Industry News of the Day for March 15, 2023

iDEA Growth Member News

  • SBC Americas: Playtech Makes ‘Strategic’ $85m Single-Digit Stake In Hard Rock Digital
    • Playtech has informed investors that it has purchased $85m worth of stock in Hard Rock Digital for a “low single-digit minority equity ownership” in the firm it has partnered with for online casino solutions. Unveiling a strategic partnership with the US online operator, Playtech will deliver its technology solutions and online casino content to Hard Rock Digital in the US and Canada

Industry News

  • CDC Gaming Reports: Analyst: Politics Adverse For Igaming, Sports Betting
    • “Two months into the legislative cycle, there are lots of losers and no winners.” So wrote B Global founder and gaming analyst Brendan Bussmann, taking the political pulse of gaming expansion. In a report published Sunday, Bussmann opined that igaming legislation “will be more challenging than first thought,” falling to “the buzzsaw,” and that sports betting “saw the same fate,” especially in Georgia.
  • Gambling News: Super Group Publishes Preliminary Q4 And FY22 Results
    • Super Group, the group behind the Betway and Spin gambling brands, has published its preliminary Q4 and full-year 2022 financial results. The company saw its revenue exceed the guidance range, causing Super Group to be optimistic about the future despite certain declines.

Illinois

  • PlayIllinois: Illinois Sportsbooks Post Record Month, Fourth Straight Billion-Dollar Handle
    • Illinois sportsbooks set a record for handle in January and topped $1 billion for the fourth straight month. The numbers were released today by the Illinois Gaming Board. More than $1.07 billion was bet through IL sports betting apps in January. That’s up 4% from the previous monthly record of $1.03 billion  that was bet on sports in Illinois in November. More than $1.029 billion was bet through Illinois sportsbooks in December.

Massachusetts

  • Legal Sports Report: How Online Massachusetts Sports Betting Could Affect New England Markets
    • As the hub of professional sports in New England, Massachusetts can significantly alter the region’s sports betting landscape. Online MA sports betting launched Friday, and the industry is eager to capitalize on a ripe market.  The new market, however, will likely disrupt an already maturing sports betting ecosystem in the Northeast.
  • PlayMA: Massachusetts Casinos Explain How They Allowed Illegal College Sports Bets
    • In an adjudicatory hearing on Tuesday, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission heard testimony and examined evidence that Encore Boston Harbor was in noncompliance of state gaming regulations by accepting a wager on college sports involving in-state schools. On Feb. 2, 2023, wagering was allowed briefly for a game between Boston College women’s basketball and Notre Dame.

New York

  • PlayNY: New York Sports Betting Nearing $20B In Lifetime Handle
    • Online sports betting in New York is ahead of the curve it set last year. With NY sports betting operators combining for $1.47 billion in accepted bets in February, the industry has totaled nearly $3.3 billion over the first two months of 2023. A year ago at this time, the Empire State went into March with just shy of $3.2 billion.

Pennsylvania

  • Legal Sports Report: Pennsylvania Sports Betting Regulator Bans ‘Free Bet’ Promo Marketing
    • Pennsylvania sports betting regulators are the latest to crack down on marketing bets as risk-free, amid an industry-wide shift. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, on Friday, informed PA sports betting operators that the term “free bet” is no longer allowed in the state. That language is also prohibited in Ohio and Massachusetts, the two most recent states to launch sports betting.

Texas

  • PlayTexas: Over 2.5 Million Texans Will Try To Place Sports Bets During March Madness
    • A quarter of Texas adults will try to place March Madness 2023 bets, and many will fail. Due to the legal standing of online sports betting in Texas, all of those bets will be placed either illegally or will be blocked by geofencing services such as GeoComply. Data compiled by the American Gaming Association and GeoComply paint a picture of Texans attempting to use legal sportsbooks from neighboring states.