TORONTO — Providing opening remarks at SBC Summit Canada, Duncan Hannay, President & CEO, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), underpinned that as the Ontario gaming sector continues to evolve, safer gambling must be at the forefront of its focus.
He said that it remains “crucial to our industry’s future sustainability,” specifically at a time when the gaming market is growing and changing faster than ever before.
According to Hannay, the way in which safer gambling is promoted is evolving, with the role of gaming providers being increasingly important to a sustainable sector.
How Ontario is shifting on responsible gaming
For OLG, this has led to a shift in the firm’s approach beyond what would be previously classified as a one-size-fits-all program to focus on more tailored, proactive solutions to reach players at key moments during their iGaming journey.
To bolster this strategy, the group has formed a newly created dedicated Safer Gambling team, which boosts data policy outreach and operations, and works collaboratively across the group’s business lines, digital lottery, and land-based gaming.
Hannay stated that, “although the risks may vary across channels, the core challenge is very much the same: engaging players in a way that meaningfully supports healthier play.”
Seeing the small differences
There are still nuances that remain crucial, though, and that is what fueled the introduction of player protection methods, Hannay revealed.
“OLG recognizes that risk is not the same for every player, and that younger adults may benefit from added help as they build healthy play habits and expand the reach of their safer gambling tools,” he emphasized.
One of the most effective tools is the centralized self-exclusion system, which he revealed they have been working closely with iGaming Ontario on, as it continues to progress towards launch.
Hannay also added that the industry must work together to keep pace with the rapid development of AI, as cybersecurity remains a key focus for the Ontario group.
With the growth of iGaming across the jurisdiction, it remains an alluring venture for cybersecurity threats, but Hannay issued a rallying call as he underpinned that, “as an industry, we look toward, we look to work together to respond to immediate cyber threats and stay ahead of emerging challenges.”
Joe Streeter is editor of iGaming Expert at SlotBeats for SBC.
