The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has stated its desire to become a leader in the casino industry after striking a deal to exclusively license its Ruyi Baccarat game to Light & Wonder.

The agreement enables the game to be played in casinos throughout North America, expanding the Canadian Crown corporation’s presence on the continent.

Ruyi Baccarat is currently available in 14 BC casinos, with plans to bring the commission-free game to BCLC’s PlayNow.com in the future, and it will be made available to Light & Wonder’s players from Sept. 9.

Mike McKiski, Senior Vice President of Global Table Gaming, Light & Wonder, commented: “Ruyi Baccarat combines time-honored cultural traditions from the origins of baccarat with a more traditional non-commission game play approach to deliver a truly elevated player experience.

“Partnering with BCLC and being named the exclusive licensee of Ruyi Baccarat reinforces our commitment to ensuring our customers have access to the best games available for their casino floors.”

BCLC first launched Ruyi Baccarat at casinos in the province in early 2020, and the game – available on both tables and electronic gaming devices – has flourished ever since, gaining increasing popularity among players.

“BCLC is used to bringing vendors’ games to British Columbia, so to be the organization that’s providing a made-in-house table game to a licensee is a nice change and speaks volumes about our quest to be a leader in the casino industry,” said Dan Beebe, BCLC’s Chief Operating Officer.

“We are always seeking out new ways to be an innovator and challenge the status quo, and by partnering with Light & Wonder, a world-class gaming company, we have full confidence that Ruyi Baccarat will grow in popularity across North America.”

Elsewhere, BCLC recently joined forces with Evolution to launch two new high-limit live casino tables – VIP Blackjack and VIP Baccarat – for online players in BC, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.