Canada
Free COVID-19 App Shows 1,500+ Casino and Gaming Property Reopenings

Web app provides instant details and a complete history of all casino and gaming property closings and reopenings in the U.S and Canada since the COVID-19 pandemic
The next generation of a new web app showing the full history of more than 2,000 casino and gaming property closings and 1,500 reopenings was released today at GamingDirectory.com/COVID-19/ as a free service provided by Casino City Press.
The application features interactive U.S. and Canada gaming industry reopening maps color-coded to show the percentage of properties reopened in each state and province. The maps show current reopening status or the status on any day since the pandemic began. They can also be toggled to display commercial vs. Indian gaming property statuses. Drilling down to state and province maps displays individual gaming property locations and reveals detailed property profiles.
The app charts the closing and reopening of the gaming industry over time. On March 1, 2,192 casino and other gaming properties were open. Almost every property was closed for the entire month of April before properties began to reopen in May. By June 1, 744 properties were open and on July 1 that number had more than doubled to 1,583. Separate charts covering Indian, Commercial, United States and Canadian gaming are provided.
A variety of summary tables are also available. One table summarizes the current number of open and closed properties by state and province and property type. The table can be ordered to show which states have the most open or closed properties, or which have the largest or smallest percentage of reopened properties, either for all or for just Indian or commercial properties. Another summary table lists recent reopenings together with property-specific details such as closing and reopening date and property type and location with a news article covering the property reopening.
Comprehensive tables are provided for every state and province. In total, 2,187 properties are currently covered in the tables (2,002 in the United States and 185 in Canada). The tables can be sorted by property name, location, closing or reopening date, current status and property type. Detailed profiles are provided for each property with information ranging from a property’s address, owner and contact information to property demographics like the number of gaming machines to links to articles about changes in the property’s coronavirus status from our vast collection of nearly 2,500 news articles, press releases and other source documents.
“We are pleased to enhance access to our continuously updated information about reopenings as they occur through our enhanced complimentary COVID-19 web application that now offers a new emphasis on the history of closings and reopenings,” says Michael Corfman, Casino City Press CEO. “From the very beginning our dedicated research team has been investigating and chronicling the closing and reopening of gaming properties in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States and Canada.”
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.
Canada
Evoplay strengthens Ontario presence in partnership with Caesars Entertainment

Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has partnered with Caesars Entertainment to expand its footprint in the Canadian market, following its initial entry earlier this year. The partnership integrates 20 of the studio’s top-performing titles onto Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in Ontario, including fan-favourites such as Hot Triple Sevens, Triple Chili, and The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy.
Having announced its official entrance into Ontario in March, the collaboration with Caesars marks a significant step in Evoplay’s local strategy. Further standout releases, such as Inner Fire Bonus Buy and Hot Volcano, also launched as part of the initial package, with additional player favourites, including Fruit Nova and Ice Mania.
The collaboration underlines Evoplay’s commitment to working with leading operators to deliver high-quality content tailored to regional audiences.
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: “Launching with Caesars in Ontario marks a key milestone in our North American strategy.
“It reflects both the strength of our portfolio and our commitment to providing innovative, high-performing content to operators of the highest caliber.”
Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, said: “Evoplay brings a fresh and dynamic approach to online gaming, which we’re excited to offer to our players in Ontario. This portfolio of standout titles adds to our growing content library and furthering our ongoing goal of delivering top-tier entertainment experiences to our players.”
Canada
iGaming Ontario Appoints Joseph Hillier as its New President and CEO

The iGaming Ontario Board of Directors has announced Joseph Hillier as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2025. Joseph’s depth in the Ontario igaming market combined with successful public and private sector careers make him the ideal President and CEO at this critical point in iGaming Ontario’s growth.
Joseph was most recently Chief Strategy Officer and Corporate Secretary at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), where he delivered significant strategic and regulatory initiatives across the province’s alcohol, cannabis, gaming, and horse racing sectors. Prior to the AGCO, he served as Chief of Staff to Ontario Attorney General Hon. Doug Downey and led the development, launch and implementation of Canada’s first private sector-driven igaming market and the creation of iGaming Ontario. Joseph also spent more than a decade working in the financial and legal services sectors.
The Board expressed its sincere thanks to David Smith for serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer since Martha Otton’s retirement.
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