July 2024 – Page 4

July 16, 2024

Massachusetts reports sports betting growth despite retail loss in June

Massachusetts saw its sports betting handle and taxable gaming revenue both increase year-on-year in June despite reporting a loss within its retail market.

Total player spending on sports betting in Massachusetts during June amounted to $509.4m (£303.1m/€467.8m). This is 57.5% up from $323.5m last year but 13.3% behind $587.3m in May this year. It is also the lowest monthly total since $314.9m was bet in August 2023.

Online betting spending hit $500.7m in June, with retail drawing just $8.6m in comparison.

Revenue-wise, operators across online and retail reported $40.5m. This is up 25.8% from last year’s $32.2m haul but 29.0% short of $57.0m in May and the lowest monthly amount since $22.7m last August.

Online sports betting generated $41.0m in revenue during June. However, a $588,965 loss from the retail sector pushed the overall revenue total down for the month.

As for hold, across the Massachusetts market, this stood at 8.30% in June. Online hold hit 8.44% with retail at 0.01..

July 15, 2024

Weekend Report: DraftKings to divest VSiN, Bermuda’s banks slow casino launch and more

Welcome to the Weekend Report, where iGB covers the news you may have missed over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This week we’ve got news of DraftKings cashing out of its big media bet, Bermuda’s casinos struggling for acceptance in the banking sector and more.

DraftKings turns off VSiN?

DraftKings could be preparing to sell off its sports betting media specialist Vegas Sports Information Network (VSiN), according to Eilers & Krejcik Gaming.

Original owner Brent Musburger is allegedly set to take back control of the TV and radio network, which was acquired by DraftKings for $70m back in 2021. Active since 2017, VSiN broadcasts 18 hours of content a day, across multiple markets and streaming platforms, at one time showing Betting Across America, a BetMGM-backed sports betting programme.

While the sale is not confirmed it would take a significant media asset out of DraftKings’ stable, although it still maintains a distribution deal with Meadowlark Media, as well as its own streaming..

July 15, 2024

US sports betting round-up: FY24 decline for NH, IN enters summer lull

New Hampshire’s sports betting market is in decline, while Indiana handle fell below $300m in June, although the Caitlin Clark effect is having a big impact on basketball betting in the Hoosier State.

New Hampshire sports betting declined during the 12 months to 30 June 2024 as retail betting struggled, while Indiana reported its third straight month of handle decline. However, as with many other states, handle and revenue is tracking above prior year figures.

Retail betting decline hits New Hampshire

Starting in New Hampshire, handle for FY24 hit $753.1m (£580.8m/€691.7m), down 14.8% from $753.1m last year according to NH Lottery figures. Of this, $661.5m was bet online, a drop of 6.8%, while retail betting totalled $91.6m, some 47.3% lower. DraftKings operates sports betting exclusively in the state on behalf of the lottery.

Turning to gross gaming revenue, for FY24, this amounted to $76.8m, a drop of 5.2% from the previous year’s $81.0m haul, suggesting a 10.2% hold. This incl..

July 12, 2024

State of the Union: DC’s new open market, bye-bye SaharaBets, FanDuel fine

Welcome to iGB's State of the Union, a look at the biggest North American sports betting stories we've covered over the week and briefs on others we found interesting.

On Monday in DC, bettors will have more options

After four years of being limited to offering their digital platforms within a two-block radius in Washington DC, on Monday BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook plan to take off the geofence. Last month, the DC Council passed a new budget that allows for a competitive wagering marketplace. Because BetMGM and Caesars have been live with digital platforms with limited reach for several years, they’ll be the first to join lottery partner FanDuel in offering citywide access.

Under the new law, commercial operators can apply to offer their platforms in the District. FanDuel, which took over the lottery’s offering in April, will continue to be available. But the company, which subcontracted with lottery provider Intralot to offer its platform, will shift to being tethered ..

July 12, 2024

Waterhouse VC: Turning back the clock

In his latest column, Tom Waterhouse of Waterhouse VC reviews how the fund has performed over the last year.

We started the fund on 19 August 2019 and I am very pleased that our five-year anniversary is fast approaching, with outstanding results for investors over the past year. The fund returned 53.3% for the 2024 financial year, a result our team is proud of.

While global equities have been favourable over the past 12 months, our performance has not relied on these tailwinds, outperforming the S&P 500 by +31%. Returns have been achieved across each pillar of our strategy (Option Deals, Professional Betting, Global Equities).

We’re pleased with the fund’s performance since launching, particularly given the challenges of finding attractive deals during a period of exuberance for growth assets in 2021. Last year’s results bring the return since inception to 102% per annum before all fees. An investment of $100,000 at inception in August 2019, assuming reinvestment of all distribution..

July 12, 2024

US sports betting round-up: FY growth in Kansas, mixed results for Kentucky

Rounding up some of the latest sports betting results across the US, iGB analyses growth in Kansas during the state’s 2024 financial year and month-on-month declines in handle in Kentucky throughout April and May.

Kansas saw both sports betting revenue and handle increase year-on-year, in 2024, with player spending hitting $2.36bn (£1.83bn/€2.18bn). As for Kentucky, the state reported lower player spending for the second straight month.

Kansas stakes up 41% in full fiscal year of betting

Handle for the 12 months to 30 June was 41% ahead of the previous year according to Kansas Lottery figures. Players wagered $2.26bn online and $102.3m with retail sportsbooks across the state.

Revenue reached $117.2m, a year-on-year rise of 100.2% from last year’s $58.7m, a 5.0% hold, below the national average of 9.1%. Of this, $112.4m came from online betting, while retail contributed $4.8m.

DraftKings leads the way but low hold typifies Kansas sports betting market

Looking at individual operat..

July 11, 2024

Wyoming Gaming Commission: Harassment “is bad” but college-player prop ban may not be answer

As jurisdictions around the US wrestle with athlete harassment and how to handle the college-player prop bet ban the NCAA is pushing, on Thursday (11 July) the Wyoming Gaming Commission (WGC) decided to table the issue.

Under the leadership of the former Massachusetts governor, Charlie Baker, in March the NCAA began a campaign to ban prop bets involving college athletes nationwide.

As of now, 13 US states explicitly ban prop bets on college players. Lawmakers or regulators in Maryland, Ohio and Vermont banned them after the campaign began.

Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Oregon, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia already had bans of some sort before the NCAA request.

In Illinois, Iowa, and Rhode Island, government officials chose to prohibit college-player props on in-state schools only. Indiana does not allow player props of any kind. So far, only Montana has said no to the NCAA, although other states besides Wyoming continue to mull the ..

July 11, 2024

US round-up: Maryland betting grows in first fiscal year of mobile, Tennessee handle jumps 49% in June

Players wagered $5.37bn in Maryland’s first full fiscal year of mobile sports betting, while Tennessee handle jumped 49.7% in June and Detroit’s casinos posted a modest increase in revenue for the month.

Maryland saw both revenue and handle increase year-on-year during the 12 months to 30 June, while Tennessee stakes climbed significantly during the month.

Full-year handle hits $5.37bn in Maryland

Maryland Lottery and Gaming figures show handle for the state’s 2024 fiscal year rise $85.9% to $5.37bn (£4.18bn/€4.96bn). The 12 months which ended on 30 June mark Maryland’s first full fiscal year of mobile betting, after it launched in November 2022.

Of this total, $5.19bn was wagered online, while $180.6m was staked with retail sports books.

Parlay popularity

In terms of handle by sport, pro basketball took top spot with $873.6m in bets, or 16.3% of all wagers placed in FY24. Players spent the most on parlay bets, with these wagers hitting $2.03bn, or 38.2% of handle.

Players won..

July 10, 2024

Ex-NBA player Jontay Porter pleads guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud

On Wednesday (10 July) former Toronto Raptor Jontay Porter turned himself in to federal authorities and pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a sports betting scandal that involves four others. Porter entered his plea at the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Federal prosecutors recommended 41-51 months in prison and Porter will have to pay more than $450,000 in fines and fees. According to the New York Post, Porter was released on $250,000 bond put up by his wife and mother.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver banned Porter from the league for life in April, several weeks after news broke that he may have violated league wagering rules. Porter tampered with two games so that his co-conspirators could win “under” prop bets. NBA players are allowed to gamble, but are forbidden from betting on basketball and from fixing games. Porter is the only NBA player to be banned or suspended for betting since PASPA was overturned in 2018.

According to a federal ..

July 10, 2024

Colorado tribe invokes federal Florida decision in suing state for right to offer statewide digital sports betting

On Monday (8 July) Colorado's Southern Ute tribe revealed during an American Indian Affairs interim study committee meeting that it has sued Colorado's governor, Jared Polis, and the state of Colorado. The tribe claims that the state has blocked its ability to offer digital sports betting.

Tribal chairman Melvin J Baker invoked the recent decision by the US Supreme Court not to hear the West Flagler vs the US Deptartment of the Interior case as clearing the way for the lawsuit. Baker said that because that case “held that the Seminole tribe was entitled to engage in statewide sports betting in Florida any legal objection to the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain from engaging in statewide sports betting is gone.”

The tribe filed suit in the US District Court for the District of Colorado on Monday. The court set a 10 October date for a scheduling and planning conference. From there, if the parties have not reached an agreement, the case would move forward in court.

Statewide d..

July 10, 2024

US round-up: Iowa FY24 handle tops $2.6bn, mixed June for Maine

Rounding up the latest US state reports, iGB analyses growth in Iowa sports betting during the state’s 2024 financial year and a mixed June for Maine.

Iowa’s sports betting market closed out its 2024 fiscal year with growth in June, while Maine sports betting operators DraftKings and Caesars reported a decline in handle for the month.

Iowa market up 14% in 2024 fiscal year

Iowa reported year-on-year growth across revenue and handle for the full year to 30 June. Maine, meanwhile, saw sports betting revenue rise month-on-month despite lower spending among consumers.

Starting in Iowa, betting handle for the year hit $2.62bn (£2.05bn/€2.43bn). This is 16.4% higher than the $2.25bn spent in the previous year. Online wagers amounted to $2.41bn while retail spend totalled $207.1m.

In revenue terms, this amounted to $212.3m, an increase of 14.0% from 2023. Of this, $193.5m came from betting over the internet and $18.7m retail sportsbooks.

Looking at individual operators’ performance for..

July 10, 2024

Super Group to withdraw US betting product

Betway parent Super Group has decided to withdraw its US sports betting following an extensive internal review.

The firm said in a statement today (10 July) it would close its sportsbook operations in the nine states where it is currently live, as CEO Neal Menashe said it did not see a long-term path to profitability.

The Betway brand is currently live in Pennsylvania, Iowa, New Jersey, Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Virginia, Ohio and Louisiana.

The group’s online gambling offering in New Jersey and Pennsylvania will remain, with a focus on two brands from its Spin portfolio, including its Jackpot City brand.

“The vast majority of Super Group’s revenue is generated in igaming and, in line with that strategy, we will continue to offer our leading casino product in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. We are open to expanding our US footprint if the right investment or strategic opportunities arise,” Menashe said.

The firm expects to incur the costs from shuttering these operations in its Q2 ..

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