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BetMGM debuts Evolution’s Lightning Storm in Ontario

BetMGM has launched Evolution Gaming’s Lightning Storm in the Ontario market.

The new title, billed as Evolution’s biggest Lightning game yet, will be available exclusively through the BetMGM Casino platform across the province.

The live game show is set in a laboratory-style studio and features a 39-segment money wheel that spins once a player places their bet.

“Live dealer is a key focus of our iGaming business at BetMGM,” said BetMGM Vice President of Gaming Product & Content, Oliver Bartlett. “Lightning Storm brings together the social aspect of live dealer, the excitement of a game show and the popularity of Lightning games to create a fantastic experience for our players.

“Evolution’s reputation in the live dealer vertical is unmatched and we are honoured to exclusively debut their biggest game yet.”

BetMGM and Evolution have an extensive relationship that spreads across North America. The two companies work together in numerous U.S. states as well as Ontario.

Both companies have expanded their operations in Ontario in recent months.

Back in March, BetMGM added Aristocrat-developed land-based casino brand Buffalo to its online slate in the province. Buffalo was a slot at brick-and-mortar casinos before being reimagined by Anaxi, Aristocrat’s online Real Money Gaming business, as an online slot.

Meanwhile, Evolution subsidiary Ezugi launched its live casino offering in Ontario last month, taking a slate of content including casino table games, live game shows and a wide range of regional titles live with Toronto-headquartered brands theScore Bet and BET99 throughout the province.

Evolution has taken further steps to expand its North American operations in recent months, notably acquiring Livespins for around $7.3 million CAD.

BET99 casino head: Balance is key to giving players what they want

In an online casino industry saturated with choice and availability, authenticity and familiarity are key to giving your audience what they want.

That’s a key conclusion of Laura Petrauska, head of casino at Canadian online gaming and betting company BET99. Ahead of speaking at the upcoming SBC Summit in Lisbon, Petrauska recently chatted with CasinoBeats about how operators and suppliers can continue to connect with their customers and offer a well-balanced product slate.

“I think the word balance here is key,” she said. “How do you offer sustainable entertainment in today’s competitive online gambling space? From an operator perspective, we provide a wide variety of casino content, allowing players to find the right content for their individual preferences. From high-volatility slots and slots with bonus buy features to medium variance games, crash games and live dealer casino games, our game selection caters to a modern-day player.”

Petrauska predicted that player preferences will continue to remain authentic to the current trends of the gaming industry, such as slots and live dealer games that offer high volatility and large winning multipliers.

Helping customers to avoid feeling disconcerted by the amount of choice is also an important consideration. Petrauska highlighted that players tend to lean heavily on familiarity when looking for games.

“With so many options in slot offerings, players may oftentimes feel overwhelmed. That’s why many players stick to slots they are familiar with, with classics like Book of Dead, Starburst and Gates of Olympus taking the lead. Additionally, it’s no secret that crash games have become quite popular and I foresee this trend to grow even further.”

“The market is saturated with slots that offer gameplay that’s way too simplistic.”

But, again, balance is key.

While familiarity and ease of use are important, Petrauska says that she sees an online casino market full of games that can lean towards being too simplistic.

“As someone who’s seen the gaming industry evolve throughout the last decade, I’m always excited to see what new concepts and innovations game studios can offer with their games. There’s a tight line where too complex features can take away a game’s true appeal… That said, in my opinion, the market is saturated with slots that offer gameplay that’s way too simplistic, which doesn’t leave too much excitement for players.

“As an operator, we’re looking for the right balance in our offering – slots with engaging features while not having overly complicated mechanics.”

As for what may continue to transform the slots and live dealer industry in the coming years, Petrauska says it’s hard to look far beyond AI, which she believes has “uncapped” potential.

“When it comes to iGaming, AI can be an incredible resource if used correctly,” she added, citing uses such as virtual customer assistants to reduce waiting times in live chats and AI-generated casino lobbies to help tailor content based on individual preferences as two big areas of focus.

“When it comes to iGaming, AI can be an incredible resource if used correctly.”

“I believe AI will continue to play an important role in automating data-driven tasks to help casino operators with daily operations while allowing them to focus their human resources in other areas. However, in my opinion, a casino product – whether we’re talking about slots, table games or even live casino games – is a product of art, and I hope that it won’t ever be replaced by AI.”

Finally, on the home front, Petrauska told SlotBeats that BET99, which recently added Nolimit City and Ezugi games to its Ontario portfolio, has eyes on expanding into Alberta when Wild Rose Country becomes the next Canadian province to introduce regulated online gambling.

Laura Petrauska will be speaking at SBC Summit in Lisbon on the Wednesday panel titled Slot Trends: Designing for the Future Player.

Operators and affiliates looking to attend SBC Summit can apply for free passes to the event. If you are an operator, you can apply for a free pass here, if you are an affiliate, you can apply for a free pass here.

Everyone else can secure their spot at the upcoming SBC Summit with a special offer granting access to all three core days of the event, including the exhibition floor, conference content, and evening networking parties, all for the discounted price of just €300.

Senators’ Pinto says he was banned by NHL for proxy betting

Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto has revealed new details about his 41-game ban for violating the NHL’s gambling rules.

Pinto was the first NHL player to be suspended for online gambling when he was sanctioned in October 2023. Until now, he has not discussed specifics about prohibited activity, but he explained on the Empty Netters podcast that he was using friends in the U.S. to place bets in America.

“I had my buddies, because I was in Canada, just place bets for me in America,” Pinto said. “I wasn’t a Canadian citizen so I couldn’t really use a Canadian sportsbook. So I just had many buddies place bets for me and that’s proxy betting, so that’s obviously a big no-no. It was an illegal act so, obviously, it was a pretty big deal.

“So that’s why we didn’t want to fight it. We just accepted it and I did what I had to do and took the penalty.”

The league clarified at the time of the suspension that their investigation found no evidence that he had bet on NHL games.

Pinto said the suspension took a toll on him, describing it as a “brutal” period and noting that he had to lean on his family and his teammates during his ban.

“I just did my best with the hand I got dealt with. Obviously, it was a little bit my fault, so I’m not gonna like [want] pity over it. But I thought I did a good job of responding from it. It sucked, but I had a lot of people around me that helped me…

“I’m glad it’s over, but I learned a lot from it. Thank god it’s all behind me.”

Pinto returned to action in late January and contributed 27 points and nine goals in 41 games. He signed a two-year extension earlier this month as an unrestricted free agent. The New York native also represented the U.S. at the 2024 IIHF World Championship.

Other Canadian-based athletes in hot water

Pinto is one of several athletes on Canadian teams to have been banned for violations of gambling policies in recent months.

Canadian Football League (CFL) star Shawn Lemon is currently serving a ban while he awaits an August hearing. The Montreal Alouettes defensive lineman was banned by the CFL in April amid allegations he had gambled on league games, including one he played in while a member of the Calgary Stampeders.

The three-time Grey Cup champion appealed the suspension in May. He was allowed to return to playing while the appeal was being heard. However, in early July his suspension was reinstated as a ban was determined to be “justified and reasonable.”

In a more high-profile case, Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was banned for life by the NBA for his involvement in an illegal gambling ring which included manipulating his own performances to ensure that player prop bets cashed in. Porter pleaded guilty this week to a criminal charge of fraud in the U.S. and is under investigation by Ontario Provincial Police.

BCLC aims to ‘revolutionise gambling entertainment’ with 5-year strategy

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) aims to “revolutionise gambling entertainment” and benefit communities with its new five-year strategy.

Pat Davis, President and CEO of the BCLC, revealed his organisation’s intentions in an interview with SBC’s Media Manager, Charlie Horner, at the recent Canadian Gaming Summit.

Davis explained how the strategy will be anchored around three specific strategic focuses.

“One of them is around what we call knowing play,” Davis said. “We ultimately want to have a clear understanding of our players and a 100% understanding of all wagers that occur across all of our platforms, and be able to personalize those experiences for our players.

“The second one is building a world-class rewards and incentives program to drive player engagement and loyalty. And the third is continuing our social purpose journey to generate wins for the greater good and amplify our impact not only for our players but also all of the communities that we operate in the province and the country and industry at large.”

Digital-first sportsbook, casino expansion on slate for BCLC

The BCLC is set to launch a digital-first retail sportsbook wherein customers will download and create bet slips on their devices before scanning them in the retail location.

Davis called this process the latest development in the BCLC’s “journey of digital convergence” and said the crown corporation is “excited to be on that path and see that come to fruition.”

Meanwhile, in May, the Vancouver City Council voted to amend the moratorium on casino expansion to allow more table games and slot machines to be added at the city’s two land-based gaming venues.

The BCLC requested the policy change and its proposal emphasised the capacity for the changes to bring more revenue to the city and local communities.

On the change, Davis said the BCLC is excited to have the chance to “enhance and modernise” casino offerings in the city.

“When the most recent casino facility in Vancouver was built, the city imposed a moratorium on any changes,” Davis added. “That was a little over 11 years ago and the cities really growing and the landscape has changed pretty dramatically.”

“It’s great to see the city recognise that and allow us the opportunity to make changes to the mix and to the offerings that we have in the city to better serve that market and all of the players not only that live in Vancouver [but] that come and visit Vancouver which is, of course, a top tourist destination.”

Watch the full interview with the BCLC’s Pat Davis above.

Judge refuses Jontay Porter’s request to continue playing in Greece

A federal U.S. judge has denied a request from the lawyers of banned NBA player Jontay Porter that he be allowed to continue his pro basketball career in Greece.

Porter’s lawyers had asked Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to allow the former Toronto Raptor to live in Patras, Greece, with his pregnant wife. Porter had hoped to play for Promitheas BC in the Greek Basketball League and Champions League.

In a letter to the Eastern District of New York, Porter’s attorney Jeff Jensen proposed that the player be allowed to live in team-approved housing with his wife under the close supervision of his mother, mother-in-law and his new team. Jensen claimed that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the United States Pretrial Services Officer were not opposed to Porter’s request.

Jensen’s letter added that Porter faced a “quickly diminishing” opportunity to earn income through his primary skill set and noted that as he left college early to join the NBA, he has limited alternative options for a career.

He added that Promitheas BC would be flexible in allowing Porter to travel back to New York for legal reasons and stressed that moving to Greece “would not interfere with his existing treatment plan, which is exclusively virtual.” Promitheas BC would also facilitate in-person counseling in Patras.

However, Hall denied the request to adjust the conditions of his pre-sentence release to allow him to regain possession of his U.S. passport or relocate.

Porter was banned for life by the NBA in April for gambling on his team’s games and manipulating his own performances to ensure player prop bets cashed in. He pleaded guilty last week in Brooklyn federal court to one charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Four other men, his alleged co-conspirators, also face federal charges in the U.S.

Porter was released on $250,000 USD ($342,000 CAD) bond. His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 18 and prosecutors have recommended between 41 and 51 months in prison.

Ontario police also investigating

After the NBA and FBI’s respective investigations of Porter, he also potentially faces criminal charges in Canada depending on the findings of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) conducted its own probe through the OPP’s embedded Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) and found there was justification for police to launch a criminal investigation of its own.

OPP Sgt. Robert Simpson told Canadian Gaming Business last month that the OPP is consulting with U.S. authorities as it conducts its own investigation.

OLG partners with Team Canada for Paris 2024 Olympics

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has partnered up with the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee for the first time, becoming the official Ontario lottery partner of Team Canada for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“We are thrilled to welcome OLG to Team Canada,” said Jacqueline Ryan, chief brand and commercial officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee and CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation. “Ontario has such a rich sporting history and OLG has long been a supporter of sport and amateur athletes. We know this support has made a profound impact on athletes across the province, whether they’re engaged in sport at the grassroots level or pursuing their Olympic dreams.”

“We are so pleased to be entering a new partnership with OLG and welcoming them into the Canadian Paralympic community,” said Karen O’Neill, CEO, Canadian Paralympic Committee. “We know support for sport and athletes has been important to OLG for many years, and we are excited to work with them to continue to champion Ontario’s Para athletes and inclusive sport across Ontario.”

OLG has also launched a new “Sponsored by You” campaign to draw attention to the fact that its Quest For Gold program has supported amateur athletes since 2006. The program has provided direct financial support to thousands of amateur athletes, enhancing their ability to train by offsetting the costs of training and living expenses. In the last four Olympic cycles, over 90% of Ontario medal-winners had received Quest for Gold funding during their career.

The campaign features Team Canada athletes Andre De Grasse, Penny Oleksiak, Maggie Mac Neil, Jillian Weir and other Ontario athletes and Para athletes who have received funding from Ontario’s Quest for Gold program.

“Many people don’t realize 100 per cent of OLG’s profits are reinvested into Ontario, and that we have a longstanding history of supporting amateur athletes,” said Maxine Chapman, VP Brand & Marketing Officer at OLG. “OLG’s ability to give back to communities is only possible thanks to our players, so we wanted to use this opportunity to recognize and celebrate them.”

“The Quest for Gold program showcases our government’s continued efforts to enable Ontario athletes to achieve their full potential at the highest levels of competition,” added Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport. “We are proud to join with the OLG, our partners across the sport sector and all Ontarians in wishing our Olympic and Paralympic athletes the best of luck in Paris!”

ODDSworks approved for Ontario iGaming licence

ODDSworks has received an iGaming licence from iGaming Ontario, clearing the way for it to expand its Canadian presence.

The company supplies popular content from land-based casinos in the U.S. and online casinos in Europe to online casinos in North America. It focuses on remote gaming server technology and has its own RGS platform called BETguard. It supplies both exclusive in-house and third-party games to operator partners.

ODDSworks already has a Canadian footprint as it is operational in Québec through a partnership with Loto-Québec.

Further Canadian expansion is don’t he horizon as it is currently undertaking the compliance process with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation and expects to go live with the BCLC later in 2024.

Oddworks’ Chief Operations Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, Kunal Mishra, called the receipt of its Ontario license, “another momentous growth opportunity.” The company already has agreements in place to work with multiple commercial operators in the Ontario market and has now cleared the final regulatory hurdles to touch ground in the province.

“We are really excited that licensed operators in Ontario will have full access to ODDSworks’ portfolio of games,” Mishra added. “We are also confident that online players in Ontario will absolutely love the quality, variety, and innovation from ODDSworks.”

ODDSworks also works south of the border

In the U.S., ODDSworks operates in four states: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

It went live in New Jersey’s online casino market last spring through a partnership with Rush Street Interactive to take its content live on the BetRivers app. RSI is also ODDSworks’ partner in its other three states of operation.

Wazdan levels up Canadian presence through Fitzdares partnership

Online casino game developer Wazdan has collaborated with sportsbook and slots provider Fitzdares in a partnership it says doubles its Canadian market share.

Wazdan’s leading titles including Mighty Wild: Panther Grand Gold Edition, Mighty Fish: Blue Marlin and 25 Coins will be available to Fitzdares players through Light and Wonder’s aggregation solution.

Fitzdares and its customers will also utilise Wazdan features such as the Hold the Jackpot, Chance Level and Stick to Infinity mechanics.

Wazdan said this latest expansion underscores its ambition to further expand its global presence, particularly in North America.

“With our eyes firmly on North American expansion, our partnership with Fitzdares is a significant occasion for Wazdan as we continue to bring innovative experiences to more players than ever before,” said Radka Bacheva, head of sales at Wazdan. “Wazdan and Fitzdares have shared a vision for delivering fresh content that puts users at heart, and we do not doubt that our games will be well received by slot enthusiasts.”

Wazdan already has numerous deals in the Ontario market. One of its earlier hook-ups was with online casino operator SkillOnNet in 2022, and in 2023 it added a major deal with Caesars.

The brand’s biggest move in the Canadian market since launching in Ontario came in March of this year, when it expanded into Québec via a deal with Loto-Québec.

Fitzdares looks to broaden Canadian horizons

Wazdan;’s new partner is also looking to depeen its footprint in Canada.

British sportsbook Fitzdares has been taking bets for more than 140 years and went live in Ontario in 2023 in what was its first step outside the UK market since it began operating in 1882. It is powered in part by B2B service provider FSB.

The operator styles itself as a premium betting experience and its CEO William Woodhams said around the time of its Ontario launch that he feels the brand’s focus on bespoke quality would fit in well in the province.

Last summer, Fitzdares joined forces with iGaming and betting specialist Affili8 to develop its digital strategy and SEO for operations in Canada as it focuses on enhancing its operations in the province.

Kiron Interactive joins Canadian Gaming Association

The Canadian Gaming Association announced on July 10 that South African-headquartered virtual sports company Kiron Interactive has joined as its newest member.

Kiron is a global technology and software company that develops and supplies virtual sports and numbers games to a variety of retail and online gaming operators in numerous markets across the world, as well as casinos and lotteries. It provides 51 virtual games to 140 international clients across five continents.

It also offers BetMan Omni, an omnichannel remote game server, which gives operators a comprehensive turnkey virtual sports betting solution, as well as a fixed-odds betting platform that allows players to bet on virtual games in retail, online and on mobile devices.

In a statement, Kiron said CGA membership, “marks an important step in our efforts to strengthen our presence in the Canadian gaming industry.”

“We hold licenses and certifications in several jurisdictions globally as pre-requisite to operating responsibly in all of our active regions and our membership of the CGA is a continuation of that commitment,” Kiron Co-CEO Steven Spartinos told Canadian Gaming Business.

“It’s crucial for us that our products and services meet the highest possible standards to maintain the trust that our many partners have in us and our content. Not only for player engagement and but also to uphold the reputation we’ve earned as one of the foremost trusted, innovative suppliers and solution providers. We’re delighted to join with the standard bearer for our industry in Canada and look forward to enjoying the benefits of its membership.”

Kiron joins fellow new CGA members

The CGA has added multiple other companies to its membership roster in recent months.

B2B gaming technology supplier mkodo, which has powered the mobile apps, websites, front-end UX and geolocation technology of numerous Canadian lotteries for the last decade, came on board last month.

So, too, did Play’n GO, which joined the CGA a few weeks after expanding its Canadian footprint from Ontario into Quebec.

The trio of suppliers join the more than 70 operators, suppliers, and other gaming stakeholder firms who are members of the CGA.

Betway will continue in Ontario amid US sportsbook shutdown

Super Group‘s sportsbook brand Betway will continue to operate in Ontario despite shutting down in all of its nine U.S. markets.

The European gaming holding company announced Wednesday that Betway sportsbook operations will cease in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. It will begin its exit strategy imminently.

However, Betway told Canadian Gaming Business that its operations in Ontario will be in no way affected by the U.S. closures.

Betway launched in Ontario in August 2022 but already had a sizeable presence in the province before the regulated market opened that April.

Data from Wells Fargo released in the early weeks of Ontario’s regulated market showed that Betway had the second-highest number of daily active users in Ontario after only theScore. Around the same time, separate Morgan Stanley and Barclays reports concluded that Betway ranked third in the province in terms of app downloads in the first 10 days of the market. Morgan Stanley also estimated that Betway accounted for the highest percentage of iGaming and sports betting smartphone app downloads in Ontario on a monthly basis for the whole of 2021.

However, it has not experienced great success in the U.S.

The decision to shut down its U.S. sportsbook operations was made after an “extensive internal review” that determined it would be a long time before the sportsbook could make money consistently in that market.

“As a global business, we constantly evaluate the optimal use of our resources across all markets in which we operate,” said CEO Neal Menashe. “We have recently concluded an extensive review of our U.S. operations and, at present, we do not see a long-term path to profitability for the sportsbook product.”

The review was conducted after Super Group’s U.S. businesses reported heavy losses of $24 million in Q1 2024 for its U.S. business. Revenue dropped 13% year-over-year across North America in Q1 2024 and in fiscal year 2023, Betway’s parent company posted $61 million in company-wide losses.

Super Group said it expects to incur costs and charges in connection with the closure of its U.S. sportsbook operation. It will provide an update during its Q2 earnings call next month.

Super Group’s iGaming wheel will keep Spinning

Super Group will, however, maintain its iGaming presence in the U.S. In Q1 2024, four-fifths of Super Group’s $404 million in revenue came via iGaming.

“The vast majority of Super Group’s revenue is generated in iGaming and, in line with that strategy, we will continue to offer our leading casino product in New Jersey and Pennsylvania,” added Menashe. “We are open to expanding our U.S. footprint if the right investment or strategic opportunities arise.”

It plans to operate two iGaming brands from its Spin portfolio, which includes Jackpot City, in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

In Ontario, it received licensing for four online casino brands back in 2022: Spin Casino, Jackpot City, Royal Vegas and Ruby Fortune, which are all owned by Super Group subsidiary Cadtree Ltd.