Williams and Masvidal attended UFC 241: CORMIER vs. MIOCIC 2
PokerStars last week announced that UFC stars Jorge Masvidal, Tatiana Suarez and Amanda Nunes are all-in for a brand new challenge as ambassadors for the world’s largest online poker site.
The three stars of the UFC will join previously signed PokerStars ambassadors Daniel Cormier, Johnny Walker and Bruce Buffer just in time for PokerStars’ and UFC’s latest Octagon Chip campaign.
The latest Octagon Chip campaign will run until January 31, 2020 and see players of UFC-themed games on PokerStars battle it out to win special Gold, Silver and Green Octagon Chips. These unlock a range of UFC prizes and thrilling experiences, with just one Gold Chip up for grabs. The lucky winner of the top prize will travel VIP-style to Vegas, meet a UFC athlete and receive a personal training session, with lots of surprises along the way.
Derrick Williams from Sacramento, California won this summer’s inaugural competition and currently stars alongside UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal in PokerStars’ new advertising campaign, which recently hit TV screens across the UK and Canada*, and social and digital channels globally. The advertisement showcases Derrick’s journey after being awarded a limited edition Gold Octagon Chip by PokerStars and receiving a once-in-a-lifetime VIP experience at UFC 241: CORMIER vs. MIOCIC 2, where he was made interim UFC President for the match.
The new advertising campaign will also be showcased live to thousands of fans at New York’s Madison Square Garden this weekend where Masvidal will headline UFC 244: MASVIDAL vs DIAZ. PokerStars Ambassador Johnny Walker will also be going for glory when he takes on Corey Anderson in the prelims.
Philadelphia ushers in a new gaming and entertainment era on Delaware Avenue. Opening today, SugarHouse Casino is celebrating its transition to the new Rivers Casino Philadelphia, as previously announced. There’s no change in ownership of the property, which opened in 2010.
The rebranding represents a $15 million investment in the property, which includes the all-new $5 million state-of-the-art BetRivers Sportsbook; a redesigned gaming floor; and new amenities, such as Jack’s Bar + Grill, a new restaurant opening soon – all under the Rivers Casino brand. Announced with these changes is Rush Street Gaming’s continued commitment to be a proud community partner to the city as Rivers Casino Philadelphia.
Rush Street Gaming and its affiliates, which own and operate Rivers Casino Philadelphia, currently have three other casinos in the U.S. operating under the Rivers Casino brand—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Des Plaines, Illinois (Chicago area); and Schenectady, New York. All Rivers Casinos lead their markets.
“Having a unified brand will provide a seamless customer experience across the Commonwealth with our bricks-and-mortar casinos, mobile and online, and even our sportsbooks, all part of the Rivers Casino family,” said Greg Carlin, CEO of Rivers Casino Philadelphia and Rush Street Gaming.
BetRivers Sportsbook
The transition to Rivers Casino Philadelphia began earlier this month with the unveiling of the brand new BetRivers Sportsbook. The $5 million state-of-the-art BetRivers Sportsbook is three times the size of its previous, temporary location and is located in the space formerly occupied by the Lucky Red bar.
The ultra-luxurious sports lounge includes club chairs and table seating for approximately 115 guests and a massive 56.5-foot by 10.5-foot LED central monitor. The video wall is accompanied by eight additional 80-inch flat-screen, high-definition monitors that enhance the overall viewing area. The sportsbook also includes 22 self-service betting kiosks and six betting windows. Food and beverage service, including text-to-order menus, is available.
Recently, Wells Fargo Center unveiled the BetRivers.com Sports Lounge and the Rivers Casino Philadelphia Sports Lounge as complements to the new BetRivers Sportsbook. Fans in-arena can watch an array of sporting events on nearly 100 screens while attending Flyers games and other live events. The new high-tech lounges are part of a multiyear partnership between the casino, BetRivers.com, the Wells Fargo Center and the Philadelphia Flyers.
Rivers Casino’s digital and in-casino sports wagering operator is Rush Street Interactive PA, LLC, and its affiliates. Rush Street Interactive owns and operates BetRivers.com and was the first U.S. gaming operator to launch sports betting in South America.
Rivers Gives
As part of the transition to Rivers, Philadelphia will benefit from “Rivers Gives,” a unique community relations program and steadfast commitment by the casino that includes Team Members volunteering 2,000 services hours annually to the Fishtown neighborhood and surrounding areas. Rivers Gives is also establishing donation locations adjacent to the gaming floor, where guests can join Rivers in supporting monthly initiatives that will benefit local nonprofits.
Under the Rivers Gives umbrella, the Penn Treaty Special Services District will continue to receive a $1 million contribution annually from Rivers Casino Philadelphia. Also, the casino’s annual Thanksgiving turkey donations will have Team Members donating more than 600 turkeys to various local organizations throughout the city next month.
Rivers Casino New Year’s Eve on the Waterfront
Rivers is also proud to continue its commitment to the city and to the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation by serving as the presenting sponsor of the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks on the waterfront. Rivers Casino Philadelphia will present two year-end firework displays, which can be viewed along the Delaware River with outstanding views from the casino, to ring in 2020.
“We’re excited for our guests to experience all the incredible new features Rivers Casino Philadelphia has to offer,” said Rob Long, general manager of Rivers Casino Philadelphia. “We’re supremely devoted to our terrific Team Members and our loyal guests. It’s a privilege for Rivers to be a longstanding partner to the Fishtown community and to Philly.”
Guru Gowrappan, CEO of Verizon Media and Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International announced today that Yahoo Sports has entered into a historic partnership with MGM Resorts and Roar Digital, a joint venture between global gaming industry leaders MGM Resorts and GVC Holdings, to power sports betting for Yahoo Sports and create collaborative content experiences and live events. The announcement builds upon Verizon Media’s core strategy to connect content and discovery to transactions and is a natural extension of Yahoo Sports’ mission to reimagine sports for fans with unprecedented experiences.
As part of the multi-year partnership, the integration will launch in the Yahoo Sports app in November in the U.S., with transactions to take place on the BetMGM platform. Yahoo Sports will be an official Digital Media Sports Partner of MGM Resorts.
“The historic partnership with Yahoo Sports and BetMGM will change the future of fandom, providing new ways for sports fans to go beyond engaging with content and interact through commerce,” said Gowrappan. “At Verizon Media we believe in building products that connect consumers to their passions and drive the deepest end-to-end value possible.”
“This partnership marks an important moment for BetMGM in the growing U.S. sports betting sector,” said Murren. “Integrating Yahoo’s leading fantasy sports operations and content with BetMGM’s world-class sports betting and interactive platform uniquely positions us to drive market share and large-scale adoption among sports fans.”
The experience will feature a wide variety of global sports, including the NBA, NHL, football, college sports, baseball, soccer, golf and tennis.
“As sports betting continues to transform the industry, this partnership brings together the power of two trusted partners of the NBA,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “By working together, MGM Resorts and Yahoo Sports will offer fans unprecedented ways to engage with our games.”
“The expanding sports betting landscape presents exciting opportunities to increase fan engagement and leverage emerging technologies,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “MGM Resorts, a valued partner of the NHL, along with Yahoo, a leading media brand, will connect fans to the action on the ice in new and innovative ways.”
As part of this partnership, MGM Resorts and Yahoo Sports will collaborate on an array of content experiences, exclusive live events, and more than 20 high profile major sporting and promotional marketing efforts. MGM Resorts will also distribute Yahoo Sports content across its properties and platforms. Yahoo Sports will also be hosting multiple player events at MGM Resorts properties.
“This is an exciting partnership for the BetMGM brand and Roar Digital, helping us reach the widest possible audience of engaged sports fans in the U.S.,” added Roar Digital CEO, Adam Greenblatt. “The Yahoo Sports app and digital sports content is enjoyed by 60 million U.S. users every month, while Yahoo Fantasy Football clocks 9 billion minutes of user time every year. Together we offer fans a winning combination.”
With more than 68 percent growth in U.S. Mobile App visitors year-over-year, Yahoo Sports is shaping the future of sports for fans. To learn more, download the Yahoo Sports app on iOS or Google Play.
On Veterans Day, November 11th, 2019, Viejas Casino & Resort will launch the Heroes Club, a one-of-a-kind benefits program designed to give back to those who serve as well as their dependents.
More military personnel reside in California than in any other state, and San Diego County contains the greatest concentration of military personnel inside California. In addition, with the county’s shared border with Mexico and the whole of California’s increasing threat of seasonal wildfires, San Diego County is home to a prevalence of border patrol agents, law enforcement, and first responders.
”All of us here at Viejas are honored to launch the Viejas Heroes Club appreciation program this upcoming Veterans Day,” said Jim Wild, General Manager of Viejas Casino & Resort. “Because we feel an enormous amount of respect and appreciation for the brave men and women who serve our country and communities—not only because San Diego is full of service members, but also because of the significant number of Native Americans who have served.”
“A call to service is a Native American tradition,” said John Christman, Chairman of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians. “And one example of this dedication to the community is our reservation’s first-class fire department, which has a shared service agreement with San Diego County.” In fact, over half of the medical and fire emergency calls into the Viejas Fire Department are for incidents outside of the reservation. “And when it comes to military service, members of our tribe have served in all branches of America’s armed forces, and many of our tribal members are decorated, military veterans.” Viejas also holds a special place in America’s military history as California’s very first all Indian VFW Post is located on the reservation. At the time of its founding, VFW Post #7637 was the second all Indian VFW Post in the entire United States.
Today, the Heroes Club appreciation program at Viejas Casino & Resort continues the long-standing Viejas tradition of honoring service members and their dependents. The Heroes Club enrollment is available to veterans, active and retired military, law enforcement, first responders, and border patrol. Eligible Viejas Guests may sign up for the Heroes Club at any myViejas desk inside the casino.
Members of the Heroes Club will receive a BOGO buffet on Wednesdays and an automatic myViejas Players Club silver card upgrade, which includes great discounts on dining, shopping, and the spa. In addition, Heroes Club members and their dependents are eligible for $5 Free Play Cash from Sunday–Friday, a Sunday bingo package, and a bowling discount.
The Venetian® Macao has won ‘Property of the Year’ at the Global Gaming Awards held on Oct. 14, 2019 in Las Vegas. The integrated resort took the title after beating nine other competitors also nominated in the category.
Dr. Wilfred Wong, President, Sands China Ltd., said: “Winning this prestigious accolade, in an industry which boasts so many exceptional properties, is extremely gratifying for each and every one of our team members who work hard to offer guests unparalleled experiences. We are grateful to Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas for this recognition and intend to continue striving for excellence.”
One of the world’s most iconic properties, and named as one of ‘One of the Most Instagrammed Luxury Hotels of 2016’ by Bloomberg News, The Venetian Macao was inspired by the beauty and charm of renaissance Venice. Transporting guests to an enchanting world of towers, canals and piazzas, the integrated resort offers a wide range of international restaurants, superb entertainment, peerless retail and the largest casino in Asia, all under one roof.
Now in their sixth year, the Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas are the most prestigious awards within the gaming industry. Produced by Gambling Insider in association with G2E, there are a total of 12 categories spanning the land-based and digital industries, with 10 companies shortlisted in each. Winners are decided by a panel of 100 judges, comprising senior executives from the biggest companies in the industry. The voting process is independently adjudicated by KPMG.
As the global online gambling market looks set to generate USD 94.4 Billion by 2024, one company is proposing how a portion of those dollars could be used to create a positive impact on the environment.
Gambla is a trailblazing new online casino guide that could well become the origin of a new gambling trend – gambling for good. The website is the first of its kind to give users the incentive to plant trees in the Amazon in return for their patronage.
Right now, for every new depositing customer that Gambla generates through its gambling guide, they will donate one planted tree in the Amazon through OneTreePlanted.org. As of 6 October, Gambla’s Green Gambling Charity Official Count was sitting at a total of 1000 USD, which equates to 1000 trees planted in the Amazon.
“Gambla is a great, new gambling guide where you can find information about gambling sites, compare sites and their offers and view site rankings directly from users,” explains Gambla founder, Erik King, “We consider ourselves industry innovators and as such, we liked the idea of doing good for the world at the same time as giving our users a world-class service and supporting a profitable business model. This initiative means our users can use our guide to find the best casinos and make the world greener while doing so.”
Gambla chose OneTreePlanted.org as its charity partner because of its trustworthy reputation.
The organization started in 2014 and is dedicated to making it easier for individuals and businesses to give back to the environment by planting trees, one at a time.
Gambla founder Erik King has been in the online gambling industry since 2011, working on the industry, operator and affiliate sides and was the ideal person to bring an innovative platform like Gambla to life.
“After a successful casino launch in the UK and many very positive reviews from our users, I am excited for the future of Gambla. We will now be expanding to further markets in Europe, where we hope we can be of service to casino players in those areas and continue to grow with an innovative and socially conscious mindset, as we have started.”
FantasyEsports.gg, a global esports technology company, and Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, have announced a new partnership to deliver one of the most innovative and rewarding fantasy esports platforms to gamers around the globe.
The partnership kicked off last week with the start of the 2019 League of Legends World Championship and will provide gamers the opportunity to enter free-to-play fantasy esports contests on the FantasyEsports.gg platform using their Razer ID and win great prizes including Razer products and Razer Silver.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Razer for the League of Legends World Championships,” says Rossi Biddle, FantasyEsports.gg co-founder and CEO. “This collaboration will allow us to share our free-to-play fantasy contests with a broader audience around the globe and celebrate our shared commitment to the gaming community.”
“FantasyEsports.gg is a unique opportunity to bring esports to a larger audience and we’re very happy to extend this experience to our gamers,” says David Tse, Global Esports Director for Razer. “We hope that Razer’s partnership with FantasyEsports.gg will encourage participation by enhancing the gamer’s experience.”
Launched in 2018, FantasyEsports.gg features sophisticated performance-based scoring systems, unique contest formats, a detailed research center, interactive live experiences, and prizes from the world’s biggest gaming brands. The platform currently supports League of Legends, with Dota 2, Overwatch, and CS:GO scheduled to launch in late 2019.
Razer Silver is the only loyalty rewards program for gamers, backed by Razer. Earn Razer Silver simply by using Razer Gold to make your game purchases or participating in Razer software and services. When you rack up enough Razer Silver, you get to redeem a suite of great rewards – from Razer hardware to digital rewards such as Steam games and exclusive discount vouchers on various lifestyle brands.
The first month of the NFL season propelled New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks to a record handle and past $4 billion in bets since the industry launched in June 2018, according to PlayNJ.com analysts.
“New Jersey more than doubled its handle from September 2018, which is staggering growth,” said Dusin Gouker, lead analyst at PlayNJ.com. “After such an impressive debut, the question now becomes how much room is there to grow? The upward trajectory will continue, it is just a matter of how steep the growth.”
In September, bettors made $445.6 million in wagers through New Jersey sportsbooks, a 142% jump from $183.9 million in September 2018, according to official reporting. Those bets yielded a record $37.9 million in revenue, up 59% from $23.9 million in September 2018 and breaking the record $31.7 million set in March. September’s revenue injected $4.5 million into state coffers.
New Jersey reached a number of milestones in September, including:
$4.2 billion in lifetime handle
$284.8 million in lifetime sports betting revenue
$33.5 million in tax revenue collected
But New Jersey’s September handle will still likely fall short of Nevada’s, which generated $571 million in September 2018.
“Football betting is massive in Nevada, so it won’t be shocking if New Jersey doesn’t overtake the Silver State in September,” Gouker said. “But what September did show us it that football betting is still an overwhelmingly powerful force in New Jersey, and that will help it keep pace.”
$374.3 million in bets were made online in September, accounting for 84% of New Jersey’s handle. That is down from 85% in August.
FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet led the online market, gaining $13.3 million in gross revenue. Still driven primarily by DraftKings in September, Resorts license generated $10.7 million, up from $6.7 million in August. But after the Sept. 13 launch of Fox Bet, Resorts is now anchored by two of the most recognizable brands.
Earlier this month, the parent company of FanDuel agreed to buy Fox Bet’s parent. Though the brands will likely remain separate, the merger will create an online sports betting behemoth.
“The launch of Fox Bet adds another instantly recognizable brand name to New Jersey, and it could eventually challenge the DraftKings and FanDuel brands,” Gouker said. “In the end, though, the merger puts the company that owns both FanDuel and Fox Bet in position to be the big winner.”
FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands led retail sportsbooks with $3.6 million in September gross revenue, up from $2.6 million in August.
Online casinos Another record month pushed New Jersey’s online casino and poker industry past the $300 million annual revenue mark for the first time. In September, online casino games and poker generated $41.14 million, up 59% from $25.8 million in September 2018, and edging the $41.1 million gained in August.
The industry has now generated $339 million through the first nine months of the year, easily outpacing the $298.7 million full-year record set in 2018.
“The emergence of sports betting over the last year has lifted online casinos more than most would have guessed,” said Eric Ramsey, online gambling analyst for PlayNJ.com. “New Jersey online sportsbooks and online casinos have been aggressive in cross-marketing to sports bettors and casino gamblers, which has benefited the bottom line of both.”
IGT and Pearl River Resort Introduce VIP Sports Betting with Launch of CrystalBetting Terminal
International Game Technology PLC and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Pearl River Resort announce the launch of IGT’s CrystalBetting™ Terminal. Patrons of Pearl River Resort’s Golden Moon Casino and Silver Star Casino in Philadelphia, Miss. can be among the first sports fans in the world to place pre-match and in-game sports wagers at a private, luxury carrel via the CrystalBetting Terminal.
IGT’s CrystalBetting Terminals give players a comfortable, VIP sports betting experience unlike anything currently offered in the U.S. sports betting market. Each terminal includes a 27-inch monitor where sports enthusiasts can watch live sporting events and place a range of sports wagers. The innovative hardware features privacy wings, a personal listening audio jack, USB charging port, convenient workstation, and was recently named one of the “Top 20 Most Innovative Gaming Technologies” by Casino Journal.
“Pearl River Resort is proud to partner with IGT on the global launch of the CrystalBetting Terminal,” said Neal Atkinson, Pearl River Resort Director of Table Games. “We prioritize being on the forefront of sports betting innovation and providing our players choice and convenience for placing sports bets at our properties. Extending our sports betting offering to include IGT’s CrystalBetting Terminals elevates the player experience and gives our patrons yet another reason to choose Pearl River Resort for gaming entertainment.”
“By adding the CrystalBetting Terminal to its already impressive sports betting offering, Pearl River Resort is positioned to engage sports fans in new ways and to differentiate its offering,” said Nick Khin, IGT Chief Commercial Officer, Gaming. “IGT’s sports betting momentum in the U.S. market, paired with the player insights that we gained while testing the CrystalBetting Terminal, reinforce our confidence in the product’s capacity to deliver a compelling player experience that complements the entire IGT sports betting technology ecosystem.”
By leveraging IGT PlaySports platform, Pearl River Resort made gaming history in 2018 when it became the first non-Nevada tribal casino to open a sportsbook post-PASPA repeal. The pioneering operator opened its three sportsbooks with over-the-counter retail sports betting and quickly expanded its offerings to include self-service PlaySports Kiosks and mobile on-premise wagering.
The CrystalBetting Terminal is currently undergoing a 90-day field trial and has already secured GLI Certification and Mississippi Choctaw Gaming Commission approval.
ReportsnReports added a latest market research report on “Global Fantasy Games Market Professional Survey 2019 by Manufacturers, Regions, Countries, SWOT Analysis, Business Intelligence, Revenue Module, Industry Growth, Research Methodology, Types and Applications, Forecast to 2024”.
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Top Manufacturer of Fantasy Games Market Include: FanDuel, DraftKings, Yahoo, ESPN, CBS, NFL Fantasy, Fox Sports Fantasy Football, and MyFantasyLeague
According to the ReportsnReports market research, the Global Fantasy Games Market Report is a full-scale exploration that assesses the world’s present rise in market structure. The Fantasy Games Market Report, which consists of a satisfying and precise framework, such as SWOT inspections, reflects a complete evaluation of the remarkable specialists on the market for Fantasy Games. Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) feelings are determined for particular time periods by market reports. This will assist you to comprehend and fix the correct choices for you. The study provides a market summary that discusses briefly the market situation and the major sectors. It also cites the top players on the worldwide market for Fantasy Games. This Research Report also offers granular market share analysis, segmentation, income forecasts and market geographic areas.
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Market segmentation, by product types:
Fantasy Football Fantasy Hockey Fantasy Baseball Fantasy Soccer Fantasy Basketball Fantasy Car Racing Others Market segmentation, by applications:
Private
Commercial
Market Segmentation, By Regions:
North America (United States, Canada), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain), Asia Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand), Middle East & Africa (Middle East, Africa), Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, C. America, Chile, Peru, and Colombia)
The Report Can Answer the Following Questions:
North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Latin America market size (sales, revenue and growth rate) of Fantasy Games industry.
Global major manufacturers operating situation (sales, revenue, growth rate and gross margin) of Fantasy Games industry.
Global major countries (United States, Canada, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain, China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Africa, Mexico, Brazil, C. America, Chile, Peru, Colombia) market size (sales, revenue and growth rate) of Fantasy Games industry.
Different types and applications of Fantasy Games industry, market share of each type and application by revenue.
Global market size (sales, revenue) forecast by regions and countries from 2019 to 2024 of Fantasy Games industry.
Upstream raw materials and manufacturing equipment, industry chain analysis of Fantasy Games industry.
SWOT analysis of Fantasy Games industry.
New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Fantasy Games industry.
Pending IGC approval, USA Sports Gaming LLC will launch its BetIndiana mobile sportsbook in partnership with Indianapolis-based Spectacle Entertainment, which owns and operates Majestic Star Casino in Gary, Indiana.
The announcement follows the debut of mobile, online sports wagering in the state earlier this month.
“This is the perfect partnership for us,” said Frank Ignatius, President & Founder of USA Sports Gaming. “Like BetIndiana, Spectacle Entertainment is an independent operator in the gaming industry, born in the Midwest and connected to our local markets. We see great synergy here and we’re confident we will provide bettors in Indiana with a book unlike any other in the state.”
Billed as “Your Hometown Sportsbook,” BetIndiana will offer action on events from around the world with the convenience of wagering from anywhere in the state via a mobile device.
Majestic Star Casino will debut a BetIndiana sports lounge where fans can watch marquee games and wager from their personal mobile devices throughout the year. The partnership is a long-term deal and BetIndiana will continue to be a mobile sportsbook for Spectacle Entertainment’s planned future land-based casino adjacent to the Borman Expressway in Gary, Indiana.
Additionally, fans and bettors alike can get news and information on sports and sports wagering at BetIndianaNews.com, the companion content site of the mobile sportsbook.
“We are extremely pleased to sign this agreement with Majestic Star to launch our BetIndiana mobile product,” Ignatius said. In addition to Indiana, we are making plans to operate in several other markets around the country, as more and more states legalize sports betting.
In May 2018, the Supreme Court repealed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), paving the way for states outside of Nevada to offer legal sports wagering.
Sportradar, the world’s leading provider of sports data and content, today announced that it has acquired the award-winning sports betting and gaming omnichannel platform business Optima, effective immediately.
Optima will extend Sportradar’s current betting services portfolio to become a full service B2B data, betting, trading and player management platform business. This will create a global ‘one-stop-shop’ technology and services business capable of offering a complete turnkey solution including a dedicated sports betting and iGaming platform supported by existing leading sports data, risk management and marketing services.
As a key part of Sportradar’s future growth strategy, the company will now offer the entire betting and gaming value chain in both established and emerging markets as they regulate.
Sportradar’s sports data and risk management services will continue to be platform-agnostic, expanding the current catalog of services to operators, with the excellent level of flexibility, support and product quality that currently is available to existing partners and customers. Existing and future sportsbook platform provider partnerships will remain unaffected and enabling bookmakers to integrate Sportradar’s services to their own in-house or third-party platform.
“This acquisition puts us in prime position to achieve our aim of becoming the world’s leading supplier of modular turnkey betting services and solutions,” said Carsten Koerl, Chief Executive Officer of Sportradar. “Optima utilizes the very best-in-breed technology to provide their clients with the most advanced and flexible platforms and having a 360-degree product portfolio is a key part of our future growth strategy. We are delighted to welcome them to the Sportradar family.”
“Optima joining Sportradar is the next natural step in the achievement of our company vision. Sportradar is an organization that I have admired for a very long time, and we couldn’t be happier to be joining forces with them,” said Jacob Lopez, Chief Executive Officer of Optima. “There are numerous and evident product synergies between the two companies and it really is the perfect fit in terms of a fully integrated one-stop shop solution for sports betting and e-gaming operators around the world. We are excited about the potential of the combination of the leading trading, risk management and betting entertainment services with the leading integral omnichannel sports betting and gaming platform. We are fully committed to a common vision and will work hard to continue ensuring Sportradar also offers the leading platform services for the group.”
Indiana’s retail sportsbooks enjoyed an impressive first month that has the state competitive with more established legal sports betting markets, according to PlayIndiana.com analysts.
Fueled by retail sportsbooks most closely to the situated Chicago market, Indiana retail sportsbooks accepted $35.2 million in bets in September, producing $8.6 million in adjusted gross revenue for the sportsbooks, according to official reporting released Wednesday. With Indiana’s 9.5% tax, the state’s win (which does not include bets yet to be paid, such as a wager on the Colts to win the Super Bowl), injected $813,103 in tax revenue.
“Indiana’s sportsbooks are in their infancy, but their ability to capitalize on the Chicago market did not take long to produce dividends,” Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “This is the largest handle we’ve seen in a state’s first month of legal sports betting, and it happened without the benefit of online sports betting, which didn’t launch until October. That is a testament to Indiana’s existing infrastructure.”
Indiana’s $35.2 million handle was more than the $25.8 million Pennsylvania’s retail sportsbooks generated in August, but less than the $44.4 million bet in-person in New Jersey. Of course, more than half of all September bets in Indiana were on football, and neither Pennsylvania nor New Jersey had the benefit of the NFL in August. Both will likely significantly outpace Indiana in September.
Still, Indiana’s launch of online betting in October signals rapid growth in the coming months. Nearly 80% of all bets in New Jersey are made online, and Indiana will eventually take the majority of its bets online, too.
“Indiana showed in its first month a familiar pattern where football betting is far and away the main driver in the industry,” said Kim Yuhl, analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “The ability to make online and mobile bets, though, should send the state’s handle into a new stratosphere. Indiana is clearly on a trajectory to become one of the country’s largest legal sports betting markets.”
One of the chief reasons Indiana has so much potential is its proximity to Chicago, in addition to large markets in Ohio and Kentucky. The first full month of betting provided plenty of evidence.
Horseshoe Hammond, near Chicago, generated an Indiana-best handle of $8.98 million, yielding $2.1 million in revenue. Ameristar Casino in East Chicago was second with a $5.4 million handle, producing a $1.3 million win. Ameristar edged Hollywood Lawrenceburg, near Cincinnati, which accepted $5.2 million in bets and won $1.2 million. They were followed by:
Harrah’s Hoosier Park ($4.3 million handle, $1.31 win)
Blue Chip Casino ($3.8 million handle, $957,470 win)
Indiana Grand ($3.6 million handle, $764,908 win)
Tropicana Evansville ($1.1 million handle, $301,231 win)
Caesars Southern Indiana ($1.1 million handle, $293,348 win)
Belterra Casino ($709,219 handle, $133,352 win)
French Lick Resort ($939,222 handle, $217,523 win)
“The sportsbooks closest to the Chicago market have an obvious advantage in the retail sports betting market,” Yuhl said. “Even as online sports betting evens the landscape a bit, we expect that the Chicago-area sportsbooks will continue to receive the largest share of in-person bettors.”
Winning Streak Sports, the industry leader in the sales and marketing of the vintage, retro-trend, dynasty style banners, pennants and related fandom, today announced a first-ever partnership with Texas A&M University to create, sell and distribute the 125th anniversary Texas A&M heritage banner exclusively on the Aggies platform.
“We are always seeking ways to enhance fan experiences and generate incremental revenue for athletics. This program accomplishes both objectives” said Mike Wright, Texas A&M Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications. “The value of our 125th anniversary of Aggies football provided the perfect launching point, and we are looking forward to expanding the offering to our fans as the year progresses.”
“We could not be happier to bring forward this new business model with Texas A&M and their legions of fans,” said Eric Bartley, Director of Sales and Retail Analytics at Winning Streak Sports. “Our award-winning heritage banner and the exclusive opening of the Texas A&M intellectual property vault will create a new revenue stream for a premium line, all of which benefits the Aggies directly, which is rare in the licensed property world. This new incremental revenue opportunity for the school athletic programs in conjunction with our existing licensing relationship will be a growing model, and there is no better way to start than with the 125th Anniversary of Texas A&M football and the legacy of the 12th Man.”
Fans can see this first part of a Texas A&M collection exclusively through the site 12thmanbanners.com. New pieces will be added throughout the year including customizable “Class Of” banners allowing Texas A&M Former Students to commemorate their graduation year making all products truly collectible and personal at the same time. The program will celebrate 125 Years of Fightin’ Texas Aggie Football, the spirit and tradition of Aggieland and further build pride in the school’s legendary 12th Man. All proceeds go directly to Texas A&M.
Millennial Esports will expand its global esports and motorsport content creation and distribution platform by taking a controlling stake in leading automotive YouTube channel, LetsGoRacing.
LetsGoRacing is a YouTube channel that focuses on motorsport and esports racing content, from the creators of The Apprentice. The channel has achieved more than 40 million views from fans across the globe who have watched an incredible 270 million minutes of content since 2013. That equates to 513 years of viewing of Racing, motorsport, gaming, features and esports competitions.
Millennial Esports has entered into a binding letter of intent (“LOI”) to acquire a 51 percent stake in the London-based channel. The purchase is the latest in a number of moves by Millennial Esports to diversify its business and build an audience base for its growing content output.
LetsGoRacing is famous for its live streaming of motorsport events and coverage of the exploding category of esports racing. With industry-leading engagement and fan interaction, LetsGoRacing was an obvious choice for Millennial Esports. The two partners recently attracted more than 1.6 million views for a single highlights film from the World’s Fastest Gamer esports competition.
“Adding LetsGoRacing to our pending purchase of DriverDatabase.com has the same intention – expand an engaged and passionate fan base by providing new products and content that blur the lines between esports and motorsports,” Millennial Esports President and CEO, Darren Cox said.
“The YouTube channel provides brands with a platform to engage with a key demographic. LetsGoRacing already has a passionate and engaged follower base, and we’ll be looking to expand that.
“It also provides us with a great storytelling platform for other exciting programs we have commenced including Worlds’ Fastest Gamer and our recently-announced Miami esports racing arena.”
LetsGoRacing co-founder Andrew Hill is eagerly awaiting the opportunity to work with Millennial Esports on exciting new content opportunities. “We’ve seen a massive amount of interest from our subscriber base in esports content – particularly from the motorsports genre,” Hill said. “By joining forces with Millennial Esports, we’ll be able to take that to a new level with more content, more live streams, and more great storytelling. We’ll continue to show great live motorsport like the Japanese Super Formula championship and the Nurburgring VLN series, but we’re very excited about the opportunities to do the same for esports racing as well.”
LetsGoRacing will be the YouTube home for content from the World’s Fastest Gamer Finals, which commences next week in the USA. Ten racers from different gaming platforms will compete over a 12-day intense #CaliforniaDreamin tour for the chance to earn a real-world race drive valued at more than US$1 million.
GAN plc, an award-winning developer and supplier of enterprise-level B2B Internet gaming software, services and online gaming content in the United States, today announces that GAN and Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. trading as ‘Parx Casino’ (“Parx Casino”) have launched Internet gaming in the State of New Jersey now available online 24/7 since Friday October 4, following a three-day soft launch period.
Parx Casino patrons can also link their Reward Card online to their counterpart Internet gambling account, enabled by GAN’s U.S. patented integration framework. This represents the second U.S. State that GAN has launched Parx Casino in, following the launch of Internet sports betting and Internet casino gaming in Pennsylvania on June 24 and July 15, respectively.
Highlights
Parx owns and operates the #1 land-based casino property in Pennsylvania located a short distance from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s largest City. In the most recent fiscal year ended June 30, 2018 Parx Casino generated $570m from slot machines and table games on-property representing a 18% share of the Pennsylvania’s $3.2bn gaming market.
GAN’s US-patented technology enables Parx Casino patrons enrolled in the on-property loyalty program, to sign up online and instantly link their reward cards to their online account permitting those guests to trade in their reward points earned from on-property gaming for cash online and/or to earn rewards points from Internet gaming and/or sports betting, to be subsequently redeemed on-property.
Management Commentary
Dermot Smurfit, Chief Executive Officer of GAN commented:
“Launching the largest casino in Pennsylvania online has now logically extended across the border into New Jersey, extending their reach into New Jersey’s fast-growing and established Internet gambling market. This represents an incremental revenue opportunity for GAN and is a logical extension of our technology infrastructure to serve Parx Casino patrons who routinely cross the invisible border between these two populous States.”
John Dixon, Chief Operating Officer of Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment, Inc commented:
“GAN has now ably demonstrated it abilities to serve our business needs in multiple States which aligns with the cross-border nature of our existing retail gaming customer base. GAN’s launch in New Jersey was a case study in on-time delivery and professional excellence and will enable our patrons to gamble online in either Pennsylvania or New Jersey, as they wish.”
This Thanksgiving, the NFL is giving one lucky fan and eleven of their family members and friends the opportunity to play the Turkey Bowl game of their dreams in one of the most iconic stadiums – Lambeau Field.
The venue was home to some of the NFL’s greatest moments of the last 100 seasons, from the Ice Bowl to the 1996 NFC Championship game. On November 26, one lucky winner and their Turkey Bowl squad will meet NFL Hall of Famer and Packers Legend Brett Favre, the host of the game.
Turkey Bowl, the seventh contest in the #NFL100 Experiences of a Lifetime series, is live now – learn more here. In addition to a visit from Favre, the experience will also include a behind-the-scenes tour and locker room access, giving the winners an opportunity to compete like the pros do – Lambeau Leap and all.
“Lambeau Field represents the best of the NFL in so many ways – from its storied traditions to the records broken by the many NFL Legends who have played there,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “We love that so many fans have made football a part of their holiday traditions, and we want to reward one fan during our 100th season with the greatest Turkey Bowl experience of all time. As an annual Turkey Bowl participant, a prize like this would be a dream come true for me.”
“Lambeau Field is so special; there’s nowhere else like it in the NFL and I feel so honored to have played so many years in this legendary stadium,” said Favre. “Giving NFL fans the chance to experience their Turkey Bowl tradition on this turf will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a fan, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
To enter, post a picture or video of your Turkey Bowl squad and tag @NFL and #NFL100Contest.
The contest is live now through October 22 (11:59:59 p.m. ET). No purchase necessary. For official rules, fans should visit NFL.com/100/contests.
Indiana’s legal sports betting market could become one of the largest in the country, generating billions of dollars in bets annually and millions in tax revenue for the state for years to come, according to analysts from PlayIndiana.com.
On Thursday, Indiana will become the seventh state to allow the launch of legal online sports betting, but few of its predecessors have had as much potential as a sports betting market. Already with 13 retail sportsbooks, the addition of online sports betting to Indiana could mean that the state’s best-case scenario is to generate nearly $400 million in annual revenue from a handle of close to $6 billion if neighboring states such as Ohio and Kentucky do not legalize sports betting.
“Indiana’s close proximity to Chicago, as well as other relatively large markets such as Cincinnati and Louisville, should help the state punch above its weight class,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “As long as Indiana’s neighbors continue to prohibit sports betting, the state should expect huge flows of drive-in traffic.”
The two largest legal sports betting markets in the country enjoy a similar dynamic. Nevada has long relied on drive-in traffic from California to fill its sportsbooks. And New York helps fuel New Jersey’s sports betting industry, which has accepted $3.8 billion in bets since launching in June 2018.
“Indiana most closely resembles New Jersey, where the New York City market sits just across its border, helping to propel the Garden State into a neck and neck race with Nevada,” Gouker said. “If everything goes right for Indiana, it could see remarkable growth, as was the case in New Jersey.”
Such growth would be a boost to Indiana’s state budget. With a tax rate of 9.5%, $400 million in gross revenue for the sportsbooks would inject $38 million into state coffers.
PlayIndiana.com
Indiana’s 9.5% rate could also make it more attractive to operators.
By comparison, Pennsylvania levies a 36% rate, the highest in the nation. New Jersey levies a 9.75% tax on revenue from retail sportsbooks and 13% on online sports betting revenue.
“Indiana has set itself up as one of the most operator-friendly legal sports betting markets in the country,” said Kim Yuhl, analyst for PlayIndiana.com. “That balance should help both sportsbook operators and the state realize their revenue potential.”
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Indiana, visit PlayIndiana.com/news.
TuneIn, the leading live global streaming and on-demand audio service, today announced the launch of The BetR Network, a 24/7 channel delivering the latest news, insights and analysis around the sports betting markets.
Beginning today, listeners can tap their TuneIn app or ask their smart speaker to experience The BetR Network, which features select content from Vegas Stats & Information Network (VSiN) and SB Nation Radio Network.
“As the leading streaming audio platform for sports fans, we are excited to partner with The BetR Network and pleased to offer our worldwide audience access to entertaining sports betting content from one of the most reliable sources,” said Kevin Straley, Chief Content Officer, TuneIn. “With the interest in this sector continuing to grow, we look forward to expanding our sports listening options and audience reach.”
With the goal of informing, entertaining and educating listeners about sports and sports betting, The BetR Network delivers the credible and actionable intelligence sports fans need to inform their wagers. Fueled by award-winning broadcasters, sports betting experts and legendary oddsmakers, The BetR Network line-up includes: Hall of Fame broadcaster Brent Musburger and his “My Guys in the Desert” show; VSiN morning show “Follow the Money” with Mitch Moss and Pauly Howard; “Pushing the Odds” with SB Nation Radio’s Matt Perrault; and “The Lombardi Line” with former NFL executive, Michael Lombardi.
“Given the explosive growth of regulated sports betting, we’re thrilled that select VSiN content will be accessible to international sports fans through TuneIn on whichever device fans want to listen,” said Brian Musburger, Founder and CEO of VSiN. “This is a new genre of sports talk, one that is not only entertaining but also informative and actionable.”
All of the major leagues as well as NASCAR and the WNBA have looked to ways to engage in sports gambling, now it looks like lacrosse is setting the stage as well. Today the indoor National Lacrosse League (NLL) announced an integrity deal with Genius Sports.
The NLL, the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced a multi-year partnership to ensure the integrity of the league’s games with Genius Sports, a global leader in sports data and technology. Genius Sports will conduct a global assessment of current betting activity on NLL games, and also project the likely growth given the emergence of a legal sports betting market in the U.S.
“As
the sports gambling market in the United States continues to take
shape, we as a league have a responsibility to make sure all aspects
of our product is beyond reproach, and there is no one better to
ensure we maintain the integrity of our game than Genius Sports,”
Commissioner
Nick Sakiewicz said.
“The growth of our league, especially amongst digital natives,
along with the expansion of the sport of lacrosse in general, makes
the area of data analytics, sports betting and fan engagement one of
our key focuses going forward.”
“We
welcome the National Lacrosse League to our growing list of global
league partners,” said
Steven Burton, Managing Director Genius Sports.
“There is no doubt that lacrosse is growing very quickly and we
think the future for the game, especially tied to the product that
Nick and his team have built, is very bright, and we are looking
forward to helping them in this next expansive phase of business
growth.”
According
to the deal, Genius Sports will conduct a global assessment of
current betting activity on NLL games, and also project the likely
growth given the emergence of a legal sports betting market in the
U.S. Drawing on its global leadership in advising governing bodies on
how to manage betting-related issues, Genius Sports will craft a
recommended operational and internal communications framework for the
NLL, drawing on best practices around the world. The NLL and Genius
Sports will work together to establish an educational program for
players, officials and other stakeholders to understand the betting
environment and be alert to potential integrity problems, and Genius
Sports will monitor the lacrosse betting markets and provide the
league with alerts regarding any suspicious activity.
The
partnership will officially begin in the coming month.
The NLL is North
America’s largest and most premier professional lacrosse league,
ranking third in average attendance for pro indoor sports, with 13
teams in key markets across North America. The NLL experienced
substantial growth last season with nearly a million total ticket
sales, a 28-percent increase from 2017-18, and 60 percent of ticket
sales were from people who never played lacrosse. Digital viewership
also rose significantly through Turner and B/R Live, showing
substantial increases in total unit sales (up 151 percent from last
year), average unique viewers (+27 percent) and average minute
audiences (+14 percent). Sponsorship revenues are projected at a
29-percent increase from 2018 to 2019.
