March 2025 was a strong month for sports betting activity in the U.S., with total handle rising across most states compared to February, as we saw the expected impact of March Madness. However, while more wagers were placed, sportsbook profits didn’t keep pace.
Learn moreThe Super Bowl closed out the NFL betting season—and host state Louisiana saw a notable surge in sports betting activity as the state topped our Index with a robust 1.51 score. Louisiana was the only state reporting an increase in online handle compared to January. By our team’s estimates, this surge generated over $1 million in excess sports betting GGR tax revenue for the state.
Learn moreIn January, sports betting operators experienced a boost in revenues as better outcomes became less favorable throughout the month. Many states surpassed the 10% hold mark, signaling a return to more typical industry conditions. With the NFL season entering its playoff stage and the NBA's daily schedule offering a higher volume of betting opportunities, basketball emerged as the primary driver of sports betting handle.
Learn moreDecember’s data revealed lower than usual holds across the board, with no state surpassing the 10% overall hold threshold for the second time in three months. The industry-wide hold of 5.8% is the lowest total of the year and we need to go back to February of 2022 (4.9%) to find the last time the market could not breach the 6% mark. This was largely driven by a series of "customer-friendly" outcomes, particularly in the NFL, which led to reduced margins for operators. While both online and retail sportsbooks felt the impact, the results varied significantly depending on the betting channel.
Learn moreWhen all of the numbers are reported, November sports betting handle should eclipse the $16 billion mark for the first time as players continue to flock to the proverbial windows. In the coming months, we do expect seasonality to begin to moderate results, with the first signs occurring in November numbers.
Learn moreOctober 2024 was the first month to see over $15B in handle over a single month, surpassing the previous highwater mark of $14.4B set in November 2023. While Arizona has yet to report, every other state in our Mature/Competitive Market sector saw a MoM increase. With the addition of North Carolina to the 2024 totals (they began operations in March), we expect new records to continue to be set in future months with interest in sports betting showing no signs of decline yet.
Learn moreSeptember sports betting activity continued to flourish as record handle and revenue was, once again, seen across multiple states. In our universe of mature competitive states, September 2024 is the second-highest handle month on record with a total that has only been breached one time, back in January of 2024 ($12.5B handle).
Read MoreThe NFL and college football seasons are in full swing, marking the peak months for sports betting activity. From a macro perspective, the sports betting landscape is proceeding as expected with year over year top line handle and revenue growth in nearly all jurisdictions.
Learn MoreFor July, increases in handle continued as 30 of 32 eligible states saw increases in July ’24 handle versus July ’23.
Read MoreApril sports betting handles in our universe of mature and competitive states were down from March following typical seasonality as NCAA basketball tournaments consistently drives a spike in handle that makes for the strongest non-football month of the betting calendar.
Read MoreWith the first month of the year now fully reported, things appear to be stabilizing on the RubinBrown SBI. We note the state of New Jersey had another blockbuster month with $1.7bn handle, the highest one month handle ever outside of New York.
Learn more & registerRubinBrown's Sports Betting Index was created to compare state sports betting activity in a way that goes beyond merely reporting gross handle or revenue.
Read the full Sports Betting IndexRubinBrown's Sports Betting Index was created to compare state sports betting activity in a way that goes beyond merely reporting gross handle or revenue.
Read the full Sports Betting IndexRubinBrown's Sports Betting Index was created to compare state sports betting activity in a way that goes beyond merely reporting gross handle or revenue.
Read the full Sports Betting IndexIn an era where technology is no longer optional, the gaming and casino sector has eagerly embraced the digital revolution.
Read MoreIn the near future, daily fantasy sports entry fees could be considered wagers and subject to the federal excise tax.
Learn moreIt has been a little over a year since the Supreme Court overruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in May 2018, permitting states across the U.S. to pass regulations that will allow them to offer sports betting.
Learn moreCybersecurity has to be embedded into the compliance fabric of online gambling operators and decision-makers. Security is not something bolted on after a new online application is created; it has to be integrated using security by design.
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