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Rush Street Interactive joins the Ontario tide via BetRivers

Rush Street Interactive’s BetRivers brand has become the latest operator to receive registration for Ontario’s soon-to-open iGaming and sports betting market.

Rush Street is already active in the province via it’s free-to-play social gaming platform CASINO4FUN, which is accessible from BetRivers.ca and is powered by the same proprietary technology behind Rush Street’s real-money platform.

“The receipt of our registration in Ontario is an important milestone that demonstrates our commitment to operating only in legalised markets where we pay local taxes, and we are grateful for the trust of the AGCO,” Rush Street chief executive Richard Schwartz said in a statement.

“We are now one step closer to launching the BetRivers real-money online casino and sportsbook in Ontario and bringing our unique betting options, such as our innovative peer-to-peer slot tournaments or same game parlays, fast pay-outs, and award-winning customer service to the province’s millions of residents.”

The New York-listed sports betting and iGaming operator’s full betting and gaming launch in Ontario will see Canad become its country of operation for third real-money online gaming, after the U.S. and Colombia. The company also has access to the Mexican online casino and sports betting markets through its partnership with media conglomerate Grupo Multimedios, where it expects to launch online casino and sports betting in the second quarter of 2022.

According to Covers, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario lists 11 different registered internet gaming operators as of March 10, up from six last week.

Rush Street’s registration comes days after the likes of 888 and the World Series of Poker brand received their licenses. Covers reports that other operators that have received registrations now include Kindred Group’s Unibet, LeoVegas, and U.K.-based Fitzdares.

In addition, suppliers such as Vancouver-based FansUnite and Toronto’s Bragg Gaming have received licenses to supply operators in the Ontario market.

OLG’s PROLINE named NHL’s first sportsbook partner in Canada

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s PROLINE+ sportsbook has been named as the first official sportsbook partner of the National Hockey League (NHL) in Canada.

The multi-year deal is the NHL’s first sports betting partnership in Canada and will see OLG become an official NHL partner for sports betting on both its PROLINE+ digital sports betting platform and the new PROLINE product at retail lottery outlets across Ontario.

The partnership will provide OLG with distribution rights to the league’s official logos and cross-promotion across NHL digital and social channels.

In summary, the partnership includes unique and engaging NHL content delivered across proline.ca and NHL digital platforms, exclusive OLG/PROLINE and NHL events and promotions at retail outlets and online, and special co-branded promotions for sports betting enthusiasts during select 2021-22 regular season games, the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Final, and the and 2022-23 season.

PROLINE+ will also be the presenting sponsor of the PROLINE+ NHL PreGame at the 2022 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic, the official fan festival of the March 13 outdoor game between the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ont. This will be the first year that the NHL Heritage Classic is held in Ontario.

“The OLG-NHL deal is a big win for our valued sports bettors,” says Dave Pridmore, OLG’s Chief Digital and Strategy Officer. “A partnership with a world-class organization like the NHL will help complement the ultimate sports betting experience for hockey fans on PROLINE+ and PROLINE at retail, where our players can execute legal single-event wagers and other unique bets on a sport they love.”

“As we prepare to stage our sixth NHL Heritage Classic this weekend in Hamilton, we’re thrilled to announce PROLINE+ by OLG as the NHL’s first Official Sports Betting Partner in Canada,”  said Kyle McMann, NHL Senior Vice President, North American Business Development. “As a leading gaming entertainment operator for more than four decades with an excellent track record in Ontario, OLG is an ideal partner for the NHL to begin our transformative entry into this space in Canada and to further engage our avid Canadian fan base.”

This is OLG’s second official partnership with a major sports league. The corporation previously announced before Super Bowl LVI that it has signed a five-year deal for PROLINE to be the first official Canadian sportsbook partner of the NFL.

These announcements have come just weeks before the OLG will a horde of competitors in the market as Ontario opens up its iGaming and sports betting industry to private-sector operators on April 4.

Real Luck Group appoints former PokerStars director to board

Real Luck Group and its Luckbox subsidiary have made two senior appointments, including naming former PokerStars director Bo Wänghammar to its board of directors.

Wänghammar was formerly Director of International Projects and Managing Director of Casino at PokerStars, which was acquired by Flutter Entertainment for US$6 billion in October 2019. He has also served as the CEO and Business Development Director at Mr Green & Co online casino, which was acquired by William Hill for US£242 million in October 2018.

He joins Chairman Drew Green, CEO Thomas Rosander, Lloyd Melnick, and Maruf Raza, on the Real Luck Group board of directors and replaces Mike Stevens, who resigned from his position as a director to focus on his family and charity work.

Real Luck Group CEO Thomas Rosander said in a press release: “I am thrilled a seasoned operator such as Bo will be joining our board. This is an exciting stage for the company as we look to scale our user acquisition efforts and revenues and I believe his experience and guidance will be invaluable to Real Luck’s growth strategy.

“His track record speaks for itself, as during his time as Director of Casino at PokerStars, he oversaw the doubling of revenues to more than US$500 million, growing the casino vertical to outperform the core poker offering. During Mr. Wänghammar’s time at Mr Green the business grew quickly and achieved strong profitability and we believe he was instrumental in refactoring the technical infrastructure to launch a portfolio of award-winning products.”

Meanwhile, the company has also appointed lotto gaming executive Benn Timbury, formerly of Lottoland Group and LiveLotto, as its Chief Operating Officer.

IGT, Scientific Games spur uptick in AGEM Index

In February 2022, the AGEM Index improved by 27.08 points to 952.95, marking a 2.9 per cent increase from January. That uptick comes after the index experienced a 4.7 per cent decrease last month compared with December 2021.

Compared to one year ago, the index added 201.16 points for an annual growth rate of 26.8 per cent.

During the latest reporting period, nine of the AGEM Index companies reported stock price increases, with three posting a decline. As a result, eight companies posted positive contributions to the index.

The most significant of those, and the top contributor to the monthly index, was International Game Technology, whose 14.4 per cent increase in stock price led to a 17.29-point gain for the index.

Meanwhile, Scientific Games reported a 10.51-point contribution to the index as a result of a 9.1 per cent increase in overall stock price.

The largest negative contribution to the index was sourced to Aristocrat, whose 7.6 per cent drop in stock price resulted in a 17.49-point decrease.

The uptick in the AGEM index came as all three major U.S. stock indices declined once again. The S&P 500 declined 3.1 per cent, while the NASDAQ fell by 3.4 per cent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced the largest dip among major U.S. stock indices with a 3.6 per cent decline in February 2022.

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.

Ontario online betting operators cannot advertise sign-up offers

Privately-run sportsbooks in Ontario’s regulated market will not be permitted to advertise online betting sign-up promotions, bonuses, or credits to consumers.

While companies will still be able to provide these offers, such as risk-free first bets or matching first deposits to players, they won’t be able to use them in any manner to promote sites, traditionally a key tactic employed by online sports betting sites to lure new customers.

The issue was one discussed at a webinar on March 7 co-hosted by IAB Canada and thinkTV on the topic of advertising and marketing around Canada’s new-look sports betting and iGaming business.

“You can put them on your website, you can offer them to players in your database, you just can’t be putting them in your in your advertising,” said Canadian Gaming Association President and CEO Paul Burns, per Sports Betting Dime. The prohibition will also apply to any online casinos opening in the province, with one set of regulatory standards covering both sports and casino gambling.

Jay Welbourn, manager of quality assurance and training for the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of the Ontario (AGCO), noted that research has shown that such advertisements are associated with the greatest increases in gambling-related harms, “so it’s obvious why we would prohibit their use”.

“On the other hand, such offers are popular with players and they support the establishment of a successful, regulated market,” he added, per Play Ontario. “So, this standard aims to strike a balance. It does not prohibit the use of inducements, bonuses or credits, but it does prohibit the public advertising of them… Once players access an operator’s gaming site, bonus offers may be displayed. They may also be provided through direct marketing to those players who have consented to receive them.”

Welbourn added that the accountability for meeting advertising standards is held by the iGaming operators, and operators will also be responsible for ensuring that any third party they align with also meets the standards.

Burns underlined that it will be a collaborative, united effort.

“We have to realize that 30-plus companies will be entering the market in the next several months. The volume is going to go up… It’s incumbent on everybody to make sure that we play a role in adhering to the regulatory standards.”

Burns also highlighted that grey-market .net sites promoting free-to-play games will still be legal after the April 4 launch date, emphasizing that they are “vetted in consumer protection laws” which are beyond the domain of the AGCO. Industry advocates and regulators will continue to monitor the use of .net advertising. “If it continues, we at the CGA may request a repeal of the law if we think it’s necessary, if it’s being used as a way to circumvent the marketplace,” he added.

RELATED: Ontario bettors’ options broaden as more sportsbooks & suppliers receive AGCO registration

Ultimately, sportsbooks will have to focus on other methods of getting Ontario bettors to sign up. The market is likely to be product-led, with the competitiveness based on strong product differentiation rather than incentive offers or the size of bonuses.

For example, BetRivers Canada is offering the chance to free-play their sportsbook and casino with play-for-fun options. Other companies are relying on star power. PointsBet Canada has hired Canadian cultural icons the Trailer Park Boys to serve as their brand ambassadors, while BetMGM has signed up past and present hockey icons in the form of Wayne Gretzky and Connor McDavid.

CGA enters integrity agreement with IBIA

The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) to provide a framework for cooperation and coordination between the two organizations on betting and related integrity issues and to protect the Ontario and wider Canadian market, sports, consumers, and regulated betting operators.

The IBIA is the leading global voice on integrity for the licensed betting industry and represents many of the largest regulated sports betting operators in the world, with its account-based integrity monitoring system covering over US$137bn in betting transactions per annum globally.

It launched its integrity and monitoring services in Canada in February and was recently accredited by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) as an independent integrity monitor. All licensed operators in Ontario will be required to be part of a monitoring system.

Many existing IBIA operators are already members of the CGA, and the two trade associations have agreed to explore and establish cooperative projects and partnerships working in areas of mutual interest. The CGA and IBIA will be equal partners in those projects, which may involve a wide range of activities, including promoting the commercial and related integrity interests of the two associations’ betting operator members and establishing a viable regulated betting market with high consumer channelling rates and related consumer, sports, and operator integrity protection measures.

“IBIA will be one of only a handful of sports integrity monitors recognized by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario for licensed operators and we believe there is great value in deepening our relationship with the organization,” said Paul Burns, President and CEO of the CGA. “As the CGA looks ahead to the opening of Ontario’s iGaming market and the expansion of sports betting products and services across Canada in 2022, the protection of athletes and integrity of sports betting is a key priority.”

The recent changes to the Federal Criminal Code to permit single-event sports wagering have introduced new sports betting offerings to Canadians while bringing enhanced regulatory oversight to sports betting in Canada.

The gaming industry, professional and amateur sports bodies, and gaming regulators in regulated sports betting markets around the world already cooperate to protect the integrity of sport and sports betting. When working together through an integrity monitor like IBIA, the industry can:

  • Detect and report suspicious activities in betting markets
  • Use detailed market data to investigate and punish corruption
  • Develop education activities to protect players and sporting events
  • Support sports bodies, law enforcement and regulatory authorities in the fight against fraud and manipulation
  • Channel consumers to the onshore regulated market

Khalid Ali, CEO of the IBIA, added: “Protecting the integrity of the betting market in Ontario, and indeed the wider Canadian market, is very important to IBIA and its members. We will be seeking to engage with a wide range of key stakeholders on betting and integrity-related issues and see the CGA as a pivotal partner in the achievement of that goal. The CGA has been a driving force behind the evolution of regulated betting in Canada and IBIA views it as a valued and critical partner in the continued development of the sector and in placing sporting and betting integrity at the forefront of that.”

Connor McDavid becomes first active major-league star to partner with sportsbook

BetMGM has announced a partnership with reigning NHL MVP Connor McDavid that will see the Edmonton Oilers captain and leading star join the company as a brand ambassador.

McDavid is the first active player in a major U.S. professional league to endorse a regulated North American sportsbook. He will join NHL great Wayne Gretzky in an ambassadorial role.

The All-Star will be featured in BetMGM’s upcoming marketing campaigns, promotions, social media content, and fan events.

“I am very excited to partner with BetMGM as they continue to shape the future of sports betting,” said McDavid. “It’s also a real honour to be on the same BetMGM team with star athletes like Wayne Gretzky and Kevin Garnett, both of whom I admire very much.”

BetMGM, a joint venture between MGM Resorts and European betting giant Entain, is the largest iGaming platform in the U.S. and is gaining market share in sports betting, finishing last year with about 15 per cent of the country’s online sports betting market, making it the third-largest operator behind FanDuel and DraftKings, according to data from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming.  It has been touted as a potential major player in the Ontarian and Canadian market.

BetMGM’s Chief Revenue Officer Matt Prevost said: “The accomplishments that Connor already has earned on the ice is astonishing and we are excited to welcome him to the BetMGM family. We look forward to working together to engage BetMGM players across North America.”

Whether or not the alignment with one of Albertan sports’ biggest stars is indicative of BetMGM having designs on being one of the province’s two initial sports betting proponents remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, the NHL has been exploring opportunities for partnerships with sportsbooks in recent months, particularly since the legalization of single-event sports betting in Canada in summer 2021.

Last month, Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews signed a deal with grey-market Canadian sportsbook Bet99 which reportedly covers just the operator’s free-to-play game.

Ontario bettors’ options broaden as more sportsbooks & suppliers receive AGCO registration

Updated March 9

Ontario’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market continues to take shape ahead of opening up to authorized private operators on April 4, as several more sportsbooks and suppliers have been approved for licensing.

After a first wave of announcements from online sportsbooks PointsBet, theScore Bet, and Rivalry Corp. were issued in February, three more operators received registrations at the start of March.

888 confirmed on March 3 that it had received its Ontario registration and plans to offer its casino, sports, and poker products to players in the province, all powered by its proprietary technology. CEO Itai Pazner said that Ontario “represents an attractive long-term growth opportunity” for the company and is “an extremely strategically important milestone”.

NSUS Ltd., the parent company of GGPoker, has also received an online gaming license and the domain it has registered for operating under license is WSOP.ca, reports Poker Fuse, indicating that the company will go all-in with its partnership with the Caesars Entertainment-owned World Series of Poker in the province.

In addition, Covers reports that UK lottery betting provider Annexio Ltd. has been granted license to operate in Ontario.

RELATED: Ontario online betting operators cannot advertise sign-up offers

Suppliers are receiving registration, too.

By March 8, Toronto-based Bragg Gaming Group had announced that it has also been granted a license by the AGCO to supply local iGaming and sports betting operators with its player account management (PAM) platform, iGaming content, and managed services when the market opens on April 4.

“Receiving our supplier licence in Ontario will allow us to make consistent progress as we prepare to launch in this exciting marketplace, where we are seeing strong interest from a deep mix of local, and U.S. and international-based operators with both land-based and online backgrounds,” said Chris Looney, Chief Commercial Officer at Bragg.

So, too, had Vancouver-headquartered FansUnite. CEO Scott Burton noted that “as we scale our operations, we are focused on both the domestic and international markets. The gaming-related supplier license will enable us to gain an early-mover advantage within the Canadian online gambling industry as a betting solutions provider for new sportsbooks and online casinos looking to enter the market.”

Others, such as UK-based mobile-focused company Gaming Realms, have also received their supplier license through its subsidiary Alchemybet. The iGaming Supplier license will mark Gaming Realms’ first entry into Canada, and will see the company focus on providing its Slingo Originals game content to Ontario’s licensed online casino operators.

All registrations issued by the AGCO thus far are effective April 4.

The waves are likely to keep coming in the weeks leading up to Ontario’s launch. The AGCO had previously told Covers that around 30 operators had applied for registration.

Registered companies must also execute an operating agreement with AGCO subsidiary iGaming Ontario before they can begin taking bets.

For now, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.’s PROLINE remains the only legal Ontario-based source of sports betting.

RELATED: Connecting with Canadian sports bettors is how to win in the new world

The major goals of opening up a widely competitive regulated iGaming and sports betting market are to provide Canadian bettors with an array of high-quality options and to regain the millions of dollars in lost revenues that result from gamblers playing with grey-market operators.

Gateway’s Cascades Casino North Bay opens March 9

Gateway Casino & Entertainment’s new Cascades Casino North Bay will open to the public in a soft launch on Wednesday, March 9.

“We’re very excited about this,” said Rob Mitchell, Gateway’s Director of Communications and Public Affairs, via My North Bay Now. “This is not our grand opening, we’re calling it a soft opening. But, it’ll be the first time the folks in North Bay can actually come to Gateway Cascades Casino on Pinewood Park Drive.”

It’s been a long wait for Gateway and for North Bay. The groundbreaking took place on May 31, 2019, and 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 $31 million casino.

“This will also mark the fourth Match restaurant opening in Ontario, a signature brand of ours on the west coast,” Mitchell added, per BayToday . “We’re slowly bringing that brand to Ontario. We currently have them in Hanover and Chatham and Point Edward and this is the latest Match Eatery and Public House which is a mix of nightclub and sports bar.”

The 39,000 sq. ft. casino will feature 300 slots and six live table games of Roulette, Blackjack and 10 electronic table games, reports BayToday.

“We’ve got everything from roulette to blackjack to a wide variety of slots under all kinds of different denominations of play, Mitchell added, via My North Bay Now. “We’ve got electronic table games, there’s lots and lots of variety.”

There will also be live entertainment and a large ‘sun-drenched’ patio that customers can travel freely into the restaurant and beyond, even onto the gaming floor. The “Summit Bar” runs the entire length of the gaming floor.

Mitchell said that the casino has already brought about 200 new jobs to North Bay and is still doing some hiring.

“We’ve been running what is best described as a boot camp,” he added. “We’ve been running staff in the facility both on the gaming floor and our kitchen and restaurant staff. Testing the food, going through the menu, doing the food preparation and sharing with the staff to work through the menu and that kind of training.”

A grand opening will be planned for a later date.

Scientific Games rebranding as Light & Wonder

Scientific Games is abandoning its longtime name and rebranding as Light & Wonder with a “singular focus to be the leading cross-platform global game company” by creating great games and leveraging technology to enable a seamless player experience across all platforms.

The transformation comes after “strategic vision and input from key stakeholders” and represents the company’s enhanced focus on content creation, hardware, and systems that connect iconic titles across any place or channel, whether it be land-based casinos, online and mobile, or real-money and free-to-play social gaming markets.

“We are thrilled to introduce the world to Light & Wonder, a company that will build great games and franchises that offer players a seamless experience across platforms,” said Barry Cottle, Scientific Games/Light & Wonder CEO at the company’s recent earnings call. “Our powerful new strategy required a powerful new identity to distinguish us and our unique offerings and capabilities. Our new name and identity are born from our winning strategy to be the leading cross-platform game company, and will inspire our people to make great products for our players.

“We already have a world-class team powered by the brightest game creators in the business and in transforming into a growth company who invests in our people and products, we will serve our players even better wherever and whenever they play.”

The company will operate under an assumed name its legal name change is complete in spring 2022. At that time, it intends to start trading under a new stock ticker: LNW. It will also migrate to a new website featuring iGaming and land-based casino products, technology, and services: lnw.com.

The Light & Wonder rebrand is the latest prominent strategic move undertaken by the company. The divestiture of its lottery business is expected to close in the coming months, followed by the offload of its sports betting business later in 2022.

In October, the group entered a definitive agreement to sell its lottery business to Canadian private equity company Brookfield Business Partners for US$6.05bn, and also last year, it agreed to divest its sports betting division OpenBet to global talent and media agency holding company Endeavor Group.

The rebrand comes as the firm announced a strong performance during the final quarter of 2021, wherein revenue increased 21 per cent to $580m, its US iGaming business 112 per cent year-on-year, and SciPlay recorded its highest quarter ever. For the year, revenue increased 27 per cent to US$2.15bn, primarily driven by North American gaming operations as well as the continued recovery of the market.