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The Canadian gaming industry Gold Rush has started, here are some regulatory aspects to consider

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Gambling Regulations in Canada

Online gambling is a great way to have some fun. However, the trade is a regulated industry. Different countries have different laws and regulations that govern all forms of gambling. Being aware of the regulations can make you safe. In this article, we take an expert look at gambling regulations in Canada.

Any Unregistered Gambling Company is Unlawful

In Canada, any form of gambling not licensed by the Canadian government is illegal. This law applies mostly to physical location-based casinos as well as raffles and bingos. Even so, online gambling is still a grey area. Gambling legislation in Canada doesn’t necessarily prohibit betting through online casinos. However, the betting company must be owned by a provincial administration or be licensed to operate.

Even so, Canadians still access hundreds of offshore betting companies. Such companies are available on the World Wide Web, hence accessible via the Internet. In this case, they are not answerable to the Canadian government. Therefore, they operate freely on the Internet.

Anyone above 19 years in Canada (or above 18 in Alberta and Quebec) can gamble. However, the user should conduct due diligence on the betting company to ascertain its registration and regulation. This is important to avoid losing money on fake sites that trick people. A fully registered online casino comparison website such as Stashbird, is free to operate in Canada. Hence, it is a safe place to begin your search for a lawful gambling site.

Different Provinces Have Own Gambling Laws

Even though gambling is mainly legal in Canada, different provinces and territories have their own gambling regulations. Here is a quick look at some regions and their gambling laws.

Ontario

This province has some of the most relaxed gambling laws in Canada. Here you can play at the regulated Pro-Line or PlayOLG, which are government-managed. Gambling using offshore online casinos remains unregulated.

Quebec

Quebec is also a relatively liberal province. Users can bet using offshore platforms. One can also bet using Espacejeux, which is government-run.

British Columbia

Here, there are 15 physical, legally regulated casinos. In addition, one can bet using PlayNow, the only Canadian sports and betting site available in British Columbia.

Manitoba

Manitoba’s Liquor and Gaming Authority regulates all betting casinos (offline and online) in the province. PlayNow is also the only government-licensed online platform available in the region. Users are also limited to a maximum spend of C$250 per day.

Yukon Territory

Operating a physical casino in Yukon Territory is prohibited. However, various venues can access temporary licenses, but only for three days maximum. In addition, online licensed casinos are unavailable, but offshore betting remains largely unregulated.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Here, the law prohibits physical casinos from operating. Regulated gambling sites are also unavailable. However, one can place bets to a maximum of C$250 per day using the Pro-Line government service.

New Brunswick

Land-based casinos can operate, but only one venue is available in the entire province. The only regulated betting site is Pro-Line.

Nova Scotia

There are two government-owned casinos in Nova Scotia. Pro-Line service is also available for parley gaming.

Saskatchewan

There is a strict regulation against online casinos in Saskatchewan. However, it is possible to play using offshore platforms.

Northwest Territories

No land-based betting halls exist here. Online casinos are also non-existent, even if allowed by the law. The only legal gambling service is Sport Select.

The Take-Away

Gambling in Canada seems like a complex affair, especially when you are new to the country’s gaming laws. However, some legit betting sites have a customer care expert who can answer some of your questions. When you visit any online casinos, ask questions from their experts before betting with them. In this way, together with your background checks, you will be sure that you are betting on a regulated site. There you go! You now have an idea of the gambling regulations in Canada. Always remember to gamble responsibly.

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Canada

PointsBet Canada Renews The Sweep 16 Bracket Challenge with Spotlight Sports Group Ahead of Second Annual PointsBet Invitational Curling Tournament

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Spotlight Sports Group (SSG), a world-leading technology, content and media company specializing in sports betting and fantasy sports, announced that it has built a fully-managed bracket challenge for PointsBet Canada to support its second annual curling tournament.

This partnership follows a successful execution of The Sweep 16 bracket challenge last year, which was well received and saw thousands of participants. This year’s platform has been updated to include new features such as allowing users to create private groups for additional play and enjoyment. This year’s bracket challenge also debuts one-click buttons that promote community connectivity and allow users to share their bracket on any social media platform.

The bracket challenge is hosted on a stand-alone platform and was built with a direct connection to the PointsBet Canada sportsbook so bracket challenge participants can easily place bets on the PointsBet Invitational as well as other sports.

Like last year, participants are competing for a $1 million grand prize, should they create a perfect bracket. The bracket challenge provides a one-stop-shop connection to the men’s and women’s tournaments via an up-to-the-minute tournament tracker that showcases match results in real time.

Commenting on the continued partnership, the US B2B Partnerships Senior Vice-President for Spotlight Sports Group, Rick Wolf, said: “When you have great success in a collaboration like we did last year, it was obvious to expand with PointsBet Canada. The SSG SaaS Games Engine is unique in its ability to create this custom solution with the design and direction of PointsBet’s team. The user experience is paramount and that is why we ensure participants can follow the tournament entirely on the platform and place bets with ease.”

The Chief Commercial Officer for PointsBet Canada, Nic Sulsky, added: “Last year’s inaugural PointsBet Invitational was a resounding success on the ice and The Sweep 16 bracket challenge brought the audience engagement to a new level. The top-notch SSG team manages everything from beginning to end, which allows us to focus on delivering the audience. Our combined success last year meant we could create a platform that mirrored our branding and provided a superior user experience again this year.”

The PointsBet Invitational will run from September 27 through October 1 at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville, Ontario. The Sweep 16 bracket challenge can be filled out at any point before the tournament begins.

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TCSJOHNHUXLEY signs exclusive distributor agreement with Bet Rite

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TCSJOHNHUXLEY signs exclusive distributor agreement with Bet Rite

 

TCSJOHNHUXLEY, the world renowned supplier of end-to-end live gaming solutions, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Bet Rite, as the exclusive distributor of its portfolio of products across all provinces in Canada.

Founded in 2009 and with a team that has over 40 years gaming experience, Bet Rite is a service-oriented gaming supply company dedicated to the Canadian gaming markets. They work with partners to bring world class gaming products and services through well-established distribution channels to the Canadian casino market.

Phil Lee, Managing Director for TCSJOHNHUXLEY Americas commented, “We are very pleased to be working with Bet Rite in Canada. This strategic relationship brings together our industry-leading products with a renowned name in the Canadian gaming market and we are confident this will be a major benefit to all our customers in the region.”

“We are very excited to be working with world class live gaming manufacturer TCSJOHNHUXLEY,” added Bet Rite President, Billy MacLellan. “Our well-established distribution network and knowledge of the Canadian gaming market will ensure casino properties right across the region will benefit from this exclusive distribution agreement, and we look forward to hitting the ground running.”

Bet Rite will be in attendance at the TCSJOHNHUXLEY booth #3259 at G2E Las Vegas from 10th – 12th October, where the full portfolio of products will be showcased.

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Canada

AGCO issues $80,000 penalty related to dealer cheat scheme at Woodbine Casino

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The Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has served Ontario Gaming GTA Limited Partnership (“Casino Woodbine”) with notice of a Monetary Penalty totaling $80,000, following allegations of a cheat-at-play and dealer collusion scheme at Toronto’s Woodbine Casino.

In April 2023, the Ontario Provincial Police Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB), embedded within the AGCO, laid charges against five individuals. The charges follow an investigation into allegations that an electronic craps dealer at Woodbine Casino was in collusion with these patrons.

The AGCO’s Regulatory Compliance Branch subsequently conducted an in-depth compliance review to assess Casino Woodbine’s adherence to the Gaming Control Act, 1992 (the Act) and Registrar’s Standards for Gaming. The Registrar found that Casino Woodbine failed to detect or take appropriate action on available information to prevent the cheat-at-play and dealer collusion scheme, including:

  • internal financial reports and emails indicating substantial and atypical losses from the electronic craps game over a six-month period of time, which were not effectively acted upon;
  • table games supervisors were often absent from the craps table when suspicious gambling activities occurred;
  • video surveillance recordings showing that the electronic craps game failed to follow required rules and procedures and lacked effective supervision;
  • although Casino Woodbine had issued the dealer with seven procedural violations for inappropriately pushing dice to patrons before closing bets, the dealer was allowed to continue dealing electronic craps during that time.

Casino Woodbine fully cooperated with the AGCO’s regulatory review and has committed to addressing deficiencies.

Ontario’s gaming laws require casino operators to implement effective controls to limit the risk of criminal activity, including cheating and collusion between patrons and casino staff. In addition to these penalties, the AGCO will continue monitoring to ensure Casino Woodbine appropriately addresses their controls to better detect and prevent casino cheats and dealer collusion.

A casino operator served with a Notice of an issued Monetary Penalty by the AGCO has the right to appeal the Registrar’s action to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), which is an adjudicative tribunal independent of the AGCO and part of Tribunals Ontario.

Additional Information

The Registrar issued a Monetary Penalty for multiple alleged violations of the Act, which arise from non-compliance with the Registrar’s Standards for Gaming:

  • Standard 4.3, paragraph 2, requiring operators to have adequate supervision in place to ensure adherence to required procedures, including rules of play.
  • Standard 4.14, requiring that operators have mechanisms in place to deter, prevent and detect collusion and cheating;
  • Standard 6.1 paragraph 1, requiring that operators conduct risk assessments to determine the potential for unlawful activities, including money laundering, fraud, theft and cheat at plays.
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Disclaimer: All the information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Always check your local laws before participating in any gaming activities.

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