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BeyondPlay outlines next steps in North America after achieving ‘major milestone’ in Ontario

BeyondPlay has been granted a gaming-related supplier (B2B) license by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and is now gearing up to offer its products in the Canadian province.

The Ontario license, hailed as a ‘major milestone’ by the B2B startup company, is BeyondPlay’s first in North America and is just the start of its operations in the region.

BeyondPlay also expects to launch its advanced content-agnostic Jackpot Management Software in Ontario during the fourth quarter of 2023.

Andrii Grygorovych, Head of Compliance at BeyondPlay, commented: “We are honoured to be officially registered as a gambling software provider in Ontario by AGCO, a testament to our unwavering dedication to compliance and responsible gaming.

“Having secured multiple European licences in recent months, the Ontario market represents yet another step forward for BeyondPlay, one we intend to follow by entering multiple North American states in the coming year.”

The Ontario license covers the company’s multiplayer and jackpot products, the latter of which has software that enables operators to create exclusive in-house jackpots for their casino, live casino and sportsbook offerings.

The software generates incremental revenue growth for operators, enabling them to tailor jackpots to their specific requirements.

BeyondPlay is also in possession of MGA, Sweden and UK licenses, securing all three prior to Ontario.

AGCO approves Playgon Games to enter Ontario market

Playgon Games has been successful in its quest to obtain a gaming related supplier-manufacturer license from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

The Vancouver-based games developer applied for a license in May, announcing Ontario as a ‘key regulated market’ to service with its mobile-first live dealer technology, VegasLounge.

Having already secured interest in anticipation of receiving the license, the NeoGames subsidiary can now press ahead and partner with igaming operators to roll out VegasLounge to local players in the Canadian province.

Darcy Krogh, President and CEO of Playgon Games, commented: “Receiving our supplier licence for Ontario is another major milestone for our company and we are extremely excited for the opportunity in this market. Not only is it our first entrance into North America for our mobile first live dealer technology, we have significant interest for our product in this market that we will announce in due course.

“Ontario has quickly become among the top 5 igaming jurisdictions in North America and live dealer tables accounted for 32% of the revenue generated within the online casino vertical which makes it a very attractive market for us to pursue.”

Elsewhere, Playgon Games recently confirmed its online gaming suite is now fully integrated into Pariplay’s Fusion aggregation program.

Atlantic Lottery helps make Wizard Games history with expansion into Atlantic Canada

Atlantic Lottery players can now access content from Wizard Games after a successful launch of the provider’s content in the Eastern Canada region.

Wizard Games already has a strong foothold in Canada, having gone live with AGLC in Alberta and possessing a local B2B gaming license in Ontario, where it has a string of agreements with tier-one operators.

But the NeoGames subsidiary has now gone live for the first time in Atlantic Canada as part of its strategy to become a ‘major force’ in the Canadian igaming markets.

“At Wizard Games, we strive to keep raising the bar and entertaining players across the world, so we’re happy to be able to provide our content to Atlantic Canadian players,” said Benedict McDonagh, Managing Director at Wizard Games.

“We’ve already seen considerable success in North America and Canada, so we’re excited to see where this partnership leads.”

The integration of content has been made possible through Pariplay’s Fusion aggregation platform, which now enables Atlantic Lottery users to play Wizard Games titles like Spirit of Mustang and Flamin’ 7’s.

Shivan Patel, VP of North America at Pariplay, said: “Canada is an important market for us, so we’re thrilled to have completed our integration with Atlantic Lottery. Our market-leading offerings of in-house content are sure to excite players in Atlantic Canada.”

The launch also strengthens ties between Pariplay and Atlantic Lottery, following an agreement reached between the pair last year.

Meanwhile, the new content will act as a boost for the Atlantic Canadian governments, with the operator returning 100% of its profits.

Michael MacKinnon, VP, Product at Atlantic Lottery, added: “We’re delighted to have gone live with Wizard Games’ content offering players in the region an exciting array of forward-thinking, engaging titles to discover and enjoy.

“We look forward to providing a wealth of fantastic games to our customers and to a successful partnership with the studio.”

AGCO finally ends CEO & Registrar search with appointment of Dr. Karin Schnarr

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has named Dr. Karin Schnarr as the successor to Tom Mungham ahead of the CEO & Registrar’s impending exit.

Mungham joined the Crown agency in 2006 as Director of Licensing and Registration before later becoming CEO & Registrar, but he will soon relinquish those duties as a result of his retirement which was announced in March.

The AGCO subsequently confirmed it had enlisted an executive search firm to support its search for Mungham’s replacement, and it has taken the best part of six months to publicly name one.

But the organization finally put the matter to bed earlier today by confirming Dr. Schnarr – a former member of the iGaming Ontario Board of Directors – as its next CEO & Registrar.

Schnarr, who will assume the role on Sept. 18, 2023, is currently an Associate Professor, Strategic Management, at the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University.

She has also been Director of MBA and BBA Programs at the University as well as being a member of its Board of Governors and Senate.

Furthermore, Schnarr has held numerous senior roles in the Government of Ontario, including as Chief of Staff to ministers in multiple portfolios, during which time she guided the development of public policy, legislation, and regulations related to key government priorities.

Recently, she served as Chair of the Ontario Government’s Task Force on Women and the Economy.

In a statement announcing Dr. Schnarr, the AGCO said: “The AGCO and its Board of Directors are excited to welcome Dr. Schnarr to the organization and extend their sincere gratitude and appreciation to AGCO’s outgoing CEO and Registrar, Tom Mungham, who announced his intention to retire from the agency in March 2023.”

‘Iconic’ Gateway Casinos CEO Tony Santo passes away aged 61

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment has announced that CEO and Director Tony Santo, 61, passed away unexpectedly on August 17, 2023.

Santo joined Gateway Casinos as President and CEO in October 2013 before being named a Director in July 2017.

He previously held the position of President & CEO of Santo Gaming, as well as President of Bally’s Grand, President for Flamingo Reno Casino, and Senior Vice President of Caesars Holdings.

Following news of Santo’s untimely passing, Tolek Strukoff, Gateway’s President, paid tribute to the “iconic” leader.

Strukoff said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tony Santo. Tony joined Gateway as our President and Chief Executive Officer in October 2013 and became a Director in July 2017. His mission was to establish Gateway as Canada’s premier entertainment and gaming company.

“You could often find Tony visiting sites and staff from dawn to dusk connecting about their work, families, and lives. Tony was an iconic leader in the US and Canada and grew Gateway from a small regional gaming company to one of the largest gaming companies in Canada.

“However, Tony would say himself he didn’t do it – we did it together.”

Strukoff continued: “Tony was an outstanding leader, colleague and friend, and he will be greatly missed. On behalf of all of Gateway’s employees, I extend our deepest sympathies to the entire Santo family.”

Meanwhile, the Canadian Gaming Association offered its condolences.

“The CGA is saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Tony Santo, CEO of Gateway Casinos & Entertainment.

“On behalf of the association and the Board, we send our condolences to the Santo family, and to all Gateway employees.”

Homestand Sports & North Star call on EPL fans in new 4-4-2 Picks contest

With the new English Premier League season already off to a flying start, Homestand Sports is testing the prediction powers of soccer fans across Canada in its new, free-to-play picks contest, 4-4-2 Picks.

Homestand Sports, the consumer media division of Parleh Media Group, is no stranger to utilizing a formation ingrained in the English soccer culture, as producer and developer of the Room 4-4-2 soccer show for Sportsgrid.

The Toronto-based firm’s latest venture sees fans across Canada (excluding Quebec) predict one of three outcomes – home win, away win, or draw – in a 2023/34 EPL match.

Fans will be awarded points based on correct picks, with monthly prizes awarded to top points earners. If a fan correctly picks every match’s result in a given month, they are eligible to win $250,000.

Mark Silver, CEO of Homestand Sports, explained: ”4-4-2 Picks will offer fans an engaging and easy-to-play game that rewards the most astute prognosticators throughout the EPL season.

“The predictor contest is the perfect pairing for the picks that legendary Canadian footy pundit James Sharman will give fans during his Room 4-4-2 segments on the Homestand Sports channel.”

Partnering Homestand Sports on the 4-4-2 Picks is Canadian-owned North Star Gaming, operator of NorthStar Bets, which will also act as the contest’s official prize supplier.

The contests also helps to advance NorthStar Gaming’s position as a convergence leader in media and regulated online sports wagering across Canada. NorthStar will have broadcast exposure during Room 4-4-2 segments, and brand integration across Homestand’s content channels.

“We’re thrilled to be teaming up with our partners at Homestand Sports to support this unique and highly engaging initiative,” said Michael Moskowitz, CEO of NorthStar Gaming.

“Producing captivating multi-platform sports content continues to help differentiate NorthStar Gaming in the market.

“4-4-2 Picks is a natural extension of this philosophy as it will create new opportunities for fan engagement and excitement throughout the season. We look forward to it deepening our growing relationship with soccer fans across the country.”

The 2023/24 season began in thrilling fashion last weekend with headline results including Newcastle United’s 5-1 demolition of Aston Villa, and the action steps up a notch on Saturday as Manchester City and Newcastle face off in a battle of the big spenders.

Throughout the season, Homestand has committed to supporting the contest with original content across its platforms.

“Canadian soccer fans are among the most knowledgeable and passionate followers of the Premier League around the world,” said Sharman, also Head of Soccer Content/Executive Producer for Homestand Sports.

“4-4-2 Picks provides another avenue for footy fans to cheer on their favourite teams and players across the pond.”

Light & Wonder gains BCLC exclusivity in new North America casinos agreement

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.

Bragg Gaming goes up a gear in Ontario via new bet365 content agreement

Bragg Gaming has expanded the reach of its proprietary content in Ontario through a new agreement signed with bet365.

The launch of Bragg’s new content and Remote Game Server (RGS) technology with the global operator is another step towards realising its ambitions in the North American market, where the Canadian province is currently playing an integral role.

iGaming Ontario (iGO) reported earlier this year that Ontario was already in the top five gaming jurisdictions in North America, after just one year of regulation.

Bragg was granted an Ontario gaming-related supplier license before the market went live, and has since teamed up with the likes of Rush Street Interactive, Kalamba and Betsson in the province, deploying its RGS technology.

The Toronto-based provider’s latest undertaking will see new, exclusive titles from its Powered by Bragg portfolio added to bet365’s Canadian site, as well as proprietary content from Bragg Studios such as Fairy Dust from Atomic Slot Lab and Sea of Plenty from Indigo Magic.

Lara Falzon, President and Chief Operating Officer at Bragg Gaming Group, commented: “We’re delighted to work with bet365, one of the leading operators in Ontario, to bring our player-engaging content to their customers in the province.

“This new content introduction with bet365 is the first step in what we believe will become a broader relationship for the introduction of our proprietary and exclusive third-party content with this leading igaming operator in additional markets.

“With Ontario pacing as one of the largest igaming markets in North America, our partnership with bet365 will play an important role in our North American growth strategy and help drive consistent, long-term growth.”

A bet365 spokesperson added: “We’ve been aware for some time of the high quality content that Bragg Gaming creates. We’re thrilled to welcome Bragg in to our portfolio of cutting edge gaming content partners, in one of our most exciting markets.

“Customers in Ontario will now be able to enjoy an even wider selection of market-leading titles within our Games product.”

Woodbine Entertainment & bet365 strike landmark King’s Plate deal

With the King’s Plate just days away, Woodbine Entertainment has announced it has reached an agreement with bet365 to make horse racing available to online sports bettors for the first time.

Consequently, online sports bettors can now wager on Canada’s oldest thoroughbred horse race at Woodbine Racetrack in Etobicoke, Ontario, which also acts as the first race in the Canadian Triple Crown. This year’s $1m King’s Plate takes place on Sunday, Aug. 20.

As reported by the Canadian Press, under the terms of the non-exclusive deal, Woodbine will integrate its pari-mutuel racing product into bet365’s licensed Ontario sportsbook platform.

All racing offered on Woodbine’s HPIbet betting platform will now be available to bet365’s provincial customers.

Speaking during the King’s Plate draw at Woodbine on Wednesday, Jim Lawson, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment, said: “It’s a great relief.

“Although it’s been a long process, the federal and provincial governments, CPMA, Attorney General’s office, iGO and the AGCO have all been supportive…I understand we had to go through all of the appropriate channels.

“I won’t say there’s difficult legal concepts but certainly fresh, new legal concepts because you’re talking about new legislation, something very novel that’s never occurred before.”

But why choose bet365 over other operators?

“Bet365 was technologically very advanced,” Lawson explained. “Their origins were in horse racing, they have a big brand and it was a great fit with our intention to expose as many people out there to horse racing.

“They have a big platform and were willing to work with us. But it still took almost a year to work through the kinks in the technology to put that parimutuel system on to the back end of the platform.”

The goal is to get horse racing on other platforms as soon as possible, according to Lawson, who is optimistic the deal with bet365 will pave the way for other operators to add horse racing to their offerings.

“We’re going to be in a great position to move forward with as many other major sports-betting operators as possible,” he said. “I say major because those will be the ones that have the ability and know-how to integrate our technology like bet365 did.

“I’m also hoping and planning that we’ll be able to move this across the country. For example, the BC Lottery Corporation does sports betting but I’m sure they’ll be interested in offering horse racing as part of their gaming offerings.

“You could see it in Manitoba, you could see it in Quebec, you could see it across the country. You could see how it could grow across Canada. It would be great for horse racing.”

Caesars Palace Online Casino incorporates Ontario in new app roll-out

Caesars Digital has officially launched its new online casino app and desktop platform, Caesars Palace Online Casino, which has gone live in Ontario and four US states.

The new offering ties the online gaming app to Caesars’ customer loyalty program, Caesars Rewards, and leverages the entire network of more than 50 Caesars locations throughout the US and Canada.

The casino-forward app has been tailored to the online casino customer that might have felt alienated by the sports betting focus of the broader Caesars online gambling app.

It was first teased during Caesar’s Q1 call in May before being discussed at greater length in the firm’s Q2 call earlier this month.

Two weeks later, Caesars Palace Online Casino has now been made available in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the Canadian province of Ontario.

“Players in North America deserve an online casino-first experience that treats them like royalty and that’s what we’ve brought to market with Caesars Palace Online Casino,” said Matt Sunderland, Senior Vice President, and Head of iGaming at Caesars Digital.

“With Caesars’ unrivaled brands, IP, talent, and casino destinations, we can offer our players a true omnichannel gaming experience.

“Our newly developed Caesars online gaming platform and bonus engine perfectly tie online casino play and rewards to the world-class experiences that players can only enjoy at our many Caesars destinations nationwide.”

Caesars Palace Online Casino will also feature a range of exclusive branded Caesars titles, as well as American Roulette, Live Dealer Blackjack, and Baccarat.