Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) is supporting accessibility in the iGaming industry with the launch of Red Panda Tails of Wealth – the first digital slot game designed with built-in accessible features to support players with disabilities.

In the popular digital casino landscape, people with disabilities often face barriers to participation. Instead of waiting for change, OLG is driving it by introducing the industry’s first inclusive gaming experience that provides the same fun and excitement to all players.

“We are excited to launch Red Panda Tails of Wealth on olg.ca, which is the result of a focused effort to put accessibility at the forefront of game design. The game is a proof of concept that shows how removing barriers to play can move us towards a more inclusive future in the gaming industry,” said Dave Pridmore, OLG’s Chief Gaming Officer.

With nearly one-third (28%; StatCan 2022) of Ontarians reporting a disability, the launch of Red Panda Tails of Wealth breaks barriers and provides more equitable access to play for an often-overlooked audience.

While Red Panda Tails of Wealth mirrors the appearance and gameplay of other iCasino slot games in market, it is built with universal design principles to deliver a fun, inclusive and user-friendly experience for all players.

Key accessibility features include:

• Compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers and keyboard navigation

• A high-contrast colour palette for enhanced visibility

• An accessible heads-up display engineered to integrate seamlessly into future games.

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To develop this first-of-its-kind game, OLG collaborated with Pixiu Gaming and Light & Wonder Spark. To ensure the game was accessible and inclusive OLG partnered with Fable – a Toronto-based company that connects organizations with people with disabilities for digital accessibility insights.

The insights from people with disabilities collected via remote user testing sessions played a key role in helping OLG create a game that meets real-world accessibility needs.

“Our mission at Fable is to empower people with disabilities to participate, contribute, and shape society – and this is how true accessibility is achieved. We’re thrilled to partner with OLG, who recognize the importance of embedding the voices and experiences of people with disabilities throughout the development of their new game,” said Kate Kalcevich, Head of Innovation at Fable.

The Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA), an independent association representing 90% of the legal U.S. sports betting industry by handle, published its guidelines for operator VIP programs. These evidence-based recommended practices are intended to support members’ VIP policies to further incorporate robust responsible online gaming. These can help players maintain a balanced, enjoyable gaming experience within their own personal limits.

“Like in many sectors of entertainment, leisure and hospitality, sportsbook’s VIP programs aim to reward and retain loyal players, and it is essential that these programs are operated with a strong commitment to responsible gaming. These programs should support a shared understanding between hosts and players on the value of responsible gaming that fosters long-term loyalty and player well-being. There is a robust conversation ongoing regarding VIP programs, which is why we have prioritized this issue, as it is essential to provide research-driven guidance to adequately support these programs to help keep VIP players’ experience fun and recreational,” said ROGA Executive Director, Dr. Jennifer Shatley.

Guided by existing evidence, ROGA found that the most effective VIP programs combine proactive education, personalized engagement, and periodic program evaluation. Pursuing these objectives, ROGA identified the following recommended practices for operating VIP programs, many of which have already been implemented by some operators:

• Role-specific Training for VIP Hosts: Provide ongoing education specifically tailored to the unique needs of VIP Hosts.

• Automated Review: Operators will take advantage of technology to attempt to detect potentially risky behavioral patterns among VIP players, such as increased deposit frequency, extended play sessions, or repeated failed withdrawal attempts.

• Escalation Process: Operators will implement measures to escalate to a responsible gaming specialist when the operator identifies that a player might be exhibiting potential signs of problematic play. The specialist should conduct a review of the player’s behavior and take appropriate action on a case-by-case basis, such as connecting with trained behavioral health personnel.

• Integrate RG Messaging into VIP Communications: Communicate responsible gaming messages to VIP players using a range of tailored engagement channels.

• VIP Engagement Protocols: Establish protocols to guide interactions between VIP hosts and VIP players, with a focus on transparency, support, and responsible gaming.

• Promotions, Bonuses, and Incentives: VIP Hosts should not offer any VIP promotions, bonuses, or incentives to VIP players who are on a cool-off period, have self-excluded, or have a suspended or banned account, and must also provide all VIP players with the ability to opt out of receiving such incentives.

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• Making Data Available: Provide VIP players with access to player data that show player activity, including deposits, wagers, and withdrawals.

• Confirm Awareness of Tools: Require VIP players to confirm their familiarity with responsible gaming tools and resources upon onboarding.

• RG Education for VIP Players: Regularly provide VIP players with responsible gaming educational materials to support responsible gaming behavior.

• Regular Program Evaluation: Conduct annual reviews of the VIP program. This can include feedback from both VIP players and VIP hosts, as well as tracking the success of engagement strategies.

• Development and Updates: Operators should keep apprised of new tools and methods for responsible gaming as they are developed.

This non-exhaustive list of recommended practices is a critical step toward further supporting these programs. ROGA’s members have independently made the decision to commit to implementing these guidelines within a commercially reasonable timeframe.

With its members’ support, ROGA continues to identify and publish research-based recommended practices for responsible gaming across a variety of priority topics.

International Game Technology PLC (IGT) announced the launch of IGT PlayDigital’s MEGA VAULT offering – a new innovation on its player engagement solution. Powered by the IGT PlayDigital Engagement Platform, a customizable suite of player engagement tools, MEGA VAULT brings together its industry-renowned engagement tools—Prize Drops, Leaderboards, Marketing Jackpots, and more—into a single promotional experience. Designed to maximize excitement, engagement, and rewards, MEGA VAULT aims to deliver seamless high-impact campaigns that captivate players and drive long-term retention.

This rollout of the MEGA VAULT promotional brand also includes a new functionality within the Engagement Platform toolset. PlayDigital customers can now combine the existing tools within the Engagement Platform toolkit, unlocking the ability to run one-of-a-kind promotions and create unlimited promotional possibilities. The first of these combined functionalities includes the Multi Drop and Leaderboard tools, allowing operators to simultaneously engage and reward their players.

The first MEGA VAULT promotion began on May 23, with participation from major operators such as Fanatics Casino, FanDuel Casino, and Rush Street Interactive, each offering their players exciting new ways to engage with content and win prizes.

“We’re excited about the new promotional capabilities we’re able to provide Fanatics players through the MEGA VAULT. MEGA VAULT offers a unique and engaging solution that elevates the player experience,” said Kieron Shaw, Fanatics Casino Senior Content Manager.

“RSI is pleased to offer our players, in the US and Ontario, exciting promotional capabilities that allow us to engage and reward them with new and exciting promotions and prizes. Our launch of IGT’s PlayDigital’s MEGA VAULT represents another step forward in our goal of always putting our players first and delivering fun experiences for them that earns their loyalty and long-term retention,” said Richard Schwartz, CEO of Rush Street Interactive.

“We’re excited to introduce the next chapter in player engagement with the launch of IGT PlayDigital’s MEGA VAULT. Utilizing the Engagement Platform toolset, the MEGA VAULT will provide a consistent and exciting way for our customers to run unique promotions and provide an elevated player experience, all through one central hub. By leveraging the full potential of our Engagement Platform, operators can unlock more opportunities to reward players, more excitement, and more value than ever before,” said Gil Rotem, President of IGT PlayDigital.

IGT PlayDigital first launched the Engagement Platform in 2023 with a set of promotional tools built to maximize player engagement and entertainment.