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AGA announces Gaming Hall of Fame Class of 2022

The American Gaming Association (AGA) has announced that executives from Everi, Entain, and Games Global are the inductees into the Gaming Hall of Fame Class of 2022.

Gavin Isaacs, former President and CEO of Scientific Games Corporation and current Chairman of Games Global; Virginia McDowell, Non-Executive Director of Entain plc and Co-founder of Global Gaming Women; and Michael Rumbolz, Executive Chairman of the Board and former CEO of Everi Holdings, Inc. will be honoured for their noteworthy contributions to the industry.

“Gavin, Virginia, and Mike have each helped transform the gaming industry in their own significant ways,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “From leading casino and manufacturing operations across the country to serving in a multitude of board and advisory roles, their influence has spanned the U.S. and global gaming industry—and we are all better off for it.”

Isaacs has served as a top executive at several of the country’s largest casino suppliers and leading multiple industry-shaping mergers and most recently served as president and CEO of Scientific Games (now Light & Wonder), where he oversaw the company’s acquisition of Bally Technologies.

McDowell served as the only female president and CEO of a major gaming operating company from 2007 until her retirement from Isle of Capri Casinos in April 2016. She now serves as a non-executive director of Entain, where she chairs the Environmental, Social, and Governance Committee and serves as the designated workforce director. She is also the co-founder of Global Gaming Women, a nonprofit she established in 2016 with a mission to support, inspire, and influence the development of women in the gaming industry through education and mentoring.

Rumbolz has been involved in all aspects of the gaming industry over the last 40 years, with experience encompassing gaming-related equipment and systems manufacturing and distribution; casino project development and construction; hotel and casino operations; casino fintech equipment and systems; casino regulatory technology; digital gaming; lottery and slot-route operations; and gaming legislation and regulation. He has been a member of the Board of Managers of Seminole Hard Rock International since 2008 and a member of the Board of Directors of VICI Properties Inc. since 2017. He also formerly served as Chief Deputy Attorney General of Nevada and Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Since 1989, the Gaming Hall of Fame has recognized gaming legends, pioneers, and business leaders for their lasting impacts on the industry. The Class of 2022 will be honoured during an invitation-only induction ceremony at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas this October.

Hall of Fame honourees are selected by an independent panel of gaming executives. This year’s selection committee members include:

  • Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming
  • Kirsten Clark, Executive Director of the International Association of Gaming Advisors
  • Jeffrey Compton, Business Manager of CDC Gaming Reports
  • Alan Feldman, Chairman of the International Center for Responsible Gaming and Distinguished Fellow at UNLV International Gaming Institute
  • Craig Ferreira, Interim Executive Director of the UNLV International Center for Gaming Regulation
  • Dan Little, Chief Intergovernmental Affairs Officer of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
  • Cassie Stratford, SVP of Legal Operations & Regulatory Compliance at Boyd Gaming and President and Chair of Global Gaming Women
  • Steve Sutherland, President and CEO of Konami Gaming

OpenBet: SIGA deal indicative of Canada growth

As the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) expands its footprint in Canada through an agreement with the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) to power Saskatchewan’s regulated online gambling site, OpenBet is cultivating a long-term relationship with the lottery as its sports betting provider.

OpenBet’s Chief Commercial Officer, Cathryn Lai, discusses the challenges and opportunities she expects to face following this new partnership.

With the deal between the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority and BCLC now signed, what does this entail for both OpenBet and Canada in general?

Lai: OpenBet has evolved over the years, with different controlling groups and different leadership, but the one thing that has always stayed true is that it is an innovative, progressive organization. In my role as CCO, I have the opportunity to help OpenBet take that to the next level to be at the front line of driving online and land-based legalized gambling in Canada. OpenBet is excited to seal another tribe partnership with SIGA, allowing us to be a part of bringing online gambling to the people of Saskatchewan, and we feel we are well-placed to be the region’s sports betting partner of choice. There is set to be a lot of innovation in the sports betting space in Canada over the next few years and OpenBet will be at the forefront of that. It’s exciting to be part of an organization with such continued promise.

How does this partnership affect OpenBet’s relationship with BCLC?

Lai: OpenBet has a longstanding, positive relationship with BCLC and has helped to pioneer the digital landscape when it comes to government-regulated gambling in North America. Partnering with SIGA is testament to the organization’s commitment to being the top performer in a lot of categories in North American gambling. OpenBet has been BCLC’s sports betting platform provider for over a decade, and this move strengthens our relationship further. Moving forward, all of that know-how can be channelled into meeting the needs of customers in Saskatchewan.

What is your immediate focus in regards to the SIGA/BCLC partnership?

Lai: Our main priority will be ensuring the customer is well-positioned for success, shaping and guiding the way Saskatchewan builds up sports betting. We need to understand that sports betting is still comparatively quite an immature industry in North America, with leagues and customers just starting to adopt sports betting and recognising how much it can add to their viewing entertainment, but OpenBet’s experience will help newcomers like Saskatchewan to succeed – we were also a partner with BCLC in bringing online gambling to the people of Manitoba, so are well-placed to deliver what is needed. By moving quickly to understand the nuances of different territories, we can ensure that we’re serving operators, lotteries, and tribes the way they want to be served. This means making sure our technology, content, and services are delivered in a personalized way that meets their exact needs. This is especially important when you consider the top sports for bettors; differences in sport and live betting, and the way that plays out, are extremely important for us.

RELATED: SIGA aiming to launch Saskatchewan online gaming site by November

How important is SIGA’s role in the success Saskatchewan will see going forward?

Lai: SIGA has been a positive driving force for Saskatchewan since 1995, established as a non-profit entity to create opportunities and give back to local communities. The organization is dedicated to investing in economic opportunities that have a lasting impact, and this deal with BCLC represents just that. We’re proud to have formed another tribal partnership alongside SIGA.

How will this deal play out in terms of sports betting in Canada at large?

Lai: As has been the case with Ontario recently, the other provinces have been paying close attention to the level of performance displayed in different territories: how much of the market is displaying positivity with the legalized, licensed model, but also attempting to quantify how much remains in the grey market. This will continue to be the case with Saskatchewan; the success of the SIGA/BCLC partnership there will contribute to whether they make their own inroads into regulation.

What are OpenBet’s plans for Canada going forward?

Lai: OpenBet has a very strong historic presence in Canada, primarily with BCLC and also Loto-Québec, and can continue to replicate the successes we have seen over the years. We were the first regulated sportsbook platform provider to offer singles betting in Canada, and the recent SIGA deal is evidence of our continued efforts. We also work with the Atlantic Lottery Corporation and we need to explore more opportunities to work with the other jurisdictions as well. Generally, we will continue to observe how the market develops, in Canada and across North America, to make sure we’re ready to serve and help operators become extremely successful in their jurisdictions.

Flutter reports FanDuel owns half of US online sports betting market

Flutter Entertainment, the majority owner of FanDuel Group, has claimed that the latter brand now holds around half of the market for online sports betting in the United States.

Flutter reported on August 12 that FanDuel’s share of gross gaming revenue (GGR) in the U.S. online sports betting market rose to 51 per cent as of the end of June. Peter Jackson, CEO of Flutter, added that FanDuel also holds the number-one position in online sports betting in 13 of the 15 U.S. states in which it is live and operational.

That is up from a reported figure of 40 per cent of U.S. GGR at the end of 2021, reports Covers. The company said this growth has been driven by “FanDuel’s superior product, efficient customer acquisition and strong operational execution”.

“In the four years since launch, FanDuel has refined its state launch ‘playbook,’ converting customers from our daily fantasy sports database at a faster rate with each new state,” the company added.

FanDuel has been making moves in recent months to ensure it has a prominent presence in Canada’s first open and regulated online betting market of Ontario, too.

In October, nearly six months before the Ontario market opened on April 4, the brand appointed ex-Deliotte executive Dale Hooper as its first general manager for Canada.

Since then, FanDuel, which was a day one operator in Ontario, has undertaken a wave of partnerships with a view to establishing market leadership in the province.

First, it became the first official sportsbook partner for Canadian sports broadcasting network TSN.

Then, one week after the opening of the market, Flutter struck a deal with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the owner of the Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto FC, and Toronto Argonauts sports franchises, that made FanDuel the official sports betting partner of MLSE and Flutter’s adjacent brand PokerStars an official gaming partner of the company.

PokerStars officially got up and running in its former home market of Ontario in late June. At around the same time, FanDuel signed a multi-year partnership with the NFL to become an official sportsbook partner of the league in Canada, expanding the two brands’ existing U.S. partnership across North America.

AGA reports new quarterly commercial gaming record

The American Gaming Association (AGA) has announced that commercial gaming has achieved a new quarterly revenue record of US$14.81 billion during the second quarter of 2022.

The AGA’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker confirmed that Q2’s revenue beat the previous record set in Q4 2021 by 3.3 per cent, and is also an 8.8 per cent improvement year-over-year.

A revenue of US$29.16 billion produced in the first half of 2022 represents a 17.8 per cent YOY increase and puts the U.S. on pace for a new annual commercial gaming revenue record for the second year in a row.

AGA President and CEO Bill Miller said that Q2’s results mark a 16-month period of gains for commercial gaming.

“With increasingly difficult year-over-year comparisons, our strength through the first half of 2022 reflects sustained consumer demand for legal options, as well as gaming’s record popularity,” Miller added.

The U.S. gaming industry’s growth rate slowed as Q2 went on – from 13.1 per cent in April to 10.7 per cent in May and to 2.5 per cent in June, which the AGA says illustrates “stabilizing consumer demand and the return to normal gaming operations one year ago”.

Of the total Q2 GGR of US$14.81 billion, slots led the way with US$8.7 billion. However, while that represented a small uptick of 0.2 per cent for slots, table games (US$2.54 billion revenue for a 18.2 per cent increase), sports betting (US$1.42 billion revenue for a 58.7 per cent improvement), and iGaming (US$1.21 billion for 34.3 per cent growth) all saw strong improvement YOY.

When it comes to the H1 2022 GGR, slots were up 8.7 per cent YOY, tables games improved 28.9 per cent, sports betting saw a 63.9 per cent rise, and iGaming was up 43.5 per cent.

The AGA noted that traditional casino gaming continues to drive industry success, with brick-and-mortar quarterly revenue records “indicating the lingering impact that COVID restrictions had on table games in the first half of 2021”.

However, Miller added that while the U.S. gaming industry is on pace to set an annual revenue record, “we are cognizant of the continued impacts of inflation and labour challenges, as well as marketplace concerns of a potential recession”.

GiG to supply iGaming platforms for Kings Media’s Ontario entry

Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) will provide its iGaming platforms to its new strategic partner Kings Media Ltd. for the latter’s entry into the regulated Ontario market.

Online casino company Kings Media operates the King Billy casino brand across several markets but does not yet have a presence in a regulated North American market. With GiG, it is now ready to dip into Canadian waters.

GiG received its supplier license from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario last month, which covered its B2B sportsbook and PAM and made Ontario the 22nd regulated market in which it has a footprint

This will be its second deal in Ontario, as it already has an existing customer expected to launch this quarter. King Media is expected to go live in H1 2023 to kick off a three-year deal between GiG and Kings.

Volodymyr Harkusha, CEO of Kings Media Ltd, said the company was looking for “an industry-leading, future-ready partner” to help propel it to success in Ontario.

“GiG fit the bill perfectly, not only by ticking and double-ticking all the boxes but also by impressing us with their clear vision and dedication to the project,” he added. “We are looking forward to working together with GiG on the mutual challenges ahead and we are certain that this collaboration will enable us to gain a significant foothold in the Ontario market.”

Richard Brown, CEO of GiG, added that Kings Media shares GiG’s values “around personalization, responsible gaming, and the importance of regulated markets.”

“We see great potential in Ontario, particularly when we can harness the operational experience of operators like Kings Media,” Brown continued.

BetMGM becomes official sportsbook partner of the NFL in Canada

BetMGM has announced a multi-year partnership extension with the National Football League (NFL) that sees it become one of the league’s Official Sportsbook Partners in Canada.

BetMGM was among the first operators to go live in Ontario’s regulated marker in April 2022. It will now have the rights to use official NFL marks in Canada and advertise on NFL-operated digital platforms throughout the region. Additionally, BetMGM will offer Canadian customers access to exclusive NFL experiences, says a press release.

This news complements BetMGM’s agreement with the NFL in the U.S. In 2021, the company became an Approved Sportsbook Operator of the NFL, earning the opportunity to run in-game television spots during the season.

“Expanding our partnership with the NFL into Canada sets the stage for amazing opportunities as we begin the upcoming football season,” said BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt. “We’re already seeing great interest from our Ontario customers and this collaboration truly elevates the BetMGM experience.”

BetMGM becomes the NFL’s latest sportsbook partner in Canada. The league already has tie-ups with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s PROLINE, which was its first official Canadian sportsbook partner, and Flutter’s FanDuel brand.

Gavin Kemp, Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships, NFL Canada, added: “We are thrilled to be working with BetMGM in Canada as an Official Sportsbook Partner. BetMGM delivers a unique gaming platform to this emerging market and will enhance the NFL fan experience in Canada in new and innovative ways.”

BetRivers signs up Canadian sports broadcaster Natasha Staniszewski as brand ambassador

Rush Street Interactive (RSI) has announced the signing of Canadian sports broadcaster and reporter Natasha Staniszewski to an exclusive brand and content deal with the company’s BetRivers sportsbook.

Staniszewski is currently the host of StampsTV for Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation and previously spent 10 years anchoring and reporting for SportsCentre, TSN’s flagship sports news and information program.

As part of the partnership, Staniszewski will produce original content for the BetRivers brand and will appear in radio, television, and marketing campaigns in Ontario and U.S. markets where BetRivers has sportsbooks. Staniszewski will also represent the brand at various events across Ontario.

“It’s an exciting time to be part of the sports betting industry in Ontario and I am thrilled to be joining the BetRivers team as a brand ambassador,” said Staniszewski. “I look forward to sharing my knowledge and passion for sports while creating unique content for a wide audience of sports fans.”

“We couldn’t be more excited for Natasha Staniszewski to be joining the BetRivers family,” said Richard Schwartz, CEO of RSI. “Her unique perspective and extensive experience covering the world of sports will be an incredible asset to our customers and will continue to enhance BetRivers’ award-winning experience for sports betting enthusiasts in Ontario and beyond.”

BetRivers was an early entrant into the regulated Ontario online gaming and betting market which launched in April.

The brand already has a partnership with another former TSN broadcaster, Dan O’Toole.

Great Canadian casino workers ratify new four-year deal

After two weeks of strike action, unionized casino workers at Great Canadian Entertainment casinos in Ajax and Pickering have ratified a new four-year deal.

Unifor Local 1090 announced on Aug. 4 that it had reached a tentative agreement and its membership ratified that proposed pact with 92.8 per cent support a day later, reports the Toronto Star.

According to the union, the new deal includes “significant wage increases” that average 17 per cent over the life of the agreement, with some workers receiving more than a 25 per cent raise. The two sides also established a new full-time/part-time ratio that is estimated to create between 120 and 150 new full-time positions “immediately”, said the union.

Other highlights from the agreement include benefit improvements, “major” layoff and recall improvements, additional paid bereavement, and scheduling and vacation improvements. Unifor also touted the establishment of a new paid time-off program that will allow employees up to 32 hours of new paid time-off.

Approximately 800 workers between Casino Ajax and the Pickering Casino Resort had walked off the job after a strike deadline for midnight on Friday, July 22 passed. Both gaming facilities remained open during the strike action, although live table games at the Pickering casino were unavailable.

RELATED: Great Canadian Gaming rebrands to Great Canadian Entertainment

“These were tough negotiations and we were able to get to a tentative agreement because members took a principled stand for better working conditions,” said Corey Dalton, president of Local 1090, before the ratification vote. “Gaming sector workers deserve fairness during these uncertain economic times.””

Great Canadian thanked all of its team members and guests for their patience throughout this process, adding that “we look forward to welcoming them back and ramping up operations as quickly as possible”.

Union members at six other Great Canadian casinos in Ontario averted a strike last month after negotiating new agreements.

Including the latest tentative deal, the new agreements cover 1,830 Unifor members at eight casinos.

Mohegan officially launches as Ontario iGaming market’s first land-based casino operator

Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, the first land-based operator to be licensed to operate an online brand in Ontario’s regulated market, has now launched in the province.

Mohegan Gaming was granted a license by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) in May and soft launched in Ontario last week after completing the execution of an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario (iGO).

“PlayFallsview Online Casino is now live on desktop web browsers and mobile devices anywhere in Ontario at PlayFallsview.com,” iGO announced on August 8, adding that the PlayFallsview mobile apps will be coming soon to the Apple Store and Google Play.

Mohegan Gaming formed its Mohegan Digital branch last summer. Rich Roberts, who was appointed as president of the iGaming division, will be overseeing PlayFallsview. That name comes from Fallsview Casino Resort, which is one of two casinos owned by Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation but managed and run by Connecticut-headquartered Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment, along with Casino Niagara.

“We’re taking advantage of our Fallsview name, which is arguably the most recognized casino property in Ontario, and really building a product that reflects what Fallsview is, an extension of the property,” Roberts told Sports Handle around the time of the licensing in May. “Think of this as Fallsview in your pocket. When you leave the casino, you bring the brand with you. And the goal is for the brand to bring you back to the casino.”

Roberts sees the two Niagara properties as ideal locations for sportsbooks and esports events, with both properties having a number of theatres and concert halls. He added that PlayFallsview is initially intended to be a complementary product for its existing retail casino customer base, rather than competing directly with the many online-focused sportsbooks already live in Ontario.

“Our goal is to give our retail customers that digital experience that they’re looking for. Whether it’s casino, table games, sportsbook, we’ll provide them with the content they want to enjoy when they’re off the property,” Roberts said.

Sports Handle adds that there is “cautious optimism” that Ontario could host at least one brick-and-mortar sportsbook in a casino by the end of September. Last week, Niagara Casinos posted jobs on LinkedIn for a sportsbook supervisor and sportsbook ambassador, shortly after Greg Yott was promoted to the company’s director of sportsbook.

“There is a desire to try and have everyone up and running by September, which has always been the agenda that people were shooting for,” Canadian Gaming Association President and CEO Paul Burns, told Sports Handle. “Some are working hard to try and get there. I understand they’re getting closer to getting agreements in place between OLG and casino operators. I can only hope it’s soon. I think everybody would like to be able to have a sportsbook on their property and offer a sportsbook onsite. Unfortunately, it’s taken too long. I hope they make [September].”

PlayFallsview’s licencing follows Mohegan Gaming selecting Kambi as its sports betting provider. The two companies already had an existing relationship through Unibet, which operates a sportsbook at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Pennsylvania.

Image: Idawriter via Wikimedia Commons

AGEM Index rebounds in July

The AGEM Index rose by 51.54 points in July 2022 to 862.93, rebounding 6.4 per cent from a significant drop in June.

However, compared to one year ago, the index was down 62.39 points, or 6.7 per cent.

During the latest month, 10 of the 12 index companies reported stock-price increases, which resulted in 10 positive contributions to the index and two negative contributions.

The largest positive contributor was Crane Co., which reported a 13.76-point gain to the index as a result of a 13 per cent increase in its stock price. Aristocrat contributed a further 11.60 points due to a 2.7 per cent increase in its stock price.

The largest negative contribution was from PlayAGS Inc., whose 8.1 per cent decline in stock price equated to a 0.27-point loss for the index.

The rebound comes in the context of all three major U.S. stock indices seeing month-over-month increases in July 2022 after slipping across the board in the prior period. The NASDAQ rose by 12.3 per cent from June, while the S&P 500 rose by 9.1 per cent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average grew 6.7 per cent over the month.

The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) produces the monthly AGEM Index that comprises 12 global gaming suppliers throughout the world. The index is computed based on the month-end stock price (adjusted for dividends and splits) of each company and weighted based on an approximation of market capitalization.

AGEM is an international trade association representing manufacturers of electronic gaming devices, systems, lotteries, and components for the gaming industry.