The past week in the iGaming market has been driven by developments in domestic soccer, significant lottery jackpots, and a packed sports events calendar. Kansas emerged as the leader in growth with an impressive 78.5% increase, followed by Cyprus at 48.7%. The latter's rise can be attributed to a €5.4 million jackpot from the Joker lottery and the commencement of the national soccer league's season.
Various countries, including North Macedonia, Colombia, Tanzania, Spain, South Africa, Namibia, and Pakistan, saw benefits from an array of soccer, cricket, and rugby matches, leading to increased earnings, regardless of the specific events.
However, losses were widespread, with Turkey recording the sharpest drop at -34.8%, despite a full schedule of Süper Lig matches. Quebec also faced a downturn, primarily due to the resetting of the C$55 million Lotto Max prize, while Russia continued its decline after a previous surge of 134.0%. Switzerland also corrected following a previous growth of 40.3%.
**Top 5 Gainers of the Week:**
**US – Kansas (+78.5%)**: The surge in Kansas can be linked to several simultaneous local sporting and lottery events. The Kansas City Royals ended a nine-game winning streak on August 26, only to start a new streak with a significant 13–2 win over Toronto, as well as two victories against Cleveland on August 28 and 29. Additionally, a Kansas ticket claimed $50,000 in Powerball on August 24, creating heightened local search activity.
**Cyprus (+48.7%)**: Cyprus benefited from overlapping gambling events. The Joker draw 3111 on August 27 failed to yield a first-tier winner, thereby rolling the jackpot to €5.54 million for the upcoming draw on August 30. Concurrently, the Cyprus League by Stoiximan launched its new season on August 28, scheduling six matches for the opening weekend, including three derbies.
**North Macedonia (+30.7%)**: The increase in North Macedonia is primarily attributed to the start of the domestic football season, with no other notable regulatory or lottery factors affecting this period.
**Colombia (+26.4%)**: A second consecutive increase was noted in Colombia, building on the previous week’s 27.9% rise. Liga BetPlay resumed following an earthquake-related pause, with Matchday 8 occurring on August 26 and seven matches held on August 29 and 30. The persistent growth seems linked to the return of domestic football rather than any singular new event.
**Tanzania (+26%)**: Tanzania’s football calendar showcased notable matches. Young Africans triumphed over JKT Tanzania with a 4-0 scoreline on August 24, followed by a 2-0 victory against Pamba Jiji on August 28. Rival club Simba also secured a victory, leading both teams to win all their matches in the first four rounds.
**Top 5 Decliners of the Week:**
**Turkey (-34.8%)**: Turkey's significant decline occurred despite a full slate of Süper Lig matches. Galatasaray was narrowly defeated by Göztepe (3:2), while Başakşehir and Kasımpaşa ended in a tie (1:1). This suggests that merely hosting the matches does not suffice for positive growth, as there were no regulatory concerns or enforcement changes noted.
**CA – Quebec (-23.6%)**: The sharp decline in Quebec stemmed from the recent drop in the C$55 million Lotto Max jackpot drawn on August 21. A revised amount of C$10 million for August 25 was adjusted following a need to stabilize the previously inflated payout.
**Russia (-22.5%)**: After an exceptional growth of 134.0% earlier in August, Russia's performance has fallen for the second consecutive week. Despite a significant match in the Russian Premier League (CSKA vs. Lokomotiv and Spartak vs. Zenit) generating previous demand, interest waned notably this time.
