Betting News Archives

December 5, 2023

BetMGM expects to reach $500m EBITDA by 2026

BetMGM aims to reach 25% market share in the US by 2026, as well as delivering $500.0m (£396.1m/€462.2m) in positive EBITDA.

BetMGM set the 2026 goal after revealing it expects to be at the higher end guidance for 2023. In the current financial year, revenue should be between $1.80bn and $2.00bn, according to CEO Adam Greenblatt.

At an investor presentation yesterday (4 December), Greenblatt detailed how BetMGM, a joint-venture by Entain and MGM Resorts International, was expecting to be self-funding from 2024 onwards.

The business sees next year as an investment period, having already proved profitability in 2023. While it expects to achieve a profitable H2 2023, BetMGM expects negative EBITDA for 2024 in what it bills as an “investment year”.

Investment plans

When pressed on how much cash was available to invest, Greenblatt and CFO Gary Deutsch would not disclose the exact amount. However, the pair said plenty of money is available to “compete and invest for growth at the hi..

December 4, 2023

DeSantis team requests to dismiss petition against betting in Florida

Florida governor Ron DeSantis’ office has formally requested the state's Supreme Court to dismiss the lawsuit challenging sports betting in the state ahead of its scheduled expansion this week.

Attorney-general Ashley Moody claimed the petition brought by pari-mutuel betting operator West Flagler Associates is “unjustifiable”. The submission defended the state’s gambling compact between the Florida authorities and the Seminole tribe, which was signed in 2021.

Last month, the Seminole tribe, which has the exclusive right to offer gambling in Florida, re-launched its Hard Rock Bet service in the state.

Among the reasons Moody puts forward for the dismissal is the more than two years West Flagler took to submit its petition, following the signing of the gambling compact. Moody also argues that West Flagler’s petition for writ of quo warranto fails to meet legal standards.

Finally, Moody argues the petition is incorrect to claim sports betting is “casino gambling” as defined in th..

December 4, 2023

ESPN Bet: The view from the top

Hot off the launch of ESPN Bet, Mike Morrison, vice-president of sports betting at ESPN, explains how sports betting’s biggest launch is set to upend the market – and what he thinks makes it the premier choice for sports fans.

When we first spoke with Morrison in August, he was adamant about ESPN Bet’s potential to be the best sportsbook on the market. At the time it had only been weeks since ESPN had clinched its $1.5bn (£1.18bn/€1.37bn) deal with Penn Entertainment, officially choosing the operator to manage the ESPN Bet sportsbook.

Just over three months later, ESPN Bet has burst onto the scene. With the launch being so highly anticipated, the best place to start is by establishing how it went.

“Really smooth,” according to Morrison. “We’re thrilled. Everything is working very well. Some of the early reviews we’ve seen are really good. Teams are energised and excited on both sides.”

ESPN Bet launched in 17 US states on 14 November

The whirlwind saw ESPN Bet hit 17 US states on ..

December 4, 2023

Rhode Island betting handle and revenue reach 10-month high in October

Sports betting handle and revenue in Rhode Island hit a 10-month high in October, although the Ocean State reported year-on-year declines across both.

Rhode Island players spent a total of $45.8m (£36.1m/€42.2m) betting on sports in October. This was down 25.2% from $61.2m in October 2022 but 21.8% more than September this year.

It was also the highest monthly total since a record $62.3m was bet in January 2023.

Of this total, $36.4m was wagered online and $9.5m at retail sportsbooks. This includes $6.3m at Twin River and $3.2m at Tiverton Casino.

Rhode Island revenue slips year-on-year

Turning to revenue and it was a similar year-on-year story for Rhode Island. The $4.5m posted in October was 8.2% less than $4.9m in the same month last year but 28.6% more than $3.5m in September.

It was also noted that the October figure was the second highest of the calendar year. The $5.2m generated in January is the only higher monthly figure so far in 2023.

Mobile betting accounted for $3..

December 4, 2023

Maine sports wagers surpass $37.0m in opening month

Consumers in Maine spent more than $37.0m (£29.1m/€34.0m) betting on sports during the first month of legal wagering in the Pine Tree State.

Total handle in the month amounted to $37.6m. Maine launched its market on 3 November, with the reporting period covering the 27 days to the end of November.

Players won $32.7m from wagering during the month. After discounting $137,112 in voided bets and $82,342 in federal excise tax, this left adjusted gross receipts of $4.6m.

In addition, the State of Maine Gambling Control Unit says $464,152 was collected in other tax. Operators pay at a rate of 10% of adjusted gross receipts.

DraftKings ahead of Caesars in Maine

Looking at operators active in the opening month, only DraftKings and Caesars were live in November. Both launched in Maine on the market’s opening day on 3 November.

DraftKings performed the better of the two, posting $4.3m in adjusted gross receipts from a $30.5m handle. The operator is working with the Passamaquoddy tribe to o..

December 1, 2023

Connecticut Lottery names Fanatics as sports betting partner

The Connecticut Lottery Corporation has named Fanatics Betting and Gaming (FBG), a subsidiary of Fanatics, as its new sports betting partner in Connecticut.

As part of the deal, the Fanatics Sportsbook will become the Connecticut Lottery’s exclusive sports betting partner, covering both mobile and retail betting. The transition is expected to occur in mid-December.

The Fanatics Sportsbook will be available across ten retail betting locations in Connecticut, as well as on mobile.

Greg Smith, president and CEO of the Connecticut Lottery, said it expects growth in market share as a result of the partnership.

“Fanatics is the only true sports brand in the gaming space and has established itself as an innovator in the industry,” said Smith.

“We have been impressed with the Fanatics team, their aggressive entry into the US sports betting market and we are excited to see how they redefine the sports betting customer experience here in Connecticut.

“CLC anticipates notable market share ..

December 1, 2023

Gambling Commission figures show land-based gambling surge

Great Britain’s land-based gambling sector has grown by more than 20% in the last year with business now returning to pre-pandemic levels.

The Gambling Commission’s Gambling Industry Statistics show total gross gambling yield (GGY) grew 6.8% year-on-year to £15.1bn ($19.0bn/€17.5bn) for the 12 months from April 2022 to March 2023. This figure, accrued from all licensed remote and land-based gambling operators, was also up 6.6% on the last pre-lockdown period to March 2020.

GGY was up slightly more compared to the prior period when removing reported lotteries from the figures. The £10.9bn total was up 9.3% compared to 2021-22 and 7.6% compared to 2019-20.

Remote gambling remained the biggest revenue generator for the sector, with £6.5bn taken by the remote casino, betting and bingo sector. This was up by a moderate 2.8% year-on-year and by 13.3% compared to pre-lockdown figures. The number of new account registrations with RCBB operators was up 10.6% to 36.4 million.

Online casino g..

December 1, 2023

Oddset Sportwetten pledges support to Germany’s DSWV

German sports betting trade body Deutscher Sportwettenverband (DSWV) has welcomed state-owned operator Oddset Sportwetten as its latest member.

Oddset Sportwetten joins DSWV with immediate effect from today (1 December). It means all major private or state-owned operators in Germany are now working with the DSWV.

The operator will join other brands in working with the the DSWV to protect legal sports betting in the country.

“The regulation of sports betting in Germany – in particular important issues of player protection and the fight against the black market – will be the focus of the joint work,” the DSWV said.

Founded in 2014, the DSWV represents the interests of sports betting providers in Germany. The organisation facilitates dialogue between operators, politicians and the media.

Other DSWV members include Admiral Bet, Bet-at-home, Bet365, Betway, Bild Bet, Bwin, Interwetten, Sportwetten.de and Tipico.

DSWV-backed study flags concerns over Germany black market

News of the e..

December 1, 2023

North Carolina approves online sports betting licence applications

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission has approved applications for sports betting licensure, with operators able to begin applying for licences in the state.

Online sports betting operators, as well as associated sports betting suppliers and providers, can now submit applications. The North Carolina State Lottery Commission will review any applications put forward.

The approval takes North Carolina a step closer to launching its legal sports betting market. Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 347 into law in June, officially legalising wagering.

However, a launch date for the market has not yet been confirmed. Commission chair Ripley Rand said this will depend on a number of factors, primarily how long the application process takes.

Rand said the Commission will need to review all applications and supporting information. It will also need to complete background checks and analyse all internal control details before it can set a launch date.

The Commission has 60 days to r..

December 1, 2023

Nevada gambling revenue exceeds $1.3bn in October

Gambling revenue in Nevada increased 3.1% year-on-year to $1.32bn (£1.04bn/€1.21bn) in October, helped by growth across multi-denomination slots, baccarat and sports pool betting.

Revenue was ahead of $1.28bn in October 2022 and also 3.9% more than $1.27bn in Nevada in September this year. It was also the best October revenue total in the history of the state’s market.

Slots drew the lion’s share of revenue, generating $894.9m in revenue in October. This was 2.0% higher than in the same month last year.

Multi-denomination slots were the single highest revenue source with $527.8m for the month, up 16.3%. Incidentally, almost all other slot games reported a decline in revenue, including penny slots, with revenue dropping 11.7% to $271.9m

Baccarat growth continues in Nevada

Figures released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board showed table, counter and card game revenue edged up 4.2% to $420.3m. This was helped by ongoing growth within the baccarat segment, with revenue jumping 35.3% t..

November 29, 2023

Brazil’s Senate plenary to delay final voting on regulation until December

Today's vote in Brazil's Senate plenary has been delayed until December, following more than 100 amendments to the bill.

Originally scheduled to vote for today (29 November), the Senate plenary has agreed to delay the vote until an unconfirmed date in December.

This follows the bill being presented by Senator Angelo Coronel, a key proponent for legalisation in Brazil.

The newly proposed amendments total more than 100, which will now be considered. These include a proposed taxation of fantasy sports on the same level as the 12% for sports betting and online casino, as well as the role of the health sector in the exclusion process.

Due to the requested amends, and there being a lack of of quorum to vote, the vote will now be delayed.

The president of the Brazilian Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco, will now need to decide the next voting date, although this is expected to be in December.

Once the bill is approved, it will need to be returned to the Chamber of Deputies for revie..

November 29, 2023

Penn Entertainment’s ESPN Bet and theScore Bet strike partnerships with NHL

Penn Entertainment has struck a deal for its ESPN Bet and theScore Bet brands to become official sports betting partners of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Under the arrangement, ESPN Bet becomes an NHL partner in the US. Penn also agreed for theScore Bet to partner with the NHL in Ontario, Canada.

Penn said the deal comes into effect immediately. It covers the NHL regular season, Stanley Cup Playoffs, 2024 NHL Winter Classic, 2024 NHL Stadium Series, and 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend.

The agreement will grant ESPN Bet and theScore Bet access to a host of entitlements. These include IP rights and media and marketing integrations across the NHL’s programming and premium NHL experiences. In addition, the partnership includes collaboration for game integrity procedures.

Major partnership for newcomer ESPN Bet

ESPN Bet, a product of Penn’s partnership with Disney-owned ESPN, is among the latest brands to launch in the US. It went live across 17 states on 14 November.

In essence, it ..

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