Canada

Greo and CCSA Release New Report Named “Gambling Availability and Advertising in Canada: A Call to Action”

Published

5 months ago

July 5, 2024

Recent gambling policy changes in Canada have led to increased opportunities to legally bet on sports and gamble online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The report “Gambling Availability and Advertising in Canada: A Call to Action” looks at the impacts of legal gambling in Canada since the approval of the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act in 2021. The report recommends developing a pan-Canadian strategy to address gambling-related harms. This is a new report by Greo Evidence Insights (Greo) and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA).

This call to action is in response to the significant increase in gambling advertising on billboards, social media, at commercial breaks during sports broadcasts and during sporting events. Increased gambling availability and advertising are expected to contribute to increased gambling in Canada, thereby posing a significant risk of harms among the general population, particularly for youth, young adults and other vulnerable populations.

The report also describes how the increased availability of gambling and in gambling advertising are of great concern because:

The types of gambling being made available and promoted (single-event sports betting and live or in-play betting) are associated with a greater risk of harm. For example, single-event sports betting increases gambling intensity and gives an illusion of control over the outcome as people believe their knowledge of the game gives them a competitive edge.
The volume of gambling advertisements repeatedly pairing sports with betting normalizes gambling, leading people to think of betting as an integral part of being a sports fan.
Increased availability of gambling and in gambling advertising are happening at a time when many people in Canada are more vulnerable to problematic gambling and gambling-related harms because of the lingering health impacts of COVID-19 and a rise in the cost of living.

“Over the last few years, we have witnessed some of the most significant changes in gambling policy since the 1970s. We have seen a massive increase in gambling advertising and opportunities to gamble. We can no longer watch sports with our kids or go online without being subjected to an overwhelming amount of gambling advertising. Canada is at a critical moment in how it manages gambling. A national strategy or framework — similar to what we have for alcohol, tobacco and cannabis — is critical to manage the expected increase in gambling harm, especially among youth and other vulnerable people,” explained Dr. Matthew Young, Chief Research Officer at Greo, Senior Research Associate at the CCSA and Adjunct Professor at Carleton University.

The report recommends developing a national strategy that will:

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Develop national standards governing the promotion and availability of gambling;
Manage conflicts of interest among gambling stakeholders;
Address inadequate funding for gambling harm prevention and reduction initiatives and research;
Monitor systematic changes in gambling-related harm, including any assessments of the social and economic costs of gambling; and
Increase awareness of gambling-related harms among health and social service professionals and the public.

“Increased gambling among people living in Canada will undoubtebly result in increased harms and therefore increased societal costs. These include healthcare costs, criminal-justice costs, child welfare costs, increased unemployment and lost productivity costs because of gambling-related suicide. We need to think about our approach and ensure that it considers not only short-term government revenue and economic activity but also the longer-term societal costs. That’s why we need a national strategy,” Dr. Pam Kent, Director of Research and Emerging Trends at CCSA, said.

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The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Plans to Open a Gaming Facility in Benzonia

Published

15 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Niji Narayan

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians plans to open a gaming facility in Benzonia.

“The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians wishes to share with the public the exciting news that the tribe will open a new gaming facility on its trust land in Benzie County. The facility will create much-needed new employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth for the tribe and for the local community,” reads an undated press release on the tribe’s website.

The gaming facility will be located at the tribe’s community center at 7282 Hoadley Road, in Benzonia, according to the release.

At the Nov. 26 Benzie County Board of Commissioners, John Petoskey spoke to commissioners about the gaming facility on behalf of the tribe.

Petoskey said he had been in contact with county officials about the gaming facility.

“What the tribe would like to do is to open a gaming facility on Hoadly Road just down the street from the Wesco gas station,” Petoskey said.

He said the tribe submitted a notice of notification to the National Indian Gaming Commission and the Office of Indian Gaming in the summer of 2023.

“In the view of the tribe, this site is eligible for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act under what’s know as restored land exception to the categorical prohibition of gaming after 1988. That was basically the same argument the tribe used for Turtle Creek and was successful in that case,” Petoskey said.

He said state officials also have been notified of the tribe’s intent.

Petoskey said federal officials had 120 days to review the notice and object.

“At this point, they have not raised objections, so our internal gaming commission at the Grand Traverse Band issued a gaming license on Nov. 21,” he said.

He said after the license was issued, the tribe reached out to Benzie County officials so that they would know what was going on at tribal land and could answer questions from the public.

The tribal center will be renovated to accommodate gaming The tribe also has a housing development on the property.

Petoskey said the facility will feature slot machines and table games.

Work on the renovation has already started, including electrical and architectural work.

Expanded parking may be constructed if “demand is sufficient” Petoskey said.

He also said the gaming facility would create between 20 and 50 jobs.

Canada

Bojoko.ca Celebrates Record-breaking Month in October 2024

Published

4 days ago

November 29, 2024

Niji Narayan

Bojoko.ca, a leading online casino comparison site in Canada, has announced its best-ever performance since launching in 2021. October 2024 marked a new milestone for the platform, recording the highest number of First Time Depositors (FTDs) and the most significant commission earnings in its history.

The number of FTDs surged with 35% growth from what was already the all-time best result in September. This achievement cements Bojoko.ca’s position as a trusted leader in the Canadian iGaming industry, providing users with transparent and user-centric resources for finding the best online casino experiences.

In addition to the record-breaking FTDs, Bojoko.ca saw its highest-ever monthly commissions, underscoring the platform’s exceptional performance and the trust it has built with users and partners.

Joonas Karhu, CEO of Bojoko, said: “This is a proud moment for Bojoko.ca and the entire team. Since launching in 2021, our mission has been to empower our users to discover safe casinos that match their criteria, and this record-breaking month demonstrates that we have earned the trust of Canadian players. We could not be more excited and are more committed than ever to raising the bar in the iGaming industry.”

Canada

awager Partners with Loto-Québec to Launch Advanced Live-Stream Slot Solution

Published

5 days ago

November 27, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

awager’s live-stream solution brings physical slot machine games online, delivering an authentic casino experience remotely. Today, awager proudly announces the launch of its latest product version with Loto-Québec. Building on two successful years with awager’s second product version, this latest release introduces an advanced solution that brings the realism of the casino floor to players’ devices, offering an even more immersive experience through awager’s enhanced technology.

This product launch features awager’s unique “Casino-in-Casino” solution, part of a suite of offerings designed to deliver real-time, physical casino experience. A dedicated studio has been built on the Casino de Montréal floor.

This product version aims to bring the most authentic online casino experience yet. With a multitude of camera angles, real-time player engagement, full machine interaction, 4K video streaming with minimal lag, and full sound capture, players can enjoy an immersive session that captures the spirit of the casino. Additionally, a 3D video simulation was created, allowing players to “walk through” the Casino de Montréal when they enter the awager lobby, providing a true-to-life ambience for a realistic experience.

This launch strengthens a partnership with Loto-Québec that began in 2022, when awager’s second product version first captivated players. With its third version now live, awager and Loto-Québec are set to continue their successful collaboration, elevating digital casino gaming for players across Québec.

Warren Steven, GM of North America for awager: We are proud to work alongside Loto-Québec and to provide the province’s players with the most advanced and exciting casino technology on the market.

We truly believe that the third version of our product is the most innovative yet and that there is nothing else quite like it on the market. It immerses players in the online casino environment and provides a unique experience, blurring the line between land-based and online casino action.

The Canadian market is a key strategic market for awager in North America, and it is a privilege to work alongside Loto-Québec and provide its customers with this exciting new experience.

François Hardy, Senior Director of Products and Innovation at Loto-Québec: At Loto-Québec, we are always looking for new and exciting ways to entertain our players. We want to be able to provide them with the latest technology and gaming on the market. Awager’s product perfectly aligns with this vision, enabling us to provide a refreshing and dynamic experience to our players.