Canada

CGA Update: More of Canada’s Gaming Industry Opens

Published

5 years ago

July 29, 2020

CGA Update: More of Canada's Gaming Industry Opens

The Canadian Gaming Association extends a warm welcome back to operators and employees as more of Canada’s gaming industry re-opens!

SIGA

Congratulations to the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA), which operates seven of Saskatchewan’s nine casinos, on a successful re-opening earlier this month.

Manitoba

After being closed down for more than four months, casinos in Manitoba will be allowed to re-open this week.

The new plan proposes casinos may re-open with a maximum occupancy of 30% including staff.

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL) will be able to open the Club Regent Casino, the McPhillips Station Casino, and the Shark Club Gaming Centre on Wednesday, July 29.
Loto-Québec

Loto-Québec began to gradually re-open its facilities on July 3 in a staggered schedule, with operations adjusted to comply with physical distancing and health and safety standards. Network bingo, VLT and Kinzo network, Hilton Lac-Leamy, Casino de Charlevois, Casino de Mont-Tremblant, Québec and Trois-Rivières gaming halls most recently Casino du Lac Leamy have re-opened. Only the Casino de Montréal remains to open on August 3.
In Ontario, while most regions with casinos have been given permission to re-open, the current indoor capacity limit of 50 doesn’t make this economically viable. The CGA is working with all Ontario operators to propose a pod-based plan to the provincial government that would allow facilities to open with multiple pods of 50 (average 6-7) with robust health and safety measures in place.

Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) Update

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Last week Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced proposed changes to the CEWS that would broaden the reach of the program and provide better targeted support so that more workers can return to their jobs quickly as the economy restarts. Proposed changes included in the Government’s draft legislative proposals would, among others:

Allow the extension of the CEWS until December 19, 2020, including redesigned program details until November 21, 2020.
Make the subsidy accessible to a broader range of employers by including employers with a revenue decline of less than 30% and providing a gradually decreasing base subsidy to all qualifying employers.
Introduce a top-up subsidy of up to an additional 25% for employers that have been most adversely affected by the pandemic.
Provide certainty to employers that have already made business decisions for July and August by ensuring they would not receive a subsidy rate lower than they would have had under the previous rules.

Supreme Court of Canada Decision on Atlantic Lottery Corporation Inc. v. Babstock

The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) applauds the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision not to allow a class action lawsuit about video lottery terminals (VLTs) to go forward.

The Court’s decision can be found here.

The CGA was granted intervenor status in 2019 in the Atlantic Lottery Corporation Inc. v. Babstock in support of the appellants, the Atlantic Lottery Corporation and its VLT and software suppliers and was represented by McCarthy Tétrault LLP.

The Court unanimously echoed a couple of the CGA’s key submissions, and we are pleased the association was able to support our industry, and that the perspective of the Canadian gaming community was taken into account so that the Supreme Court was able to release a principled decision that benefits the industry as a whole.

Brandon Kain, Partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP, who successfully defended our industry, had these insights to share:

“For the CGA and its members, the most significant outcome of this decision is the Court’s narrow reading of the offence-creating provisions of the Criminal Code. The Court unanimously rejected the plaintiffs’ proposed interpretation, which would have made all VLTs and similar gaming offerings legally suspect. CGA members can also take comfort in the Court’s conclusions with respect to disgorgement, breach of contract, and good faith. Each of these will make it difficult or impossible for plaintiffs to certify class actions based on allegations that a gaming offering somehow did not provide players with what they paid for, without establishing – or at least asserting – that the players suffered a legally compensable loss as a consequence.”

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AGCO Fines Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto $350,000 for Serious Regulatory Violations Linked to Impromptu After-Party on Gaming Floor

Published

3 days ago

June 30, 2025

Niji Narayan

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.

Canada

IGT and Atlantic Lottery Sign Eight-Year Video Lottery Central System Technology Agreement

Published

3 days ago

June 30, 2025

Niji Narayan

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.

Canada

NetGaming Goes Live in Ontario with Rush Street Interactive via BetRivers Platform

Published

2 weeks ago

June 20, 2025

George Miller

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.