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IGT becomes first US gaming supplier to receive G4 sports betting accreditation

International Game Technology (IGT) has announced that it has become the first U.S.-based gaming industry supplier to receive the Global Gambling Guidance Group (G4) responsible gaming accreditation for its sports betting operations.

The company’s President of Sports Betting, Joe Asher, said IGT is “honoured” to be the first supplier to achieve G4 accreditation. G4’s goal is to reduce the impact of problem gaming by promoting a worldwide accreditation program for the remote and e-gambling industry and operators.

“IGT’s proactive approach to responsible gaming and achieving prestigious G4 certifications sets the pace for the entire industry to go above and beyond what state regulation mandates when it comes to player protection,” added Asher. “As sports betting continues its expansion across the U.S., IGT is actively demonstrating that it is now more important than ever to exercise strong responsible gaming support.”

IGT has been awarded G4 certification as its responsible gaming code of practice includes corporate practices; supporting practices and policies; player protection information; advertising and marketing code of principles; employee training and support; player protection tools; third-party research and application for improving responsible gaming tools and approaches.

Pieter Remmers, Chairman of the G4 Board of Directors, added: “G4 applauds IGT for making responsible gaming a top priority across all of its business verticals. G4 appreciates having IGT as an accredited member and glad to see the company continue leading the gaming industry with its responsible gaming initiatives.”

IGT is now certified for responsible gaming across its lottery, gaming, digital, and betting product segments. The supplier received G4 certification for its gaming operations in 2017 and its digital solutions in 2019, while its lottery and iLottery businesses are certified by the World Lottery Association.

Casino Rama workers getting “significant” pay rise

Unifor Local 1090 member workers at Gateway Casinos & Entertainment’s Casino Rama will benefit from “significant” wage increases under a new three-year collective agreement ratified on April 14.

According to the union, workers will see a three per cent increase in both years one and two of the agreement, and a 3.5 per cent increase in year three.

Gains for members working in the skilled trades are even higher, the union noted, at five per cent each year.

“Since joining Unifor in 2015, workers at Casino Rama have seen massive wage increases and new benefits that would have been impossible in a non-union environment,” said Corey Dalton, president of Unifor Local 1090.

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment told Simcoe.com it is “pleased that our employees have ratified the proposed collective agreement with Unifor at Casino Rama Resort.”

The agreement is the second of two recently ratified collective agreements for Unifor members at casinos in Ontario.

Unifor Local 444 members at Caesars Windsor Hotel and Casino ratified their own three-year collective agreement in late March that includes wage increases in each year and a pension enhancement.

PointsBet Canada names former Rogers exec as VP of Strategy

PointsBet Canada has appointed former Rogers Communications director Brett Jackman as its new Vice President of Strategy as it looks to build upon its launch in the Ontario market.

The company says Jackman brings 15 years of strategy and transformation leadership experience to the position. Most notably, as Senior Director of Corporate Strategy for Rogers, he played a key role in the firm’s $26bn acquisition of Shaw Communications and also helped the company’s efforts to bring high-speed connectivity to underserved rural and indigenous households across Ontario and Atlantic Canada.

In previous roles, he has advised large North American businesses on their growth strategy initiatives and top priorities, including new market and product launches, enterprise transformations, and M&A.

Commenting on his new role, Jackman said in a news release: “The opening of the regulated iGaming market in Ontario represents one of the most exciting business opportunities within Canada in recent memory. As the industry collectively continues to build, we know this space will soon touch so many Canadians from coast to coast to coast. I look forward to playing a role in ensuring that PointsBet Canada capitalizes on this incredible opportunity and delivers a truly authentic and differentiated product experience for Canadian sports fans.”

PointsBet Canada has been very active in recent months as it looks to establish itself as a contender for market leadership in Ontario, partnering with the likes of Toronto-focused sports conglomerate Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) and the Ottawa Redblacks CFL franchise.

After securing a license to operate in Ontario, the company also went public in February with its desire to potentially expand operations into Alberta.

“Brett’s expertise and vision will be absolutely crucial in helping shape PointsBet Canada’s priorities as we forge further ahead into the budding sports betting landscape,” said CEO Scott Vanderwel. “As our commitment so far has shown, PointsBet Canada has big ambitions, and I am thrilled to have Brett alongside us moving forward to help shape and drive our growth agenda, building upon the strong foundation we’ve assembled thus far.”

AGCO provides advertising & marketing update for operators

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has updated its advertising and marketing guidelines for operators in the Canadian province’s newly launched iGaming market, offering further transparency around the rules regarding bonuses and offers.

Private sportsbooks had already been prohibited from advertising sign-up offers to potential customers in the Ontario market. Now, in response to applicant and registrant queries, the AGCO has clarified that within Standard 2.05 of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming, the “Inducements, Bonuses, and Credits” section stipulates that “public advertising of inducements, bonuses and credits is strictly prohibited, including targeted advertising and algorithm-based ads” no matter if they are advertised directly or indirectly, as reported by SBC.

For example, direct inducements include “sign-up offers, deposit offers, offers of a reward, bonus or ‘boosted’ odds, refund/stake-back offers, multi-bet offers, or winnings paid on losing bets”, while indirect inducements “includes, but is not limited to, the display of promotional codes and/or general references that invite individuals or the general public to learn more about inducements on the gaming site”.

However, such offers may be displayed on the betting brand’s own platforms and may also be delivered via “direct marketing to individuals that have first consented, on the gaming site, to receive them”. Consent must be obtained from players on a registered Ontario gaming site and any permission obtained elsewhere or before the market opened does not meet the standard.

Displayed inducement, bonus and credit offers must declare “all material conditions and limitations at the offer’s first presentation” to give players the information they need before they make a decision on the offer.

Making security easy with EnStream

EnStreamThe proliferation of online gaming and betting in Canada breeds new and heightened security and anti-fraud concerns. Recent estimates suggest that up to 75 per cent of all betting is done on a mobile device and major developments such as the opening of Ontario’s regulated online gaming and betting market are only likely to increase the amount of mobile betting activity.

Generally, operators will have end users sign up with details such as name, address, and age, and login through an account to deposit funds and place bets. Many users may well repeat this process with multiple gaming sites and mobile apps.

In this climate, how can gaming operators be entirely confident that they are protecting the identity, privacy, and details of their users and safeguarding themselves from fraud and invasion of security?

EnStream is a joint venture of Canada’s leading mobile telecom companies – Bell Mobility, Rogers Communications, and TELUS Communications – that has over 15 years’ experience providing identity, location, and payment verification and authentication services for third-party applications that work on connected mobile devices. It is the only company with direct access to mobile telecom information in Canada, covering over 90 per cent of Canadians on all major mobile networks through a single connection point and a single business relationship.

Foolproof verification

The unfortunate truth is that anyone can pretend to be anyone else online. Trusted digital identities are the foundation of a modern digital economy, and EnStream is dedicated to increasing online trust and convenience for consumers and businesses using real-life, verified identities and network information held by trusted mobile networks.

Put simply, EnStream offers access to the mobile network operators’ mobile resources to verify both the mobile device and the account owner associated with that device. Its reliable and spoof-proof location and authentication services provide timely and accurate verification of user details such as carrier network, mobile number, SIM card, account status, and device information with end-user consent to enhance convenience and reduce identity theft and fraud.

EnStream’s tools are ideal for mobile gaming operators as a secondary source of reliable information for account opening, anti-money laundering compliance, and contact number verification. They reduce account takeover and fraud risks using mobile device information as a seamless, “silent” second factor for authentication. No personally identifiable information is held by EnStream any longer than required to process a transaction, ensuring data quality, security, and privacy.

Easing location, AML, and KYC concerns

Eligibility to use gambling or betting sites or apps often requires users to be within a particular jurisdiction. EnStream’s network-based mobile location services can verify any mobile device location in real-time without any preloaded software, using technology based on the same technology used by first responders to determine mobile device location in emergency situations for simple, fast, and reliable results.

Meanwhile, anti-money laundering compliance is vital for gaming companies and brands to operate legally and safely in their markets. EnStream offers key safeguards for Know Your Customer (KYC) rules and helps operators ensure they are meeting those AML compliance requirements, serving as an accepted secondary source in the dual-source method, where a primary source is an official government-issued financial credential. If a fraudster were to try logging into an account with false credentials, EnStream can verify whether the device being used is the same one associated with that account by providing a unique subscriber token that can be verified in real-time each time the user accesses a service. The system also detects any changes and sends push notifications to alert its customers of account changes, including account suspension or termination and mobile number changes.

Safeguarding the future of gaming

Online and mobile gaming is set for a period of significant and continued growth in Canada. Securely identifying users as they open accounts and as they return will be vital for the security and success of digital gaming operators.

In most cases, the complicated and rapidly evolving identity and security space is not the core competency of gaming operators. However, it is the core competency of mobile operators for their own business purposes. Through EnStream, mobile carriers are taking on the technical work that goes with device verification and making it available to gaming operators to leverage it as an independent and enhanced source of verification.

All of these mobile verifications can be executed in seconds, working silently and seamlessly in the background to provide an operator- and end user-friendly security experience that is resilient to fraud attacks.

For mobile gaming operators looking to the future, utilizing the best tools will be vital to success. EnStream does the hard work of verification and authentication so you don’t have to.

Find out more at https://www.enstream.com/.

Penn National partners with US Integrity

Penn National Gaming, the owner of leading Canadian sportsbook theScore Bet, has partnered with US Integrity (USI) to strengthen operations for both companies across the Canadian and U.S. regulated markets. 

USI will supply its integrity monitoring services via its proprietary dashboard to Penn National and its brands, which also include Barstool Sports and numerous U.S. casinos, and will also provide Penn with data analysis to proactively identify irregular wagering.

Matthew Holt, USI’s CEO & Co-Founder, explained: “US Integrity is proud to partner with Penn National and assist as they grow their brands across the US and Canadian regulated sports wagering markets. USI’s mission is to provide conflict-free, best-in-class insights and compliance solutions to our clients. We are looking forward to working with the exceptional team at Penn National; all our partners are committed to the highest integrity standards, and they are no exception.”

Chris Soriano, Chief Compliance Officer of Penn National said USI plays “a pivotal role” in combating suspicious wagering. “We are excited to be working with US Integrity as we continue to expand our industry-leading brands Barstool Sportsbook and theScore Bet across the regulated US and Canadian markets. USI’s commitment to maintaining integrity as well as their proactive approach will play a pivotal role in detecting and sharing any potentially suspicious wagering activity.”

USI’s partnership with Penn quickly follows another deal that saw it launch its solutions with PointsBet Canada, which represented its first client outside of the regulated U.S. market.

DAZN appoints BoyleSports CEO to lead new betting brand

Sports streaming business DAZN has appointed BoyleSports chief executive Mark Kemp to become the new CEO of the DAZN BET brand it announced last week.

Kemp, who has been CEO of BoyleSports since 2021, will bring more than 20 years of experience to the role, having previously spent time in senior roles with the likes of UK Tote Group, Ladbrokes, and Coral. He will work towards the company’s goal to “revitalize” and “disrupt” the casual betting market by developing a betting service that will be converged with its OTT platform.

“I am delighted to be joining DAZN BET to launch such a new and exciting international brand,” Kemp said. “With the strength and expertise of DAZN in sports media, we will deliver something recreational and relevant to today’s audience. I am looking forward to working with the new team and DAZN to build an engaging and responsible new entertainment proposition for sports fans across the world.”

The group’s executive vice president of betting, Ian Turnbull, added: “Sports betting partnerships are just one of the ways in which DAZN is going to deliver more exciting and richer content for its customers. We know that fans want more integrated, immersive, and interactive experiences as they enjoy long-form content. DAZN is giving them that.”

Last week, the company announced that it had partnered with betting and gaming supplier Pragmatic Group in order to roll out DAZN BET, which is set to soft launch in jurisdictions including Ontario from August.

It had previously signalled its plans to expand into betting by appointing former Entain executives Ian Turnbull as EVP of Betting and Sandeep Tiku as Chief Technology Officer last year.

Gateway finds huge demand for new North Bay casino

A month after the North Bay Cascades Casino opened to the public, Gateway Casinos and Entertainment say the demand from the local community has “exceeded our wildest dreams”.

The new casino opened in a soft launch on March 9 and at full capacity weeks later nearly three years after it had broken ground. It was initially supposed to be open in summer 2020 before the pandemic derailed that timeline, causing an almost two-year delay in the opening of the casino.

CTV News reports that since that soft launch, the slots have been at full capacity on a daily basis. The $41 million facility features 300 slots, six live tables, and 10 virtual tables, and created 200 new jobs. 

“Visitation has exceeded our wildest dreams,” Gateway Casinos spokesman Rob Mitchell told CTV News. “We’re drawing people from all over the place. There’s a great curiosity factor in a new casino. We’re starting to establish our regulars.”

Officials from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) along with Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli presented the City of North Bay with a cheque for $111,000 this week, representing the city’s share of revenue generated from March 9-31. More money will be shared with the city on a quarterly basis under a municipal contribution agreement, which sees municipalities receive 5.25 per cent of the proceeds of casino gaming on the first $65 million of slot revenue, three per cent on the next $135 million, 2.5 per cent on the next $300 million of slot revenue, and 0.5 per cent on slot revenue above $500 million, as well as four per cent of table game revenue.

North Bay Mayor Al McDonald told Bay Today that the size of the cheque from the casino’s first weeks of activity same as a shock. “I was surprised it was that much after just 23 days… Obviously, there is a demand for this type of entertainment… I haven’t got one email or one call negative to the casino being here so far.”

The casino’s General Manager Mo Shulu told BayToday that the casino has had “overwhelmingly positive support” from the community. “We’ve seen people of all ages and demographics and their patronage is so appreciated because we are a partner in this community and we want to see the best for North Bay, so we are very grateful.”

McDonald added that the City is anticipating receiving between $1 million and $2 million each and every year as a result of the casino’s activities. “What we’re going to do is put the money into a reserve and the next council will set the policy on how they want to invest the money moving forward,” he told CTV News.

Gateway has other casino projects in Ontario in the works, including one in Sudbury at the Kingsway Entertainment District development.

The developer of that project, Dario Zulich, said that visiting the North Bay casino has made him even more excited to eventually unveil Sudbury’s. “Sudbury will not regret this.”

Another, in Kenora, has been approved but has not yet begun construction.

Image: MPP Vic Fedeli

PokerStars launches new sports betting exchange

Flutter’s PokerStars brand is making strides in the sports betting market, having launched a new peer-to-peer online betting exchange called PokerStars Exchange.

Available via its .com and .EU domains, the PokerStars Exchange lets bettors buy and sell wagers with other users internationally and includes access to a range of markets, offering players entry to the same global liquidity pool as fellow Flutter operator the Betfair Exchange.

PokerStars says the exchange will provide better odds on sports games for its patrons due to bets being placed directly against other users, as well as access to greater markets and a consistent stream of customers to wager against thanks to the Betfair shared liquidity. Available to international customers via the PokerStars Sport tab in a range of territories, the product also offers its users the ability to enter their own odds and lay betting opportunities.

The company claims that 70 per cent of current sports bettors indicate they would take advantage of a betting exchange on PokerStars.

“We’re always looking at ways to bring PokerStars players something new, and to be able to do that in collaboration with our colleagues over at the world’s largest betting exchange is a huge privilege,” said Richard Garrod, Director of Product at PokerStars. “Our research suggests that our customers would welcome the addition of an exchange product, with 70 per cent of current sports bettors saying they want to get involved.”

“The PokerStars Exchange gives our players access to a brand-new sports betting experience alongside a global community of sports fans, with all the convenience of a single account and wallet. After months of hard work and execution, we’re thrilled to offer PokerStars players this addition to the PokerStars portfolio.”

This is Flutter’s latest move that speaks to their clear ambitions in the North American market.

PokerStars, along with fellow Flutter brand FanDuel, recently struck an extensive partnership with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the owner of the Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto FC, and Toronto Argonauts sports franchises. FanDuel is now the official sports betting partner of MLSE, while PokerStars is an official gaming partner of the company. The two brands will be featured prominently throughout Maple Leafs and Raptors games, including rink-board and on-court signage.

FanDuel has also become an official partner of the NHL in Canada, as well as leading Canadian sports broadcast network TSN.

PokerStars has longstanding historical roots in Canada, having been owned by Toronto-headquartered gaming company The Stars Group Inc. until its acquisition by Irish company Flutter in 2020.

DAZN to launch betting brand in Ontario with Pragmatic

Sports entertainment group DAZN Group is intending to launch a DAZN BET brand in multiple jurisdictions including Ontario later in 2022.

In partnership with Pragmatic Group, DAZN BET will be launched and operated by a new Gibraltar-based company created especially for the strategic partnership.

A press release states that DAZN BET aims to revolutionize the sports betting experience with “the world’s first ​​truly immersive sports entertainment ecosystem” in which fans can watch live and non-live content, access sports and betting news and highlights, socialize, and bet as part of the “the trend towards recreational in-play betting”.

The move is the culmination of a targeted plan which followed Shay Segev, former CEO of Entain — the company which owns numerous prominent betting brands such as BetMGM, bwin, the Party network, Ladbrokes, and Coral — took over at DAZN in January 2021.

The company is expected to soft launch a beta product to coincide with the start of the new European soccer season in August 2022 and hopes to be operational in Ontario by the end of 2022 Q3.

Legal Sports Report adds that the Ontario product will be powered initially by Sportradar’s Optima sportsbook engine, and DAZN is also working on building its own player account management platform (PAM) in partnership with Pragmatic.

Pragmatic only launched its sportsbook product earlier in April and said at the time of launch that operators had already shown interest.