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Rivalry to launch new casino offering in Ontario

Toronto-based Esports wagering company Rivalry has confirmed the expansion of its casino offering in a move designed to widen its potential revenue streams.

This announcement is unlikely to come as a surprise to shareholders and close spectators following the firm’s recent business update where it noted a ‘huge amount of market opportunity’.

A mobile app and expansion of its esports offering is also on the agenda as Rivalry looks to build on triple-digit year-on-year growth in revenue, boosted by the arrival of its first casino product last summer which was followed by four new games in November.

Casino has already driven immediate material impact since its launch, contributing 30% of betting handle and 15% of revenue in Q3 2022, and Rivalry has sought to build on that success with the release of eight new games integrated on Casino.exe.

The casino offering is available online in markets operating under the company’s Isle of Man license, with a launch in Ontario expected to follow in the coming months.

“Our entry into the casino segment last year has provided valuable diversification to the business, adding incremental revenue while reducing the impact of seasonality in sports betting, improving margin stability, and continuing to promote profitable customer unit economics,” remarked Steven Salz, Co-Founder and CEO.

“We anticipate this extension of our casino offering will further grow revenue potential and drive sustained engagement amongst our users with a curated list of games geared for our demographic.”

Rivalry has further outlined its aim to evolve Casino.exe with new features and the release of additional third-party and in-house developed games ‘for a generation of bettors born on the internet’.

“Our strategic approach to customer engagement can be seen across our casino offering and suite of games, leveraging product innovation to create a custom and proprietary experience that caters specifically to our core demographic of users,” Salz continued.

“This strategy has enabled Rivalry to differentiate itself from competitors and meet shifting consumer demands with a curated, fun, and social experience. This focus is seen across our selection of games, prioritizing interactive and multiplayer titles that run counter to traditionally siloed casino gaming experiences and are better equipped to serve our audience.”

Phoenix Labs in line for sale amid Sea Ltd developments

Canadian video game developer Phoenix Labs is likely to be sold as part of cost-cutting measures by its owner Sea Ltd.

As reported by Bloomberg, the Singapore tech firm is looking to sell Phoenix Labs in response to the $160bn decline of the parent company’s market share over the last 15 months, which has led to job cuts and salary freezes.

Subsequently, Sea Ltd is scaling back its overseas operations and focusing on profitability, rather than expansion.

The company acquired Phoenix Labs in Jan 2020 to strengthen its gaming arm Garena. The deal valued the Vancouver-based game developer at over $150m, but there are suggestions that a sale now is unlikely to make the owner any profit on that transaction.

Sea Ltd is said to be working with an unnamed adviser on the potential divestment, though the sale process is yet to formally begin and investor interest has been ‘muted’ so far.

Phoenix Labs also has another office in Montreal, Quebec.

OLG named one of Canada’s ‘Best Employers’ for second successive year

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has been recognized by Forbes as one of the top 15% employers in Canada this year.

Placing 41st in Canada’s Best Employers in 2023, the position marks a 12-place improvement on last year when the firm finished 53rd out of 300.

Compiled by Forbes and Statista, nominees are selected through an independent survey of employees working for companies with more than 500 employees in Canada. The evaluation was based on direct and indirect recommendations from employees who were asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family.

Esther Zdolec, VP of People and Culture, commented: “This recognition means so much because it is completely employee driven and shows how proud OLGers are of the work we do together.

“Our employees are committed to doing good for Ontario and playing as one team. They support and value their colleagues and celebrate different perspectives and backgrounds. OLG could not do the good we do without the tremendous dedication of our employees.”

Furthermore, OLG placed second within the gaming industry this year.

Duncan Hannay, President and CEO, added: “It is an honour to again be recognized on Forbes’ list of top employers in Canada and to know that so many of our employees would recommend OLG as a great place to work.

“OLG is an employer of choice, and I am proud to work alongside all OLGers as we transform gaming entertainment in Ontario and make a difference for people throughout the province.”

Red Knot launches Canadian operations via Toronto

Red Knot Communications has confirmed its expansion into Canada with the opening of a new office in Toronto.

The PR and communications agency – specializing in sports betting and gaming – provides support and strategic counsel to companies at the intersection of sports, gaming, and technology.

Launched in 2020, the firm also has bases in New Jersey (US), London (UK), Rome (Italy) and Dubai (UAE).

To support its new office and projected growth in North America, Red Knot has also appointed sports broadcaster and journalist Andy McNamara as Account Director.

“Red Knot’s expansion into Canada is something we’ve been looking forward to since our inception. Andy McNamara will help us make this a productive reality,” remarked Red Knot Founder Andy Clerkson.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled about this expansion, enabling our team to grow and position our current clients on a larger international stage.”

McNamara will lead business development and arrives with extensive experience in the sports media industry, having most recently served as the VP and Head of Operations at Ultimate Franchise Fantasy Sports and as the national fantasy sports host, analyst, and writer with Sportsnet.

He has also combined his sports career with national media sales, securing country-wide partnerships with Domino’s Pizza and several fantasy sports and betting companies.

“We are excited to welcome Andy to the Red Knot family,” said Ashley Dabb, Red Knot’s Head of Operations, Americas. “Andy’s expertise will allow us to bring all Red Knot’s world-class services to Canada’s incredible sports, gaming, and betting enterprises.”

McNamara is also a podcast host, helming The Sick Podcast with Andy McNamara, and shares a role as content manager with Knup Solutions, leading a team of sports writers, editors, and social media content creators.

“I’m excited to be working with this talented international group of professionals at Red Knot Communications and contributing to the growth of its business across the Canadian landscape,” added McNamara.

MLSE taps in OLG’s Proline+ for Real Sports partnership

Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment (MLSE) and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) have extended their partnership by making the latter’s Proline+ brand the official sports betting partner of Real Sports (RS).

The alliance will be in full effect from this Sunday, Jan 29, with an exclusive fan experience at the venue – home of Toronto’s largest screen and 100-foot bar – during the NFL Conference Championships.

Fans attending the event will have the opportunity to win NFL apparel and other Proline+ prizes, meet NFL Alumni players, and get up ‘close and personal’ with the real Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Jordan Vader, Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships at MLSE, said: “As an organisation that takes pride in delivering best-in-class fan experiences, we value the power of collaboration with partners that share this passion.

“Whether it be in the home of their favourite Toronto sports team or at their go-to restaurant for the game, we look forward to working with Proline+ to creating unique and unforgettable moments for our fans.”

The agreement marks the latest OLG Proline+ driven-deal in Ontario, after the brand became the first official MLB sportsbook in the province last June.

Dave Pridmore, OLG’s Chief Gaming Officer, added: “Proline+’s partnership with MLSE will create memorable moments and interactive experiences for sports fans.

“The combination of these two trusted brands will allow fans to get ‘closer to the action’ and interact with their favourite teams in new, exciting ways.”

Ontario igaming picks up pace as revenue rises C$190m in Q3

iGaming Ontario (iGO) has published its third quarter of operations market performance report for the Ontario igaming market, reporting a significant hike in handle and revenue.

The numbers combine sports betting, online casino and online poker into lump sums, and for the period starting Oct 1 and ending Dec 31, iGO declared total wagers of C$11.53bn (discounting any promotional spend). This represents a 90.9% increase on Q2 wagers of C$6.04bn.

Unsurprisingly, this led to a surge in total gaming revenue, from C$267m (Q2) to C$457m (+71.2%). This figure represents total cash wagers, including rake fees, tournament fees and other fees across all operators, minus player winnings derived from cash wagers. It also does not take into account operating costs or other liabilities.

The latest numbers cover 36 operators and 68 gaming sites in Ontario, up from 24 and 42 respectively in Q2.

Among the gaming sites listed are Bally Bet, FanDuel and PointsBet.

However, the numbers exclude the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), widely-regarded as one of the biggest operators in the province.

Meanwhile, active player accounts are up on the previous quarter, reaching 910,000 with an average monthly spend of C$167 compared to Q2’s 628,000 and C$142.

Gamres deploys Positive Play Scale to advance DraftKings’ RG strategy

Gamres has teamed up with fantasy sports and betting business DraftKings to implement its Positive Play Scale tool and optimize safety for the operator’s players.

Based in Ottawa, Ontario, the responsible gaming (RG) research and consultancy practice is the brainchild of several researchers including Dr. Richard Wood, Dr. Michael Wohl, and Dr. Nassim Tabri.

The Positive Play Scale tool is the first ever standardized scale to measure RG beliefs and behaviours among players. 

It seeks to understand and encourage positive play among all players, asking them about four key beliefs – personal responsibility, gaming literacy, honesty and control, and pre-commitment – to measure their responsible gaming knowledge and behaviours.

Wood commented: “Gamres is thrilled to be working with DraftKings to help promote positive play amongst their customers. Most players just play for fun and to be entertained, but we have found that some players (generally) have misperceptions about gaming that can either diminish their enjoyment or in some cases lead to them spending more than they intended.

“We believe that the Positive Play Scale will help to optimize DraftKings’ RG strategy to identify those areas that would benefit from the most support.

“As such, we expect that the findings from this project will help DraftKings develop a proactive approach to responsible gaming that encourages all players to have healthy, positive playing experiences.”

The Positive Play Scale has been introduced through an online survey to select US DraftKings customers, marking the first time a multi-state online US gaming operator has incorporated the scale tool into its RG program.

After analyzing the survey results, Gamres will provide a baseline measure of Positive Play at DraftKings, as well as identify possible differences in certain player groups and how the operator may refine its RG practices to advance positive play.

Chrissy Thurmond, Senior Director of Responsible Gaming at DraftKings, added: “We’re grateful for this opportunity to team up with Gamres, which is renowned for its strategic consulting and research around the world, to bring the Positive Play Scale tool to DraftKings.

“We believe that DraftKings’ responsible gaming program, which strives to be the industry gold standard, will be significantly enhanced with the addition of this scientific tool and will yield rich and actionable insights – helping us to better understand and engage our players.”

OLG host gaming community payout drops $5.7m in Q3

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has confirmed it has distributed $32.4m to 29 host gaming communities for Q3.

However, this marks a fall from its Q2 payout, where the crown agency shared $38.1m between 28 communities in the Canadian province.

In fact, it’s the second consecutive quarter where the amount has dropped, with $42.4m handed out in Q1.

“Payments through OLG’s Municipality Contribution Agreement provide host gaming communities with the support they need to fund programs and critical infrastructure to improve the lives of residents and families,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance.

“With these revenues, municipalities are able to build better communities with more opportunities to live and work.”

These payments to host communities are based on a formula consistently applied across all gaming sites in Ontario, using a graduated scale of gaming revenue at the hosted site for the Q3 period Oct 1 – Dec 31.

OLG has paid $113.9m across the entire fiscal year so far, with the end of Q4 falling on March 31.

Since 1975, the corporation has provided nearly $57bn to the people and Province of Ontario to support key government priorities like health care; the treatment and prevention of problem gambling; and support for amateur athletes.

Casino Days opts for XPoint in search for Ontario ‘digital safe space’

Casino Days has partnered with geolocation and compliance technology firm XPoint to protect and grow its brand in Ontario.

The online casino company will utilise XPoint Verify, a geo-verification tool for real-money gaming operators, and integrate the service within its digital casino platform.

This represents the latest deal struck by XPoint in the Canadian province, after a similar arrangement was announced with BET99 last month.

Marvin Sanderson, CEO of Xpoint, commented: “This partnership underlines the appeal of our geolocation technology among established operators, offering flexibility and rapid integration to help market entrants get up and running seamlessly with our location-based intelligence data and essential fraud prevention services.

“Casino Days is a fantastic online casino brand, and we look forward to giving them access to our innovative data and platform.”

Xpoint Verify sits alongside Xpoint Lite in the group’s product suite, with the latter the preferred solution for fantasy sports and skill-based gaming operators.

The two geo-verification technology products are live with multiple partners in Canada.

Casino Days, meanwhile, is the first online casino brand created by igaming firm Rhino Entertainment, and combines mobile functionality with various slots and games from providers, big bonuses, with professional support and lightning-fast payments, including Interac and cards.

Ross Parkhill, CEO at Rhino Entertainment, added: “Our goal is to make sure Casino Days provides players with the best online casino user experience. We have partnered with Xpoint to support detection of cases of fraud, false data, spoofing, and device tampering which is key in creating a safe digital space for our users.

“We expect this partnership will serve Casino Days well as we look to grow our brand in Ontario, and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial geolocation partnership with Xpoint.”

Real Luck Group to launch ‘game-changing’ product after record-breaking December

Real Luck Group and its B2C betting subsidiary Luckbox have outlined their ambitions for 2023 after a lucrative end to last year.

Publishing its results, the Calgary-based group achieved a monthly revenue growth rate of 120% from November to December, closing the fourth quarter with CAD$3m (€2.06m) global betting handle.

The firm further highlighted customer acquisition as integral to the group’s Q4 progress as total player deposits rose by 420%, whilst 30,000 new players joined in the last six weeks of the year.

“We ended 2022 with a record-breaking December, delivering on our 2022 targets and demonstrating our 2023 potential,” said Real Luck Group CEO Thomas Rosander. “Not only are our December results encouraging, and a promising glimpse of our future growth potential.

“Looking ahead, we’re eager to attain profitability, scale up our brand awareness, and reveal our new B2B product in 2023. We believe our game-changing B2B product will unlock huge potential in a new vertical.”

Last year also saw Red Luck Group and its subsidiary make two significant senior appointments.

Former PokerStars director Bo Wänghammar joined its Board of Directors while Benn Timbury, formerly of Lottoland Group and LiveLotto, arrived as COO.