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Senate passes National Framework on Advertising for Sports Betting Act

Bill S-269, the proposed legislation that would establish a national framework for regulating sports betting adverts across Canada, was adopted in the Senate on Tuesday.

After the Transport and Communications Committee held initial debates in June and six hours of hearings in late September and early October, the committee advanced the National Framework on Advertising for Sports Betting Act to the full Senate for further debate.

Sen. Marty Deacon posited that when approving Bill C-218 in 2021 to expand sports betting and iGaming, lawmakers had not appropriately considered “the flood of advertising that would go along with it,” noting how online gaming and betting in Ontario (and, by extension, its effects on the rest of Canada) had proliferated in the years since.

After three third-reading chamber sittings in the full Senate in recent weeks, Deacon’s Bill S-269 was approved on Nov. 5. It will now head to the House of Commons.

What would Bill S-269 do?

“Let’s start with what this legislation won’t do,” Deacon told the chamber at the first sitting. “It will not ban gambling ads completely… What this bill would do instead is require the Minister of Canadian Heritage to develop a national framework on the advertising of sports betting.”

That would include identifying measures to regulate ads.  That includes restricting the number, scope and location of advertising as well as potentially further limiting or banning the use of celebrities and athletes. It would also identify measures to promote research and information-sharing related to the potential and actual effects of advertising on minors and would set out national standards for the prevention and diagnosis of harmful gambling and related support measures.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission would also be required to review its regulations and policies relating to sports betting ads.

“I can’t say for sure what this framework will look like if it passes, but with the case history we see, I trust we will see more reasonable limits placed on these ads, informed by existing research and best practices,” added Deacon.

“It doesn’t address all the problems that we’re facing, but I think it’s a step forward.”

Sen. Leo Housakos

“The bill proposed by Senator Marty Deacon is, I think, a reasonable bill,” said Sen. Leo Housakos, the chair of the Transport Committee, at Tuesday’s final sitting. “It doesn’t address all the problems that we’re facing, but I think it’s a step forward… I think we should go forward with it. I think we should be vigilant and keep our eyes open going forward on what else we need to do as parliamentarians to address the problem.”

Hearings included mental health and gaming experts

At the lengthy committee hearings earlier this fall, senators had heard from a variety of witnesses, ranging from Canadian gaming industry leaders and broadcasters to UK gambling experts and Canadian mental health and youth support groups, and more.

A focus of the first hearing in late September was the potential effect of gambling advertising on minors and other vulnerable demographics, with topics such as the danger of social media and the gamification of non-gambling mobile games discussed.

Another focus was broadcasters’ role. Kevin Desjardins, president of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), and Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) CEO Shelley White both noted that broadcasters have already begun taking measures to limit the quantity of sports betting ads, and that betting operators are not asking for as much ad time as they were in the earliest days of Ontario’s commercial online gaming market.

That point was echoed at the second hearing a few days later by Canadian Gaming Association President and CEO Paul Burns and ThinkTV CEO Catherine MacLeod. Other topics discussed at that second hearing included cross-border advertising, the effects of streaming, and the need for broader and deeper research.

While these committee hearings were going on, the NFL and the NHL both wrote to lawmakers to advise them against heavy-handed measures and calling for caution in considering national legislation.

House of Commons to evaluate betting ads next

After being approved in the Senate on Tuesday, Bill S-269 will now be discussed in the House of Commons.

When a bill is sent from one chamber to the other, the bill is read again for the first time and goes through the same steps, so it must proceed through first and second readings, then go under consideration in committee, before reaching the report stage and the final third reading. The timeline for Bill S-269 undergoing this process in the House is unclear.

If the House were to make any amendments, the bill would be sent back to the Senate for further review. If a final version of the bill gets approval from both chambers, it would be sent for royal assent.

BCLC and Intralot expand partnership with iLottery solution

British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) and Intralot are extending their lottery collaboration.

Intralot announced on Nov. 4 that its U.S. subsidiary is working with BCLC for the provision of an online lottery platform. The new iLottery solution will be based on the Player X platform, part of the Lotos X ecosystem.

The joint project also includes the digitalization of BCLC and Intralot’s existing land-based network.

Earlier in 2024, Intralot and BCLC undertook a project to migrate the lottery corporation’s retail lottery system to Intralot’s Lotos X Omni ecosystem, delivered through cloud technology. The transition was completed in May. A BCLC spokesperson told Canadian Gaming Business this week that this work is part of that existing project and is an update for iLottery and the crown corporation’s lottery mobile app.

The new lottery project with BCLC this year expanded Intralot’s reach in North America, providing the company with access to lottery terminals throughout BCLC’s retail network and at select hospitality establishments in the province. Intralot has installed its lottery-focused technology in roughly 8,000 terminals across 3,400 retail locations in B.C., offering advanced features and improved technology as well as an upgraded user interface.

It also made BCLC one of the first lotteries in the world to integrate a fully cloud-based system.

Meanwhile, the overarching partnership between BCLC and Intralot has been extended until 2028. Intralot also delivers its sports betting platform, Intralot Orion, to enable the crown corporation to offer retail wagering.

Year of change for BCLC

BCLC has embarked upon a comprehensive modernization drive in 2024, part of what its president and CEO Pat Davis calls “a journey of digital convergence.” Davis told SBC earlier this year that the crown corp. aims to “revolutionize gambling entertainment” with its five-year strategy that stretches from retail to online.

Working with advisory firm SCCG Management, that journey has encompassed some big operational shifts; not only the Intralot projects but also the launch of a new AI and Data Innovation Hub in collaboration with tech firm Future Anthem that aims to facilitate greater technological advancement and personalization of its offerings.

BCLC has also overhauled its retail sports betting product to tie it more closely with its online operations. The new PROLINE sportsbook digitizes the retail betting experience by allowing in-person bettors to generate bet slips on their phone or other device, similar to most commercial online sportsbooks. BCLC’s Brett Hanson told CGB in September that BCLC will soon be the first Canadian lottery to offer in-play retail betting, and that the crown corp. also plans to ultimately combine the Play Now online casino gaming app and the PROLINE sportsbook “all in one shop.”

 

Bojoko: Ville Saari shares how to appeal to Canadian roulette players

Roulette remains one of the most popular table games in online casinos, attracting a dedicated player base from casual players to high rollers. However, do Canadian casinos struggle to fully cater to this audience, especially when it comes to meeting their unique preferences and expectations? 

To discuss how Canadian casinos can attract and retain roulette players, we spoke with Ville Saari, a casino expert at affiliate site Bojoko.ca, where he serves as the Lead Content Manager. Saari shares insights into how his team ranks the top online roulette casinos in Canada, what operators can stand out in this market, and why catering to different player segments can boost engagement.

CGB: How does Bojoko rank Canadian roulette casinos, and what factors do you consider to ensure players find the best options?

At Bojoko, we have a comprehensive evaluation process to ensure players find the best roulette experiences available in Canada. When ranking roulette casinos, we look beyond just the number of games; we consider quality, variety, and the overall experience the casino provides for roulette players.

Our ranking process starts by assessing the variety of roulette games offered. We prioritize casinos that offer the basics, like European, French, and American roulette, as well as unique variants like Lightning Roulette or Double Ball Roulette, which keep the experience fresh and engaging for players. We also note the different styles and visuals from various game providers, as these add personality and appeal to each game.

Live dealer options also play a big role in our rankings. Many players seek a more immersive experience, so we give higher scores to casinos that offer multiple live roulette tables, including tables from reputable providers like Evolution or Pragmatic Play. 

Of course, there is also the question of their bonuses and to what extent they can be used in roulette games. Casinos with specific roulette bonuses or other roulette initiatives will get a boost.

Finally, we consider the casinos more generally, from bonuses to trustworthiness, customer support, payment methods, etc. We test the casinos meticulously and consider the user experience, including the design and interface, to ensure our readers have an as well-rounded overview as possible.

CGB: How should Canadian casinos create a strong roulette offering to capture more players?

Variety and accessibility are a decent start. Passionate roulette players are often looking for more than the basics. Sure, many will stay with the same live dealers or a specific version of European or American roulette, but others will at least want to change up the graphics and faces. 

Casinos that partner with multiple providers and offer a variety of roulette types are far more appealing to players because they create a richer experience. High-quality live dealer roulette is also crucial, and make sure there are a number of individual croupiers to bounce between. 

Casinos that offer a wider selection of roulette games, such as Lightning Roulette or Double Ball Roulette, provide a different experience that can make a player choose one casino over another. These variations aren’t just about gameplay—they also offer a fresh visual and immersive appeal that can capture players’ attention.

CGB: What should Canadian casinos keep in mind to cater to high-stakes roulette players?

High rollers are a specific audience within the roulette market and have different needs than casual players. For these players, the availability of exclusive high-stakes tables is essential. They won’t settle for low betting limits, so it’s important for casinos to offer tables that cater to this segment.

High-stakes options are often best provided within live dealer settings. Casinos should consider adding dedicated high-stakes live roulette tables, where the limits are set significantly higher, and the atmosphere is tailored to serious players. This is not a difficult step, as the big live dealer providers, like Evolution, already have this premium experience readily available. 

CGB: Bonuses often don’t cover roulette. How can casinos still attract roulette-focused players?

It’s true that bonuses present a challenge for attracting roulette players. Most casino bonuses focus on slots and don’t contribute to wagering requirements for table games, which can deter players who prefer roulette. 

If you do not, under any circumstances, want to offer roulette bonuses, you can look at starting roulette tournaments with winning pools. This is a great way to boost attention. There’s also the workaround of cashback offers.

However, I would recommend that casinos look into offering specific roulette and table bonus offers. These bonuses do not need to come with your usual terms and conditions; you can tweak them to become more sustainable. Offering roulette bonuses means that you show that you actually see, respect and want roulette players, which goes a long way.

CGB: What final recommendations would you give Canadian casinos wanting to enhance their roulette offering?

If you want to attract and retain roulette players, you need to show that this is a casino they can consider their home. To do this, you need to put a little more time and effort into how your roulette offering is and how you communicate with your roulette players than your competitors. 

There are no big secrets here, and I have already covered the core tips already. 

First, focus on variety. A strong roulette selection that includes multiple versions, from the old-school staples to newer, flashier variations, will appeal to a wide range of players. Partnering with different providers is a great way to achieve this.

Second, don’t overlook high rollers. High-stakes roulette players are out there, and by offering exclusive high-limit tables—especially in the live dealer section—casinos can cater to this valuable segment. High-stakes tables not only attract these players but create an environment that feels tailored to their needs.

Lastly, casinos should consider incorporating some form of roulette-specific promotion or focus, even if it’s not a traditional bonus. Tournaments and other competitions can be a great pull in and of itself, though actual roulette bonuses are such an easy way to grab players.

By combining these strategies, Canadian casinos can create a well-rounded roulette offering that will appeal to players who love the game, and as mentioned, there are quite a few of them. There are many things you can do to increase FTDs overall, many of which will probably also bring in roulette players, but focusing specifically on them works. 

Do not underestimate the number of Canadians actively looking for great roulette casinos. We see tens of thousands of people across Canada looking for places where they can play online roulette every month. These are players you want to reach.

Kahnawà:ke and Entain officially call time on Sports Interaction partnership

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) no longer works with Entain Group on the operation of the Sports Interaction online gaming platform in Canada.

The MCK said in a statement that effective Oct. 28,  its wholly-owned Mohawk Online Limited (MOL) has ended its longstanding exclusive partnership with Entain subsidiary Avid International Ltd.

Sports Interaction was one of the first brands licensed by the Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission (KGC) back in the 1990s, while Avid has been a B2B supplier to Mohawk Online. Under former CEO Jette Nygaard-Andersen, Entain purchased Avid for $300 million in 2022, the same year Ontario launched its commercial, regulated market. Since 2022, Mohawk Online has operated Sports Interaction in Canada outside Ontario as Avid’s only Canadian client.

“MOL’s operation of Sports Interaction generated important revenues for the community for some time,” said the MCK in a statement. Per The Eastern Door, MOL has paid $23 million in gaming dividends to Kahnawàke since 2015.

MCK Chief Cody Diabo said in the statement that the Council decided to end its Sports Interaction partnership with Entain “due to the change in the regulatory landscape for gaming in Canada and economic reasons.” He added that the Council looks forward to maintaining a cordial relationship with Entain. The commercial company will maintain its back office from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawà:ke and will also keep hold of its licenses with the KGC, said the MCK.

Entain takes full ownership of Sports Interaction brand

An Entain spokesperson told Canadian Gaming Business that the licence used to operate the Sports Interaction is now held by Entain directly and Entain has taken full ownership of the brand and its customer database.

“As such, there is no change to Entain’s offering in Canada and no write-down is necessary following the ending of the partnership,” said the spokesperson.

Sports Interaction has some fairly high-profile partnerships in Canada, including a deal with Hockey Night in Canada that is now in its second year and a new sponsorship partnership with Amazon Prime Video’s new NHL Coast to Coast show. It is licensed in Ontario by the ACGO and H2 Gambling Capital data shown to CGB suggests it holds around a 6% share of the grey market elsewhere in Canada.

Kahnawàke mulling other gaming opportunities

Diabo added in the statement that the MCK sees the end of the exclusivity deal as a potential launchpad for future development as it releases the Council from its obligations of exclusivity and allows the MCK “to pursue other opportunities in online gaming, under a new brand.” However, he told The Eastern Door that there is currently no clear strategy in place to pursue online gaming revenues in the current legislative landscape.

“Essentially, right now, [MOL] is just on hiatus. Whether or not we plan to cancel the name or just keep it on the books for another opportunity, we’ve yet to have that conversation.”

Move follows failed MCK legal challenge in Ontario

The official announcement of the end of the Sports Interaction partnership comes amid a backdrop of the MCK launching an unsuccessful legal challenge against Ontario’s regulated commercial online gaming model. MCK argued that iGaming Ontario’s gaming framework was “illegal and unconstitutional.”

“The Council considers that Ontario has taken actions to actively undermine Kahnawà:ke as a legitimate gaming jurisdiction while failing to recognize Kahnawà:ke’s right to conduct, facilitate, and regulate gaming and contravenes the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” said the MCK. As a result of its opposition to Ontario’s market, the MCK stopped operating Mohawk Online in the province.

However, a Superior Court judge ruled against the MCK’s challenge in May, when Justice Lisa Brownstone found that iGO’s gaming framework and management of the industry were consistent with what is allowed within the Criminal Code.

Diabo reiterated to The Eastern Door that the MCK hopes to see Bill S-268 make progress in 2025. Sen. Scott Tannas‘ proposed legislation, introduced last June, would amend the Criminal Code to affirm that the governing body of a First Nation has “exclusive authority to conduct and manage a lottery scheme on its reserve.” Diabo hopes that legislation will pass, thereby creating further opportunities for Kahnawà:ke to expand online gaming without compromising its sovereignty.

AGCO bans trainer, harness driver for 10 years after drug violation

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has banned a standardbred trainer and a harness driver for 10 years each after a horse tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Trainer Richard Moreau and Hall of Fame harness driver Sylvain Filion were also fined $40,000 each after the horse, Funtime Bayama, was found to have DPO (darbepoetin alfa) in its system during testing for the North America Cup, said an AGCO release. DPO is a prohibited performance-enhancing non-therapeutic substance that the AGCO says “adversely affected the integrity of racing.”

Moreau is listed as the trainer of record for the horse but an AGCO investigation revealed both men were “actually in charge, custody of and/or in care of” the animal in question, reports City News. Filion is a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and has won over 10,000 races in a long career.

“For these violations, Moreau has been suspended for 10 years, inclusive from July 23, 2024, to July 23, 2034,” said the ACGO. “Filion has been suspended for 10 years, inclusive from October 31, 2024, to October 31, 2034. Both licensees have also been issued a monetary penalty of $40,000.”

The suspensions mean that any horses owned by Moreau and/or Filion will be ineligible for any AGCO-overseen race during the 10-year suspension period. However, the horse could run again if a sale to another trainer is approved by race officials.

“The AGCO is committed to protecting the health and wellbeing of Ontario’s racehorses and maintaining the fairness and integrity of racing,” added AGCO Registrar and CEO, Dr. Karin Schnarr. “Performance-enhancing substances have no business in the sport and their administration can lead to severe consequences for licence holders.”

Caesars rides its new Horseshoe Online Casino into Ontario

Caesars Entertainment has brought its new Horseshoe Online Casino platform north of the border.

The brand is now live in the Ontario market as of Friday, Nov. 1.

Horseshoe Online Casino, the digital version of the formerly retail-only Horseshoe brand, first launched in Michigan in early October and went live in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia earlier this week. New Jersey will follow once the brand is rubber-stamped in the Garden State.

The expansion of Horseshoe Online Casino into Ontario extends Caesars’ multi-brand iGaming strategy. The company already operates the sports-first Caesars Sportsbook and Casino and the casino-first Caesars Palace Online Casino brands in numerous iGaming jurisdictions in North America.

The Horseshoe skin features a wide range of progressive jackpots, high-limit slot titles and unique table games. In the press release announcing the Pennsylvania launch, Caesars said the Horseshoe brand is designed to appeal to “the savvy gambling customer.”

“The Horseshoe brand is anchored by a promise to put the player first,” said SVP and Chief iGaming Officer at Caesars Digital Matt Sunderland at the time. “A brand with such a storied past deserves an online equivalent that pays respect to the legacy it has established in gaming, and that is what we’ve created with Horseshoe Online Casino.”

Execs expect Horseshoe to trot, not gallop

Caesars executives have clarified that while Horseshoe is not expected to compete with Caesars’ other two online gaming brands in terms of dollars captured, it offers another high-class tailorable experience for players.

“I would temper the expectations,” said Caesars Digital President Eric Hession earlier this year. “Horseshoe is a great brand, and we feel like it’s going to resonate with a lot of customers. But Caesars is even a better brand. And quite frankly, that’s going to be the flagship app that we have, and it’s got a year’s lead over the Horseshoe.

“So I would expect the Horseshoe to perform very strongly, but I don’t think it will command the market share that Caesars will.”

Caesars has a big presence in Ontario. It not only operates three brands in the province as of Nov. 1 but also the Caesars Windsor casino and resort near the border with Detroit. In the province, Caesars Digital recently struck deals with Toronto-based gaming provider Bragg Gaming Group as well as Pragmatic Play.

Meanwhile, in other Caesars news this week, the deal for Caesars to sell the World Series of Poker (WSOP) to GGPoker parent company NSUS Group is officially complete.

GGPoker will control the brand, but for the next 20 years, a Caesars property in Las Vegas will play host to the flagship WSOP series. Horseshoe Casino and Paris Casino currently co-host the event each year since 2022.

GGPoker Canada recently ran a WSOP online series in Ontario and already operated WSOP.ca powered by GGPoker in Ontario, the only jurisdiction where the two are co-branded. Now, the WSOP.ca URL redirects to a GGPoker-branded site.

PointsBet’s Canadian betting business continues to boom

PointsBet’s Canadian sports betting business continues to grow as the company reported big jumps in handle and net win in Canada last quarter.

While iGaming remains PointsBet’s chief source of revenue in Canada, the gap between online gaming and sports wagering closed significantly over the last 12 months.

In the first quarter of the Australian fiscal year (FYQ2 2024 in Canada) from June 1 to September 30, PointsBet Canada reported that its sports betting handle rose by 57% year over year to reach C$63.5 million. Sports betting net win grew even more healthily, rising 77% to $3.8 million last quarter, while iGaming net win was up 50% to reach $4.2 million.

However, sports betting’s new win margin rose by less than a percentage point, 5.9% compared with 5.3% this time last year. Sports wagering gross win was up 59% to $5.3 million.

In an interesting note, PointsBet appears to have echoed what other leading operators have reported about the growth of live, in-play betting over the last year. In-play betting accounted for 76% of PointsBet Canada’s total sports betting turnover, up from 68% last year, and played a key role in the company’s Canadian growth. PointsBet said this segment’s growth reflects “a broader market trend favouring real-time betting experiences, which PointsBet has capitalized on through its proprietary in-play betting technology.”

Overall, total net win across both verticals in Canada climbed 62% to just below C$8 million, which PointsBet noted was above the general level of Ontario market growth. PointsBet said in its earnings update that it expects cashflow to break even during this fiscal year regarding its Canadian sector.

Its Canadian growth far outpaced company-wide growth across all its operations and jurisdictions, where the company reported a 12% year-on-year increase in total net win.

Canada an increased focus for PointsBet

PointsBet has sharpened its focus on the Canadian market in 2024 as it completed the sale of its U.S. operations to Fanatics Betting and Gaming. PointsBet is now completely out of the American market as it concentrates on its home-market status in Australia and its Canadian presence.

Back in July, the company reported that its Canadian sports betting operations more than doubled its net win for the full Australian fiscal year (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024), growth that was around 10 times as high as the company-wide trend. PointsBet’s Group CEO Sam Swanell told investors at the time that the company is gaining market share in Canada and grew faster than the overall Canadian market in 2024, noting that “Canada remains an earlier stage market with more strong growth potential.”

On a call with investors on Thursday, Swanell said he expects gross margins in Canada for the year to be in the 8-9% range, and “we’d like net to be around 6%.”

In the latest release this week, the company said it is expanding its casino platform in Canada, having increased game content by 50% and launched three new content providers in the Great White North. PointsBet added iGaming content from Pragmatic Play, Relax Gaming and PlayAGS in recent months.

PointsBet said it plans to expand its promotional tools and capabilities, as well as improve loyalty programs to strengthen retention in the coming quarters as it looks to continue to outperform the market and grow its market share towards medium-term targets.

New University of Alberta gambling course aims to educate on changing industry

As Alberta continues to explore the best way to introduce a regulated, commercial online gambling market, the University of Alberta has launched a new micro-credential course aimed at educating people on the evolving gaming industry.

The university’s Gambling and Gaming Microcredential is a four-day intensive course offered online and on campus. It was created by political science professor Dr. Fiona Nicoll based on research she conducted with the Alberta Gaming Research Institute (AGRI).

The course is built on exclusive video interviews detailing the findings of the AGRI National Project (ANP), as well as with gaming and gambling experts from across Canada and the world.

The aim is to provide a full understanding of the modern-day gambling environment, as well as what iGaming regulation could mean for Alberta. Questions the course looks to answer include:

  • What challenges are posed by the creation of new markets for online sports gambling, including younger and more diverse communities of sports fans?
  • What kinds of gambling are being offered by grey-market sites and how are cryptocurrencies involved?
  • What are the comparative advantages of state-run and licencing systems for delivering safer and sustainable gambling to Albertans?
  • What are some of the barriers to prevention and treatment of gambling harms?
  • How useful is financial literacy in creating more beneficial experiences for gamblers in casinos and online?
  • What are some of the benefits and limitations of new online tools for prevention, detection and referral for people gambling in risky ways?

“It’s aiming to prepare professionals who are in different fields, as well as graduate students, to understand and respond to this new gambling environment that’s just entered our province,” Dr. Nicoll told the Edmonton Journal. “Because the space has grown, more people are potentially engaged. Whether that’s in the addiction and treatment spaces or whether that’s in the regulation spaces. Whether that’s people who work with schoolchildren in K to 12 (particularly the senior years) or even journalists.

“I saw the need to bring this to as many people as possible because the transformations that are coming are unprecedented in Canada. And in this province, the shift from brick-and-mortar casinos to an iGaming model, where you can gamble at any time, anywhere, on your device with a good internet connection, is a radical shift, partly because it takes regulation out of the hands of the establishments. It downloads that responsibility onto every player to track their consumption… it becomes increasingly difficult compared to the old brick-and-mortar days or when you would go to Vegas to see where the lines between gambling and investment and video games are.

Play Alberta goes newly mobile as Alberta regulatory talks continue

While Alberta Minister Dale Nally and other stakeholders have pumped the brakes on their planned timeline for launching a commercial iGaming market, the plan remains firmly in place. Nally’s office told Canadian Gaming Business a few weeks ago that the hope is for the province to open its online gaming doors in 2025.

Speaking at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas the following week, Nally said that he was “pleasantly surprised” by stakeholders’ commitment to launching a market in a responsible way, with player protection and robust regulation top of mind. He also said that while First Nations want to have a role in an iGaming market, “they’re not sure what it looks like right now.”

“If I’m back here a year from now… we’ll be talking about an open and free market in Alberta, and I’m hoping that the feedback that I get is, ‘Thank you for making our entry into your market seamless and easy,'” Nally told attendees at G2E.

In the meantime, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) continues to bolster its digital presence. The crown corporation, whose Play Alberta platform is the only regulated gaming platform in the province until such time as a commercial market opens, launched the first very Play Alberta app last month, making its sports betting offerings increasingly accessible.

Ontario lowers gaming expectations in Fall Economic Statement

The Ontario government says it expects to make significantly less money from gaming in the current fiscal year than it had previously projected.

In its Fall Economic Statement published on Wednesday, the government said that a key reason for the adjustment in expectations is that Ontarians are spending less on leisure activities and hobbies like gambling or drinking as part of a wider shift in spending habits.

As a result, the government is projecting that its net income from government business enterprises, which includes government-run gaming as well as other businesses such as Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) revenue, will decrease by $92 million.

“This reflects several factors, including net income from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), which is projected to be lower, primarily driven by economic impacts on consumer discretionary spending,” read a section of the Fall Economic Statement.

The Ontario government receives revenue directly from the profits of the OLG’s operations, as well as in the form of tax revenue from regulated gaming licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and conducted and managed by iGaming Ontario (iGO).

The adjusted outlook for the 2024-25 FY is for the government to make $2.44 billion in net profit from the OLG. That would be slightly up from the final total from 2023-24 but marginally lower than 2022-23 and $186 million less than had been projected in the spring budget.

When it comes to iGO, Ontario expects to see income of $197 million for the year. That would be up from the actual figure of $176 million last year and would also represent an increase from what was initially budgeted for the current year ($174 million).

The Fall Economic Statement also outlined that the government of Ontario intends to make amendments to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation Act, 1999 to allow it to transfer responsibility for the OLG from the Minister of Finance to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming.

Government investing in Niagara Falls amid ‘Vegas of the North’ plan

The statement also included limited information on some planned infrastructural investments in and around the Niagara Falls region.

Those include continuing to increase the frequency of GO Transit train service between Toronto’s Union Station and the Niagara Region, as well as specifically increasing the availability of year‐round weekend rail service between Union and Niagara Falls.

The government is also continuing with its Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) Garden City Skyway Bridge Twinning project, which includes construction of a new bridge over the Welland Canal to connect the City of St. Catharines to the Town of Niagara‐on‐the‐Lake.  The government notes that this section of the highway supports tourism in Niagara Region, improves access to the Niagara District Airport and supports the province’s supply chain by linking the international border crossings at Niagara Falls and Fort Erie with the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

Those planned investments come after new Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming Stan Cho said in October that Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government is looking to transform Niagara Falls into the “Las Vegas of the North.” Ford and Niagara Mayor Jim Diodati both told reporters in October that a change to the Niagara casino landscape is needed if the region is to maximise its gaming potential.

Ford said his provincial government is in talks with the region and casino operator Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment (MGE), which operates both Casino Niagara and Fallsview Casino and has an agreement to run the day-to-day operations of casinos in the Niagara area until 2040. The Ford government wants to revamp that deal to encourage more casinos to open in the city.

WSOP officially part of GGPoker group after finalized Caesars sale

The $500 million deal between GGPoker parent company NSUS Group and Caesars Entertainment for the former to acquire the World Series of Poker (WSOP) is officially complete.

First announced in August, Caesars confirmed the deal closure on Tuesday shortly before the company’s Q3 earnings call.

GGPoker will control the brand, but for the next 20 years, a Caesars property in Las Vegas will play host to the flagship WSOP series. Currently Horseshoe Casino and Paris Casino co-host the event each year and have done so since 2022. Caesars properties will also get preferential treatment when it comes to hosting WSOP Circuit event.

Some key players from the Caesars team are moving over to NSUS Group as part of the deal. WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart is moving over to serve as CEO, while Gregory Chochon will take the role of COO. Stewart began his tenure with the WSOP in 2005, while Chochon joined the team in 2014.

Additionally, Caesars Digital will license the brand to continue operating its WSOP Digital online poker site in the four states it is operational.

GGPoker operated WSOP.ca powered by GGPoker in Ontario, which was the only jurisdiction where the two are co-branded but now the WSOP.ca URL redirects to a GGPoker-branded site.

So far, GGPoker has not announced anything about how it plans to deploy the WSOP brand across the rest of the world. The group is currently promoting the upcoming WSOP Paradise event in the Bahamas this December. GGPoker has pledged to award at least 1,000 satellite seats to the event, which includes a massive $50 million guaranteed, $25,000 buy-in Main Event.

GGPoker Canada recently ran a WSOP online series in Ontario including eight WSOP bracelet events and a $500,000 guaranteed Main Event.