Canada

PlayPennsylvania.com: Sportsbooks, online casinos post near-record September

Published

4 years ago

October 20, 2021

Betting volume at Pennsylvania’s online and retail sportsbooks in September was the second-most all-time for the state, nearly hitting $580 million for just the second time. A spike in interest was inevitable during the first full month of football, but the surge in both sports betting and online casino gambling — which produced more than $110 million in revenue — is indicative of an industry that continues to grow and mature, according to PlayPennsylvania, which tracks regulated online gaming and sports betting in the state.

“Nothing stirs the sports betting drink like football, even when the Steelers and the Eagles get off to slow starts,” said Katie Kohler, analyst for PlayPennsylvania.com. “Penn State made a difference in boosting interest, which certainly helps. The bottom line is every sportsbook wants a strong start to the football season, and that is exactly what Pennsylvania’s industry got in September.”

Pennsylvania’s online and retail sportsbooks drew $578.8 million in wagers in September, according to official data released Tuesday. September’s volume was up 25.1% from $462.8 million in September 2020 and up 66.1% from $348.5 million in August.

Gross sports betting revenue nearly hit an all-time high, falling just short of the record $49.3 million in revenue generated in January. Operators generated $48.1 million in gross revenue in September, up 163.2% from $18.3 million in September 2020 and up 90.1% from $25.3 million in August. That created $28.3 million in taxable revenue, generating $10.2 million in state taxes and local share assessments.

Growth has been relentless since legal sports betting launched in Pennsylvania in 2018, and it has only accelerated this year. Through the first nine months of 2021, bettors have placed $4.3 billion in wagers, or 45.6% of the $9.4 billion wagered in Pennsylvania since sports betting opened in November 2018. Operators have generated $340.4 million in gross sports betting revenue this year on those bets, or 47.0% of the $724.5 million in revenue produced since sports betting began.

“Pennsylvania’s sportsbooks are in a position to generate more in wagering this fall than the $1.5 billion that was bet in all of 2019,” said Dustin Gouker, analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayPennsylvania.com. “The industry will in all likelihood continue to grow in the months ahead, gaining steam in October with baseball’s postseason and the opening of the NBA season. Sports betting should produce some eye-popping numbers over the next few months.”

Online sportsbooks accepted $527.4 million in wagers in September, representing 91.1% of the state’s total handle. FanDuel claimed 34.8% of the online market with $183.7 million in wagering, up from $135.7 million in August. Revenue rose to $21.2 million in September from $5.7 million in August, which produced $5.0 million in state and local taxes. DraftKings was second with $164.7 million in wagers, capturing 31.2% of the online market. Those bets yielded $5.1 million in gross revenue.

Penn National’s Barstool-branded app celebrated its first anniversary by attracting $52.8 million in wagers in September, the third-most in the state. Those bets produced $2.6 million in gross revenue. Since launching in September 2020, the Barstool app has generated $52.9 million in revenue on $647.7 million in bets.

The online leaders were followed by:

BetMGM ($50.7 million handle, up from $28.4 million in August; $5.6 million GGR, up from $2.6 million)
BetRivers ($19.8 million handle, up from $13.2 million; $3.0 million GGR, up from $882,274)
Fox Bet ($15.2 million handle, up from $8.6 million; $1.2 million in GGR, up from $749,103)
SugarHouse ($13.5 million handle, up from $10.3 million; $1.2 million in GGR, up from $692,350)
Parx Casino ($12.0 million handle, up from $6.4 million; $1.0 million GGR, up from $713,282)
Unibet ($7.3 million handle, up from $4.2 million; $511,171 GGR, up from $307,601)
TwinSpires ($3.5 million handle, up from $2.3 million; $307,518 GGR, up from $147,448)
Caesars ($2.4 million handle, up from $1.2 million; $219,829 GGR, up from $73,785)
Betway ($1.0 million handle; up from $617,954; -$23,818 GGR, down from $18,818)
Wind Creek ($921,828 handle, up from $521,601; $57,873 GGR, down from $78,195)

“Barstool hasn’t quite achieved the ‘world domination’ that founder Dave Portnoy proclaimed with the app launched, but it has performed well,” Gouker said. “No operator has seriously challenged the dominance of FanDuel and DraftKings yet. But Barstool has at least proven to be an important player in Pennsylvania.”

Retail sportsbooks drew $51.3 million in wagers in September, up from $48.7 million in September 2020 and from $30.4 million in August. Those wagers created $7.2 million in gross sports betting revenue, up from $5.1 million September 2020 and $3.3 million in August. Rivers Pittsburgh topped the retail market with $7.9 million in bets, topping Rivers Philadelphia’s $7.1 million handle.

Online casinos and poker

Online casinos and poker rooms produced $111.8 million in gross gaming revenue, the second-most all time in Pennsylvania and the seventh consecutive month with gross gaming revenue over $100 million. September’s revenue was up 61.3% from $69.4 million in September 2020 and up 8.4% from $103.2 million in August. The monthly revenue record for online casinos and poker is $113.8 million, set in May.

The win was whittled to $97.8 million in taxable revenue, which yielded $41.7 million in state and local taxes. Wagering at online casinos hit $3.5 billion in September, up from $3.2 billion in August.

“Online casinos have a symbiotic relationship with online sportsbooks,” Kohler said. “When sportsbooks do well it tends to lift the fortunes of online casinos, and vice versa. We saw that in action in September.”

Other highlights from September:

Online casino and poker rooms generated $3.7 million in gross gaming revenue per day over the 30 days of September, up from $3.3 million per day in August.
Penn National, which includes the DraftKings, BetMGM, Barstool, and Hollywood casinos, topped the market with $43.0 million in gross revenue. Rivers Philadelphia, which includes SugarHouse, Borgata, and BetRivers casinos, was second with $31.1 million.
Poker generated $2.9 million in revenue. Mount Airy/PokerStars topped operators with $2.0 million in revenue.

Alberta iGaming Corporation

Alberta iGaming Corporation Partners with Responsible Gambling Council

Published

14 hours ago

February 24, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

alberta-igaming-corporation-partners-with-responsible-gambling-council

The Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) has announced a partnership with the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) that will make RG Check accreditation a mandatory requirement for all internet gaming (iGaming) sites entering Alberta’s regulated market.

This collaboration demonstrates Alberta’s commitment to player protection by ensuring every regulated operator meets the highest evidence-based standards for responsible gambling.

“Alberta is committed to building a safer, regulated iGaming environment where player protection comes first. By requiring RG Check accreditation, we’re ensuring that every iGaming operator in our market has demonstrated their commitment to player safety through independent verification of their responsible gambling programs,” said Dan Keene, Interim AiGC CEO.

RG Check is a Canadian-made, globally trusted, independent responsible gambling accreditation program. Developed by RGC more than a decade ago, RG Check evaluates sites against rigorous, evidence-based standards, covering governance, player safeguards, staff training, and marketing practices. The accreditation provides clear, measurable accountability and has become the gold standard for responsible gambling across multiple jurisdictions.

“This partnership with AiGC demonstrates the power of regulators and responsible gambling experts working together to protect players from day one. Alberta is building on a strong foundation established in Ontario, where RG Check has proven its value in creating safer gambling environments. This proactive approach ensures that player protection isn’t an afterthought; it’s built into the market from the ground up,” said Sarah McCarthy, CEO of RGC.

Alberta’s requirement will ensure that:

• All iGaming sites must achieve RG Check accreditation

• Operators must maintain their accreditation in good standing while operating in Alberta

• RGC will conduct assessments based on internationally recognized responsible gambling standards

• AiGC will work closely with RGC to ensure ongoing compliance and continuous improvement.

Requiring accreditation in Alberta’s market reflects AiGC’s commitment to promoting responsible gambling, and will create a level playing field where protecting players is a competitive advantage, not just a compliance checkbox.

For operators who currently hold RG Check accreditation in another jurisdiction, the transition to Alberta will be streamlined. While a distinct Alberta accreditation is still required, existing accreditations will be recognized to simplify the process and reduce costs. Operators will benefit from an efficient onboarding process that reduces administrative burden while maintaining the same rigorous standards for player protection.

The post Alberta iGaming Corporation Partners with Responsible Gambling Council appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Canada

St8 launches in Ontario through partnership with Tonybet

Published

5 days ago

February 20, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

st8-launches-in-ontario-through-partnership-with-tonybet

Casino games aggregator and full-service technology provider, St8 has officially gone live in Ontario’s regulated market through a new partnership with international brand Tonybet.

Through the partnership, Tonybet gains access to St8’s casino games aggregation platform, offering a wide range of premium titles from leading providers through a single API, alongside bonusing and promotional tools, compliance and licensing solutions, advanced reporting and data capabilities.

Built as a single scalable platform, St8’s products are designed to help operators launch and grow across regulated markets with fast, flexible technology solutions while maintaining full compliance.

The agreement marks a further step in St8’s global growth strategy as the company continues to expand its presence across regulated jurisdictions.

Vladimir Negine, CEO at St8, said: “Going live in Ontario is an important milestone for St8 and reflects our continued commitment to growth in regulated markets. Since receiving our Ontario licence, we have focused on building strong local partnerships and delivering a platform that combines scalability, speed and compliance.

“As a respected international brand, Tonybet shares our commitment to building reliable solutions for regulated markets, and we look forward to working closely together as we continue to expand our presence in regulated jurisdictions worldwide.”

Kiryl Liudvikevich, Head of Product at Tonybet, added: “As we expand our presence in Ontario, it is important for us to work with technology partners that support continued growth while meeting the highest regulatory standards.

“St8’s platform gives us the flexibility to integrate a wide range of content and tools through a single connection, helping us scale smoothly while maintaining a strong focus on player experience.”

St8 continues to lead the way as a partner of choice for regulated markets. In addition to its Ontario licence, the company holds licences in key regulated jurisdictions like the United Kingdom, Sweden and Romania, among others.

The post St8 launches in Ontario through partnership with Tonybet appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Canada

Rivalry Corp. Announces Significant Reduction in Operations and Evaluation of Strategic Alternatives

Published

1 week ago

February 17, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

rivalry-corp.-announces-significant-reduction-in-operations-and-evaluation-of-strategic-alternatives

Rivalry Corp. announced that its Board of Directors has approved a significant reduction in operating activity as the Company evaluates strategic alternatives in respect of its assets and operations.

The Company is engaged in discussions with third parties regarding potential transactions. However, in light of recent performance volatility, the Board has determined to materially reduce the scale of operations while assessing whether a strategic transaction or other alternative can be advanced.

Effective immediately, the Company is implementing substantial cost reductions, including a significant workforce reduction and reduced operating expenditures. The Company has paused player activity on its platform and is facilitating player withdrawals in the ordinary course.

The Company is assessing a range of potential alternatives, which may include asset-level transactions, corporate transactions, restructuring initiatives or other strategic outcomes.

Given the Company’s reduced operating scale and the ongoing evaluation process, there can be no assurance that any strategic alternative will be completed or that operations will continue in their current form.

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