Canada
Bragg Gaming Nominates Kent Young, Don Robertson, and Ron Baryoseph to the Board of Directors
Bragg Gaming Group announced that it has filed a notice of meeting and management information circular (Circular) in respect of its upcoming annual meeting of shareholders (Meeting) to be held on Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 10:00 am (Toronto Time).
In addition, the Company also announced that there will be three new nominees for election to its board of directors (the Board). The new nominees will replace three existing directors, Paul Godfrey (Chair), Paul Pathak, and Rob Godfrey, who have each opted not to stand for re-election to the Board at the Meeting. Paul Godfrey has entered into a 24-month consulting agreement under which he will provide the Company with advisory services.
Including the new nominees, there will be seven individuals nominated for election to the Board. The election of the three new directors will add significant gaming and financial industry experience to the Board and demonstrates Bragg’s ongoing commitment toward initiatives to further establish the Company as a leading global provider of innovative online gaming content. Set out below are the new nominees together with brief background information on each.
Kent Young
Kent Young is an innovator, entrepreneur, and longtime leader in the global gaming industry. In a career spanning more than 30 years, he has held senior executive positions with Bragg and other prominent companies, including Aristocrat Technologies in Australia and America; and Aruze Gaming America. While at Aristocrat, Mr. Young held several roles including Vice President of Research and Development and Global General Manager of Marketing. In this role, Mr. Young helped spearhead the successful effort to introduce and popularize “penny slots” in the industry and significantly contributed to Aristocrats North American market entry. He has served on multiple industry boards including the Gaming Standards Association. An entrepreneur, Kent successfully founded, built, and sold two gaming technology companies – True Blue Gaming and Spin Games. Kent holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from James Cook University of North Queensland. He and his wife, Christina, are based in Reno, Nevada, where they are deeply involved in supporting nonprofit organizations with their time, skills, and assets.
Don Robertson (Independent)
Don Robertson has more than 25 years of corporate finance, risk management, and governance experience and is currently serving on the Board of Directors of Orillia Power Generation Corporation. He served as Managing Director and Head of Global M&A at Scotiabank from 2017 to 2022 and as Chief Executive Officer, Canada and Head of Corporate Finance, Americas at Standard Chartered Bank from 2012 to 2016 as well as Managing Director and Head of Canadian M&A at Credit Suisse from 2006 to 2012. Earlier in his career, Mr. Robertson served as a Director at RBC Capital Markets from 1997 to 2006 and Articled at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP from 1996 to 1997. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Laurentian University, an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University, and a JD from the Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1998.
Ron Baryoseph (Independent)
Ron Baryoseph is a gaming industry veteran with over 30 years of experience in the North American regulated land based and online gaming sectors. Ron is president of RBY Gaming which has provided distribution, sales, and consulting services to companies including Cammegh, Playtech, Inspired Gaming, Suzo Happ, Softweave, e Connect, Tangiamo, Apt Pay, and others. Prior to opening RBY Gaming, Ron served as SVP of Amaya Gaming. During his tenure, Amaya acquired The Stars Group as well as Cadillac Jack which was subsequently sold to AGS. Ron has also held senior positions with Aristocrat Technologies, IGT, TCS John Huxley, and Paulson Gaming Supplies (now GPI). His strategic planning and collaborative style have led to numerous successes.
Yaniv Sherman, Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bragg, said: “We are delighted to welcome Kent Young, Don Robertson, and Ron Baryoseph to the Board. We believe their collective gaming industry experience, relationships and expertise will provide a significant boost to our continued execution on our many B2B iGaming growth opportunities as we seek to deliver profitable revenue growth and increasing cash flow which will ultimately drive enhanced value for our shareholders. We are confident that the changes to the Board announced today will help take our Company to the next level.
“Paul Godfrey has served as the Chair of the Board since January 2021, and Paul Pathak and Rob Godfrey have dutifully served on the Board and various committees of the Board since 2019. The Company sincerely thanks Messrs. Godfrey, Pathak, and Godfrey for their significant contributions and guidance to the Company. During their time on the Board, Bragg has transformed itself and become a global organization with a diverse platform of game development studios and leading technology. As directors, they played an important role in helping to expand our iGaming capabilities including through the acquisitions of Spin Games and Wild Streak Gaming, which have significantly enhanced our game development efforts and provided an important foundation for our North American expansion which is successfully diversifying our business. More recently, they have helped foster our successful content-led focus which has seen Bragg begin to deliver proprietary and exclusive third-party content to a growing roster of iGaming operators around the globe.”
Canada
AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor
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.
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.
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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