February 2022 - Page 3 of 4

NY mobile sports betting handle nears $2.0bn in opening 30 days

Players in New York wagered just under $2.00bn (£1.48bn/€1.76bn) in the first 30 days since the state launched its legal online sports betting market.

A total of $1.98bn was bet in the period between January 8, when the market opened, and February 6, according to figures released by the New York State Gaming Commission.

Consumer spending included more than $600m on football, $540m on basketball and almost $80m on ice hockey.

The latest figures from the Commission also revealed that gross gaming revenue for the first 30 days of legal online sports betting in the state reached $138.5m. At a 51% tax rate for the state, this meant more than $70.6m in tax revenue was generated during the period.

GeoComply, which works with licensed sportsbooks in New York to ensure the geolocation requirements of players, also said more than 1.76 million unique player accounts were utilised for over 187 million transactions during the period.

Last week, it was revealed that New York already surpassed t..

February 14, 2022

Indiana breaks sports betting handle record in January

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The Indiana Gaming Commission has reported sports betting handle of $498.4m (£368.9m/€440.5m) across the state in January 2022, setting a new record.

January’s total eclipses the previous record of $463.7m set in November 2021, in addition to representing a 43.5% increase on the same month in 2021. January’s handle was also a 7.6% increase compared to the previous month.

Basketball proved to be the most popular sport to bet on, with customers wagering $192.4m. Parlay bets followed with $122.6m, while American football attracted $118.3m in wagers.

In terms of adjusted gross revenue (AGR), Indiana’s total came to $35.6m for January – up 21.5% from 2021, but below the record high set in November.

Blue Chip Casino and its FanDuel-operated sportsbook continued to have the highest AGR of $12.2m from a handle of $127.2m. The DraftKings-partnered Ameristar Casino came next with $11.2m despite bringing in a higher handle of $168.9m.

Belterra Casino, another user of FanDuel’s sportsbook, ..

February 11, 2022

Iowa sports betting handle doubles year-on-year in January

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Bettors in Iowa staked $303.3m in the first month of 2022, meaning handle more than doubled year-on-year.

Amounts wagered for January was up 102.9% from January 2021’s $149.5m total figures from the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission show.

This was driven entirely by mobile betting, with customers staking $275.9m during the month, a 128.4% jump.

Retail, on the other hand, actually declined from January 2021, with stakes down 4.5% to $27.5m.

Caesars led the way in terms of handle, with customers staking $112.7m through its mobile sportsbook, setting it ahead of DraftKings which reported $68.9m in mobile stakes, and FanDuel on $44.1m.

For retail, it was the FanDuel sportsbook at the Diamond Jo Worth Casino that led the way, with $8.7m staked. Penn National’s Ameristar II in Council Bluffs followed with customers wagering $5.4m at its Barstool Sportsbook, and the Caesars Sportsbook at Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs on $3.9m.

From the statewide handle of $303.3m across all chan..

February 11, 2022

BetMGM launches inaugural regulated Puerto Rico sports betting platform

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BetMGM, in conjunction with Casino del Mar, has launched Puerto Rico's first regulated sports betting platform at the casino's La Concha resort.

As of today BetMGM is accepting wagers at the San Juan-based resort through 12 betting kiosks and five betting windows. BetMGM also plans to open a retail sportsbook in addition to launching a mobile app later in the year.

The operator first entered into its strategic partnership with Casino del Mar back in September 2021, with a view to executing today’s sports betting launch.

BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said: “This is a monumental day for BetMGM as it marks the launch of our first operation outside of the US mainland. Casino del Mar delivers exceptional guest experiences and is an ideal partner as we look to extend our brand in Puerto Rico.”

The sports betting launch forms the latest part of Puerto Rico’s expansion of its gaming industry.

Foxwoods recently partnered with the Mashantucket Pequot tribe to open the Foxwoods El ..

February 10, 2022

Flutter launches revamped safer gambling strategy

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Flutter Entertainment has revealed its new safer gambling strategy in which it will switch focus from intervening when problems arise, to preventing them from happening at all.

The operator aims to “make every moment safe for [its] customers”.

Launching the new strategy, Flutter UK and Ireland chief executive Conor Grant described it as “a refreshed and comprehensive” approach for each market.

“The strategy is the culmination of many months of hard work, bringing together the best from across our existing businesses, gathering insights from industry experts, customers and colleagues to identify priority issues to focus on, and challenging areas where we need to go further,” Grant explained.

The strategy is broken down into five core principles: discover, educate, empower, understand and support.

The discover aspect aims to advance the industry’s understanding of gambling harm. Educate will implement strategies to improve all customers’ and colleagues’ understanding of gambling ..

February 10, 2022

FSB enters Slovakian market with Hungary’s Szerencsejáték Zrt

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Sports betting and igaming service provider FSB is to power SZRT Slovakia’s betRing sportsbook, marking the Hungarian national lottery’s first foray into a new market.

The multi-year agreement will see FSB power SZRT Slovakia’s betRing.sk sportsbook. SZRT Slovakia is powered by the Hungarian state lottery Szerencsejáték Zrt (SZRT), its first move outside its local market.

FSB said it views the deal as an opportunity to prove it can deliver a leading product to other state lotteries looking to enter new markets. The company recently appointed Chris Graham as a new lead for B2B global marketing.

“We’re delighted to team up with SZRT Slovakia in this exciting multi-year agreement to become their trusted technology partner,” FSB chief executive David McDowell said. “Winning the highly competitive, multi-vendor tender process for this opportunity is a great testament to our agile tech and growing industry profile.
“It has been extremely gratifying to see the talented and highly motivate..

February 9, 2022

Fubo Gaming secures Ohio access deal with NBA’s Cavaliers

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Fubo Gaming, a subsidiary of FuboTV, has agreed a market access deal in Ohio with National Basketball Association team the Cleveland Cavaliers, ahead of the state legalising sports betting.

The agreement will make Fubo Sportsbook an official mobile sports betting partner of the Cavs when legal sports wagering eventually launches in Ohio.

The partnership will also see a new 3,000sq ft. sports lounge open inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the home of the Cavs, to serve as a game-day destination for fans with a range of incentives and special bonus offers from Fubo Sportsbook.

Leading up to Fubo Sportsbook’s official launch in Ohio, the Cavs and Fubo Gaming will promote their partnership through an integrated marketing campaign, highlighted by co-branded, broadcast-visible signage, as well as a presence on team television and radio game programming, and other marketing assets.

Ohio is expected to go live with online and mobile sports betting prior to 1 January 2023, after Governor Mi..

February 9, 2022

Kindred records “strongest year to date” after year-on-year revenue increase

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Kindred has reported revenue figures of £1.26bn (€1.50bn/$1.71bn) for 2021, representing an 11.4% increase on the previous year.

Casino and games revenue was the biggest contributor to the total with £648.7m, up 12.0% from £579.0m in 2020. Sports betting revenue accounted £547.2m, while poker revenue came to £30.8m. Other revenue sources added a further £28.5m.

Western Europe proved to be the most lucrative region for Kindred in 2021, generating revenue of £798.4m- an increase of 13.1%. The Nordic countries followed with £287.8m, while central, eastern and southern Europe added £110.5m.

Operating costs for the year totaled £470.4m. Marketing costs were £234.7m, while administrative expenses came to £235.7m. Other costs incurred, including merger and acquisition expenses and personnel restructuring, amounted to £16.5m.

However Kindred received an extra £75.5m from regulatory sanctions and previously held equity interest.

Operating profit for 2021 was £342.2m, a rise of 66.2% ye..

February 8, 2022

South Dakota mobile sports betting bill passes at Senate

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A bill proposing the legalisation of mobile sports wagering in South Dakota has been passed in the state's Senate.

Senate Joint Resolution 502 is set to be introduced during South Dakota’s next general election, allowing citizens the chance to vote on whether it should come to pass. The proposal was passed by a slim majority – 18 votes to 17.

Should the proposal be voted in at the general election, players will be able to place mobile wagers on sporting events, provided the platform is partnered with one of the casinos in the city of Deadwood.

The legislation stipulates that any proceeds from games of chance should be used for educational, charitable, patriotic, religious, or other public spirited uses – which include the historic restoration and preservation of Deadwood. The resolution will also allow for a state-run lottery and video games of chance.

Sports betting was legalised in South Dakota back in March 2021 after Governor Kristi Noem signed Senate Bill 44 into law, bu..

February 8, 2022

Gaming giants form new body in push for uniform standards and safeguards

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A host of real-money gambling and gaming businesses have formed the Global Gaming Alliance, a new forum that aims to address shared challenges as the market for real-money, free-to-play and console gaming evolves.

The GGA brings together real-money operators Entain and DraftKings, Facebook parent Meta, and mobile games developers 89Trillion and Habby to create a fair and sustainable industry.

The collective has published a white paper, Responsible Gaming is Everyone’s Business, which calls on gaming companies to follow best practice on issues such as diversity, transparency and player protection. In particular, the white paper highlights a need for greater diversity, more accessible and relatable games for a wider range of players, and controls to ensure play remains sustainable.

The initiative launches with the gaming sector booming. Quoting third party figures, the white paper points out that there were an estimated 2.9 billion players worldwide at the end of last year. Revenue..

Month: February 2022