduct research before betting
- More than half trust their own research over tips from friends
Watch a lot of games
- 73% say they are more likely to stream or watch a game that they have bet on
- 50% say they are more likely to watch additional sports news
- 55% say they are more engaged with fantasy sports
Are motivated by the challenge
- 71% cite “winning money” as a major reason for betting
- 61% say “for the thrill”
- 51% cited the “challenge of picking winners”

“Legalized betting is offering fans new opportunities to engage with the sports they enjoy, both before and after kickoff,” said Andrew Schwartz, Director at Beacon Research. “Eight-in-ten spend time researching most of their bets, three-quarters are more likely to watch games they’ve bet on, and half place live bets. As with the fantasy sports boom, we’re seeing the emergence of a more participatory way for fans to consume live sports.”

Respondents said they enjoy most types of bets. Spreads, over-unders, money line and parlays were all cited by more than 75% of those surveyed. The survey found that most bettors played fantasy sports, too, and, not surprisingly, DraftKings and FanDuel are the dominant betting platforms with 57% of respondents saying they have used DraftKings and 50% saying they have used FanDuel. BetMGM, Bet365 and FoxBet round out the top five most used sports books. Respondents said trust and ease of use, especially for financial transactions, were their top factors in choosing a sports book.

The legal sports betting market in the U.S. has boomed since the Supreme Court decision to repeal its prohibition in May 2018. Per the American Gaming Association, sports betting is now legal in 32 U.S. states. Operators are processing wagers in 22 states, with 10 others set to launch in the next few months and there is legislation pending in several others.

Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)

Soft2Bet strengthens integrity monitoring with IBIA membership in Ontario

Published

23 hours ago

May 6, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

soft2bet-strengthens-integrity-monitoring-with-ibia-membership-in-ontario

Soft2Bet, a leading casino and sportsbook platform provider, has joined the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) and activated its membership in Ontario, Canada, following its licensing in the Canadian province.

Soft2bet obtained its Certificate of Registration from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) at the end of March, where the company’s Ontario-focused brand Tooniebet.com will now feed into IBIA’s world-leading sports betting integrity monitoring platform before worldwide implementation in the coming months.

IBIA includes over 50 of the world’s leading sports betting and gaming companies, who operate over 125 sports betting brands. Soft2Bet’s decision to join the association further strengthens its own internal betting integrity protocols and IBIA’s position as the world’s leading sports betting integrity monitoring body.

David Yatom Hay, General Counsel at Soft2Bet, commented: “Soft2Bet is delighted to be joining the IBIA as we strengthen our own betting integrity monitoring processes and play our part in furthering the IBIA’s long-standing work on this key issue. Ontario is a world class iGaming jurisdiction; it will be the first market where we will implement our IBIA membership and we look forward to deploying the monitoring infrastructure worldwide in all the other markets in which we operate.”

Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said: “Soft2Bet is a very welcome addition to IBIA, further strengthening our position in the Ontario market. The operator’s decision to join IBIA demonstrates its desire to utilise the best integrity protection available for its sportsbook product. The association is delighted to be able to integrate Tooniebet within our integrity monitoring system and looks forward to working closely with Soft2Bet to maintain the high integrity of its sportsbook.”

IBIA is a not-for-profit body that has no competing conflicts with the delivery of commercial services to other sectors and is run by operators and for operators to protect regulated sports betting markets from match-fixing. IBIA’s global monitoring network is a highly effective anti-corruption tool, detecting and reporting suspicious activity in regulated betting markets.

Through the IBIA monitoring network it is possible to track transactional activities linked to individual customer accounts. IBIA members generate more than $300bn in annual betting turnover (handle), accounting for approximately 50% of the global commercial regulated land-based and online sports betting sector, and in excess of 50% for online alone.

IBIA recently released a report on the Availability of Sports Betting Products which highlighted Ontario as a leading regulated gambling jurisdiction, with an expected onshore channelisation for sports betting of 92% in 2024 forecast to rise to 97% in2028. IBIA currently represents over 60% of the private sports betting operators licensed in the province. All online sportsbetting operators licensed in Ontario are required to be part of a betting integrity monitoring body.

IBIA’s Q1 2024 report detailed 56 alerts during the quarter. IBIA alerts contributed to the investigations and subsequent successful sanctioning of 21 clubs, players and officials in 2023, an increase on the 15 sanctioned in 2022.

British Columbia Lottery Corporation

SCCG Management Signs Contract with British Columbia Lottery Corporation

Published

1 week ago

April 29, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

sccg-management-signs-contract-with-british-columbia-lottery-corporation

SCCG Management has signed a contract with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), the B.C. Crown corporation which conducts and manages commercial gambling in the province, including lotteries, casinos, and online gaming. This partnership aims to undertake a comprehensive assessment and strategic enhancement of BCLC’s diverse operations.

The work between SCCG and BCLC will involve a thorough review of technological infrastructures, strategic market positioning, and the integration of various gaming modalities. SCCG’s extensive expertise will be pivotal in harmonizing BCLC’s online and physical gaming experiences.

Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management, said: “Our collaboration with BCLC represents a remarkable opportunity to push the boundaries of innovation within the gaming industry. We are committed to deploying our resources and expertise to enhance BCLC’s operational efficiencies and customer engagement strategies. It’s an honor to partner with an organization that has a robust impact on the community through its support of public initiatives.”

AGCO

AGCO Requires Ontario Gaming Operators to Stop Offering WBA Bets Due to Integrity Concerns

Published

2 weeks ago

April 22, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

agco-requires-ontario-gaming-operators-to-stop-offering-wba-bets-due-to-integrity-concerns

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has mandated all Ontario-registered sportsbook operators to halt offering and accepting wagers on World Boxing Association (WBA) events immediately. This measure is being taken to protect the Ontario betting public following concerns that WBA-sanctioned boxing matches are not adequately being safeguarded against match-fixing and insider betting.

Since December 2023, the AGCO has been conducting a comprehensive review of suspicious wagering activity on a WBA-sanctioned title fight between Yoenis Tellez and Livan Navarro that was held in Orlando, Florida. Suspicious betting patterns on the bout lasting over 5.5 rounds were reported to the AGCO by two registered independent integrity monitors and detected in Ontario by a registered igaming operator. Media reports also alleged that Tellez’s Manager placed $110,000 on the match lasting longer than 5.5 rounds at a Florida casino. The bout ended with Tellez knocking out Navarro in the 10th round.

Following an intensive review that included outreach to the WBA, Ontario-registered gaming operators, independent integrity monitors, and regulators in other jurisdictions, the AGCO has concluded that bets related to WBA events do not currently meet the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.

The AGCO requires all Ontario-registered gaming operators to ensure the sport betting products they offer are on events that are effectively supervised by a sport governing body. At a minimum, the sport governing body must have and enforce codes of conduct that prohibit betting by insiders.

Registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate to the AGCO that the WBA prohibits betting from insiders, which could include an athlete’s coaches, managers, handlers, athletic trainers, medical professionals, or others with access to non-public information. Further, registered gaming operators were unable to demonstrate that the WBA took any action to investigate or enforce the allegations of potential match-fixing and insider wagering.

The AGCO has indicated to registered operators that in order for WBA betting products to be reinstated in Ontario, operators must demonstrate that the WBA effectively supervises its events, thus bringing them into compliance with the Registrar’s Standards. In December 2022, the AGCO required gaming operators to stop offering bets on UFC events for similar issues related to insider betting safeguards. Within a month, UFC amended its policies and implemented new protocols that allowed the AGCO to reinstate betting on UFC events in the province.

“Ontarians who wish to bet on sporting events need to be confident that those events are fairly run, and that clear integrity safeguards are in place and enforced by an effective sport governing body. Knowing the popularity of boxing in Ontario, we look forward to reinstating betting on WBA events once appropriate safeguards against possible match-fixing and insider betting have been confirmed,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Registrar and CEO of AGCO, said.