Search
Choose a style
Dark
Light

FINTRAC suspects fentanyl money laundering happening via online gambling sites

Canada’s financial intelligence agency FINTRAC has warned that online gambling platforms may be being used to launder money from fentanyl dealing and production.

In its latest operational alert, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada wrote that suspicious transaction reports found that known fentanyl traffickers frequently sent funds received from email money transfers to gambling sites and received payments in return from associated payment processors based in Canada. as well as Malta and the United Kingdom.

“It is suspected that individuals are depositing and withdrawing funds at online casinos, using these platforms to disguise proceeds from fentanyl and opioid trafficking as wagers and winnings from online gambling,” noted the alert.

FINTRAC acts as a financial watchdog by scouring millions of data points to identify cash that is suspected to be linked to money laundering and terrorism. It reports findings to authorities including the RCMP police service.

Regarding this particular alert, it analyzed around 5,000 suspicious transaction reports related to fentanyl and synthetic opioids filed between 2020 and 2023 and found that “threat actors are also using darknet marketplaces and virtual currencies to distribute and facilitate payments for fentanyl and other illegal synthetic opioids on an international scale, among other traditional methods.”

Fintrac says that in one case, an individual received hundreds of “high-value” e-transfers from a payment processor known to work in the online gambling sector. The transactions were considered suspicious due to the client’s tendency to deal with people linked to fentanyl trafficking, the alert said.

Under its “general money laundering indicators,” FINTRAC notes that a client making high-volume or frequent purchases from a personal account to online gambling platforms and subsequently receiving funds into the same account from payment processors associated with online gambling platforms is “an unusual pattern” that warrants close attention.

Responsible Gambling Council scores partnership with NFL to educate student-athletes

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) and the NFL are teaming up to provide responsible gaming resources to student-athletes across Canada.

The RGC announced on Thursday a partnership with the NFL to develop and offer a comprehensive RG training program tailored to college-level athletes. The program, which will launch later this year, will have a pilot phase that provides RG resources to eight Canadian universities and colleges. During the 2025-26 academic year, the program will expand to 30 institutions using insights and feedback from this year’s training program.

“Student-athletes face unique pressures from academics, athletics and the accessibility of sports betting, making them vulnerable to risky gambling behaviours,” said new RGC CEO Sarah McCarthy, who officially replaced Shelley White this month. “Our partnership with the NFL is a crucial step in supporting this group by providing the education and tools needed to make informed decisions.”

The NFL and RGC will also work together to evaluate the program and its effectiveness.

North America’s most popular pro sports league is partnering with the RGC as it commits to promoting RG practices and initiatives. In 2024, the NFL provided in-person gambling policy education and training to all players and staff of the league’s 32 franchises.

The NFL also has a partnership with the U.S. National Council on Problem Gambling.

RGC partners with major sports properties

The council has landed a deal with the NFL after partnering with Toronto-based sports holding and commercial real estate company Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE).

As part of the deal, RGC messaging will be displayed at every home game of a Toronto sports team at Scotiabank Arena and BMO Field as well as select away games. MLSE owns the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, and the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts.

BetMGM seals exclusive rights to Family Feud and The Price is Right

BetMGM has secured the exclusive online casino intellectual property rights to two of TV’s biggest gameshows.

Thanks to a new partnership with entertainment production company Fremantle, the gaming operator will be able to develop and offer games branded under the names of both The Price Is Right and Family Feud. The deal covers slots, table games and non-traditional casino games and paves the way for BetMGM to create customized online casino content around both shows.

CEO Adam Greenblatt said the deal “unlocks various ways for BetMGM and Fremantle to collaborate and expand our brand.”

“Family Feud and The Price is Right are two of the most popular game shows in North America, and we look forward to bringing their fun and excitement to our online casino in various exciting ways.”

“This innovative collaboration paves the way for in-game branding across diverse online casino categories, while also providing opportunities for integrated TV sponsorships,” added Suzanne Lopez, COO of Fremantle North America. “It’s all about enhancing how fans of The Price Is Right and Family Feud connect with the shows in fresh, immersive ways.”

A BetMGM spokesperson told Canadian Gaming Business that the plan is to bring customized games created under the agreement to Ontario, as well as all of BetMGM’s iGaming states in the U.S.

Deal follows Wheel of Fortune collaboration

BetMGM’s online casino network offers more than 3,500 titles across North American markets. It already has a stable of iGaming brands including its flagship BetMGM online casino, Borgata Casino, Party Casino and Party Poker, as well as Wheel of Fortune.

Its Wheel of Fortune Online Casino brand, facilitated through Sony Pictures Television and IGT PlayDigital, was extended into Ontario last August. BetMGM already offered select titles under that brand in the province before the full platform launch.

Its deal with that gameshow not only included online games but also on-screen BetMGM messaging and activations at various stages of the show’s TV season, such as sponsoring jackpots and in-show displays of the operator’s logo on host Pat Sajak’s monitor.

It’s currently unclear whether similar on-screen visibility will be part of the deal with Fremantle’s shows. However, the spokesperson for BetMGM confirmed to CGB that Lopez’s cited “integrated TV sponsorships” will only be for the two shows in the U.S. and will not apply to Family Feud Canada.

“BetMGM looks forward to sharing more details of how we will bring exciting activations to The Price is Right in Canada as more details get finalized,” added the spokesperson.

The new Fremantle deal is one of the first big marketing moves BetMGM has made since hiring experienced marketing leader and former Rocket Mortgage executive Casey Hurbis as chief marketing officer in December.

Transit agency held talks over naming Toronto station after Jackpot City

Licensed online casino Jackpot City was reportedly considered by Ontario transit agency Metrolinx for a major sponsorship deal.

CBC News reports that Metrolinx considered the brand last year when looking for a potential commercial naming rights partner for Toronto’s Exhibition GO station. Sources told CBC that the proposal was halted by Ontario Minister for Transport Prabmeet Sarkaria.

“When a station naming opportunity is proposed, the government and Metrolinx evaluate it to ensure it meets all government and agency advertising policies,” Sarkaria’s office told Canadian Gaming Business in a statement.

“Before any partnership is considered, Metrolinx conducts a thorough review and assessment of the business,” added Metrolinx in its own statement to CGB. “A careful due diligence process is always conducted before a partnership is agreed to. We regularly work with partners across all sectors, and we will continue to explore ways we can work with third parties to improve and expand our services.”

Neither the ministry nor Metrolinx, which is a crown agency, explicitly confirmed or denied that the discussions had taken place or why they were stopped.

Jackpot City’s parent company Super Group did not provide an on-the-record comment.

Metrolinx manages and integrates road and public transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and is the central procurement agency on behalf of Ontario municipalities for local transit vehicles, equipment and services. It is responsible for operating the GHTA-area GO Transit system, the Presto card used across the GTHA and by OC Transpo in Ottawa and the Union Pearson Express airport rail link to Toronto Pearson International Airport.

It has struck commercial naming rights deals for other stations in recent years with educational and business organizations. Oshawa’s GO station has been officially titled the Durham College Oshawa GO station since 2022 and Brampton’s is the Brampton Innovation District GO station since 2023.

Among other things, Exhibition provides access to BMO Field, the home of MLS team Toronto FC and the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts, and Coca-Cola Coliseum, which hosts the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Marlies affiliate and from next year will hold WNBA games for the Toronto Tempo.

Super Group pleased with existing Canadian visibility

Jackpot City is one of numerous licensed online casinos in Ontario, having gained Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) approval in the regulated market’s launch year of 2022.

It is licensed to Cadtree Ltd., a subsidiary of the Super Group company which also operates Royal Vegas, Ruby Fortune and Spin Casino and the Betway sportsbook in Ontario’s regulated market.

Super Group CEO Neal Menashe said on an earnings call in November that “Jackpot City continues to be a leading brand across [Canada].”

Super Group has been proactive in marketing its brands in Canada. Jackpot City has partnerships with sporting franchises including the Toronto Rock lacrosse team and in Alberta, the Betway brand has been prominently advertising for years including via a deal with the NHL regarding the brand’s “non-gambling global website” betway.net.

Canada is the company’s second-largest region in terms of revenue after Africa.

H2 Gambling Capital data made available to CGB in fall 2024 suggests that Super Group has captured around 7% of the regulated Ontario market, up from around 4% last year. The data also pegs Super Group as the leading operator in Canada’s unregulated market with a 35% share.

AGCO working on better ways to erase unlicensed Ontario gambling

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has stated publicly that it is working on making it harder for those inside and outside Ontario’s online gaming industry to engage with the unregulated iGaming market.

In the AGCO’s annual report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, published on Jan. 14, 2025, the regulator said it is spent the year collaborating with international jurisdictions on tackling the grey market.

Most notably, the notes included the fact that it is working on “a comprehensive strategy” to limit industry access to the unregulated market and increase public awareness “by delivering a second generation of high-impact, coordinated and relevant regulatory activities.”

Collaboration with international jurisdictions on tackling the unregulated iGaming market continued in 2023-24 and a comprehensive strategy is in the process of being drafted to limit industry access to the unregulated market and increase public awareness by delivering a second generation of high impact, coordinated and relevant regulatory activities.

Exactly what that will entail is uncertain, but it likely includes working together with operators, suppliers and other stakeholders in Ontario’s regulated market on a tactical approach.

The AGCO, as well as the newly independent conduct-and-manage entity iGaming Ontario (iGO) and the Ontario Lottery and Corporation (OLG) are also fond of emphasizing that communication and collaboration with other provinces is vital, so the AGCO will likely be talking to the crown corporations and government officials elsewhere in Canada, too.

“Building off of our early channelization success, we continue to work with industry stakeholders and other jurisdictions to combat the unregulated market while continuing to work towards crafting a comprehensive strategy with our government partners,” the AGCO’s Raymond Kahnert told Canadian Gaming Business in response to a request for more details.

Channelization has gone well so far

As Kahnert alluded to, AGCO’s bid to starve the unregulated iGaming market of oxygen is an attempt to consolidate what has been strong progress is bringing online gaming play in the province under regulation.

In the report, CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr cited stats from an Ipsos study to that found that over 85% of respondents who gambled online in Ontario were doing so on regulated sites, something Schnarr wrote “represents considerable success” in the core goal of bringing play out from the shadows and into the light.

Given that survey was conducted to coincide with the first anniversary of Ontario’s market opening on April 4, 2022, and given that the market is now approaching its third birthday, those stats are long outdated.

But data provided to Canadian Gaming Business by gambling research firm H2 Gambling Capital in late 2024 suggest that as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year, the unregulated market holds down just 7% of the market in terms of gross gaming revenue from online casino and sports betting. H2 credits OLG with 16% and the province’s 50+ commercial operators with 77%.

Following in US footsteps?

The AGCO and Ontario will likely be looking at least in part at how U.S. regulators and state governments have turned the screw on unlicensed operators in recent times.

Numerous states have sent cease-and-desist letters to a slew of offshore operators, most notably a largely successful multi-state campaign to force Curaçao-based Bovada to shut down.

Just this week, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency said it has sent 11 such letters to unlicensed gambling operators, most which provide customers with access to sweepstakes offerings.

Meanwhile, in Canada, Antigua and Barbuda-based Bodog quietly took itself offline in Nova Scotia, where the only licensed sports betting and online gaming offerings are delivered by the multi-provincial Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC).

BetConstruct becomes first company to offer B2B and B2C licenses in Canada

European company BetConstruct has announced it is the first iGaming company authorized to issue both B2B and B2C gaming licenses in Canada.

Through a direct license authorization from the Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick, BetConstruct’s affiliate entity YoLicense has been granted the right to oversee applications and issue licenses within from its jurisdiction.

BetConstruct says the partnership “underscores shared values of innovation, transparency, and a commitment to responsible gaming practices.”

“This historic development places BetConstruct at the forefront of the Canadian iGaming market, redefining the opportunities available to gaming operators,” said the company in a release. “By leveraging its affiliate entity’s licensing capabilities, BetConstruct empowers businesses to navigate a streamlined and transparent regulatory environment, unlocking new opportunities for growth and innovation.

“At BetConstruct, we’ve always strived to push the boundaries of what’s possible in iGaming,” said co-founder Vigen Badalyan. “This landmark achievement with the Tobique First Nation reflects our unwavering dedication to creating opportunities for our partners while upholding the highest standards of responsibility and integrity in gaming.”

The company added that the ability to issue dual licenses highlights its commitment to supporting its partners and reinforces the company’s role as a trusted leader in the global iGaming landscape.

The Tobique Gaming Commission’s website lists its mission as providing a regulatory body which advocates responsible and transparent gaming practices, whilst simultaneously enriching the economic development for the Tobique First Nation. It currently has dozens of direct license-holders.

Canadian Gaming Business Magazine: Hot topics and new horizons

SBC Media’s first Canadian Gaming Business magazine of 2025 focuses on expanding existing horizons and looking towards new ones.

Featuring insights from the likes of BetMGM, PointsBet, AGLC, BCLC, OLG, H2 Gambling Capital, Vixio Regulatory Intelligence, Paramount Commerce, Snuneymuxw First Nation, Fitzdares and more, the issue touches on several of the biggest topics from all corners of the Canadian gaming industry.

A key focus is Alberta, which was one of the biggest storylines of 2024 and is likely to continue in the same vein in 2025. In our cover story, we speak to BetMGM and PointsBet’s Canadian experts Scott Woodgate and Scott Vanderwel about the allure of the province and their eagerness for the ball to drop.

Meanwhile, taking a look at the yearly reporting of iGaming Ontario and OLG paints a picture of how the province’s regulated market continues to boom as we close in on the three-year milestone. As for the grey market in Ontario and elsewhere, H2 Gambling Capital data shines some light on the state of play.

The issue also touches upon the sports betting advertising conversation, including Canadian Gaming Association President and CEO Paul Burns’ view on the debate.

2024 was a big year for crown lottery corporations out west, and AGLC’s Dan Keene and BCLC’s Brett Hanson chatted about some key developments for their respective organizations’ sports betting offerings.

Other feature interviews include Snuneymuxw First Nation, which acquired two Vancouver Island casinos from Great Canadian Entertainment in recent months; Fitzdares’ Clive Harris on the betting opportunities that the WNBA’s expansion to Toronto may bring; and BetMGM VP of Payments, Risk & Fraud Prevention Liron Warhaftig on whether Canada may embrace open banking in the way Europe has done.

There are also interesting deep dives from several recent responsible gambling-related events that you may have missed, including looks at multicultural RG messaging, how regulation drives safer gambling innovation, and whether affordability checks should have their place in Canadian gaming.

You can pick up a physical copy of Canadian Gaming Business Magazine at ICE 2025 in Barcelona this month or read the digital version of the magazine in the reader on this page.

While you’re here, it’s never too early to start thinking about the 2025 Canadian Gaming Summit, June 17-19 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. 

Great Canadian Entertainment and Snuneymuxw close Vancouver casinos deal

Great Canadian Entertainment and Petroglyph Development Group (PDG) have closed the PDG’s previously announced acquisitions of Casino Nanaimo and Elements Casino Victoria.

The acquisitions of the Vancouver Island casinos, which were first announced in the second half of 2024, bring the casinos under the control of the Snuneymuxw First Nation, as well as returning the land upon which they stand to the Indigenous community.

PDG is a wholly owned corporation of Snuneymuxw that is dedicated to realizing the economic potential of the Nation.

The deal for Casino Nanaimo was initially announced in late June 2024, while the Victoria acquisition was revealed in September 10, 2024. They have now been finalized after receiving all required approvals from the regulatory authorities.

Great Canadian CEO Matt Anfinson said previously that the company could think of no better entity to continue the two casinos’ legacy than Snuneymuxw and PDG.

“We celebrate the closing of our two casino acquisitions and our continued progress toward building a strong Snuneymuxw economy,” added Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse. “For decades, Snuneymuxw leadership has worked tirelessly toward this moment, recognizing the connection between a strong economy, self-determination, and the foundation of nationhood.

“Today, we honour the achievements of those who came before us by securing businesses that will strengthen our Nation for generations to come. Thank you to the PDG and Great Canadian teams for your exceptional work. We look forward to a rewarding partnership with the B.C. Lottery Corporation, driving economic growth for the Nation and province.”

PDG President Erralyn Joseph added that the acquisitions will help PDG and Snuneymuxw realize “our socio-economic potential and influence at a local, national, and global level.” The corporation’s CEO, Ian Simpson, said the acquisition of the gaming assets “marks a pivotal shift for Snuneymuxw and Vancouver Island.”

Simpson went into much more detail about the motivations behind the deal and why the move into gaming operations has been a long time coming for Snuneymuxw in a feature interview in the January 2025 edition of Canadian Gaming Business magazine.

Pure deal start of ‘growth mode’ for Indigenous Gaming Partners

When Sonco Gaming and their CEO Anthony Novac realized there was an opportunity to expand their gaming footprint in Alberta, they knew who to call.

In December, the Halifax-based real estate and casino development company united with five Nova Scotia-based First Nations to purchase the operating assets of Pure Canadian Gaming, a well-established casino operator that runs four properties in Alberta.

Together, Sonco and five Mi’kmaw First Nations formed Indigenous Gaming Partners (IGP). IGP will work together to operate the casinos, building on Pure’s existing infrastructure and Sonco’s expertise in Indigenous gaming to fulfill their mission to create meaningful economic opportunities for their communities.

To find out more about the motivations and mechanics behind the deal, Canadian Gaming Business spoke to Novac and IGP Chairman Michael Peters, who is also the CEO of Glooscap Ventures, the business arm of one of the First Nations involved.

“A really good fit for all of us”

Sonco has worked on numerous casino projects in Canada, beginning with what Novac describes as “arguably the country’s first-built Indigenous-owned casino” Great Blue Heron Casino in Ontario in the 1990s. Since then, the company has also developed the likes of Calgary’s Grey Eagle Resort & Casino and Casino New Brunswick, as well as being involved in projects overseas.

“I would say we’re probably best known for some of the groundbreaking work we’ve done with First Nations in the gaming space in Canada,” explains Novac. “Through mutual friends, we established a great relationship with Glooscap in particular. When we saw the Pure opportunity — because we know Alberta, we’ve operated there for 17 years — we brought it to Michael’s team and started to, with Michael’s leadership, build the group that turned into IGP.”

Novac and Peters both stressed they are inheriting a strong existing operation in Alberta’s robust gaming market. Peters says the opportunity represented a perfect fit for Glooscap and their fellow Nova Scotia First Nations, who were looking at gaming as a potential expansion route.

“They brought this opportunity to us and we jumped at it,” Peters agrees. “And after that, we brought in other communities. It was a really good fit for all of us.

“It’s a unique structure, we’ve got a few different partners working together all heading towards the same goal. I think it works out very well.”

Chance for diversification and revenue for First Nations

The Pure deal wasn’t the first notable instance of a First Nations group taking strides into the gaming space in the second half of 2024. Over on Vancouver Island, B.C.’s Snuneymuxw First Nation acquired Casino Nanaimo and Elements Casino Victoria from Great Canadian Entertainment, citing a desire to realize ambitions of casino ownership with a view to unlocking economic potential for its community.

Similarly, for Indigenous Gaming Partners, the Pure acquisition is a chance to diversify the First Nations operations both economically and geographically, as well as add valuable source revenue.

“We’re always looking at ways to diversify our revenues for our community, and to find ways to generate our own source revenue instead of relying on government funding,” Peters explains. “In Nova Scotia, we’re already involved in gaming on a small scale. Each of the five members of Indigenous Gaming Partners have a small amount of VLTs and gaming in the community, but we’re looking to really expand on that and diversify our revenue streams, not only in different industries but also geographically.”

Could these developments be a harbinger of things to come in the First Nations gaming landscape? Novac acknowledges that the industry can be an attractive proposition.

“First Nations from coast to coast are extremely well-positioned to enter into the gaming industry,” he suggests. “There’s interest, there’s access to capital, there’s expertise. We’ve been extremely impressed with all of our partners’ sophistication and ability to act almost as private-equity groups, looking to analyze opportunities.

“And I think these skills, as they develop across the country, make all opportunities including gaming potentially attractive.”

Future omnichannel opportunities in Alberta?

Alberta is a particularly interesting market for an ambitious group of Nova Scotia-based First Nations to enter with support from seasoned gaming experts. As things stand right now, this venture is land-based at existing casino sites in good locations near Edmonton, Calgary and Lethbridge.

But does the potential of the province launching a regulated online casino market add another dimension?

“It’s something we have in-house knowledge about in the Sonco and the Pure team, if the opportunities arise…” Novac notes. “Omnichannel is not currently regulated in Alberta. If the legislation comes in 2025, we’ll look at it at that time.

“We certainly we didn’t buy the asset on the hope that there would be internet gaming. We bought it based on the quality of what was there, but we’re very well-positioned to take advantage of omnichannel, should that opportunity arise.”

Peters agrees that for now, IGP’s focus is on land-based casino. But it’s clear that the group will constantly be monitoring what could lie ahead.

“We’re definitely in growth mode,” he concludes. “We’re going to be looking for other opportunities in this industry, not just in Alberta but across Canada.”

Aristocrat to exclusively offer Yggdrasil games in Ontario

Aristocrat Interactive now has the exclusive rights to supply Yggdrasil games in Ontario via a deal that also encompasses all U.S. regulated markets.

Through a new partnership, Aristocrat Interactive’s Content & Aggregation division will distribute the developer’s gaming selection through Ignite, Aristocrat Interactive’s studio accelerator and remote game server platform.

Yggdrasil, named after the Nordic tree of life, first entered the North American market in 2021 through a distribution deal with IGT. The Swedish-founded, Maltese-based company said the Aristocrat link-up is the latest step in its bid to deepen its footprint this side of the Atlantic.

Yggdrasil Chief Commercial Officer Jose Simon said in a release that names in online gaming industry “don’t come much bigger or renowned than Aristocrat Interactive.”

“Aristocrat Interactive’s platform offers us everything we need to succeed in the region, and we have the utmost confidence that our profile will enhance considerably in this key market in the coming years,” he added.

Aristocrat has an extensive reach in the Canadian online casino market. Already a partner of numerous operators in the regulated Ontario market and several lottery corporations, it struck a deal last summer to supply games to Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis’ Play Alberta, currently the only regulated iGaming platform in that province.

“We are thrilled to welcome Yggdrasil to Ignite and integrate its engaging and dynamic content into our portfolio, enhancing the variety and quality of content we offer our operators,” said Ashley Bloor, director of partnerships at Aristocrat Interactive Content & Aggregation. “This relationship underscores our commitment to delivering the most robust and desirable gaming experiences across North America.”

Yggdrasil is not the only new Aristocrat Interactive partner in Canada. The latter company announced a few weeks ago that it now has two white-labeled online casino brands live in the Ontario market after it extended its partnership with Malta-based Betiton into the province. Aristocrat also white-labels MagicRed in Ontario.

The licenses for both brands were issued to Aspire Global, which was acquired by NeoGames in 2022 before NeoGames was in turn bought by Aristocrat.