Canada
Canadian Gaming Summit 2023 Announces ‘Sports Betting’ Conference Track

The 26th edition of the Canadian Gaming Summit, the country’s premier gaming and betting event, is swiftly approaching and alongside coveted speakers, panels and a lively exhibition floor, attendees will be given the opportunity to discuss the state of sports betting in the stimulating ‘Sports Betting’ conference track.
The ‘Sports Betting’ conference track will be taking place on Wednesday, June 14th, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto. Across the day attendees will have access to a variety of thought-provoking and informative panels on topics such as how operators’ relationship with regulatory bodies can ensure integrity in sports betting, the place of operator-led media organizations in the Canadian market and how operators can leverage content, creative and influencers to build brand equity.
Opening the conference track is the panel ‘Sports betting across Canada: navigating the patchwork of a provincial rollout’, which will analyze the impact of legalized single-event sports betting in Canada.
The panelists include Doug Hood (Project Director Gaming Modernization, AGCO), Bruce Caughill (Managing Director Canada, Rush Street Interactive) and Mike Maodus (Associate, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP). The panel will be moderated by Salim Adatia (Vice-President, Gaming Labs International) and will comment on the variety of models provinces can adopt, such as attracting third-party operators and optimizing current offerings.
The eagerly awaited panel ‘Partner and play: collaboration between Canadian teams, leagues and sportsbooks’, will study how open major sports leagues and teams are to collaborating with operators.
The panel will include expert analysis from Owen Welsh (Associate Vice-President Sports Betting, Gaming and Innovation, Canadian Football League), Andrew Stokes (Senior Director Global Partnership Group, Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment), Aubrey Levy (Senior Vice-President Content and Marketing, TheScore) and Kuljeet Sindhar (Associate Vice-President, International Gaming and Data Ventures, NBA). The panel will examine the successful partnerships already established between teams and sportsbooks, the potential regulatory roadblocks that they can present and sports leagues yet to be explored.
The final panel of the conference track is the ‘eSports betting in Canada: investing, reducing friction and opening up a new audience’, which will explore the potentially huge untapped source of fans and revenue that is the burgeoning world of eSports.
The panel will consist of industry experts Melanie Penner (Founder, Manitoba Esports Association), Alex Igelman (Chief Executive Officer, Esports Entertainment), Daniel Sanders (Director of Marketing, Luckbox) and Alex Kozachenko (Chief Product Officer, Data Be) and will be moderated by Ng Hai (Integrity Ambassador, ESIC). The panel will discuss the number of successful Canadian eSports teams and analyze the challenges of entering the currently unrecognized market, how companies can invest in eSports teams and how operators can reduce friction between the converging worlds.
Alongside the ‘Sports Betting’ track, attendees of the summit will have the opportunity to attend specialist-led panels from a further nine tracks including leaders, landscape, iGaming and many more across the three-day event.
Canada
Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership

Independent slots studio Thunderkick has agreed a deal with Ontario-based operator Betty to supply the rapidly growing online casino with a diverse collection of globally popular titles.
Betty, an official partner of sporting franchises Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, has risen to prominence since its 2022 establishment, when it was built following the consultation of 300 casino players to create the optimal iGaming environment.
Distinguishing itself from North American competitors by catering specifically to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors, the operator has curated a portfolio of 2,800 games, hand-picked to deliver customers maximum entertainment value.
Thunderkick’s content is the latest to be integrated into Betty’s online casino, and the agreement will see a selection of its most popular titles, including The Wildos 2, Midas Golden Touch 3, and Esqueleto Explosivo 3, made available to a greater number of Ontarian players.
Thunderkick marked its debut in the Canadian province in Q2 of 2024, and has since partnered with a network of leading operators to improve its market position. The collaboration with Betty will further amplify its visibility in a key jurisdiction as the provider looks to reinforce its reputation as a global slot developer.
Svante Sahlström, CCO at Thunderkick, said: “It’s our mission at Thunderkick to go deeper, not wider, in 2025. That means forging meaningful, lasting relationships in target markets as opposed to securing as many commercial deals as possible.
“Since entering Ontario over 12 months ago, we have worked tirelessly to enhance our presence in the province, and working with leading brands such as Betty allows us to bring our unique games to a deeper pool of Canadian players.”
Paraskeva Smirnova, Casino Operations Manager at Betty, added: “Betty’s USP has always been our drive to build a slot portfolio with the very best titles from the industry’s most creative suppliers.
“Thunderkick’s passion for slot development is there for all to see, and the introduction of its games to our casino further elevates the consumer experience.”
Canada
Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026

BCLC is pleased to announce the return of the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference, taking place November 2–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.
This global event brings leading voices in research, policy and industry together to explore innovative approaches to safer gambling. Attendees can expect two days of forward-thinking dialogue, evidence-based insights and collaborative solutions to help shape the future of player health.
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available
New to the 2026 conference, BCLC is excited to offer sponsorship opportunities to organizations that share BCLC’s passion for safer gambling. Benefits of sponsoring New Horizons 2026 include industry visibility, leadership recognition and meaningful engagement with a global audience. To learn more about sponsorship, please e-mail [email protected].
Registration and program details will be released later this fall.
Canada
absolutebet Secures AGCO Registration as an Internet Gaming Operator in Ontario

Internet Gaming Operator by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
This significant milestone authorizes absolutebet to offer regulated iGaming services in Ontario’s legal market under the oversight of AGCO and iGaming Ontario (iGO).
The registration marks a key step in absolutebet’s mission to bring a trusted, responsible, and innovative online casino experience to Ontario players. absolutebet is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, meeting all provincial standards for player protection, responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and game integrity.
“Securing AGCO registration is more than a milestone—it’s the start of absolutebet’s journey in one of the most exciting regulated markets in the world,” said Chen Truman, Founder of absolutebet. “We are building a brand that will grow with the Ontario community and set the stage for future expansion.”
On the regulatory milestone, Krisztina Kalla, Legal & Regulatory Compliance Advisor of absolutebet, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to see all the hard work behind this license pay off. Securing AGCO registration has taken months of preparation and close collaboration with regulators and partners. I am very happy to see the result of that work, and even more excited as we move into the launch phase and open up the absolutebet community to Ontario players in a fun and responsible way.”
Ontario is recognized as one of the most competitive and fast-growing regulated iGaming markets in North America. With AGCO registration secured, absolutebet will move forward with the final stages of its iGO onboarding process in preparation for launch.
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