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Several Provinces Implementing Vaccine Cards for Casino Entry in September

The start of September has seen the introduction of vaccine certificates in some Canadian provinces, and there’s more to follow.

Quebec began mandating proof of vaccination as a condition of entry to certain non-essential businesses including casinos, bingo halls, and other gaming centres on Sept. 1. That was followed by Manitoba expanding its own system on Sept. 3, having previously been the first province to introduce a form of the certificate in June.

Next week, British Columbia’s own system will begin on Sept. 13, and Ontario confirmed last week that it will become the fourth province to launch a vaccination certificate later this month, starting Sept. 22.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), via CDC Gaming Reports, there are 24 casinos in Ontario which will be affected, including Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Niagara in Niagara Falls, both of which are popular destinations for U.S. tourists. In B.C., the mandate would affect 19 casinos and 18 bingo halls or community gaming centres.

Among those are dozens of properties operated by Great Canadian Gaming Corporation and Gateway Casinos and Entertainment. Chuck Keeling, Great Canadian Gaming’s executive vice president for stakeholder relations and responsible gaming, told casino.org that the operator is currently working out how best to implement proof of vaccination across its properties in affected provinces.

The parameters of the proof of vaccination system will vary between the provinces. In B.C., until late October, gamblers will only need to have received one dose of an approved vaccine to be eligible for entry, while the other three provinces will require customers to have had two doses.

A preventative measure

The intention of these measures, according to governments and health staff, is to avoid the widespread closures that marked earlier waves of COVID-19. B.C. casinos only recently opened for the first time since the start of pandemic in March 2020, while Quebec endured a strict lockdown at the start of 2021.

Governments also hope the mandates will serve as motivation for the unvaccinated to get their jabs, and there has been early evidence in Quebec and B.C. to suggest this is the case, as cited by the Globe and Mail and CBC.

With nearly half of Canada’s provinces now limiting entry to gaming centres based on vaccination status, it remains to be seen whether the trend will continue to spread across the country.

Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, announced on Twitter on Monday, Sept. 7 that Canada’s smallest province will be introducing a vaccine passport in the coming weeks.

However, Global News reports that both Alberta and Saskatchewan are opposed to the idea, and there are no plans for a vaccine passport in many of the Maritime provinces or the northern territories. However, leading medical staff in Alberta are urging introduction of the system to boost what is Canada’s lowest provincial vaccination rate, reports CBC.

Operators may be given some choice

In some jurisdictions where a government mandate is not introduced, casino operators may be given the choice of requiring proof of vaccination.

Saskatchewan’s government has said it will support any business or organization that chooses to mandate proof of vaccination and is developing a digital QR code to be used by local businesses, notes the Times-Colonist. In addition, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health has said that individual businesses or organizations could decide to employ vaccine cards.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., where jurisdictions such as New York and California also now require proof of vaccination for some events, Caesars Entertainment’s Harrah’s New Orleans became the first casino in North America to require either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to enter the property.

Employees encouraged but not mandated

As of right now, while casino visitors in these provinces will need to be vaccinated to enter premises, there is no such mandate for casino workers in Canada.

Caesars Windsor spokesperson Susanne Tomkins says, via CBC, that while it has not mandated vaccines for employees, it is encouraging them to get their shots by providing education and working with the government, health staff, and OLG and Caesars.

Stricter measures have been taken south of the border though. As reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, MGM Resorts now requires all new hires at its properties in the U.S. to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated as of Aug. 30. All salaried employees who do not work primarily from home will be required to show proof by Oct. 15.

Regulated Sports Betting Now Live in Alberta Through AGLC’s Play Alberta

Less than a week after the Canadian market finally launched single-event sports betting on August 27, regulated sports betting in Alberta is now live.

An Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC) news release explained that Play Alberta, the province’s only regulated online gambling website, Play Alberta, is now offering players the ability to place a variety of wagers via its new platform.

Play Alberta Sports Betting will give players access to Money Line, Point Spread, Over/Under, and Props for NHL, NFL, CFL, MLB, NBA, European soccer, and much more. Players will be able to place both single- and multi-event wagers.

The platform will be operated by Play Alberta’s existing website operator/vendor NeoPollard Interactive (NPi) and its NeoSphere iLottery Technology.

RELATED: Provinces Hit the Ground Running from Aug. 27 as Commercial Sportsbooks Wait for Entry

NPi has an established relation with FDJ Solutions and its subsidiary, Sporting Solutions. Sporting Solutions will maintain odds and lines on Play Alberta and have a satellite office in Edmonton.

FDJ and Sporting Solutions are also powering Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s PROLINE+ platform.

“AGLC is continuously looking for ways to improve Play Alberta, and adding sports betting to the website will give consumers expanded gambling entertainment options,” said Kandice Machado, Acting President & Chief Executive Officer, AGLC. “Play Alberta Sports Betting will take the existing sports betting market that players are familiar with and introduce a modern option that presents Albertans with choice and convenience in a safe and regulated environment.”

“Introducing Play Alberta Sports Betting at this time will allow for legal-aged Albertans to play in a safe, regulated environment that gives them the most up-to-date events to wager on,” added Steve Lautischer, Acting Vice President, Gaming and Cannabis, AGLC. “With the first battle of Alberta days away in the CFL and both the NFL and NHL seasons on the horizon, it’s a very exciting time to be a sports bettor in the province.”

AGLC’s GameSense Responsible Gambling Program will continue to be featured prominently across the entire website. Players have access to tools and resources that promote healthy gambling habits, including loss, bet and daily session limits and the Self-Exclusion Program.

The release notes that AGLC is mandated to ensure the province’s gaming industry is carefully managed to maximize the benefits to Albertans. In 2020-21, more than $773 million in net gaming income was generated for the General Revenue Fund, which supports programs and services that Albertans rely on every day.

With this launch, Alberta has become the latest province to make an early move to launch an expanded sports betting offering. As well as OLG’s partnership with FDJ, British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), Loto-Quebec, and Atlantic Lottery Corporation are also going live, powered by Scientific Games’ OpenSports product suite.

Scientific Games Launches Single-Event Sports Betting in 3 Provinces

Scientific Games has become the first regulated sportsbook platform provider to offer singles betting in Canada.

The company went live with its offering from day one as the regulated Canadian market finally launched single-event sports betting on August 27.

Its OpenSports product suite now powers the sportsbooks of British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), Loto-Quebec, and Atlantic Lottery Corporation.

Marc Crean, Commercial Director, Digital at Scientific Games said, as quoted by SBC: “The ability to offer singles betting to players from the very first day of its availability in Canada illustrates the speed in which we can adapt to regulatory changes. As the first to market, we are now well-positioned to enjoy further growth in Canada and provide our key customers BCLC, Loto-Quebec, and Atlantic Lottery Corporation with a world-class sports betting experience.”

RELATED: Provinces Hit the Ground Running from Aug. 27 as Commercial Sportsbooks Wait for Entry

Previously, bettors in Canada have only been able to bet on parlays within the regulated market. However, thanks to the legalization of singles, the likes of SG’s OpenSports can now deliver the full sports betting experience in line with other regulated territories worldwide.

The introduction of singles also reduces the barrier to entry for recreational players, while also allowing money to be returned to bettors faster.

Charlene Nielson, Director of Product Management at BCLC said: “We are pleased to extend our relationship with Scientific Games and to expand our sportsbook offering with its singles offering. We look forward to continuing to work with Scientific Games as we innovate and evolve our business.”

Louis Beaudet, Director, Sports and Entertainment Betting at Loto-Quebec said: “To be able to offer singles betting to our customers on day one of the new legislation being implemented was very important to Loto-Quebec. Offering these bets using Scientific Games’ OpenSports platform makes this even more special, such is the longstanding relationship we have had and we are excited to bring yet more sports betting options to our players.”

Scott Eagles, Manager of Sports Betting at Atlantic Lottery Corporation said: “We’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time. We’re beyond excited to be offering our players a safe and regulated alternative to place single-event sports wagers. To be able to do this using the OpenSports platform is very special as we’ve built a strong relationship with Scientific Games and we are ready to bring the most immersive and user-friendly sports betting experiences to our players.”

Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) has also launched its own offering: its new PROLINE+ sportsbook is being powered by FDJ Gaming Solutions, reports Gaming Intelligence.

Quebec, B.C. Follow Manitoba by Mandating Proof of Vaccination for Casino Entry

Starting in September, two more provinces in Canada will begin to require proof of vaccination for gamblers to enter casinos.

Quebec is implementing a vaccine passport system starting Sept. 1 that will effectively bar people who aren’t fully vaccinated from many non-essential activities including casinos and gaming centres. Potential gamblers will have to show an electronic record of vaccination in the form of a QR code in order to be allowed onto the premises.

Casinos and bingo halls have been earmarked alongside other establishments such as restaurants, gyms, and sports venues as holding the potential for a high risk of transmission of COVID-19, explains CBC.

There will be some leniency for the public in the first two weeks, but penalties will be applied starting Sept. 15. Inspectors will be checking non-essential businesses for compliance, and customers can report businesses that are not checking QR codes. Non-compliance could result in a business being shut down.

People who reside in another province or country will be able to show a printed proof of vaccination, combined with identification that proves where they live.

Quebec will soon be followed by British Columbia, which recently announced its own vaccine card. B.C.’s measure, which begins Sept. 13, differs in the fact that visitors to non-essential businesses such as casinos need only have received their first dose of vaccination. However, a government press release explained that said that by Oct. 24, entry will require people to be fully vaccinated at least seven days after receiving both doses.

B.C provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry explained that it’s “up to each business ” to determine whether employees must be vaccinated, reports CTV. Enforcement of the mandate will be similar to how the province asks liquor servers to ask for ID before serving alcohol, added Henry. There will be support available for businesses looking to manage the new requirement.

These two provinces will follow Manitoba, which mandated earlier this summer that residents must be fully vaccinated in order to enter casinos. Gaming centres in that province are permitted to open at 50 per cent capacity, but only to those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Manitobans must have had their second dose for at least two weeks to be considered fully vaccinated.

While staff at Manitoba casinos are not required to get vaccinated, Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries told CTV it is strongly recommended.

The intention of the vaccine passport measures, according to governments and health staff, is to avoid the widespread closures that marked earlier waves of COVID-19. B.C. casinos only recently opened for the first time since the start of pandemic in March 2020, while Quebec endured a strict lockdown at the start of 2021. Governments also hope the mandates will serve as motivation for the unvaccinated to get their jabs.

While these are the only Canadian jurisdictions – so far – to mandate such a measure, other areas of the world have already made similar moves. In the United States, for example, New York and California also require proof of vaccination for some events.

In some areas of the U.S., casino organizations are implementing their own form of vaccine passports. Earlier this month, Harrah’s New Orleans, operated by Caesars, became the first casino in the U.S. to require either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to enter the property.

It’s not just visitors affected, either. As reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, MGM Resorts has confirmed that it will require all new hires at its properties in the U.S. will be required to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated against the virus starting Aug. 30. All salaried employees who do not work primarily from home will be required to show proof by Oct. 15. The company had already announced it would be mandating that its Las Vegas employees who haven’t shown proof of vaccination must pay for regular testing.

Meanwhile, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City recently announced a new incentive program called “Rock Your Shot” that is intended to help encourage its employees to receive COVID-19 vaccination by offering a $100 gift card to fully vaccinated employees along with chances to win grand prizes including $50,000 cash, a 2021 Jeep Cherokee, 15 prizes of $15,000 each, and more.

Provinces Hit the Ground Running from Aug. 27 as Commercial Sportsbooks Wait for Entry

As Canada’s single-event sports betting legislation comes into effect this week, provincial lottery corporations are raring to go. Ontario and British Columbia are ready to launch offerings as soon as the puck drops.

In a long-awaited announcement on August 12, Attorney General and Justice Minister David Lametti confirmed that Bill C-218, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, will be enacted on August 27.

While just two weeks’ official notice was given by the government, work has been going on behind the scenes since the legislation received Royal Assent in June.

Ontario to lead the way

Ontario is the province that has been widely tipped to lead the rollout, and its lottery corporation OLG recently confirmed it will be launching a new digital sports betting offering on the very first day of availability. Titled PROLINE+, the solution will enable OLG players to place a legal bet on a single event from their mobile device, tablet, or desktop device for the first time ever in Ontario.

The crown corporation says the offering will deliver a new and enhanced experience that provides thousands of new betting options available at any time across all major North American sports leagues and major international sports, including soccer, tennis, golf, boxing, and mixed martial arts. OLG is looking to make it easy for its users to dip their toes into the water from the get-go, allowing active customers to use their existing accounts to log in and bet as soon as PROLINE+ goes live. Meanwhile, incentives are in place for new players, who can be eligible for a $50 sports bonus offer upon sign-up.

Noting that OLG has been awaiting this day for many years, President and CEO Duncan Hannay emphasized in a press release that PROLINE+ will provide “the same security and trust that has been established by OLG’s sports products over the last 30 years.” PROLINE+ will also promote responsible gambling via player tools and educational materials, something that has been a key point of discussion throughout the legislative process.

Other provinces raring to go

British Columbia’s lottery-run sportsbook, PlayNow, is also ready to go and will launch single-event options on August 27 through an online avenue only at first, as reported by The Province. Like PROLINE+, the PlayNow platform is looking to entice new bettors, offering a deposit match of up to $250 for bettors who register at least $10 on their first deposits. In preparation, on August 3, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) announced that Genius Sports will be the official data provider for its expanded sports betting offering. Manitoba sports betting also runs through B.C.’s PlayNow platform and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation has confirmed that bettors will be able to place wagers on the outcome of a single event through the platform starting on Aug. 27.

Loto-Québec has announced that single-sports wagering will begin across the province on Aug. 27 through their Mise-o-jeu website. Unlike other provinces, Quebec sports betting has the technology in place to accept wagers through retail sites, as well as online and via mobile devices, reports Bookies.com.

Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis has already announced it intends to go live with single-event sports betting “later in 2021” on Play Alberta, incorporating the renowned GameSense responsible gambling program as “an integral part of sports betting in Alberta”.

Meanwhile, the Atlantic Lottery Corp. said as far back as December that it is also ready to offer single-event wagering, with a “small change” to its website, according to the CBC, while Saskatchewan has given online sports betting rights to the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA), which operates six casinos in the province.

Commercial opportunities await

Each province will write its own regulations to govern commercial sports betting, a process that will take some time and consideration to complete. While provincial sportsbooks will hold a monopoly in the short-term, Ontario is the biggest and likely first jurisdiction to launch a full regulated market. It remains to date the only province that has released a draft of sports betting regulations, and has also created iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), to manage sports betting and online gambling more broadly.

While the provinces await tip-off, commercial sportsbooks and operators wait in the wings.

Ranging from established North American market giants like DraftKings and PointsBet to newcomers from inside and outside Canada, there is a long line of companies looking to take advantage, with particularly keen eyes foxed on Ontario’s open regulated market.

PointsBet has been building out an experienced leadership team for PointsBet Canada, as well as becoming an official sportsbook operator of the NFL. DraftKings has expanded its daily fantasy sports partnership with the NFL to include Canada. Fellow U.S. giant Penn National Gaming has acquired Toronto-based media and betting giant Score Media, the Toronto-based media and sports betting company, and BetRegal has officially launched in the Canadian market with a free-to-play platform and major partnerships with the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the PGA of Canada. Even Toronto Star parent Torstar Corp. has announced plans to launch an online casino betting brand in Ontario that includes single-sport wagering.

The path forward

As the province’s Attorney General Doug Downey recently outlined, as quoted by the Toronto Star, Ontario is targeting giving the green light to commercial sports betting by December.

However, Canadian Gaming Association President and CEO Paul Burns told the Star he hopes land-based casinos, many of which will be counting on some form of single-event revenue after the devastation of the pandemic, will be able to offer single-sport wagering on-site before that December timeline.

“The industry has been hard-hit because of COVID-19, so we’re hoping to see casino sportsbook open very soon,” Burns said. “In Ontario, there have been ongoing discussions between casino operators, the OLG, and the government that need to finish quickly to get these things open.” Burns also acknowledged in an interview with Legal Sports Report in July that Alberta has expressed interest in a retail model at casinos that could include mobile options.

However the country moves forward with respect to the practicalities of commercial single-event sports betting in a revamped regulated marketplace, provinces being able to launch their own offerings before Labour Day is a quantum leap forward for Canadian gaming and sports betting. Revenues will be brought back into provinces form the grey market and offshore operators, jobs will be created, and bettors will be inundated with safe and extensive options to enhance their betting experience.

As Burns told the Star, “we can now get on with what we’ve wanted to do for so long.”

Scientific Games Partners with Atlantic Lottery to Launch First Full-Service Lottery Kiosk in Canada

Scientific Games and Atlantic Lottery are joining forces to launch the first full-service player self-service technology in Canada that offers both lottery draw and instant games.

A Scientific Games news release outlines that the agreement will feature Scientific Games’ award-winning PlayCentral® HD kiosks and a terminal software management system. The collaborative move is part of Atlantic Lottery’s five-year contract with Scientific Games, expanding the Lottery’s points of sale across its retailer network of 3,000 locations in the provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Joey Cormier, Head of Channels for Atlantic Lottery, said: “The retail network is very important to Atlantic Lottery. We are investing in modernization to expand accessibility to our games by leveraging Scientific Games’ digital technologies, including this new terminal software and new PlayCentral self-serve terminals. The Lottery is evolving our digital merchandising and promoting our new mobile app for more cross-channel player experiences.”

One of the most innovative lotteries in Canada, Atlantic Lottery is jointly owned by the four Atlantic provincial governments with 100 per cent of profits returned to the provinces to help fund essential services like health care, education and infrastructure. The Lottery offers a wide variety of player entertainment, including retail and digital instant games, numbers games, and sports betting.

In addition to serving as the Atlantic Lottery’s primary instant game provider, Scientific Games supplies the Lottery’s subscription services, sports betting, central gaming system and full digital lottery system. The Lottery’s digital lottery play has expanded rapidly, with more than 325 per cent sales growth FY 2021 vs. FY 2020.

Pat McHugh, Lottery Group Chief Executive for Scientific Games, said: “The Atlantic Lottery’s new systems infrastructure implemented with Scientific Games in 2017 has proven extremely successful across lottery and digital transactions, driving one of the most successful digital instant lottery businesses in Canada. At the base of the technology is our player account management platform offering the convenience of one-wallet and limitless opportunities for players to experience cross-channel game entertainment.”

McHugh said the Company’s strong relationship with Atlantic Lottery dates back to 1983, resulting in a partnership that kept pace with technology advancements over the decades and drove growth across the Lottery’s entire portfolio with a collaborative, holistic approach to ensure relevance and sustainability in a rapidly changing world.

Scientific Games is the largest lottery systems technology provider in Europe and the world’s largest supplier of instant games with products representing 70 per cent of global retail sales. The company is a leading provider of digital lottery games, mobile apps and player loyalty programs.

AGCO Releases iGaming Operator Application Guidelines

As Ontario continues to prepare to launch a revamped iGaming marketplace, as well as lead the way in a new expansive and regulated Canadian sports betting industry, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has released an iGaming Operator Application Guide.

The Canadian Gaming Association notes the guide will assist prospective iGaming operators in understanding the application requirements and beginning to prepare to submit their applications. All operators interested in participating in Ontario’s regulated iGaming market will first need to be registered by the AGCO.

The guide was developed after a series of stakeholder engagements were held covering a wide range of topics related to how Ontario’s open, regulated, and competitive iGaming market will work.

All applications for registration will be made through iAGCO, the AGCO’s web-based portal and the AGCO will announce the application date in the near future.

An application guide to assist iGaming suppliers will also be released shortly.

This comes after the AGCO last month released its draft sports wagering standards for consultation. Those standards outlined that the AGCO will not be restricting products, permitting betting exchanges, DFS, eSports, and live in-game wagering within the province’s market. The full sports betting draft standards can be found here.

Following that, the commission’s iGaming Ontario subsidiary, mandated with facilitating the creation of a safe, regulated, and competitive online gaming market, published more technical information for existing and prospective operators earlier in August. In particular, it released an overview of iGaming Ontario’s mandate and operations, and elements of the commercial agreement for prospective operators.

The subsidiary had already pubished its initial rules for iGaming in Ontario. The Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming include, among numerous other directives, the prohibition of auto-play for online slot games and the enforcement of a minimum spin speed of 2.5 seconds.

In addition, with most casinos across Ontario now open to the public again, the AGCO has established an inter-agency task force in conjunction with Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG), to monitor cash transactions as casinos reopen and the province gears up to further open up its igaming and sports betting market.

Canadian Single-Event Sports Betting Will Be Legal From August 27

In a long-awaited announcement on August 12, Attorney General and Justice Minister David Lametti confirmed that Bill C-218, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, will be enacted on August 27.

The amendment to the Criminal Code to legalize single-event sports betting was passed earlier this summer and received Royal Assent on June 29.

Lametti announced in a live media briefing on August 12 that from August 27, single-game sports betting will be allowed in provinces across Canada on Aug. 27. As laid out in the legislation, it will be up to provinces to decide how (or if) they will offer single-game sports wagering.

“Provinces and territories will be able to offer single-event sport betting products like wagering on the Grey Cup, Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, or the Super Bowl,” Lametti told reporters, adding that the exception is horse racing, which will continue to be regulated by the Canadian Pari-mutuel Agency.

“These changes to the Ciminal Code will allow provinces and territories to use revenues to fund programming such as healthcare and education, as they do with other lottery revenues.”

Lametti emphasized that the legislation is the result of cooperation of all political parties, and thanked numerous figures including MP Kevin Waugh, who brought this Private Members Bill forward, and MP Brian Masse, who brought the previous Private Members Bill forward.

The news was celebrated by the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA), a longtime vocal proponent of such legislation.

“This was the final hurdle for the Criminal Code change to legalize sports betting, which means that provinces and casino operators can now move forward with their plans,” the CGA said in a statement. “Casino operators are looking forward to offering sports betting at their properties, and provinces will now have the authority to deliver a safe, legal, and controlled sports betting option to Canadians.<

“From an economic standpoint, having the ability to offer single-event sports betting will be a tremendous benefit to Canadian gaming operators and the communities where they operate, as most importantly it will allow them to create new jobs.”

Raring to go

The passing of Bill C-218 is a seminal moment for the Canadian gaming and sports betting industry. Across the country – not to mention south of the border, where market giants’ eyes have turned northwards – consumers, operators, and everyone in between is eagerly awaiting the opportunity to dip their toes into the new market.

The CGA and its President and CEO Paul Burns have long cited extinguishing the grey market and bringing revenues, profits, and player safety back into a regulated market as a key reason to widen Canada’s legal sports betting market, a call that was echoed by a wide variety of advocates during the legislative process.

Burns had previously earmarked Labour Day as an early target for Canada’s most proactive markets, such as the huge and potentially lucrative province of Ontario, to get some form of single-event sports betting up and running. In theory, at least, that will now be possible.

RELATED: CGA President Paul Burns Looks Ahead to Canada’s Sports Betting Overhaul

The provinces and their provincial lottery corporations are certainly ready and waiting. Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC) issued a statement on August 4 to stress that the province is awaiting the green light.

Meanwhile, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) recently released its draft regulatory standards for sports and event betting and on August 3, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) announced that Genius Sports will be the official data provider for its expanded sports betting offering.
Watch Lametti’s full press conference here.

GLI Named an Independent Testing Lab for iGaming in Ontario

Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has been named an iGaming independent testing laboratory (ITL) by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

The registration means that, effective immediately, GLI is authorized to test and certify iGaming components such as games, random number generator (RNGs) platforms/RGS, and cybersecurity. A press release states that GLI’s services will help to ensure an efficient and timely commencement of operations in the regulated market.

The AGCO and the province will lean on GLI’s 30+ years of international experience in iGaming testing, certification, and consultation. GLI is currently the only lab working with all existing and emerging jurisdictions worldwide, giving it what the press release describes as “unparalleled expertise and insight” to help AGCO, AGCO-registered operators, and/or gaming-related suppliers successfully navigate the exciting opportunities in Ontario for iGaming.

GLI has already helped all Canadian provinces that are currently online with their technical standards and/or mission-critical online gaming testing deployments to date, including the Alberta’s most recent online portal launch.

“It is extremely exciting to see the future of the iGaming landscape emerge in Ontario. GLI is proud to be a part of it and honored to have been registered as an authorized test lab by the AGCO,” said GLI CEO James Maida. “We’re always preparing for what’s next- land-based, digital, or both, with experts on the ground around the world. As the pioneer in iGaming and sportsbook testing and certification, we know we will have much to offer, and our global professionals are ready to help in ways no one else can.”

In addition to formal testing and certification work on behalf of the AGCO, GLI is ready to provide other valuable assistance to interested operators and suppliers, such as pre-certification testing, jurisdictional consultation, and regulatory advisory support to help them clearly understand the AGCO Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. GLI also provides a full suite of critical integrated services including GAP Analyses and Transfers of Approval, educational services for iGaming or sports betting compliance, workshops, and many other forms of emerging market support and consultancy.

“Beyond wanting the AGCO and province of Ontario to greatly benefit, we also want operators and suppliers to be commercially successful, all while maintaining the highest levels of integrity in compliance. Our technical and regulatory compliance teams are ready to test, consult and advise on best practices to achieve that,” said Salim L. Adatia, Vice President of Client Services for North America.

Alberta Becomes First Province to Install Gaming Arts’ Pop N Play Slots via Bet Rite

Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC) has installed the Gaming Arts’ Pop’N Pays™ slot family in multiple casinos across the province, making Alberta the first Canadian province to place these games, according to a Gaming Arts release made available to Canadian Gaming Business.

AGLC and Gaming Arts have achieved this milestone installation in collaboration with Bet Rite Inc., the government’s agency’s exclusive Canadian representative and distributor in Alberta and across Canada. Bet Rite, a Canadian Gaming Association member, is an authorized registered gaming vendor in every Canadian province. Its scope encompasses coast-to-coast gaming sales, marketing, field service, installation, warehousing, and distribution operation.

This Pop’N Pays slot series will be the first offerings in Alberta and ware expected to come to other Canadian provinces in the future. The series includes Pinatas Ole™, Big Top™, & Sweet Spin™ games offering players an unforgettable time with pop-up wins, free game opportunities, progressives, and much more.

The new series is currently live in six Alberta casinos: Century Mile Racetrack and Casino, Cowboys Casino, Deerfoot Inn & Casino, Grey Eagle Resort and Casino, River Cree Resort and Casino, and Starlight Casino Edmonton.

Gaming Arts notes that the next wave of the game series will include Da Fa Ba™, Dice Seeker™, and the multi-game Casino Wizard™. These will also be rolling out later this year in other parts of Canada.

Mike Dreitzer, CEO of the Las Vegas-headquartered igaming provider, said via the press release: “Gaming Arts is very appreciative of AGLC’s decision to launch our games in Alberta, for the first time anywhere in Canada. This is a true milestone for Gaming Arts and we are humbled by AGLC’s show of confidence in our product. We look forward to working with AGLC to earn more floor share across Alberta and all of Canada.”

“We are very excited and grateful that AGLC is our first Canadian customer to introduce Gaming Arts slots to the Canadian market. We are confident that slot players in Alberta will enjoy these fun series of games for years to come,” said Bet Rite President, Billy MacLellan.