Canada
OLG and Team Canada Launch Official Partnership Ahead of Paris 2024
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has entered into a partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee and has become the Official Ontario Lottery Partner of Team Canada for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Ontario is ready to cheer on Team Canada athletes as they compete in Paris this summer. This new partnership is showcasing one of the many ways OLG’s support makes a difference to people and communities across the province,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming.
“We are thrilled to welcome OLG to Team Canada. Ontario has such a rich sporting history and OLG has long been a supporter of sport and amateur athletes. We know this support has made a profound impact on athletes across the province, whether they’re engaged in sport at the grassroots level or pursuing their Olympic dreams,” said Jacqueline Ryan, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee and CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation.
“We are so pleased to be entering a new partnership with OLG and welcoming them into the Canadian Paralympic community. We know support for sport and athletes has been important to OLG for many years, and we are excited to work with them to continue to champion Ontario’s Para athletes and inclusive sport across Ontario,” said Karen O’Neill, CEO, Canadian Paralympic Committee.
As momentum builds toward the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, OLG is also shining a spotlight on its players, who have helped support amateur athletes in Ontario by playing with OLG. The new “Sponsored by You” campaign reinforces that when you play with OLG, you support Ontario athletes.
Since 2006, OLG and the Ontario government have supported high-performance amateur athletes through the Quest for Gold athlete assistance program. The program has provided direct financial support to thousands of amateur athletes, enhancing their ability to train by offsetting the costs of training and living expenses.
“Many people don’t realize 100 per cent of OLG’s profits are reinvested into Ontario, and that we have a longstanding history of supporting amateur athletes. OLG’s ability to give back to communities is only possible thanks to our players, so we wanted to use this opportunity to recognize and celebrate them,” said Maxine Chapman, VP Brand & Marketing Officer at OLG.
OLG’s campaign features Team Canada athletes Andre De Grasse, Penny Oleksiak, Maggie Mac Neil, Jillian Weir and other Ontario athletes and Para athletes who have received funding from Ontario’s Quest for Gold program.
“Training for the Olympics takes a lot of preparation – physically, mentally and financially – and it’s not something you can succeed at alone. Having programs like Quest for Gold to help and knowing your community is supporting you makes all the difference, especially when you’re competing on the world stage,” said six-time Olympic medallist Andre De Grasse.
The success of the Quest for Gold program shows in the numbers – in the last four Olympic cycles, over 90% of Ontario medal winners had received Quest for Gold funding during their career.
“The Quest for Gold program showcases our government’s continued efforts to enable Ontario athletes to achieve their full potential at the highest levels of competition. We are proud to join with the OLG, our partners across the sport sector and all Ontarians in wishing our Olympic and Paralympic athletes the best of luck in Paris,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport.
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.
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.
High Roller Technologies, operator of the premium online casino brands High Roller and Fruta, announced the submission of its Internet Gaming Operator license application in Ontario, Canada, targeting the launch of its flagship brand HighRoller.com in the second half of 2025.
“The submission of our licensing application to access Ontario’s regulated online gambling market is an important milestone in our Company’s journey. Once our application is approved, we anticipate that we will have the opportunity to launch our online casino product into the market later this year,” said Ben Clemes, Chief Executive Officer at High Roller.
Ontario is one of the largest regulated online gambling markets in the world as measured by gross gaming revenue. In 2024, regulated online gambling operators within the province generated approximately $2.3B in gross gaming revenue, and growth continues to be recorded in the first half of 2025. Recently, the province of Alberta passed enabling legislation to establish a regulatory framework for online gambling. Once available, the Company also intends to pursue licensure in Alberta to expand its regulated market footprint in Canada.
“Ontario is missing an elegant brand like High Roller. We’re excited to roll out the red carpet for our new customers, and we’re looking forward to showcasing our tremendous product,” said Clemes.
The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) has released the program for its upcoming annual conference, to be held in Toronto from 20-23 October.
With the theme ‘Resilient regulation: Exploring what works, why and what’s next’, the event brings together global regulators and thought leaders to examine how regulatory frameworks can evolve to meet today’s challenges.
The four-day program explores timely issues, including the rise of AI and behavioural analytics, the impact of converging technologies, cross-border collaboration and the continued push to strengthen responsible gambling policies.
IAGR President Ben Haden said the program offers a strong preview of the content and conversations delegates can expect in Toronto.
‘This year’s program showcases the breadth and complexity of the challenges facing gambling regulators worldwide, from protecting player wellbeing to tackling illegal markets and understanding new technologies,’ Haden said.
‘I encourage regulators, researchers and policy professionals from around the world to join us in Toronto. The conference is a space to learn, share experience, challenge assumptions and shape the future of effective, collaborative regulation.’
Confirmed speakers and panellists include:
- Andrew Rhodes, CEO, Gambling Commission, Great Britain
- Anders Dorph, Director, Danish Gambling Authority, Denmark
- Dr Karin Schnarr, CEO and Registrar, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, Canada
- Mark Vander Linden, Director of Research and Responsible Gaming and Carrie Torrisi, Chief of Sports Wagering Division, Massachusetts Gaming Commission, United States
- Bashir Are, CEO, Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Nigeria
- Teo Chun Ching, Chief Executive, Gambling Regulatory Authority, Singapore
- Ladipo Abiose Akolade, Founder, GamblePause Initiative Africa, Nigeria
- Rasmus Kjaergaard, CEO, Mindway AI, Denmark
- Tracy Parker, Senior Vice President, Accreditation, Advisory and Insights, Responsible Gambling Council, Canada
- Pedro Romero, Chief of Safer Gambling Partnerships, BetBlocker, Gibraltar
- Sonia Wasowska, Head of Supervision, General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, United Arab Emirates
- Steven Blackburn, Partner, Ashurst Risk Advisory, Australia
The event will be held at The Westin Harbour Castle on Toronto’s waterfront.
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