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PointsBet Canada Becomes Exclusive Sports Betting Partner of Dailyfaceoff.com & The Nation Network

PointsBet’s distinct Canadian operation, PointsBet Canada, has entered into a multi-year deal to be the official and exclusive sports betting partner of Dailyfaceoff.com and The Nation Network.

A press release confirms that the online gaming and sports betting operator, which has been expanding its Canadian leadership team in recent weeks, will see its odds integrations, expert analysis, and tools integrated into the platforms of Dailyfaceoff.com and The Nation Network and their affiliated sites.

Dailyfaceoff.com is a leading Canadian source for fantasy statistics and sports betting information, including opinion pieces, news, statistics, and inside information, anchored by curated hockey content from former TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli anchor the site. It receives 1.5 million monthly users who have generated 500 million page views since launching.

Meanwhile, the Nation Network has become a 12-website network with over a billion page views since starting as an Edmonton Oilers network site in 2007. The sites serve five million users consuming 19 million monthly pageviews, providing a passionate community of sports fans with daily stories, social posts, videos, and podcasts.

“As PointsBet looks to establish a genuine connection with sports fans in Canada, there was no better place for us to start than the Daily Faceoff and the Nation Network’s loyal and dedicated following,” said Nic Sulsky, Chief Commercial Officer, PointsBet Canada. “We are excited about what we can do to integrate our vision, product, and consumer-first mentality into their authentic mix of content.”

“PointsBet is our ideal partner, an organization that understands the community that The Nation Network and Dailyfaceoff.com has built,” said Jay Downton, Co-Founder and CEO of Dailyfaceoff.com and The Nation Network. “We are a company built by fans for fans, and we know what our users want to have incorporated into their experience. PointsBet’s expert analysis and suite of integrations will complement and enhance our content. We are excited to work and grow together.”

BCLC Now Offering New IWG e-Instants Integration

Digital e-instants supplier Instant Win Gaming (IWG) has launched its linked progressive jackpots functionality with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC).

Sales from separate e-instant games will now contribute to a set of shared linked progressive jackpot prizes which are branded InstaJackpots BCLC, boosting the lottery’s PlayNow.com e-instants offering, reports SBC’s Lottery Daily.

Three in-game, instant-win jackpot prizes will be available for PlayNow players to win: a mini jackpot expected to be awarded multiple times each day, a mid-tier jackpot anticipated to be paid out twice per week, and a top-prize jackpot likely to be claimed twice per month. The actual frequency will depend on the volume of play.

InstaJackpots BCLC’s initial launch will see two e-instant games from IWG’s content studio feature the linked progressive jackpots functionality, with more titles to follow.

Rhydian Fisher, CEO at IWG, commented: “Linked progressive jackpots bring another important dimension to the e-instants gaming experience. By choosing to launch linked e-instants under the InstaJackpots brand, BCLC and its PlayNow.com portal is establishing a strong brand connection across a variety of our games. We’re delighted to have extended our partnership with BCLC and provide the lottery with linked progressive jackpot e-instant titles and look forward to developing even more content over the coming months.”

IWG’s linked progressive technology is contained within its InstantRGS (remote game server), providing a seamless launch process with no additional development support required at the iLottery platform level.

IWG is a leading supplier of e-instant and instant games to numerous lottery corporations and earlier this year was awarded a five-year contract extension by BCLC to continue providing its instant games to the lottery.

Endeavor to Acquire Scientific Games’ Sports Betting Unit OpenBet

Endeavor Group Holdings is acquiring Scientific Games’ sports betting unit OpenBet for US$1.2 billion in cash and stock, Scientific Games has announced in a news release.

Endeavor, the owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, said the acquisition will strengthen its position in the sports betting industry.

The company said it plans to combine OpenBet, a sportsbook and gaming software, with its existing sports betting business IMG ARENA, which already works with more than 470 leading sportsbook brands worldwide.

The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022.

“This transformational announcement combines OpenBet’s market-leading sports betting ecosystem with unparalleled access to sports rights, content and data across the Endeavor portfolio,” said Jordan Levin, Chief Executive of Scientific Games’ Digital business. “Together, we are uniquely positioned to define the future of sports betting entertainment. Putting our customers and their players at the heart of our product and technology innovation will remain the key to our ongoing success. The team at OpenBet is second to none and we’re laser focused on the rapid expansion of the global sports betting market.”

OpenBet, which Scientific Games acquired in 2018 as part of its CAD$775m takeover of NYX Gaming, specializes in betting engine technology, risk management, player account and wallet solutions, and content offerings, and focuses exclusively on licensed customers and regulated global gaming markets. It serves a customer base that includes top-tier sportsbooks such as DraftKings, theScore, BetMGM, FanDuel, WynnBet, SkyBet, Ladbrokes, and William Hill.

Las Vegas-based Scientific Games announced this summer its plan to divest its lottery and sports-betting businesses in order to pivot towards an increased focus as a gaming and digital content provider. Other industry leaders have made similar moves, such as IGT’s recent creation of a new Digital & Betting segment that will include the iGaming and sports betting activities that were previously part of its Global Gaming division.

The announcement comes at a time of rapid expansion and evolution of the online gaming and sports betting space across North America as online gaming has boomed throughout the pandemic.

Last week, British gambling firm Entain said it had received a takeover proposal from U.S. fantasy sports betting company DraftKings, valuing it at US$22.4 billion.

New Great Canadian CEO Tony Rodio Sees Huge Opportunity in Ontario

The new CEO of Great Canadian Gaming, Tony Rodio, has said the company’s acquisition by funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management can help the operator capitalize on the size of the opportunity available in Canada and particularly Ontario.
Great Canadian, which operates 25 locations across Canada, appointed former Caesars Entertainment CEO Rodio as its new leader following the completion of its takeover by Apollo this week.
Rodio told BNN Bloomberg that the acquisition means a lot for the Toronto-headquartered company, given their ability and desire to grow the business.
“We have currently two large projects going on that Apollo inherited, at Pickering and Woodbine, where we’re deploying hundreds of millions of dollars each and expanding our non-gaming amenities,” Rodio said. “I look at those projects and how much value they’re going to add, and the ability to look at our other destinations to see where we can also deploy capital, and I think having Apollo behind us in that regard is a huge, huge benefit.”
Rodio stressed the opportunity, as Great Canadian and Apollo see it, is “first and foremost” in Ontario as the privatization of the gaming industry in the province continues and the iGaming and sports betting markets continue to open up.

The CEO added a priority for the company is to diversify the gaming experience at Great Canadian’s establishments and create more awareness.

“My sense is that there’s not a lot of brand equity or awareness of Great Canadian and some of our properties,” Rodio added. “I think with the two assets we’re dramatically improving and the ability to create more awareness and media attention of our offerings, we have a ton of opportunity to increase our penetration in Ontario and the GTA.”

Growing pains amid reopening

As CEO of Caesars from 2019 until the company’s takeover by Eldorado in 2020, Rodio has witnessed firsthand some of the pains of reopening the gaming industry in the U.S. He says Canada is following a similar path in recent months and notes that while Great Canadian has mitigated the pains of the process well, there have been undeniable struggles.

“We’re operating at 50 per cent capacity in most instances, but our business values are only off 10 or 12 per cent in most cases. So given the limited capacity at which we’re operating, it’s actually been a pretty quick rebound,” Rodio continued. “My biggest supply chain concern is continuing to get the construction materials we need for our ongoing projects to get them fully open on time. But from a day-to-day standpoint, because we’re operating a limited capacity, there hasn’t been too great of an impact.”

A big concern for many operators has been staffing issues after long stretches of shutdown. Rodio acknowledged that Great Canadian have seen “a hint” of those issues and that the company has some concern as it looks to reopen food and beverage establishments, hotels, and other hospitality amenities. “That’s where the pain points will be.”

Finally, Rodio stressed that, like in his role at Caesars, his tenure will see a firm focus on responsible gaming and player protection as Canada’s industry continues to evolve.

“Caesars was at the forefront of responsible gaming going back a number of years – it’s been something they have focused on over the last 25, 30 years,” he concluded. “I can tell you that from my chair at the top in this company, that will be something that we will focus on continuously. I am confident that the company has a lot of those policies and things in place to help customers. It will be a critical initiative for us moving forward.”

SIGA Will Operate Saskatchewan’s Online Gaming & Sports Betting Site

The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) has been selected as the operator of the province’s regulated online gaming and sports betting offerings, the authority confirmed in a press release.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) and the province signed an amendment to the Gaming Framework Agreement (GFA) to establish the legal framework for a new online gaming site, which will be run by SIGA. The amendment also establishes a 50/50 revenue split between FSIN and the province.

SIGA has signed a Letter of Intent with the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation (SaskGaming), which establishes the general terms of SIGA operating and SaskGaming managing the new online site, which will feature online casino games and sports betting.

The site is anticipated to launch in 2022, and the contract calls for five years of exclusivity for SIGA to operate the site, reports Global News.

Don Morgan, Minister Responsible for SaskGaming, stressed that the new online gaming site will be “a safe, regulated and secure platform” that will extend existing responsible gambling and player protection practices. “This site will have measures and resources in place to support players and protect privacy, while also contributing to the social and economic wellbeing of Saskatchewan.”

SIGA currently operates seven physical casinos in Saskatchewan as part of the Gaming Framework Agreement. All proceeds from the non-profit organization’s casino operations go to local First Nation communities with the mission to strengthen their lives through employment, economic growth and positive community relations.

The leaders of SIGA and the FSIN have hailed this new agreement as a vital move for the province and its gaming industry, noting the important revenue opportunities it will bring for local communities and First Nations.

“This is an important day for SIGA, as we continue to evolve with a changing gaming industry, and in our delivery of entertainment options for our customers,” said SIGA Chair Chief Reginald Bellerose. “The additional revenue opportunities from online gaming and sports betting, will only increase SIGA’s ability as a non-profit to positively impact employment, economic growth, positive community relations and financial self-reliance of First Nations in the province.”

FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron added: “Many hours, days, weeks, months, and years have gone into making this a reality. It makes it all worthwhile. This will bring in new revenue opportunities that will benefit our 74 First Nations communities. Even during the challenging COVID-19, pandemic, we are continuing to work hard to bring positive outcomes for our First Nations.”

After a long stretch of shutdown, SIGA was able to restart operations at land-based gaming properties in late June. At the time of writing, Bear Claw Casino and Hotel, Living Sky Casino, Painted Hand Casino, Gold Eagle Casino, Gold Horse Casino, and Dakota Dunes Casino Northern Lights Casino are operating at a reduced capacity.

 

Entain, MGM Respond to Improved DraftKings Acquisition Offer

London-listed betting and gaming operator Entain has confirmed it has received an improved acquisition offer from DraftKings.
A report from CNBC has suggested the offer is in excess of US$20bn but Entain’s board said in a statement only that the consideration would include a combination of DraftKings stock and cash.
Entain confirmed it had rejected DraftKings’ first buyout offer of £25 per share, which was then followed up with a revised offer of £28 per share. Entain has said it will “carefully consider” the offer and urged shareholders to “take no action at this time”.
A company statement read: “The board of Entain strongly believes in the future prospects of the company underpinned by its leading market positions, world class management team and industry-leading technology. The company has a strong track record of growth and runway for further significant growth as set out in the capital markets day on 12 August, with the potential for its total addressable market to grow by more than three times to US$160bn. This includes its leadership position in the rapidly growing North American market through its Joint Venture BetMGM. Entain has the most diversified and regulated revenues of any of the global operators and leads the industry in player protection through its Advanced Responsibility and Care programme.”
Under the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers rules, DraftKings must declare a firm intention to make an offer for Entain by October 19.
MGM Resorts, which owns the BetMGM U.S. joint venture with Entain, said it was aware of DraftKings’ possible offer for Entain. “Any transaction whereby Entain or its affiliates would own a competing business in the U.S. would require MGM’s consent,” said MGM Resorts in its own statement. “MGM believes that having control of the BetMGM joint venture is an important step towards achieving its strategic objectives. MGM will engage with Entain and DraftKings, as appropriate, to find a solution to the exclusivity arrangements which meets all parties’ objectives.”
MGM had made its own offer to acquire Entain in January of this year with an offer of £8bn (US$11bn), a proposition which was rejected by Entain’s chairman Barry Gibson as “significantly undervaluing” the group, as reported by SBC News. MGM subsequently confirmed that it would make no further offers.
Entain continues to enjoy North American success, having established itself as the U.S.’s second biggest sports-betting and iGaming operator with 22 per cent market share, per SBC Americas.
Meanwhile, BetMGM is currently the No. 1 iGaming operator and a top-three sports betting operator in the U.S. according to CDC Gaming Reports.

Apollo Funds Completes Acquisition of Great Canadian Gaming

Great Canadian Gaming Corporation has announced in a press release that its acquisition by an affiliate of funds managed by Apollo Global Management has been completed as of September 22.

According to the previously announced terms of the deal, Raptor Acquisition Corp., an affiliate of funds managed by affiliates of Apollo, will acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of the company at a price of $45 per share.

Gaming executive Anthony “Tony” Rodio has been named Chief Executive Officer of Great Canadian effective immediately. Rodio, who will lead the company from its headquarters in Toronto, will also join the Board of Directors.

Rodio has nearly 40 years’ experience in the gaming industry and was most recently CEO of Caesars Entertainment Corporation, where he led the casino and entertainment company from April 2019 through its acquisition by Eldorado Resorts in July 2020. Prior to that, he had served as CEO of Affinity Gaming as well as President and CEO of Tropicana Entertainment, and had also held senior roles at Hollywood Casino and Harrah’s Entertainment.

“Tony is one of the industry’s most accomplished executives, and we are confident that his experience leading businesses through transformative periods of innovation and growth will help to take Great Canadian to new heights,” said Alex van Hoek, Apollo Partner and Chairman of the Board of Great Canadian. “We are excited to have him at the helm and to support Great Canadian as the company continues to prioritize and enhance the experience of the guests, team members and communities they serve.”

“Great Canadian is an incredible gaming and entertainment franchise and I’m excited to lead the company as we continue to safely welcome back team members and guests across the country,” said Rodio. “Together with Apollo and my management team, we see tremendous opportunity to build on Great Canadian’s leading market position, improving the guest experience and entering new channels for growth, with a continuous focus on the importance of our relationships with our Crown agencies and other key stakeholders.”

Terrance Doyle, who served as Great Canadian’s interim CEO, successfully leading the company through the COVID-19 shut down period and reopenings, will assume the position of National President of Business Development, reporting directly to the board of directors. Doyle will assist the board and management on transition and business development initiatives across the company, including the completion of the GTA development.

About 79 per cent of Great Canadian shareholders had voted in favour of the deal on Dec. 23 after the investment fund sweetened its earlier offer by more than 15 per cent.

The takeover had received all regulatory approvals earlier this month.

As a result of the completion of the merger, shares of Great Canadian’s common stock no longer trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

PointsBet Names Former Rogers Lead Dale Fallon as Senior Director of Product

Betting and gaming operator PointsBet has hired Dale Fallon as senior director of product for its Canadian operations.

Fallon joins PointsBet from Canadian sports media giant Rogers Sportsnet, where he was responsible for product strategy and delivery of a suite of apps and websites, with a particular focus on NHL content. In 2016, Fallon led the product launch for Sportsnet NOW, North America’s first mainstream sports broadcaster to go OTT (over-the-top) with a comprehensive video streaming service.

Prior to that, he led product management at theScore, overseeing the early launch and growth of ScoreMobile across a variety of mobile platforms.

Fallon is PointsBet’s latest hire as it continues to build its Canadian leadership team after its recent launch into the market north of the border. The company has also named Scott Vanderwel as CEO, Nic Sulsky as chief commercial officer, and Chantal Cipriano as vice president of legal, compliance and people.

“As we continue to establish the PointsBet Canada brand, we will remain true to the PointsBet mandate of arming the team with best-in-class talent to ultimately realize best-in-class execution,” said Sulsky. “Dale joins our growing list of many talented, authentically Canadian hires and will help ensure our product represents, understands, and appropriately connects with the Canadian sports landscape and its passionate, unique fanbase.”

Fallon added: “PointsBet Canada has the opportunity to capitalize on one of the most exciting new gaming markets in the world, and I am thrilled to have the chance to contribute to the company’s vision. With its strong in-house technology and innovative business model, PointsBet is well positioned to continue scaling as a legitimate global player. ”

In the U.S., PointsBet has also hired former Brooklyn Nets VP Jeff Gamble as its new Vice President of Creative, as which he will direct a team of designers, producers, and ambassadors, creating content and providing insights and information for the operator’s fans and customers globally.

IGT Leaders Among Those Honoured at 2021 Women in Gaming Diversity Awards

Two IGT leaders were among the women recently recognized in the 2021 Women in Gaming Diversity Awards.

The annual awards program, now in its 11th year, rewards and recognizes individuals and organizations for outstanding devotion to enhancing equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Jennifer Bowman, IGT Senior Director EMEA and LAC Marketing, Gaming, was honoured with the “Outstanding Contribution” award. With more than 20 years’ experience in the gaming industry, Bowman has held various leadership roles spanning compliance, product management, event production, sales enablement, and marketing. As an advocate for the advancement of women in the workplace, Bowman is the IGT ambassador to the U.K. chapter of The United Nations Global Compact —Target Gender Equality program and frequently speaks at industry events where she shares insights acquired throughout her lengthy career in the gaming industry.

IGT Vice President Field Services, Call Centre & Technology Operations, Shondra Deloach-Perea was honoured with the “Innovation in Employee Engagement” award. With a 13-year career in the gaming industry that spans the regulator and supplier sides of the business, Deloach-Perea is a proven leader, diversity and inclusion champion and an advocate of “the power of we.” In addition to her duties as a global IGT executive, Deloach-Perea is an advisor who is involved in many IGT-led employee engagement and diversity programs.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Jennifer Bowman and Shondra Deloach-Perea for several years now and both individuals are experts in their fields, genuinely care about their colleagues and leverage their skills and passions for the advancement of IGT and others,” said Renato Ascoli, IGT CEO Global Gaming. “IGT is fortunate to have employees as talented and committed as Jennifer and Shondra, and I am grateful to see the Women in Gaming Diversity Awards recognize them for their contributions to IGT and beyond.”

Other winners at the awards included Scientific Games, which won Best in House initiative Internal Communication.

All winners can be found here.

Scientific Games Names Connie James as New CFO & EVP

Scientific Games has announced in a press release the appointment of Connie James as its new chief financial officer, as well as executive vice president and corporate secretary.

James had served as chief financial officer of Scientific Games Gaming business since January 2020. In her new CFO role, she will replace current Mike Eklund, who is leaving to pursue other opportunities. She will assume her new duties on October 15.

“Since joining Scientific Games, Connie has helped lead the Gaming business through the unprecedented disruptions caused by COVID-19 and played a critical role in our strategic review and developing our vision to become the leading cross-platform global game company,” said Scientific Games President and CEO Barry Cottle in a statement. “As we advance our strategy to become a content-led growth company, we are confident that Connie is the right executive to take the reins to help us achieve our vision and drive long-term shareholder value.”

“Scientific Games is a company with enormous potential as we execute on our strategy to de-lever our balance sheet, invest in growth for the future and unlock value for our stakeholders,” James said in a statement. “I am excited to work closely with Barry and the rest of our team as we capitalize on high growth opportunities available to us over the coming years.”

Cottle added that Eklund helped Scientific Games become “a best-in-class finance organization,” and was instrumental in improving the company’s financial results. Eklund also played a critical role in the strategic review and divestiture of Scientific Games’ lottery and sports betting businesses.

“We delivered record results in the second quarter, and the business continues to perform well in the third quarter,” Cottle said. “We are moving rapidly as we execute on our strategy and the planned divestitures are well-progressed.