Canada
PlayColorado.com: Betting volume grows ahead of fall surge
Colorado’s sportsbooks used interest in baseball, early-season college football, and NFL futures betting to fuel the first month-over-month gain in betting volume since May. The boost to nearly $212 million in wagering in August also made Colorado just the sixth state to haul in more than $3 billion in lifetime bets, according to PlayColorado, which tracks the state’s regulated sports betting market.
“It’s encouraging to see a bump ahead of the most important four-month stretch of the year,” said Ian St. Clair, analyst for PlayColorado.com. “A mere taste of football in August showed its importance to sportsbooks. But what we saw last month is just a precursor for what we expect for the final four months of the year, which should bring an onslaught of fresh records.”
Colorado’s online and retail sportsbooks accepted $211.9 million in wagers in August, $208.3 million of which came through online operators, according to data released Monday by the Colorado Division of Gaming. Year-over-year, betting volume in August was up 64.7% from $128.6 million in August 2020 and up 16.9% from $181.3 million in July.
Gross gaming revenue hit $15.2 million in August. That is up 102.5% from $7.5 million in August 2020, though down 2.7% from $15.7 million in July. After promotional credits, net sports betting proceeds in August landed at $7.1 million, which yielded $726,365 in tax revenue.
August’s results brought a slew of fresh milestones, including surpassing $3 billion in lifetime wagering. Since launching in May 2020, Colorado’s sportsbooks have generated:
$3.2 billion in wagering, including $2.0 billion so far in 2021
$213.1 million in gross gaming revenue, including $137.3 million in 2021
$117.4 million in free bets
$95.7 million in taxable revenue
$10.2 million in state taxes
“Colorado is remarkably consistent, and continues to outperform the size of its population base,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for the PlayUSA.com network, which includes PlayColorado.com. “With even a decent football season, sportsbooks will reach $3 billion in wagers and $200 million in revenue for the year. Those would be impressive annual totals for a state that is still maturing as a sports betting market.”
With a flurry of fresh launches ahead of football season, including well-known brands like Barstool and the Sports Illustrated Sportsbook, Colorado is now home to more online operators than any other state with 26.
One of the intriguing aspects of Colorado’s market for operators is the wide range of sporting interests of its bettors. In August, baseball was again the most popular sport to bet on with $69.6 million in bets in August, up from $59.9 million in July. Tennis ($13.5 million), soccer ($11.5 million), basketball ($10.6 million), and table tennis ($8.1 million) all drew significant wagering in August, too.
But like every U.S. market, football is still king in Colorado. With a light inventory of games to bet on, including three Broncos preseason games, pro football drew $13.6 million in wagering, up from just $586,203 in July. College football attracted an additional $2.6 million. And the growth over the next four months will be substantial. In 2020, a year marred by the shutdown of major sports for months, 60.2% of the money wagered legally in the U.S. was placed from September through December. In 2019, 50.8% of all legal wagers were made during the last four months of the year.
“The difference between a great football season and a merely very good fall for sportsbooks may come down to how local teams fare,” said St. Clair. “If there is a concern for operators it is that Colorado, Colorado State, and Air Force each had significant missteps to open the season, which could dampen some enthusiasm. But the Broncos’ hot start will likely more than make up for that. If the Broncos can continue to play well, it could really drive sports betting to new heights.”
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Colorado, visit PlayColorado.com/revenue.
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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.
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Alex Malchenko Head of Sales at Evoplay
Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has partnered with Caesars Entertainment to expand its footprint in the Canadian market, following its initial entry earlier this year. The partnership integrates 20 of the studio’s top-performing titles onto Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Ontario, including fan-favourites such as Hot Triple Sevens, Triple Chili, and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy.
Having announced its official entrance into Ontario in March, the collaboration with Caesars marks a significant step in Evoplay’s local strategy. Further standout releases, such as Inner Fire Bonus Buy and Hot Volcano, also launched as part of the initial package, with additional player favourites, including Fruit Nova and Ice Mania.
The collaboration underlines Evoplay’s commitment to working with leading operators to deliver high-quality content tailored to regional audiences.
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: “Launching with Caesars in Ontario marks a key milestone in our North American strategy.
“It reflects both the strength of our portfolio and our commitment to providing innovative, high-performing content to operators of the highest caliber.”
Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, said: “Evoplay brings a fresh and dynamic approach to online gaming, which we’re excited to offer to our players in Ontario. This portfolio of standout titles adds to our growing content library and furthering our ongoing goal of delivering top-tier entertainment experiences to our players.”
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The iGaming Ontario Board of Directors has announced Joseph Hillier as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2025. Joseph’s depth in the Ontario igaming market combined with successful public and private sector careers make him the ideal President and CEO at this critical point in iGaming Ontario’s growth.
Joseph was most recently Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Secretary at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), where he delivered significant strategic and regulatory initiatives across the province’s alcohol, cannabis, gaming, and horse racing sectors. Prior to the AGCO, he served as Chief of Staff to Ontario Attorney General Hon. Doug Downey and led the development, launch and implementation of Canada’s first private sector-driven igaming market and the creation of iGaming Ontario. Joseph also spent more than a decade working in the financial and legal services sectors.
The Board expressed its sincere thanks to David Smith for serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since Martha Otton’s retirement.
The post iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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