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Mixi turns up heat in PointsBet bidding war with Betr

PointsBet leaders have already urged the company’s shareholders to accept the acquisition offer from Japanese entertainment giant Mixi. Now, the company has improved its bid.

Mixi has raised its offer from $353 million AUD to $403 million AUD in light of a competing proposal from PointsBet’s fellow Australian bookmaker Betr.

That constitutes an increased cash consideration of $1.20 AUD per share, up 13.2% from the initial offer of $1.06 AUD. The Australian Financial Review reported this week that Mixi has told PointsBet it is willing to pursue an off-market takeover bid in the event that PointsBet investors do not approve the offer.

PointsBet did not offer a comment when reached by Canadian Gaming Business.

Even Mixi’s original offer, lodged in February, was recommended by the PointsBet board in what the latter company called the absence of “a superior proposal.” Part of PointsBet’s objections to Betr’s competing offer, which is worth around $360 million AUD, has been that Betr has offered a mixture of cash and scrip, wherein shares are offered partly or wholly in place of cash.

However, last month, PointsBet intimated that the latest non-binding acquisition offer from Betr “could reasonably be expected to lead to a ‘superior proposal’” when compared to Mixi’s offer.

In light of that statement, the preferred offer from Mixi just got even better.

After a halt in trading on Tuesday, PointsBet’s share price rose over 10% on Wednesday to $1.20 AUD upon news of the improved bid.

Betr owns 20% of PointsBet

Complicating matters, though, is the fact that Betr now owns 19.9% of PointsBet after buying some shareholders’ equity earlier this year. That firm has said it will undertake an equity raising of $130 million AUD to partially fund both the acquisition and a buyout of the remaining 80.1% of shares.

PointsBet and Betr have been engaged in due diligence since May.

Betr says its proposed offer would drive $40 million AUD in cost synergies for a combined PointsBet and Betr, fueled by brand unity and a shared app and technology platform.

PointsBet would need 50.1% acceptance from shareholders to accept the Mixi bid. Unsurprisingly, Betr Chair Matthew Tripp has stated publicly that the company will vote all of its shares against approving Mixi’s offer.

Between a Hard Rock and a hard place?

PointsBet offers online sports betting in both its native Australia and Ontario’s regulated market. In the Canadian province, it also operates online casino gaming. Executives such as CEO Sam Swanell and its Canadian business chief Scott Vanderwel have repeatedly said the company intends to step into a regulated Alberta iGaming market when that province opens its doors.

An intriguing subplot is that Betr’s bid includes selling certain PointsBet Canada assets to Hard Rock Digital for $29.6 million USD. Tripp said those assets largely comprise a player database.

None of the parties involved commented on that aspect of the offer when asked by CGB. As of early May, Hard Rock Digital had not applied for registration with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

If PointsBet ultimately accepts Mixi’s offer, that point will be moot.

To allow shareholders to consider the new Mixi proposal, PointsBet has pushed back a scheduled meeting to discuss the bids from June 12 to June 25.

Canadian Senate to reheat national sports betting ads bill

After the Canadian Senate approved the idea of establishing a national sports betting advertising framework last year, the lawmaker spearheading the push has filed a new version of the proposal for 2025.

Ontario Sen. Marty Deacon last week introduced Bill S-211, the “National Framework on Sports Betting Advertising Act.” A spokesperson for Deacon told Canadian Gaming Business on Tuesday that S-211 is the same legislation as 2024’s Bill S-269, the “National Framework on Advertising for Sports Betting Act.”

The Senate voted in favour of passing Bill S-269 last November after several committee hearings and numerous hours of debate between June and October 2024. However, it never made it to discussion in the House of Commons amid a quagmire of backlogged legislation in that chamber.

Once Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned in January and Parliament was prorogued, the issue stalled. But the prospect of federal regulation of sports betting advertising is now back on the agenda under new PM Mark Carney.

“It is [Deacon’s] hope to get this bill passed through the Senate expeditiously, and back to the floor of the House of Commons, where her former Bill S-269 was awaiting second reading before parliament was prorogued, which killed the bill,” the spokesperson for Deacon told CGB.

Bill asserts betting ads have become ‘pervasive’

Deacon’s core argument is that sports betting advertising has become too frequent, too broadly disseminated and too visible and accessible for vulnerable Canadians.

The legislation’s summary states: “The proliferation of sports betting advertising and other forms of gambling activities has become pervasive in Canadian society.”

It asserts that research has shown that increased exposure to gambling advertising leads to increased betting activity, particularly from minors and those at a heightened risk of harm.

S-211 proposes creating a national framework to identify measures to regulate sports betting ads across Canada, with a view to restricting their use, number, scope and/or location, as well as federally limiting or banning the use of celebrities and athletes.

In Ontario, currently Canada’s only regulated commerical online gambling market, the Alcohol and Gambling Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has implemented similar safeguards, such as banning language or imagery that would appeal primarily to minors and restricting the use of celebrities and athletes to promoting operators’ responsible gambling initiatives.

However, Sen. Deacon’s bill calls for “a reasonable and standardized approach” across Canada.

The framework would also identify measures to promote research and intergovernmental information-sharing and set out national standards for the prevention and diagnosis of harmful gambling and addiction and for support measures for those impacted by it.

The Minister of Canadian Heritage would be charged with leading the development of a national framework, in consultation with federal and provincial politicians and officials, First Nations communities and other stakeholders. The Canadian broadcast regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), would be required to review its regulations and policies to assess their effectiveness in preventing sports betting advertising-related harms.

A second try on ‘sober second thought’

Last year, in introducing S-269 to the Senate in June, Deacon reflected on Canada’s legalization of single-event sports betting in 2021 and Ontario’s launch of an open commercial online gambling market.

She pointed to a “flood” and a “barrage” of advertising in the wake of those legal changes, and told her fellow Senators that “we have the privilege of sober second thought” on betting advertising.

Numerous points of conversation came up during the discussion of last year’s bill. Those included adverts for Ontario-licensed sportsbooks being broadcast in other provinces, the role that operators, broadcasters, and digital and social media platforms play in disseminating betting ads and whether or not the level of advertising has dropped off since the early stages of Ontario’s regulated market.

The Senate heard testimony from the likes of the Canadian Gaming Association and the CRTC and took written submissions from sports leagues such as the NFL, the NHL and the CFL. The CGA has argued that there is an evidence gap when it comes to the effects of betting advertising and cautioned that a national framework may not be the best approach, while sports leagues warned that a federal approach could be “counter-productive.”

Similar debate will likely follow in the coming weeks and months on the new version of the bill, which is awaiting second reading.

Since the issue was last in the Senate, Alberta has legalised commercial online gambling, and that province’s market is expected to open by early 2026 at the latest.

‘Not just a box to tick’: Canadian gaming industry to talk RG at Canadian Gaming Summit

As Canada’s online gaming market matures, player protection challenges are multiplying — from rising offshore activity to the ethical use of AI in responsible gambling.

The Player Protection Symposium at Canadian Gaming Summit 2025 brings together the key minds shaping regulation, technology and player safety to ask how the industry can protect players without pushing them away.

Taking place on Thursday, June 19, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, this focused track will unite leading policy experts, operators and responsible gambling specialists to examine how Canada’s regulatory and commercial frameworks are developing to safeguard players in a maturing market.

Six expert-led sessions will cover the full spectrum of contemporary challenges, from AI-driven player protection to national self-exclusion models. The symposium offers delegates insight into evolving policies, technologies and collaborations driving the next generation of responsible gaming in Canada.

“Protecting players should never be viewed as a compliance box to tick,” said SBC Founder and CEO Rasmus Sojmark. “It’s a complex, developing challenge that spans tech, policy, and empathy. This symposium brings together the people on the frontline of responsible gambling to share the insights that will help us build a truly sustainable gaming industry across Canada.”

The track will open with a special edition of Martin Lycka’s Safe Bet Show, featuring the very special guest, NHL legend Nick Kypreos. Kypreos will regale attendees with tales from his storied career, which included spells at the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers and Toronto’s very own Maple Leafs.

Among the key panels on the track is Regulation and Responsibility: How the New Politics Affect Player Protection, which will explore what Alberta can learn from Ontario’s approach to responsible gambling and why one in five Ontario gamblers still use unregulated platforms to gamble. Craig Cornforth (Senior Business Development Manager, EPIC Global Solutions), Alistair Facciol (Vice President of iCasino, iGaming Ontario), Steve McAllister (Editor-In-Chief, The Parleh), Ryan McCarthy (Director of Player Health, British Columbia Lottery Corporation) and Geoff Zochodne (Senior News Analyst, Covers), will examine how shifting political landscapes influence player protection strategies and consider whether a coordinated national approach could reduce player reliance on unregulated markets.

Building on these regulatory themes, Self-Exclusion: A Plus for Protection or a Boost to the Black Market? will see panellists examine Ontario’s upcoming centralized self-exclusion system and assess whether it establishes an industry standard for responsible gaming or risks driving players toward unregulated markets. Aaron GlynWilliams (Chief of Staff and Head of Enterprise Strategy, Ontario Lottery and Gaming), Catherine Jarmain (Director – Operations & Player Relations, iGO), Dr. Isabelle Martin (Advanced Specialist, Corporate Office for Responsible Gambling, Loto-Québec), Tracy Parker (Senior Vice President, Accreditation, Advisory and Insights, Responsible Gambling Council), Dr. Kahlil Philander (Carson College of Business, Washington State University) and Al Watson (CEO, Dataworks Group) will explore how regulators and operators can strike the right balance between access, protection, and enforcement.

The session Technology in RG: From Targeted Messaging to AI Support will examine how artificial intelligence can transform responsible gambling measures by using behavioral data to spot at-risk players. Cory Fox (SVP Public Policy & Sustainability, FanDuel), Francesco Rodano (Chief Sustainable Gambling Officer, Playtech) and Dan Umfleet (Group CEO, Kindbridge) will discuss how their organizations are rolling out technology-driven solutions while tackling the ethical questions these tools create, including data privacy concerns, player consent issues, and the dangers of relying too heavily on automated systems when working with vulnerable individuals.

Also featured as part of the Player Protection Symposium is the session It Pays to Be Positive: Changing the Direction of Reinforcement in RG, which will unite leading experts to examine how shifting from punitive messaging to positive reinforcement can help ensure safer gambling behaviors.

The Player Protection Symposium is one of several focused content streams at the Canadian Gaming Summit, alongside dedicated tracks on Sports Betting & Casino, Cybersecurity, Affiliates & Advertising, Leaders and Payments & Compliance.

Get your tickets for the Canadian Gaming Summit!

Full Event Passes are still available at a discounted rate of $795 per person when you book as a group of three or more — saving you $200 per ticket with our Group Discount.

Operators and affiliates are eligible for free Full Event Passes, just apply via the respective links.

You can also grab an Expo Plus Pass for $195, which gives you access to all conference tracks, sessions, and the show floor. Please note: this pass does not include access to networking events.

Delta Bingo chooses Random State for multiplayer online bingo

Delta Bingo & Gaming has enlisted Swedish technology provider Random State to deliver its revamped multiplayer online bingo platform in Ontario.

The charitable gaming specialist is Random State’s first Ontario operator partner. The deal comes just weeks after the supplier secured its licence from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to work with regulated operators in the province’s market.

Random State will now provide its new bingo product to Delta via an integration with the operator’s platform, which is powered by Strive Gaming. The launch includes Random State’s full portfolio of bingo games and mini-games, as well as a back-office and social tool-set.

“We are thrilled to partner with such a respected operator as Delta,” said Random State CEO Mattias Westholm. “Our bingo hub was built to combine modern technology with authentic community features – shared pots, progressive jackpots, real-time chat hosting, in-game missions, you name it. Delivering that experience to Delta’s loyal audience, on top of Strive’s rock-solid PAM, is a perfect showcase of how easily we can plug into any platform.”

“Our players love bingo, it’s in our DNA, and we want to give them the very best digital version,” added Delta Bingo & Gaming CEO Leo Perri. “Random State impressed us with the depth of its product, the mobile-first UX and the sheer amount of innovation they keep adding. We’re confident this partnership will take Delta’s online bingo to a whole new level.”

Delta Bingo & Gaming has run land-based gaming for more than half a century and currently operates 20 land-based venues across Ontario and the state of Maryland. It launched online bingo and slots in Ontario’s market two years ago.

In mid-April, it teamed up with Vancouver-based Strive in a deal which sees the latter provide its player account management services to Delta’s digital business. Strive has also been tasked with developing front-end experiences for Delta in regulated markets.

Playtech to power High Roller launch in Ontario

When High Roller Technologies launches in Ontario’s online gambling market, it will do so using Playtech’s platform.

Las Vegas-based operator High Roller confirmed last week that it has applied to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) for a licence to offer online gaming in the province’s regulated market.

Subject to licensing and regulatory approval, it expects to launch its flagship online casino brand HighRoller.com in Ontario before the end of this year.

On Monday, the firm announced a strategic partnership that will see Playtech provide its technology to power High Roller’s platform and brand in the province.

“Collaborating with Playtech in Ontario is an exciting step for High Roller as we continue to grow and evolve,” said High Roller CEO Ben Clemes. “Playtech’s well-established technology will be instrumental to our mission of providing a world-class entertainment experience for our players.”

“Ontario is missing an elegant brand like High Roller,” Clemes said at the time of the licence application disclosure. “We’re excited to roll out the red carpet for our new customers, and we’re looking forward to showcasing our tremendous product.”

High Roller Technologies is a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). It offers a real-money online casino platform that hosts a portfolio of over 5,300 games from more than 90 game providers.

The firm also revealed last week that it intends to pursue an operator licence in Alberta whenever that province opens its doors to commercial operators. Alberta’s iGaming legislation was signed into law last month.

Playtech has a range of operator partners in Ontario, including FanDuel, Rush Street Interactive’s BetRivers and made-in-Canada brands theScore and NorthStar Gaming.

In late April, it expanded its Eyecon studio’s collaboration with SkillOnNet in Ontario.

“We are delighted to partner with High Roller as they expand into Ontario,” added Playtech Chief Revenue Officer Sergey Harutyunyan. “Playtech’s technology is designed to support operators in regulated markets, and we look forward to working together to provide High Roller’s players with safe, innovative, and engaging gaming experiences.”

Kinectify’s Derek Ramm on online gambling’s financial challenges

When it comes to the financial integrity nuances of the Canadian gaming industry, Derek Ramm is perhaps uniquely well-placed to provide expertise.

Ramm is a former lead officer at the Government of Canada’s financial intelligence unit FINTRAC, before serving as the director of anti-money laundering (AML) for firstly Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) and subsequently the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). He now works as the global head of advisory services for AML risk management technology firm Kinectify.

Ramm will be providing his insights at the Canadian Gaming Summit in Toronto from June 17-19. In the lead-up to the Summit, Canadian Gaming Business spoke to him about recent developments in Canadian gaming and what he’s looking forward to sinking his teeth into at CGS.

CGB: Anti-money laundering has always been a serious consideration when it comes to land-based casinos. How has the proliferation of online and omnichannel gambling changed the landscape?

Ramm: Based on my experience, the primary threat for land-based casinos is the placement of illicit cash into the system. While cash is not necessarily a consideration for online gaming, there are a number of common risk factors with both delivery channels. These include red flags such as players engaging in minimal gaming activity, or who have questionable sources of funds.

In the end, it’s important for gaming organizations to understand the nature of the risks they face and ensure they have appropriate player and transaction monitoring controls and systems in place.

CGB: Some industry stakeholders argue that FINTRAC’s reporting process and requirements are outdated at best and inadequate at worst. What needs to be done to strengthen these processes and make things easier for gambling operators?

Ramm: There needs to be a holistic review of how federal anti-money laundering regulations apply to Canada’s gaming industry. First, the definition of “casino” is quite narrow and doesn’t cover many forms of regulated gambling activity, so you don’t have a level playing field within the industry. There are also questions as to whether it makes sense for the “conduct and manage” agency to be ultimately accountable for anti-money laundering compliance, since most provinces have a private-sector delivery model and aren’t involved in day-to-day gaming operations except where “conduct and manage” responsibilities are necessary.

Another example is the Casino Disbursement Report, which requires gaming organizations to report payouts to players of $10,000 or more in any form (cash, cheque, funds transfer, etc.) This report was created in 2009, prior to the existence of legal online gaming in Canada. Casino Disbursement Reports now account for upwards of 90% of all reports filed by online operators. I would question the report’s overall utility, particularly in the online gaming space, since the original intent was to see the in-and-out flow of large money transactions at land-based casinos.

The Canadian Gaming Association has an anti-money laundering working group that is examining these issues and has made submissions to the federal government. I also know that several provinces are aligned in the view that anti-money laundering regulations need to recognize how Canada’s gaming industry has evolved, and continues to evolve.

CGB: iGaming Ontario told us it is working on its own automated system for filing suspicious transaction reports. How important is such a measure?

Ramm: It’s great that iGO continues to pursue a solution, but it’s been over three years since the market opened. The bottom line is that technology is indispensable, especially for a market the size of Ontario, where the latest figures show over $63 billion in annual wagers.

In the past year, we’ve seen numerous regulatory and criminal penalties levied against gaming operators for AML violations in the United States. Here in Canada, FINTRAC has taken a much more aggressive, enforcement-orientated posture toward the gaming industry. A lot of these sanctions have involved failures to effectively monitor activity or use all available information to assess risk. Manual processes are completely inadequate to deal with the volume of transactions and player data that must be scrutinized for suspicious activity. Not only is there substantial regulatory risk with manual processes, but the administrative burden on operators has created completely unnecessary financial costs.

CGB: With the launch of Alberta on the horizon, what conversations are people having about how to simplify and streamline AML procedures across the two provinces?

Ramm: First, I would say that, overall, Ontario is a terrific success story in how to launch a regulated online gaming market. There are a lot of things that Ontario did right but there are also a lot of lessons that Alberta (and other provinces) can learn from some of the missteps that I think were made. Further to my earlier point about the need for technology, the “minimum viable product” for things like anti-money laundering compliance and centralized self-exclusions will only suffice for a very short period after market launch without a clear roadmap to automation. In fact, Alberta would be wise to have technology solutions already in place when their market opens. Minister Dale Nally and his team have been very engaged with industry on this front, and there have been some productive conversations.

CGB: How can industry stakeholders work together to combat money laundering and ensure a safer and more secure industry?

Ramm: The best advice I can give, after more than two decades of experience in this field, is that communication is paramount. The various stakeholders – operators, crown corporations, regulators, FINTRAC and law enforcement – need to have honest conversations with each other about the threats the industry faces and the best approach to dealing with them. I think operators and crown agencies genuinely don’t want bad actors as customers (it’s not good for the industry or society as a whole) so that should be the starting point for any discussion.

CGB: Other than AML and other compliance issues on the agenda, what are some topics you’re looking forward to hearing more about at Canadian Gaming Summit?

Ramm: There are a lot of great sessions at the Summit. I’m looking forward to hearing about the latest developments in player protection and responsible gaming, as well as some of the topical conversations surrounding issues such as liquidity or new forms of gaming.

PENN debuts online PGA Tour Blackjack game on theScore in Ontario

PENN Entertainment is diversifying its online casino content through the PGA Tour.

The hospitality giant and gaming operator launched PGA Tour Blackjack in Ontario, making it the first operator to launch an exclusive online casino title with branding from the world’s premier professional golf organization.

PGA Tour Blackjack has debuted in both Ontario and New Jersey. In Ontario, the game is available to users of theScore Casino app and can be accessed via the sportsbook-first theScore Bet platform.

The game is also available on PENN’s standalone Hollywood Casino app in the Garden State and accessible through ESPN Bet, PENN’s other legacy sports brand-turned-sportsbook which is not available in Canada and does not offer online casino gaming in any of its U.S. markets.

PGA Tour Blackjack was developed by PENN Game Studios, the company’s in-house game development arm. The iGaming title features PGA Tour logos along with themed cards and chips. The game offers a traditional blackjack experience and poker.

PENN plans to bring the game to its other licensed online casino markets in the near future, pending regulatory approvals.

Game results from broader partnership

PENN debuted its golf-themed game after securing a deal in January with the PGA Tour.

The PGA TOUR and PENN agreed to a partnership to bring a live betting stream to PGA Tour LIVE, a program that airs on ESPN+. The deal provides the show with live betting analysis, insights and real-time data during streams for the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup events.

The multiyear pact also made ESPN Bet an official sportsbook of the Tour.

theScore Casino goes standalone in Ontario

PENN launched the standalone online casino-specific theScore Casino app in Ontario in April, providing a purely online casino experience using the longstanding theScore sports media and gaming brand.

The app already offered a notable sports-branded blackjack game, Blue Jays Blackjack, thanks to its exclusive partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays.

theScore Casino uses the same proprietary technology platform as the Hollywood Casino platform, which PENN has been spreading across the U.S. as the digital version of its longstanding Hollywood Casino retail brand. PENN CEO Jay Snowden suggested late last year that the Hollywood Casino app would be brought to Ontario in the future, pending regulatory approvals, but that is yet to materialize.

PENN reported in February that it has seen a combined 61% year-over-year increase in online casino net gaming revenue across Hollywood Casino in the U.S. and theScore Bet in Ontario.

NorthStar Gaming posts revenue surge as it looks both inside and outside Ontario

NorthStar Gaming’s revenue surged 32% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2025, the Toronto-based gaming and media operator reported this week.

Total revenue and reached $7.8 million for the three months ended March 31. Of that, $7.6 million was gross gaming revenue less bonuses and promotions such as free bets, while around $200,000 was revenue from managed services fees.

Revenue for the first quarter of 2024 was $5.9 million.

Gross margin grew even more strongly, up 58% to $3.0 million, while gross margin percentage increased to 38.5%, up from 31.5%.

The company posted profitability last quarter, with profit before marketing and other expenses at $0.6 million in Q1 2025 compared to a loss of $0.6 million in Q1 2024. General and admin expenses and marketing expenses each dropped year-over-year, both in terms of dollar value and percentage of revenue.

NorthStar Gaming Chair and CEO Michael Moskowitz put the strong growth down to, in part, ongoing product and promotional innovations.

The first-quarter results come two weeks after NorthStar reported 51% growth in NorthStar Bets wagering handle, 57% growth in total company revenue and 91% increase in gross margin in the full year of 2024.

NorthStar expands online casino offering, boasts record retention

NorthStar said in its Q1 2025 earnings release that it recorded the highest customer retention rate in its history in the quarter, something it said was driven by customer experience, innovative promotions and a focus on high-value players through the NorthStar Elite VIP program.

The operator also bolstered its online casino offering, increasing the number of games offered on its casino platform by 15% to more than 1,800 games during the first quarter.

That came in addition to the launch of the multiplayer NorthStar Bets Blackjack VZN in late March, as well as the new Spring Tournament Series with premium online tournaments in live blackjack, slots and sports betting.

Proud Canadianism sets NorthStar apart, says CEO

In Ontario, NorthStar is one of 50 online gaming operators competing for market share, customers and revenue in a highly saturated market.

As a smaller, niche brand, Moskowitz believes NorthStar’s fervent commitment to being an evidently Canadian brand is an advantage.

“The first threshold to acquire a new customer is to be one of the platforms they consider,” Moskowitz told investors on an earnings call in May. “For a smaller player like NorthStar, that means differentiating our offering.

“We’ve always made it clear that North Star is a Canadian brand that has even more relevance in the current political environment, where there is a strong Canadian sentiment. NorthStar is completely focused on the Canadian market. All of our content branding and promotions are designed with that specific audience in mind.”

Existing cross-country footprint may offer Alberta advantage

As well as its Ontario-facing sportsbook and online casino, NorthStar offers another website elsewhere in Canada. Via the latter, which is owned and operated by the Conseil des Abénakis de Wôlinak and licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, NorthStar Gaming offers managed services to Wôlinak.

On an earnings call in May, Moskowitz suggested that the presence and strength of its brand outside Ontario will give the operator a headstart in Alberta’s upcoming regulated market, as well as other provinces that may potentially regulate online sports betting and casino in the future.

“In Ontario, we’ve been growing faster than the overall market, meaning we are gaining share in the rest of Canada,” Moskowitz told investors. “We believe there’s additional upside in our managed services business, and we will be ready to apply for a license when other provinces open up to commercial operators.

“It is the pipeline for the future. As markets become regulated, the databases and the business we’re building in that jurisdiction will turn into regulated business in years to come. A good example is Alberta. Investing in that base business will pay dividends later.”

OLG hopes to steer industry with uniquely accessible online casino game

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) hopes that its latest online casino game can help to drive change across the industry.

OLG has unveiled Red Panda Tails of Wealth, which it describes as the first game designed specifically for players with disabilities and accessibility needs.

The digital slot includes built-in accessible features, including compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers and keyboard navigation, a high-contrast colour palette for enhanced visibility and an accessible heads-up display engineered to integrate seamlessly into future games.

The crown corporation collaborated with Pixiu Gaming, Light & Wonder Spark and Toronto-based company Fable to develop the game.

The lottery corporation’s Chief Gaming Officer, Dave Pridmore, said in a release that the digital slot is the result of “a focused effort to put accessibility at the forefront of game design.”

Canadian Gaming Business spoke to OLG’s Vice President of iCasino and iLottery, Andrew Darley, to find out more about that effort.

A gap in the market

Darley noted that Statistics Canada data shows that more than one in four Ontarians report a disability.

“That, to me, shows there’s a large market of folks out there who may need some additional sort of support when they’re trying these games,” he told Canadian Gaming Business in an interview. “And we couldn’t find anything out there that was truly designed as an accessible game. As a business team, we looked at that and said there’s a gap that needs to be filled and this is also a really good opportunity for us.”

So, OLG set out to do it themselves, with the help of Pixiu, L&W Spark and Fable. All parties collaborated from step one, building the game together from the ground up.

The crown corp.’s internal research team worked hard to get insights from Ontarians with disabilities to ensure the game provided the kind of experience those players want and need.

One point that Darley and the team are particular proud of is that the game looks and feels like a regular slot game, able to be enjoyed by all of OLG’s players. The key differences are that the assistive technology is tailored to a demographic that is often not catered to in other online casino content.

“We’re making sure that it’s catching all the different pieces,” Darley added. “But the part I love the most about it is that it works well for everyone. There’s not one population that’s going to have an advantage in enjoyment of this game versus another. And that’s the core of it: making sure that everyone is equally served.”

Aiming for a more accessible industry

For now, this is just one game with a specific focus on enhancing accessibility.

But Darley was clear that his and OLG’s aspiration is to help drive innovation in the industry by showing other operators and game developers, both inside Ontario and elsewhere in Canada, that online casino gaming can be accessible for all.

“We don’t make the games, but we want the industry to see that this is possible,” he added. “We used our position as a government agency to really help support that and put that call out to the industry. That’s really what we’re trying to do: show that it’s doable, but that we need your help.

“We all should be aspiring to have accessible games on our site, and that’s really the key focus of it. We want to make sure that other people are looking to us to say, ‘hey, if OLG can do it, we should be able to do it as well.’ And the more people who ask for these types of games, the more these games will be developed, right? So, really, the goal is to take the industry there with us.”

Inside the Leaders Track: Policy and Strategy at the Canadian Gaming Summit

At the heart of the Canadian Gaming Summit 2025, the Leaders Track will convene ministers, regulators and top executives to share high-level insights into the future of gaming.

Taking place on Wednesday, June 18 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the track will feature seven sessions that peel back the curtain on the pivotal developments, policy shifts and market dynamics set to shape Canada’s gaming ecosystem in the years ahead.

“Our goal with the Leaders Track is to elevate the conversations already taking place in this exciting market,” said SBC Founder and CEO Rasmus Sojmark. “By uniting policymakers, regulators, and business leaders on one stage, we’re bringing together the sharpest minds in Canadian gaming to challenge assumptions and engage in frank discussions about what’s next for Canada.”

The track will kick off with opening remarks from Duncan Hannay, President of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, followed by a high-profile fireside chat featuring the Hon. Stan Cho, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming; the Hon. Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario; and Dave Forestell, chair of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). Together, they will unpack Ontario’s progress throughout the past years, including the strategic separation of iGaming Ontario (iGO) from AGCO and the broader vision driving the province’s long-term gaming strategy under Minister Cho’s leadership.

Attendees will also hear a keynote address from Alberta’s Minister for Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally, who returns to the Canadian Gaming Summit after last year’s announcement of Alberta’s intention to follow Ontario’s iGaming model. Minister Nally will provide critical updates on the province’s progress and outline the timeline and expectations for stakeholders in the coming months.

The keynote panel, Building a Sustainable Gaming Model in Canada, will tackle the growing challenges and opportunities facing the national industry. The conversation will confront rising pressures from emerging technologies, unregulated operators and the rise of sweepstakes and prediction exchanges. Panelists Paul Burns (CEO, Canadian Gaming Association), Dallas McCready (CEO, Atlantic Lottery Corporation), Dr. Karin Schnarr (CEO, AGCO), and Ilkim Hincer (Chief Legal Officer, GeoComply) will share strategic insights on how to preserve long-term market stability while navigating regulatory complexity and accelerating innovation.

The SBC Leaders panel, To Market, to Market: Where Will the New Customers Come From?, will examine operator differentiation strategies in Ontario’s maturing market and highlight customer acquisition tactics as Alberta prepares for its 2026 launch. Tom Burdakin (VP of Marketing, FanDuel), Paris Smith (Founder, Life Winning/Defy The Odds), and Scott Vanderwel (CEO, PointsBet Canada) will discuss competitive positioning, product adaptation and effective marketing approaches.

The session Integrity in Betting: Setting a Standard for Canada will examine how the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) and the Professional Footballers Association Canada (PFA Canada) have partnered to establish national sports integrity standards that could serve as a benchmark for the entire Canadian market. Speakers Scott Grant (Senior Manager, Investigations, Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports), Daniel Kruk (Executive Director, PFA Canada), Dave Phillips (Chief Operating Officer, AGCO) and Jean-François Reymond (Education Ambassador, IBIA) will discuss how training, education, and technology can be leveraged to create a robust framework that combats match manipulation and safeguards the integrity of Canadian sport nationwide.

Updates from Ontario will bring together the chairs of the province’s key regulatory and operational bodies to explore the latest developments in Canada’s first and only open iGaming market for private operators. Dave Forestell (Chair, AGCO), Heidi Reinhart (Chair, iGaming Ontario) and Jim Warren (Chair, OLG) will share insights into what Ontario’s record revenues reveal about market maturity, and how these lessons could inform emerging frameworks across other provinces. The panel will be moderated by Peter Czegledy (Partner, Aird & Berlis LLP).

The Leaders Track at the Canadian Gaming Summit is one of several focused content streams addressing the most critical issues shaping Canada’s gaming industry. Additional tracks will feature in-depth sessions on sports betting and casino, cybersecurity, player protection, affiliates and advertising and payments and compliance.

Get your tickets for the Canadian Gaming Summit!

Full Event Passes are still available at a discounted rate of $795 per person when you book as a group of three or more — saving you $200 per ticket with our Group Discount.

You can also grab an Expo Plus Pass for $195, which gives you access to all conference tracks, sessions, and the show floor. Please note: this pass does not include access to networking events.

Operators and affiliates are eligible for free Full Event Passes, just apply via the respective links.