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Canada

The Canadian Gaming Association Announces Election of New Board Members

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The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) today announced the appointment of four new members of the Association’s Board of Directors, which took place during the CGA’s Annual General Meeting on November 10, 2021.

Scott Burton, CEO, FansUnite Entertainment Inc.
Mr. Burton oversees the overall business vision and framework, global operations, corporate strategy, and development at FansUnite. He served as the CEO of Askott Entertainment prior to its 2020 merger with FansUnite. Mr. Burton is a Chartered Professional Accountant with more than 20 years of operational experience and is considered a pioneer in the eSports betting industry.

Neil Erlick, Chief Corporate Development Officer, Nuvei
Mr. Erlick is the Chief Corporate Development Officer at Nuvei, where he oversees strategic business development in key industry verticals, corporate partnerships, as well as enhancing the Company’s overall growth in the North American regulated gaming market. Neil has 20+ years’ experience in payments, sports & entertainment and has facilitated partnerships with professional sports teams and leagues, as well as brokered transformational deals in high growth digital sectors.

Jeffrey Haas, SVP, International Strategy, DraftKings Inc.
Mr. Haas is the Senior Vice President of International Strategy for DraftKings, a digital sports entertainment and gaming company created to fuel the competitive spirit of sports fans with products that range across daily fantasy, regulated gaming, and digital media. Mr. Haas has 20+ years’ experience helping build some of the largest digital and terrestrial gaming businesses in the world, including DraftKings, PokerStars, the World Poker Tour (WPT), Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT), European Poker Tour (EPT) & PartyPoker.

Chuck Keeling, EVP, Stakeholder Relations and Responsible Gaming, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
Mr. Keeling literally grew up in the horse racing/gaming industry. His family and outside partners owned racetracks in Surrey and Victoria, BC, and he started working in the business when he was eight years old. In 2004, Great Canadian Gaming acquired these racetracks and retained Keeling to oversee the company’s horse racing interests. In 2013, they appointed him VP, Stakeholder Relations and Responsible Gaming and in 2019, he was appointed Executive Vice President, Stakeholder Relations and Responsible Gaming, with enhanced responsibilities supporting the company’s BC properties.

“That the CGA Board added four new members is a testament to the Association’s exponential growth in 2021,” said Carrie Kormos, Chair of the Board. “We welcomed 18 new members and diversified by adding sports betting and eSports operators, payment companies, and many non-gaming suppliers. This will provide the CGA with an opportunity to act as a convenor for the industry as a whole and build collaboration during this exciting period in Canadian gaming.”

“I am pleased to welcome Scott, Neil, Jeffrey and Chuck to the CGA Board of Directors and believe their experience will help the Association implement its operational strategy as we move out of COVID,” said Paul Burns, President and CEO of the CGA. “These seasoned professionals have strong track records as trusted leaders in the gaming industry, and they will provide invaluable insight as we look to launch a regulated iGaming market in Ontario and single-event sports betting across Canada.”

The Full 2021/2022 CGA Board of Directors

  • Scott Burton, CEO, FansUnite Entertainment Inc.
  • Danielle Bush, Counsel, McCarthy Tetrault, LLP
  • Dean Ehrlich, Executive Vice President & Games Business Leader, Everi
  • Neil Erlick, Chief Corporate Development Officer, Nuvei
  • David Flinn, Regional Vice President Sales, Canada, South & Central America, IGT
  • Jeffrey Haas, SVP, International Strategy, DraftKings Inc.
  • Ilkim Hincer, EVP & Chief Legal Officer, Hard Rock International
  • Chuck Keeling, EVP, Stakeholder Relations and Responsible Gaming, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
  • Carrie Kormos, Chief Marketing & Communication Officer, Gateway Casinos & Entertainment
  • Adriane McGrath, Vice President, Business Development, Konami Gaming Inc.
  • Bob Parente, EVP & Chief Revenue Officer, Scientific Games
  • Rob Scarpelli, Managing Director, HLT Inc.
  • George Sweny, Vice President Regulatory Affairs, Flutter International
  • Richard Taylor, President, Niagara Casinos
  • Shelley White, President & CEO, Responsible Gambling Council

Canada

AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued monetary penalties totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto for multiple violations of provincial gaming standards. The penalties follow an impromptu after-party that was permitted to take place in the pre-dawn hours directly on the casino’s gaming floor.

On September 27, 2024, an electronic dance music event attended by thousands of people was hosted in the theatre adjacent to the casino at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. The event was marked by widespread intoxication, disorderly behavior, and numerous criminal and medical incidents – both inside and outside the venue – including alleged assaults, drug overdoses, and acts of public indecency. Although paid duty officers were present, additional police and emergency services were required to manage the situation.

In the midst of this high-risk environment, casino management approved an unscheduled request by the performing artist to host an after-party on the active gaming floor. The artist and more than 400 guests were permitted onto the gaming floor where the artist was allowed to perform amidst operational table games and gaming machines – without any prior risk assessment or planning.

As a result, security personnel were unable to effectively control the casino floor, including witness reports that an attendee was seen climbing onto slot machines. Failure to maintain appropriate control compromises the security, safety, and integrity of the casino floor. Following the conclusion of the event, the operator failed to promptly report these incidents to the AGCO as required.

Based on the findings of its review, the AGCO’s Registrar has issued an Order of Monetary Penalty (OMP) totaling $350,000 against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. These penalties address critical failures in their operations, incident reporting, employee training, and the management of disturbances.

A gaming operator served with an OMP has 15 days to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.

“Casino operators have a fundamental duty to control their gaming environment. Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto’s lapses in this incident compromised the safety of patrons and the security and integrity of the gaming floor,” Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of AGCO, said.

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Canada

IGT and Atlantic Lottery Sign Eight-Year Video Lottery Central System Technology Agreement

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International Game Technology PLC announced that its subsidiary, IGT Canada Solutions ULC (hereinafter “IGT”), signed an eight-year agreement with Atlantic Lottery to supply its IntelligenEVO video lottery central system technology across Atlantic Canada. The agreement includes the option for multiple extensions and positions the Atlantic Lottery to become the first World Lottery Association (WLA)-affiliated lottery operator to deploy IGT’s next-generation central management system in a game-to-system (G2S) distributed market.

“By leveraging IGT’s IntelligenEVO technology, Atlantic Lottery will power its video lottery network with the industry’s best-in-class central system and position itself to maximize future contributions to good causes. As an organization that prioritizes system security and exceptional player experiences, Atlantic Lottery believes that IGT’s IntelliegnEVO solution will help generate high player satisfaction and optimal network performance,” said Michael MacKinnon, Atlantic Lottery VP, Product.

“As a long-time supplier to Atlantic Lottery, IGT looks forward to helping the Lottery achieve its growth and player engagement goals with our leading-edge IntelligenEVO video lottery central system. IGT’s IntelligenEVO is a scalable technology for the WLA market that is backed by decades of experience and operator feedback, and maximizes the benefits of real-time data, cloud-based technologies and in-depth analytics,” said David Flinn, IGT SVP Canada, EMEA and LATAM, Gaming Sales.

With peak system security, network availability and responsible gaming functionalities, IntelligenEVO is a reliable, scalable solution that can meet the needs of today and in the future. The solution will accelerate time-to-market and enables the Atlantic Lottery to benefit from the system’s suite of player-focused functionality. The technology’s G2S and open API design optimizes data collection and delivery and will enable Atlantic Lottery to customize their program for evolving player needs.

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Canada

NetGaming Goes Live in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive via BetRivers Platform

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Pallavi Deshmukh, CEO of NetGaming

 

NetGaming, a fast-growing online casino content supplier, is proud to announce its launch in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive, Inc., a leading online casino and sports betting company in the United States, Canada and Latin America. This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone for NetGaming as it continues to expand its footprint across regulated North American markets.

As part of the launch, Ontario players on BetRivers can now enjoy a diverse portfolio of NetGaming titles, known for their high-quality graphics, immersive gameplay, and unique themes. Standout games such as Zeus’s Thunderbolt, Bison Gold, and Fireball Inferno are among the first to go live, with additional titles set to follow soon.

This partnership is just the beginning. NetGaming plans to extend its collaboration with Rush Street Interactive into Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Mexico over the coming months.

Pallavi Deshmukh, CEO of NetGaming, commented: “We are thrilled to go live with Rush Street Interactive, a powerhouse operator with a strong presence and loyal player base. This launch marks a significant milestone in our
North American expansion strategy and underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional gaming experiences tailored to local player preferences across the region.”

Richard Schwartz, CEO of Rush Street Interactive, commented: “We are pleased to partner with NetGaming to bring innovative, premium games to our players in Ontario. This collaboration aligns with our strategy to offer world-class
entertainment through engaging, action-packed online casino games. We look forward to expanding this partnership into additional regulated markets in the months ahead.”

This strategic partnership highlights both companies’ dedication to providing high- quality, innovative, and responsible entertainment to players in regulated markets.

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