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EKG operates across proprietary first-party data, syndicated research, product testing, and senior-partner advisory: serving operators, suppliers, regulators, and investors.
The EILERS-FANTINI Game Performance Database (GPD) and Online Game Performance Database (OGPD): first-party operator benchmarking across land-based and online game slot performance. The industry's largest slot performance database, tracking ~700,000 machines worldwide.
Syndicated coverage spanning gaming equipment & technology, online sports betting, online casino, social and mobile gaming, lotteries, prediction markets, and emerging digital categories.
Proprietary app testing methodology refined over six years, with a nationwide consumer tester panel. Operators adjust product roadmaps in response to EKG scores.
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In 3Q26, total U.S. lottery sales declined -4% y/y but increased by nearly +1% q/q to $26.6 billion across the 46 U.S. jurisdictions we track in our report. Instant Tickets sales increased +2% y/y but declined -2% q/q to $18.7 billion due to the continued growth of iLottery sales. Retail Instant Ticket sales declined -1% y/y and -4% q/q, which was in-line average seasonality for the period, and in-line with annual trends observed in the first half. Draw game wagers declined -15% y/y but were up +6% q/q to $7.9 billion. The annual decline was driven by weaker multi-state jackpot activity. Finally, we estimate Internet-based iLottery sales increased +16% y/y and +10% q/q to $3.9 billion during the quarter. For those interested, more detail on iLottery will be published in our upcoming U.S. iLottery Tracker.
In this 53-page report, exclusively available to Enterprise Tier subscribers, we use our proprietary methodology and nationwide testing group to test, score, and rank the performance of U.S. sports betting apps. In our latest round of testing—conducted across eight states (AZ, CO, IL, MI, NJ, OH, PA, and TN) in September 2026—DraftKings retained their top ranking, with FanDuel, Fanatics, Caesars, and Hard Rock Bet rounding out the top-5.
The October edition of our U.S. Online Casino Monitor is now live, with data current through September 2026. U.S. iCasino growth continues to slow, increasingly pointing toward a maturing market. GGR growth averaged 13.8% y/y in 3Q26, its weakest quarterly pace of the post-COVID era, with September matching August’s 12.6% low. This month’s lead analysis explores potential drivers of the slowdown, including a less productive OSB-to-casino cross-sell funnel, more selective customer acquisition, and changing player economics. Underlying wagering trends add support to the maturation thesis. Pennsylvania iCasino handle grew 5.5% y/y in September, with slots up 12.7% while tables declined 5.1%. Tables weakness remains concentrated among the largest sportsbook-linked operators, consistent with softer OSB-driven casino activity. Meanwhile, bonusing growth continued to materially outpace handle in both PA (+26% vs. +6%) and CT (+35% vs. +6%), with limited apparent stimulation of incremental wagering activity. Competitive dynamics are shifting incrementally. DraftKings’ estimated U.S. iCasino GGR share recovered to 21.5% in 3Q26, narrowing FanDuel’s lead to approximately 130bps, its smallest gap in the past year. The recovery comes as DraftKings has also narrowed the OSB GGR share gap with its chief rival. Elsewhere, Fanatics and BetRivers continue to gain casino NGR share while moderating bonusing intensity, per Pennsylvania data and our estimates. Also inside: BetRivers’ in-house content bet: Parent RSI is preparing to launch proprietary casino games, entering a field where DraftKings generated $550mm in first-party GGR in 2025. The potential upside is meaningful, but developing hit games is far from guaranteed. Acquisition trends: Hard Rock and Fanatics led October standalone casino app-download growth at +523% and +71% y/y, respectively, while several established leaders posted declines. Game performance: AGS’ Blackjack Single Deck climbed to No. 1 overall in September, while IGT’s Cash Eruption remained the largest game by estimated GGR share (1.63%). Legislative outlook: Virginia and D.C. remain among the more plausible mid-term expansion candidates, while the newly elected governor of Ohio introduces a new dynamic into the state’s legalization debate.
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