Canada
The Future of Play: New Horizons Conference 2021
The last twelve months has seen the way we work, live and play change dramatically in light of the global pandemic. At BCLC, we’ve pivoted our approach to business and accelerated our player health response to meet our players’ needs in a quickly changing societal context and entertainment landscape.
For some individuals, the rapid pace of change, combined with increased isolation, has been difficult. To make it easier for our players to access resources and to keep gambling fun and safe during these challenging times, BCLC has made GameSense Advisors available to players by phone and by online chat through PlayNow.com. GameSense Advisors have experience in areas such as mental health, cultural sensitivity and appropriate-response training to support players in a variety of situations. They also assist players by providing information that is essential to making informed decisions and connecting players to appropriate support resources where needed.
Now is the time to look at ways to move from the “new normal” to a “new future”. At this year’s Ninth Annual New Horizons in Responsible Gambling Conference, our theme, Player Health Reboot: Resetting the Future, embodies both reflection and imagination – with the clear purpose of inspiring success now and in the future.
Joining us as our keynote speaker is Futurist Sanjay Khanna, an expert in strategic foresight, who will kick-off two days of exciting dialogue by sharing his insights into global change and its implications for cultures of play and innovation in a post-pandemic era.
I had the opportunity to chat with Sanjay recently and ask him some tough questions about the future of the gambling industry and how the concept of play will evolve along with technological innovations and a drive towards greater sustainability. Here’s a preview into my discussion with him, and what he will he talk about at New Horizons.
Q: New Horizons connects industry-leading experts, specialists, and researchers from around the world to find solutions to keep gambling safer and reduce harms. If you could give one piece of advice to the gambling industry, what would it be?
A: Focus on keeping gambling safer and reducing harms by taking an innovation-led approach to developing new gambling experiences. These should involve a wider array of considerations about experience design, social engagement and evidence-based risk mitigation. There’s massive space for really exciting kinds of innovation that are considerate of people, are thoughtful, and use evidence and research effectively.
Q: You write that climate change defines us more than we realize by leading to lower earnings, uncertain employment prospects and mental-health burdens. What does the gambling industry need to do today to build resilience?
A: There are five important climate crisis stakeholders: Customers, employees, communities, allied businesses, and governments. For customers and employees, the industry could strive, for example, to attract socially responsible gamblers, who desire digitally and architecturally compelling gambling environments with a mix of exciting engagement and serenity. For communities, allied businesses, and governments, the industry could use social innovation to foster cooperation to address climate risks and build resilience. The industry will also need to take steps to mitigate physical risks of extreme weather and climate change to digital and physical infrastructure assets. From this perspective, two keys to resilience building include developing new physical infrastructures to higher engineering standards, as well as powering operations with renewable and redundant energy systems.
Q: Do you think our concept of play will change?
A: The concept of play won’t change, but where and how the instinct of play is harnessed will expand with further gamification of apps, services, and work, too. I’m concerned, for example, that play will continue to be monetized at scale with competitive rather than cooperative play impulses utterly dominant. Competitive elements of play can be more problematic if chronic economic stressors after the pandemic make people feel more desperate and therefore contribute to increasing individuals’ stress levels. That’s why one pertinent question for gambling innovators is: How might digital and physical gambling experiences be fortified with more creative and cooperative play instincts?
Q: With your future perspective, when it comes to the gambling industry ten years from now, what would be the three trends you would predict based on current conditions?
A: Deeper digitization, more innovative use of virtual reality, augmented reality and Internet of Things technologies to support the development of really interesting and compelling experiences that are part of the gambling experience. Underlining that is what I hope will be a focus on ways the gambling industry might enrich society by emphasizing player health, sustainability and resilience within purpose.
To learn more, join us at New Horizons where Sanjay will further explore concepts of play and innovation as well as the risks associated with data and technological advancements. He will also highlight the need to explore plausible scenarios within which play may occur, while inspiring conference participants to reboot player health by harnessing values of responsible gambling and breakthrough innovation.
New Horizons in Responsible Gambling takes place March 9 and 10, 2021 virtually. Sanjay Khanna’s keynote address kicks things off on March 9.
The Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) has launched the “Know Your Play” campaign in partnership with EPIC Global Solutions, Kindbridge Behavioral Health, and the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC). This is a major initiative designed to provide college-aged students with detailed content focused on responsible gaming, mental health and well-being, and financial literacy.
“College students are learning to navigate newfound financial independence and equipping this age group with resources to make informed decisions that can build good financial habits will serve them throughout their lives, whether they engage in gaming or not. While previous programs have focused on student-athletes, our campaign intends to educate the broader student population about responsible gaming concepts that can help this age group set realistic expectations and see gaming as a form of entertainment, not as a way of making money,” ROGA Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Shatley said.
The campaign utilizes digital learning tools, resources, and videos available to all college-aged students at knowyourplay.org, even if they are not enrolled in a university. These resources will educate students on key responsible gaming concepts, including randomness, impulsiveness, and limit setting, while addressing myths like the illusion of control in sports betting. It will also focus on the role stress and mental health play in overall student wellbeing and provide practical tips for management. Additionally, extended resources will be piloted with select universities.
“EPIC has vast expertise and experience in creating programs that resonate with college-aged audiences and are delighted to partner with ROGA on a campaign that will provide critical education to college students across the country. By combining expert knowledge with personal stories, our program aims to foster a well-rounded understanding of financial literacy, decision-making, and risk-taking,” Teresa Fiore, SVP of Partnerships at EPIC Global Solutions, said.
The campaign will begin rolling out at college campuses over the next several weeks with in-person learning sessions and workshops in tandem with digital delivery tools for greater accessibility and reach, ensuring that the program effectively engages students across diverse campuses and demographics.
“College life presents unique pressures, from financial independence to academic performance, all of which can impact mental health. By fostering decision-making skills that bridge these areas, we’re helping students build resilience, manage stress, and develop healthy habits that will serve them well beyond their college years,” Kindbridge Group CEO Daniel Umfleet, said.
“College students face an increased risk of harm from gambling, making prevention education essential in protecting this important audience. RGC has a long history of creating prevention programs for young adults, and we are proud to partner with ROGA on this crucial initiative. This campaign will equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions should they choose to gamble. By providing valuable information, digital tools, and resources, we are empowering young adults to approach gambling with a lower-risk mindset and reduce potential harm,” RGC CEO Sarah McCarthy said.
Siyata Mobile Inc, a global vendor of Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) devices and cellular signal booster systems, announced a new order for SD7 handsets and related accessories for a new customer, a leading gaming and entertainment company located in Canada.
This order marks one of Siyata’s first entries into the gaming and casino industry, a sector with significant growth potential for the Company. The customer operates dozens of gaming, entertainment, and hospitality venues across Canada and will deploy the SD7 handsets for Push-to-Talk (PTT) communications among its security and maintenance teams.
“This new order is an exciting milestone for Siyata as we expand further into the gaming and casino market. There is a growing industry trend toward modern, cellular-based communication solutions. Casinos require reliable, cost-effective, and easy-to-use communication tools with exceptional audio clarity, and our SD7 handsets and accessories are an ideal fit for those demands. This casino is replacing traditional Land Mobile Radio (LMR) two-way radios with advanced PoC technology for its security and maintenance personnel. The SD7’s robust capabilities, including instant push-to-talk functionality and superior coverage, make it an attractive choice for businesses prioritizing security and operational efficiency,” Marc Seelenfreund, CEO of Siyata Mobile, said.
CasinoCanada, the number one gambling guide for players in Canada, is thrilled to announce its new partnership with Ocean Spin a brand under the umbrella of LaLa Stars.
This collaboration marks an exciting step in CasinoCanada’s mission to provide its audience with the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on top gaming experiences.
The partnership agreement will grant LaLa Stars premium visibility across high-traffic sections of CasinoCanada’s website, which has been a trusted source for Canadian players for over 20 years.
LaLa Stars presents itself as an affiliate program that generates double-digit profits by making it easy and enjoyable to promote the brands. The program features a memorable design, a player-centric retention system, top-tier payment options, and game providers. Fast payments, flexible commission models, high-converting brands, powerful reporting, no middlemen, and outstanding conversion make LaLa Stars a popular choice. Additional company benefits are: a revenue share of up to 60%, a CPA of up to €500, hybrid CPA.
Ocean Spin Casino, a brand of LaLa Stars company, despite being quite new on the iGaming market, is a huge online gambling platform where all casino newcomers are greeted with a welcome bonus of 100% for up to €500, and 200 free spins plus one Bonus Crab. It comes as a first deposit bonus for a minimum deposit amount of €20. Sports-betting enthusiasts can also claim a welcome bonus of 100% for up to €100.
Ocean Spin Casino’s games include: gaming machines, roulette blackjack, betting, video poker, bingo, baccarat, jackpot games, and live games.
“We are excited to meet our new partner Ocean Spin Casino, and hope to bring maximum use and value to our community,” said Aleksandra Drigo, Sales Director at CasinoCanada. “This partnership perfectly reflects our dedication to highlighting the best in the gaming industry while offering our audience valuable insights and chances to experience top-notch gaming. We hope for a productive and long-term partnership!”
The partnership is now live, featuring LaLa Stars reviews and exclusive offers on the CasinoCanada website. This collaboration is set to deliver even more thrilling updates, exclusive content, and personalized promotions for the Canadian gambling community.
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