News and Analysis
Vermont OSB Launch Set for Jan 11th, 2024
Vermont has laid down the date for its official online sports betting launch, with platforms set to go live on January 11th 2024. From then, players over 21 and located in the state can download sports betting apps and lay bets, but pre-registration will open before the launch.
HB 127 came into force when Governor Phil Scott signed it in June 2023, creating the market and making way for six online operators. So far, FanDuel, DraftKings, and Fanatics have been confirmed. Scott has long been a proponent of legal sports betting, first proposing the measure several years ago.
Vermont is the first confirmed market launch in 2024 and a fantastic way to kick off the year!
EveryMatrix and BetRivers Michigan Strike Content Deal
EveryMatrix and its in-house games studio, Armadillo Studios, have gone live this week at BetRivers Casino in Michigan (Rush Street Interactive). The deal will bolster BetRivers’ game lobby, which already hosts over 1,100 games, bringing new and hit titles to players in the state.
Here’s what the Chief Exec, Richard Schwartz at Rush Street Interactive, said of the deal, “RSI is thrilled to extend our partnership with EveryMatrix and we’re pleased to lead its entry into Michigan for the first time. We are always excited to offer our BetRivers players new immersive and entertaining gaming experiences, and we’re confident gaming enthusiasts in the Great Lake state will enjoy these new games.”
There are currently 11 online casinos in Michigan, and BetRivers is the largest in terms of total games, making it a clear frontrunner in the Mountain State.
Indiana Players Set New Sports Betting Record
Indiana players have set a new sports betting record, the first since January 2022. Players in the Hoosier State spent $513.7m betting in November, beating previous records by 2.7%. That’s a 13.6% YoY increase for the month and 19.6% compared with October 2023. FanDuel led the market, with DraftKings in second place.
NJ Gambling Revenue Up Year on Year
Figures released this week by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement show that NJ's total gaming revenue for November was $482.4m, a 9.4% increase YoY for the month. Total revenue for the year to date stands at $5.26 billion, a 10.5% increase on 2022. Golden Nugget was the most popular online casino in NJ for the month.
Sports Betting Revenue Drops 75.64% in Pennsylvania
Meanwhile, the total gaming revenue in Pennsylvania is down 1.74% compared with November 2022. The sports betting market witnessed the most significant drop, which fell 75.64% in November 2023 compared to November 2022 (online table games and slots showed growth, stabilizing the total figures).
Surprisingly, the total sports handle set a new monthly record of $934.1m, up 18.36% on November 2022. The PGCB explained that total taxable revenue was down due to “both the offering of a significant amount of non-taxable promotional play by the newly-launched ESPN Bet operated under the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course sports wagering certificate and a low hold percentage that benefited bettors.”
The most popular online casino in PA was Hollywood, leading the charge in revenue figures for iGaming, followed by Fanduel in second and BetRivers in third. FanDuel took the top spot for sports betting, followed by the brand new ESPN Bet in second and Parx Casino in third.
In other News
- BetMGM and NFL extend multi-year sponsorship deal.
- Fontainebleau Casino opens on the Las Vegas Strip.
- Detroit land-based casinos report revenue down 23.9% in November after almost two months of strikes, which ended in early November.
Slot Game of the Week
Piggy Blitz Slot - Play’n GO, RTP: 96.25% (ranges)
Piggy Blitz is the perfect number if you’re looking for a funky online slot to carry you into the new year in style. Created by Play’n GO and new to US online casinos, this game is set on 6x4 reels and features 4,096 ways to win, Cash Coins, Blitz Spins, and fixed jackpot payouts.
The game is simple but delivers on all levels, bringing excitement with its game-show vibes and electrifying gameplay. The paytable is packed with familiar symbols, including Diamonds, Bells, Dice, Chips, and a Star, which is the game’s Wild, and there are two bonus features.
Cash Coins: Cash Coin symbols can land anywhere on the reels and have values of 0.1-25x or a jackpot (Minor - 100x, Major - 250x, and Mega -1,000x). To collect Cash Coin symbols, you must first land a Piggy Bank symbol on reels 1 or 6. If you land 2 Piggy Bank symbols, all the coins will be collected twice.
Blitz Spins: This is the main bonus round, triggered by getting 3-6 Scatter on the reels. During this round, only Cash Coins and Piggy Bank symbols fall, which increases the chances of substantial wins.
- 3 Scatter awards 5 Free Spins with the Minor jackpot available.
- 4 Scatter equals 10 Free Spins with Minor and Major symbols available.
- 5 Scatter means 25 spins with all three jackpot coins available.
- 6 Scatter gets you 50 spins with all jackpot coins available.
The game boasts max wins of 5,000x your bet with stakes starting from $0.10 up to $100. Overall, we loved the Piggy Bank collect feature, which performs best during the Blitz Spins, but these can be a little slow to trigger, so watch how to bet. You can play it today at these Play’n GO US online casinos.
That's it from us, folks. Have a fantastic Christmas, and we'll catch you in 2024.