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Silver Lake to take Endeavor private in a deal worth $13 billion

Endeavor, the parent company of OpenBet, has agreed a $13 billion deal with its biggest investor, Silver Lake, to go private.

The private equity firm will pay $27.50 for 100% of the outstanding shares that it does not already own. This represents a 55% premium on the unaffected share price of $17.72 in October when Silver Lake first signaled its intention to take the company private.

Silver Lake announced it was working to take Endeavor private after the firm confirmed that it had begun a review to explore alternatives that better value the company.

“Together, we have built and grown Endeavor from $350 million in annual revenue when we first invested in 2012 to nearly $6 billion in consolidated revenue today. Now, Endeavor can take advantage of its unique core platform to meet the dynamic forces driving growth in content, sports, and live events with bold vision. Consistent with our mission and underscored by this commitment being among the largest in Silver Lake’s history, we are all in on working with the Endeavor team and our trusted anchor investors to create value by accelerating growth at scale,” said Silver Lake Co-CEO and Endeavor Chairman of the Board Egon Durban.

The transaction will be financed through new and reinvested equity from Silver Lake as well as capital from additional investors including Mubadala Investment Company and DFO Management.

The parties signed the agreement after receiving formal approval from Endeavor’s executive committee and a special committee formed to review the deal. It is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2025.

“Since 2012, Endeavor’s strategic partnership with Silver Lake and Egon Durban have been central to our evolution into the global sports and entertainment leader we are today. We believe this transaction will maximize value for all of Endeavor’s public stockholders and are excited to continue to unlock and invest in the growth opportunities ahead as a private company,” added Endeavor CEO Ariel Emanuel.

At the time Endeavor insisted that TKO Group Holdings, which owns the WWE and UFC, was not for sale and this is still the case as the company confirmed that TKO will remain a publicly traded entity.

It is yet to be seen what will happen to OpenBet, which recently merged with Endeavor’s data business division IMG Arena, however when the strategic review was announced in October the public markets were positive about the move.

Nuvei also goes private

Endeavor is not the only company to go private this week. Yesterday Advent International confirmed it had struck a deal to take payment technology provider Nuvei private.

Advent will acquire all issued and outstanding subordinate voting shares and multiple voting shares for $34.00 USD per share which values the Canadian fintech firm at $6.3 billion.

As part of the deal, Nuvei CEO Philip Fayer will remain in charge and retain 24% of equity in the resulting private company. Investors Novacap and CPDQ will also retain 18% and 12% equity respectively.

Ontario projects over $400M revenue from first 3 years of iGaming

Ontario‘s regulated online gambling industry is two years old this week and figures from the Ontario budget suggest that the industry is already capturing $100 million in annual revenue for the province.

The 2024 Ontario Budget published last week showed that iGaming Ontario‘s activities generated $87 million in net income for the government in the 2022-23 fiscal year. That period covered the first 12 months of the market being open, from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023. Ontario’s regulated online gaming and betting market officially opened to private operators on April 4, 2022.

The budget projected that iGO will have provided $162 million by the time the figures are in from the current fiscal year 2023-24, rising to $174 million for the new fiscal year 2024-25. All told, that adds up to an estimated $423 million in revenue for Ontario through the first three years of the market.

If that total is realized, it would far exceed the early expectations.

An Ontario Auditor General report in May 2022, a few weeks after the launch of the market, had predicted that online betting and gaming in the province would generate around $75 million in net revenue for the provincial government over the first three years. The current trajectory is for the actual total to be more than 500% of that early projection.

Ontario’s iGaming market now has around 50 operators offering a variety of sports betting and online casino games through a total of approximately 70 websites. That’s a fast expansion from the 13 private online gaming and betting sites that went live on day one in 2022.

OLG’s slice not accounted for in iGO numbers

It’s worth noting that Ontario is getting more from legal gaming than the budget suggests.

The iGO revenue totals do not take into consideration the revenue the province also receives from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation‘s land-based, online, and lottery gaming businesses. OLG‘s activities brought in $2.5 billion in net revenue for the province in 2022-23, per the budget, and that figure is expected to hover close to that same number both this year and next year.

A look at OLG’s financial report for last year suggests digital gaming represented only around 7.3% of the OLG’s gross proceeds in 2022-23, its first year with private-sector competition in the online gambling market. Lottery and land-based gaming were fairly evenly split, representing 47.4% and 45.4% respectively of the crown corporation’s gross total income.

Start-up costs limited iGO’s year-one revenue

iGO gets around 20% of the revenue generated by private operators in the provincial market while the gaming companies themselves keep around 80%, but iGO has its own operating costs that eat into its slice.

In its first year, when it earned $87 million in income for the government, the iGO generated $1.26 billion in total gaming revenue from $35.5 billion in wagers, as laid out in iGO’s annual report for 2022-23. From that gross $1.26 billion figure, 20% would be $252 million.

However, the iGO paid out more than $1.14 billion, split between $1 billion to operators, $133.7 million in sales taxes, $8.8 million in salaries and benefits, and other costs. That yielded a net income of $96.2 million for 2022-23, which was cut down to the $87 million number due to a nearly $9 million loss incurred in the months leafing up to launching.

Including sales tax, iGO said its total contribution to the province was $145.7 million for 2022-23.

iGO still hunting for self-exclusion solution

Meanwhile, as the Ontario market continues to grow, iGO is still looking for a centralized self-exclusion solution to better protect players.

The government agency announced last month that it has now opened its RFP process and is seeking proposals from prospective partners for its software-as-a-service (SaaS) project until April 24.

Survey finds majority of Canadians want stricter limits on sports betting ads

A new survey suggests that seven in 10 Canadians want sports betting adverts to exclude current team players and celebrities and would support a ban on those ads during live sports games or events but the sentiment towards the industry varies significantly by age group.

A public opinion poll conducted by market research platform Maru found that 68% of Canadians surveyed want current players and celebrities banned from betting ads and 66% think that sports betting commercials should not be allowed during live sports.

In addition, six in 10 (59%) said that they believe a nationwide ban on sports betting ads should be implemented right away.

When asked for their reasoning for supporting such measures, three-quarters (75%) of the survey respondents cited a need to protect youth and children from sports betting marketing and almost as many (72%) voiced concern that young adults will fall into significant debt due to online sports betting.

Other findings included that:

  • 62% of respondents believe sports betting owners are not acting responsibly with their ads and marketing
  • 53% believe sports betting needs more government oversight and regulation than currently exist
  • 17% of Canadians have wagered money on an online betting platform for a professional sporting event/game, rising to 33% for young Canadians

The Maru survey was conducted between Feb. 7 and 8, 2024 and surveyed a random selection of 1,534 Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada panelists. The probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error of 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.

Age matters

What is particularly noticeable from the results is that it is the older age groups, those who partake in gambling less than younger age groups, who have the most negative perception of betting.

Almost every single one of the categories listed above had the highest percentage of support among respondents aged 55 or older. The exception was that the 55+ age group has the lowest proportion of people who have actually placed an online bet, with just one in 20 (5%) having done so. In comparison, one-third (33%) of respondents aged 18-34 have placed an online bet on live sports, and that age group has the most positive perception of online sports betting as a hobby.

Some of the differences are striking. For example, while three-quarters (76%) of respondents aged 55+ said sports betting operators are not responsible with their marketing, only around four in 10 (43%) of 18-to-34-year-olds said the same thing. There’s a similarly wide gap when it comes to the question of whether sports betting in Canada needs more government oversight and regulation than presently exist. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents 55 and older said yes, compared to just 41% of adults younger than 35.

All in all, it’s apparent within the parameters of this survey that online sports betting and its advertising is opposed far more by older demographics, who aren’t generally the primary target demographic for operators, than by the younger generations.

A tricky time for sports and betting

The survey’s findings come at a time of high publicity for sports betting.

The scrutiny of the relationship between gambling, advertising, and sports has increased in recent months with a serious of high-profile incidents and campaigns hitting headlines.

The case of Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter has made the biggest splash while athletes at both the pro level, such as the Toronto Raptors’ Jontay Porter, and the college level, including the Temple men’s basketball team, are being investigated for allegedly playing some role in illegal betting activity.

Meanwhile, the president of the NCAA college sports association Charlie Baker is campaigning for prop betting on college sports to be banned across all North American jurisdictions, citing the negative impacts on young athletes’ mental health that he fears individual performance-based bets can cause.

CAMH adds voice to calls

On the topic of mental health, Canada’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) believes that the Ontario government should protect public health by restricting sports betting ads, adding its voice to the increasing cacophony of similar calls in North America.

In its latest Gambling Policy Framework document, CAMH called on the government to limit the availability of games, introduce mandatory safeguards and strengthen gambling harm education and prevention.

In particular, it urged Ontario to reduce exposure to gambling content to shield the public from harm, stressing that marketing should not encourage non-gamblers to play and criticizing the proliferation of gambling ads in sports. It also proposes that gambling ads should not appear in media and venues where minors can reasonably be expected to make up over a quarter of the audience.

Canadian payments provider Nuvei to go private with Advent International

Nuvei Corporation has announced that it has signed a deal to be taken private by U.S. private equity firm Advent International.

The all-cash transaction gives the Canadian fintech firm an enterprise value of around $6.3 billion USD ($8.5 billion CAD).

Nuvei, which will continue to be based in Montreal, says the deal has the support of the company’s major shareholders: CEO and founder Philip Fayer, investment funds managed by Novacap Management Inc., and CDPQ, who collectively represent around 92% of the shareholder voting power. Fayer will remain Nuvei’s Chair and CEO and will lead the business in all operations, while Nuvei’s current leadership team will also continue following the conclusion of the deal.

“This transaction marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Nuvei, and we are glad to partner with Advent to continue to deliver for our customers and employees and capitalize on the significant opportunities that this investment provides,” said Fayer. “Our strategic initiatives have always focused on accelerating our customers revenue, driving innovation across our technology, and developing our people. Bringing in a partner with such extensive experience in the payments sector will continue to support our development.”

Fayer, Novacap and CDPQ will roll 95%, 65% and 75%, respectively, of their shares and are collectively expected to receive approximately $560 million USD ($780 million CAD) in cash for the shares that are sold on closing. The three parties will indirectly own or control approximately 24%, 18% and 12%, respectively, of the equity in the resulting private company. As part of the deal, Advent will acquire all issued and outstanding subordinate voting shares and multiple voting shares for $34.00 USD ($46.15 CAD) per share in cash.

Nuvei says it expects to benefit from Advent’s resources, operational, and sector expertise, as well as the capacity for future investment provided by Advent. Nuvei’s Board of Directors is unanimously recommending that shareholders vote in favour of the transaction.

“Nuvei has created a differentiated global payments platform with an innovative product offering that serves attractive payments end markets like global eCommerce, B2B and embedded payments,” added Bo Huang, a Managing Director at Advent. “Our deep expertise and experience in payments give us conviction in the opportunity to support Nuvei as it continues to scale from its base in Canada as a global player in the space. We look forward to collaborating closely with Nuvei to capitalize on emerging opportunities to help shape the future of the payments industry.”

Nuvei looks to unlock future

The announcement of this deal comes weeks after Nuvei revealed it had formed a special committee to evaluate expressions of interest from potential buyers, following reports of the potential Advent deal breaking.

The payments technology provider being taken private also comes less than four years after it went public in what was the Toronto Stock Exchange’s largest tech IPO ever. At that time, in September 2020. Nuvei set a goal of raising $600 million USD ($814 million CAD today) but ended up with an $833 million ($1.1 million CAD today) IPO. At the time, Fayer said his main aim had been to reward his 800 employees with stock options and build capital for future mergers and acquisitions.

Nuvei says it has a presence in more than 200 markets across the world, with local acquiring in 50 markets and connectivity to 680 local and alternative payment methods. In Ontario, it provides payment technology to betting operators including GAN and 888 in Ontario. In 2023, it added Vancouver-born Deadpool actor  Ryan Reynolds to its investor ranks after closing a billion-dollar acquisition of U.S. payment and commerce solutions company Paya Holdings in February 2023.

In its recent 2023 annual financial statements, it announced it had processed $1.2 billion USD ($1.6 billion CAD) in revenue.

Design Works Gaming touches down in Ontario with Caesars

Design Works Gaming (DWG) has broken into the Canadian iGaming market with Caesars.

The online casino games developer has announced that it has launched in Ontario with Caesars Palace Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook and Casino.

This news comes hot on the heels of DWG and Caesars Digital’s launch in Pennsylvania where customers have access to a range of DWG’s content including its LuckyTap games. It has also previously launched in New Jersey and Michigan.

“Partnering with DWG has brought exciting new content to our online casino players in New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania and now Ontario. From custom Caesars-branded games to classic favorites, we’re glad to bring more content to our gaming catalog that can provide an elevated and enjoyable experience to our players,” said Caesars Digital Vice President of Online Gaming Cornejo Rivas.

DWG will be joining an online gaming market of 1.2 million active player accounts and, according to the company, this latest news positions the company to capitalize on the increasing demand for innovative and engaging casino content.

“Launching in Ontario has been a moment we’ve eagerly awaited at DWG, and we could not have asked for a better partner than Caesars Digital to make it a reality,” added DWG founder and CEO Troy Zurawski. “Working with the entire Caesars Digital team has been an amazing experience. We’re honored that they’ve entrusted us with the opportunity to build custom games with the iconic Caesars brand, and Caesars Digital shares our passion for producing the best online casino products on the market.”

Caesars expands Canadian offering

This latest deal is the second in recent weeks between Caesars and an iGaming developer.

American Gaming Systems, which initially launched with Caesars in New Jersey, announced that it had extended its partnership to allow players in Ontario to access its range of content via Caesars Palace Online Casino.

Caesars Sportsbook accredited by Responsible Gambling Council

Caesars Sportsbook has been awarded the Responsible Gambling Council‘s RG Check accreditation, certifying the quality of the sportsbook’s responsible gaming efforts including such as player and team education, public awareness advertisements, and funding for organizations dedicated to RG research and education.

Caesars said in a statement that the assessment validates that its sportsbook arm is among the industry leaders in responsible gaming.

“We are honoured to receive the RG Check accreditation from the Responsible Gambling Council,” said Eric Hession, President of Caesars Digital.

“For more than 30 years, Caesars Entertainment has been at the forefront of Responsible Gaming, implementing policies that have carried over to Caesars Sportsbook to educate our players on how to play responsibly and providing responsible gaming tools. This acknowledgment validates our efforts to continue to improve our responsible gaming practices and ensure our players are gaming with us for the right reasons.

“We’re proud to further enhance our responsible gaming initiatives available through Caesars Sportsbook.”

Caesars achieves “highest standard” in RG

Headquartered in Toronto, the RGC is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to problem gambling prevention through initiatives such as creating and delivering awareness and information programs.

Its RG Check accreditation holds operators to numerous criteria and validates qualifying sites or venues that practice robust responsible gaming policies. The accreditation is developed in consultation with policymakers, gambling providers, players, and players who have experienced gambling harm.

“An RG Check accreditation means Caesars Sportsbook has achieved the highest standards for their responsible gambling practices,” said RGC CEO Shelley White.

Caesars’ recent steps to bolster its responsible gaming practices include the launch last year of an enhanced 21+ gaming policy that limits Caesars Rewards accounts to individuals over 21 and, where allowed by law, limits all domestic gaming, pari-mutuel, sports, and iGaming options to users above that age cut-off.

Caesars operates the Caesars Windsor casino in Windsor, Ontario, where it opened Ontario’s full-service sportsbook in January 2023. Its Caesars Digital and Caesars Sportsbook brands are available legally on the regulated online market to millions of players across the province.

Last week, Caesars added AGS games to its large portfolio of offerings.

Parleh’s Homestand Sports and eThereLIVE partner on sports broadcasts

Toronto-based media company Homestand Sports has united with streaming production company eThereLIVE to support broadcast production for sports properties, brands and sportsbooks.

Utilizing eThereLIVE’s expertise in broadcast production, Homestand will offer what it calls “an all-encompassing offering that combines end-to-end production services” for live sports events, studio shows, and social media programming and give its partner sports brands “an unparalleled content offering” to connect with audiences.

The first event produced under the new partnership will be Sports Interaction‘s in-game live broadcast of the Toronto Blue Jays‘ MLB regular-season opener against the Tampa Bay Rays on March 28. The broadcast will be available directly in the Sports Interaction app as well as on the brand’s YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) platforms.

“Combining our storytelling expertise with the experience of eThereLIVE positions us to collectively deliver a high production value broadcast solution for rights holders and brands at a budget more reflective of audience expectations,” said Kevin Kennedy, founder of Homestand Sports.

eThereLIVE has more than a decade of experience in live multi-cam sports production including events for Unified MMA, Rugby Canada, and the Canadian Elite Basketball League, as well as streaming services for press conferences, awards shows, and international feeds.

“This partnership marks a significant milestone in the evolution of our sports broadcasting offering,” said Nathan Kordyjaka, President at eThereLIVE. “By combining our live event production capabilities with Homestand Sports’s studio programming services and distribution partnerships, we aim to set a new standard for coverage of up-and-coming Canadian sports properties and brands.”

Homestand Sports finds home in Canadian sports betting landscape

Homestand Sports has been around as a sports media company for nearly a decade, publishing multimedia content and working on events in the space.

With the legalization single-event sports betting in Canada and the proliferation of regulated operators in the Ontario market, it has added a range of betting content to its arsenal in recent years, providing event, broadcast and social media production for several operators licensed in the province.

As well as partnering with private betting operators, Homestand and its parent company Parleh Media Group offers betting content and insights on its own platform, such as the Homestand Sports Show, the consumer-facing Parleh Sports Betting Show and the B2B industry-facing Gaming News Canada podcast, as well as sport-specific shows like Room 4-4-2 and Hoop Talks.

It also has a built-in bet centre on its website with live odds for NHL, NBA, and English Premier League games, while its Room 4-4-2 soccer-specific offering allows users to play a free 4-4-2 Picks game launched last summer in partnership with NorthStar Bets. Last May, Homestand also became the first Canadian client of Tallysight, whose U.S. partners include the likes of the New York Times and Vox Media.

NCAA president aiming to ban all college prop bets

NCAA president Charlie Baker announced on Wednesday that the college sports organization is aiming to ban all prop betting on college sports markets that are currently available on North American sportsbooks, including many Ontario sportsbooks.

“Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country, with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity of competition and leading to student-athletes and professional athletes getting harassed,” Baker said in a statement posted to social media. “The NCAA has been working with states to deal with these threats and many are responding by banning college prop bets.”

Prop bets are wagers that are placed on an individual player’s performance, such as how many points they will score, how many three-pointers or touchdowns they will score, and other more specific markets such as how many yards a football player racks up in a game, how many rebounds or assists a college basketball player records, and numerous more markets.

Some U.S. states such as Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia have never allowed wagering on college player props, while Maryland, Ohio, and Vermont have all banned that category of bets already in 2024. Many other states including Arizona and Colorado allow college prop betting but with limitations in place, while four states do not limit college sports betting.

Baker has voiced his opposition to prop bets being allowed on college sports numerous times in recent months, culminating in his March 27 statement.

“The NCAA is drawing the line on sports betting,” Baker added. “This week, we will be contacting officials across the country in states that still allow these bets and ask them to join Ohio, Vermont, and Maryland and many others and remove college prop bets from all betting markets.”

What are the concerns?

Prop bets are common and very popular among sports bettors but Baker said the NCAA hopes to institute a country-wide ban on college player prop bets to “protect student-athletes and to protect the integrity of the game.”

The crux of his argument against offering them on college sports is that they can put student-athletes and college sports in general at risk. A particular concern is the pressure Baker says they put on college athletes, and the NCAA president also believes there’s a risk of players being harassed if they don’t reach their player props.

Some U.S. states have passed legislation to ban bettors in their state if they’re caught harassing players, coaches, or officials either in-person or virtually. Whereas professional athletes are paid for their sports work and some would argue should accept criticism that comes their way, unpaid young college athletes receiving negative feedback because bets have gone awry is a different matter.

There’s also the potential issue of integrity, Baker says.

The high-pressure and often high-stakes climate of sports betting could theoretically lead to athletes, whether through choice or through pressure, intentionally altering their game in line with bets that have been placed. As prop bets’ outcomes often don’t directly affect the overall result or score of a game, irregularities can theoretically go undiscovered.

What’s the context here?

“Issues across the country these last several days show there is more work to be done,” said Baker in his statement and, when it comes to the issue of athletes adjusting their performances for the purposes of betting, there are real-world examples. Right now, for example, the Temple men’s basketball team is being investigated for suspicious betting activity regarding some of its games, while in the past, numerous Iowa and Iowa State players were suspended for gambling, including several for betting on their own team.

The timing of Baker’s statement is also significant, coming in the midst of the March Madness basketball tournaments, one of the biggest times of the year for sports betting.

The American Gaming Association estimated last week that Americans will legally wager $2.72 billion USD ($3.69 billion CAD) on March Madness this year. While a similar Canadian estimate has not been given, March Madness is available on the wide range of legal sportsbook options in the Ontario regulated market. After last year’s March Madness tournaments, the NCAA estimated via a survey that 58% of 18- to 22-year-olds are gambling.

On the major-league front, this week has been dominated by headlines around the high-profile illegal gambling investigation surrounding MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani, and the NBA announced this week that the league is investigating irregularities involving prop bets for Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter.

For two Raptors fixtures against the LA Clippers and Sacramento Kings earlier this year, DraftKings — one of the NBA’s betting sponsors — reported that individual prop bets on Porter’s performance were the top money-makers for sportsbook operators. In both games, Porter left the court early on due to injury and illness and hit the under on the prop.

Sportsnet reports that the NBA’s investigation centres on the possibility that he may have manipulated his own on-court performances for the benefit of high-stakes bettors.

Where does Ontario stand on college prop betting?

Currently, the province of Ontario is one of the North American jurisdictions that allow college prop wagering with no limitations imposed.

Betting on college sports player props in the province is legal under the Alcohol and Gaming Commission‘s regulations and it is at the discretion of operators what is offered. The vast majority offer a range of player props, including the likes of DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, bet365, theScore Bet, and numerous more.

The AGCO confirmed in an email to Canadian Gaming Business that its standards include comprehensive requirements that Ontario operators must meet to ensure the fairness and integrity of all betting products they offer, encompassing all bet types across all sports allowed within the Ontario regulated sports betting market, which includes NCAA sports.

“The AGCO continues to monitor all developments within the sports betting community and remains committed to engagement with all stakeholders,” added the emailed statement.

Soft2Bet one step closer to launching in Ontario

Soft2Bet is one step closer to launching in Ontario as it announced that it has been granted a Certificate of Registration in Ontario.

Soft2Bet is aiming to launch its Tooniebet.com iGaming brand in the province and obtaining a Certificate of Registration from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) was the next step in the process.

“This Ontario certification is another significant and important step in our corporate expansion plans. It fits perfectly with our stated aim of growing our regulatory footprint and we very much look forward to continuing forward on this path,” said Soft2Bet Chief Business Development Officer Martin Collins.

The Ontario betting market is one of the world’s largest regulated jurisdictions. In the last quarter of 2023 Ontario reported gross gaming revenues of CA$658 million, which is the highest revenue recorded in Ontario wagering history.

iGaming revenue was the main driver of growth in Ontario as it generated CA$471 million in gross gaming revenue which highlights why Soft2Bet are pushing to enter the Ontario market.

The company says that it is also actively working to obtain a license in New Jersey as it continues its expansion in the Americas.

“Being registered with the AGCO in Ontario is testament to the work our compliance and regulatory teams are doing daily to enable our continued expansion in the world’s largest regulated markets. We’re immensely excited about taking our first steps in North America and look forward to licensing and launching in more jurisdictions in the region,” added Soft2Bet Head of Regulatory Compliance Elisabeth Isaksson.

Soft2Bet finds success with gamification tools

Soft2Bet reported exponential growth in 2023 which it says was primarily driven by the successes of its Motivational Engineering Gaming Application gamification technology designed to help clients improve upon their customer acquisition and retention rates.

The operator reported 300% EBITDA growth in the last 12 months as well as a gross gaming revenue increase in Denmark and Sweden of over 65%, and more than 50% of the player base engaged with gamification.

Soft2Bet, outlining its predictions for 2024, foresees an increased usage of AI in the industry. It believes that the technology will be used to more efficiently analyze data on customer preferences and therefore improve gamification offerings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canadian Gaming Summit: Providing the framework for sports betting success 

As sports betting professionals seek to strengthen their connection with Canadian bettors, the Canadian Gaming Summit will provide the optimal framework for stakeholders to harness brand loyalty, innovate their offerings and strike lucrative partnerships, all aimed at solidifying their presence in the region. 

The Sports Betting track is scheduled to take place on the first core day of the summit, Wednesday, June 19, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Catering to 3,000 industry stakeholders, discussions will encompass fostering mutually beneficial relationships with sports leagues, strategies to emulate the success of Canadian lotteries, analyzing the profiles of Canadian sports viewers, and exploring the future of esports and daily fantasy sports (DFS). 

Opening the track is the panel titled The Winning Ticket: How Sports Betting Can Emulate Lottery’s Appeal. It will explore the strategies sports betting operators can adopt to rival the popularity of traditional Canadian lotteries. Industry experts will examine whether sports betting operators are taking the right approach to emulate the success, brand loyalty and integrity of lotteries and whether a rise in the popularity of sports betting will affect provincial lottery models. 

The session titled It’s All In The Game: Innovations In Live Betting will shed light on how live, in-gaming betting is leading the way for innovation within sports betting. Industry luminaries will discuss the importance of crafting real experiences for bettors, analyze the profiles of potential bettors and explore strategies to fully integrate sports streaming content with sportsbooks. 

The Game Changers: Collaborative Synergy With Sports Leagues panel will explore the power of sports league partnerships and how they are redefining the Canadian sports betting landscape. Expert panelists will delve into the intricacies of such partnerships, and discuss how successful partnerships can be leveraged to enhance brand visibility, fan engagement and market presence. The panel will also examine successful case studies, partnership models and ideal strategies for achieving mutually beneficial partnerships. 

Expert speakers set to appear across the track include:

Conor Murray (VP Marketing, FanDuel)
Nic Sulsky (CCO, PointsBet)
Owen Welsh (VP Gaming, Sports Betting & Innovation, CFL)
Martin Lycka (SVP American Regulatory Affairs & Responsible Gambling, Entain)
Britt Doll (Global Marketing Director, Rivalry)
Tomer Imber (Sr. Director of Sales, Optimove)
Iain Montgomery (Founder, Now or Never Ventures)
Michael Sandalis (Founder, Wait What)
Peter Czegledy (Partner, Aird & Berlis)
Anthony Gaud (Founder, Gaud Hammer Gaming Group)
Sean Simpson (Sr. VP, IPSOS)
Paul Burns (President, Canadian Gaming Association)
Scott Morasch (Sr. VP, IPSOS)
Sebastian Jedrzejewski (Director Regulatory Affairs, US Integrity)
Greg Bloom (CEO, BYB Extreme)
Steve McAllister (VP, Parleh Media)
Troy Ross (President, TRM Public Affairs)
Witek Wachinski (VP Strategy & Development, BetMGM)
Patrick Harris (Managing Partner, Rubicon Strategy)

Attendees will have the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of the Canadian market through dedicated conference tracks on affiliation, advertising, leadership, land-based operations, payments and compliance.

Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to attend a pre-day player protection symposium.

Get set for the 2024 Canadian Gaming Summit

The 2024 Canadian Gaming Summit will take place from June 18-20 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The sports betting track will take place on the first full day of the Summit on Wednesday, June 19.

Purchase your Early Bird ticket at the discounted price of CA$ 695 and gain access to all three days of the Canadian Gaming Summit, including the Player Protection Symposium, the exhibition, the conference, and exclusive networking parties. 

Additionally, operators and affiliates can apply for a free pass to the event.