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Big changes to the political landscape in Texas and Ohio could affect online casino legalization, while Pennsylvania gaming regulators have seen self-exclusions climb, with younger white men making up a growing share.
Penn banks on online casinos, courts Ohio
Penn Entertainment, which operates online casinos in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, said during its Nov. 5 earnings call that online casinos made up a bigger share of its gaming revenue in the third quarter. Across North America, online casino revenue rose 6.4% to $76.3 million, according to Legal Sports Report.
CEO Jay Snowden said gross profit margin improved significantly from a year earlier, driven by a more targeted promotional strategy and iCasino representing “a larger share of our gaming revenue mix.”
Snowden also said the prospects of Ohio legalizing online casinos are a little better with Democrat Amy Acton, who won the gubernatorial race, set to take office in January. He said she “was definitely more pro, or at least open to iGaming expansion.”
Patrick’s defeat reopens Texas gambling debate
The surprising Democratic sweep of Texas statewide races has reshaped the possibility of online casino legalization in the Lone Star State. In the past, the state’s House approved a sports betting amendment, but the Senate refused to take it up, led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
However, Patrick lost his election to Democrat Vikki Goodwin. While Republicans still have the majority in the Texas Senate, Patrick’s absence could open the door for iGaming bills to reach a vote.
Evolution owns up to live-game flops
In a rare move, game studio Evolution’s Chief Product Officer Todd Haushalter admitted on the company’s news blog that a game released in 2021 was a failure. “No one has more live game flops than us,” he said.
“Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt,” a live game show that blended live play with slots and included a virtual reality mode, was too technologically advanced and ultimately failed to gain traction with players. The post’s takeaway: Technology can solve hard problems for engineers but fail to entertain the player, and new features are not always better.
PA self-exclusions surge among young men
A new analysis from Pittsburgh’s Public Source reveals a surge in Pennsylvania self-exclusions, with younger white men making up a growing share.
Using data from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the analysis found self-exclusions have climbed since the state’s first online casino opened in 2019. By 2020, about five men were self-excluding for every two women.
The analysis also found young adults have taken up a larger share of self-exclusions since online wagering was legalized, while the share for people 55 and older shrank after the pandemic began, though it has started to rebound.
The analysis said those banning themselves from gambling have come from increasingly rural places and are increasingly white.
