Canada
Highlights from New Horizons in Responsible Gambling 2021: Player Health Reboot: Resetting the Future
More than 320 attendees gathered virtually for BCLC’s ninth-annual New Horizons in Responsible Gambling Conference on March 9 and 10, 2021. Delegates and speakers logged on from across British Columbia and Canada, the United States, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, England and Macau, among many other locations, to participate in 14 sessions addressing topics and findings around the theme: Player Health Reboot: Resetting the Future.
Keynote speaker Futurist Sanjay Khanna kicked off the conference with his address, Foresight in Gambling Innovation. Khanna detailed the converging-crisis era the globe is grappling with: large-scale environmental and societal changes and how this era will impact the future of the gambling industry. Khanna’s address intertwined how influences like climate change and the proliferation of smart phones and social media will affect player health, social resilience and the future concept of play. He offered suggestions for how operators, product designers and policy makers can use technology, innovation and diversity to ‘reset’ and prepare for a future that is positive, resilient and sustainable.
“Bringing together new creators and inclusive design to the context of disruption is hugely important,” Khanna said. “Player health needs to be player health by design and built in at the early inception of new products and services…What we might want to see out of all of this, is a vision for diverse and inclusive play in gambling.”
In her session, Is it Gambling? Breaking Down Esports, Video Games & Social Games, Dr. Brett Abarbanel, Director of Research at the International Gaming Institute at University of Nevada, Las Vegas examined the definition of gambling and how elements of gambling and chance appear in unexpected ways in video games, Esports, virtual reality and other applications.
“What do you think of when you think of the word, gambling?” she asked attendees. “A casino game, a slot machine, a poker game, the flipping of a coin at the start of a sports game, or when you role the dice in a board game?” Dr. Abarbanel examined how regulators in jurisdictions worldwide are examining these questions in determining the legality of emerging video-gaming elements like loot boxes.
“Game developers, toy designers, spectator-engagement tool creators who are putting these things together, may not even realize the potentially legal and certainly social ramifications of even just adding a simple random number generator to their games or other gambling-like elements.
“How we define gambling really starts to come into play,” she said.
In Breaking through the Sludge, Understanding Human Behaviour Bing Feng, Senior Research Associate at Behavioural Economics in Action at Rotman School of Management, discussed how gambling operators can address ‘sludge’: broadly described as any intervention that impedes positive-decision making, the opposite of a ‘nudge’.
“Reminding people of their goal, or making their goal more salient will increase their motivation to work towards it,” she said of one approach to encouraging healthy play.
Feng highlighted recent research drawing similarities between effective tools used to increase financial literacy and positive gambling behaviours, including: setting limits, tracking behaviours impulse control, risk perception and alternative activity-seeking.
“Key behaviours can help us design better interventions and solutions,” Feng said. “Sometimes we just need to pause, and take a moment to see what we can improve and how we can make things easier and better for our end user.”
In addition to these sessions, New Horizons offered participants sessions on the emerging risks associated with self-directed investing (day trading), a discussion around the regulatory practices of sports betting and how responsible gambling can catch up with the rise of cashless technology.
To stay connected with New Horizons and for information about future virtual sessions, please visit https://horizonsrg.bclc.com/
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation has selected Caesars Entertainment as the Service Provider in the Windsor Casino procurement process. This is the final procurement process in the OLG’s land-based gaming modernization initiative.
Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, said: “We are thrilled to be selected as the service provider for the Windsor Casino by the OLG. Caesars has a long history of managing Windsor and looks forward to continuing to deliver exceptional guest service and experiences at the property.”
Caesars and its predecessor companies have partnered with the OLG to operate Caesars Windsor (fka. Casino Windsor) since the opening of the temporary facility in 1994. Caesars will assume responsibility for gaming and non-gaming operations of the Windsor casino on behalf of the OLG under a 20-year operating agreement, which is expected to begin in 2026.
OLG requires an 18-month restriction on any organizational changes consistent with other gaming bundle modernizations in Ontario. Unionized employees will continue to be governed by the terms of their collective agreement.
Canada
AGCO issues penalties of $151,000 against Great Canadian Entertainment for alleged age verification failures
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued $151,000 in penalties to Great Canadian Entertainment for allegedly failing to prevent minors from accessing gambling on multiple occasions at three Toronto-area casinos.
As part of its investigation, the AGCO reviewed four separate incidents in which minors allegedly gained access to the casino floors and in which some of these minors participated in gambling activities – two cases at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, and one at each of Casino Ajax and Pickering Casino Resort.
The AGCO is committed to ensuring casinos meet Ontario’s high standards of harm reduction and responsible gambling. The AGCO’s Standards require operators to ensure only eligible individuals are permitted into a gambling site and strictly prohibit access to anyone under 19 years of age (except in the course of employment). The Standards also mandate that casino employees have the necessary competence, skills, experience and training to effectively carry out their duties, including age verification.
This enforcement action underscores the AGCO’s dedication to protecting youth and other vulnerable individuals.
A casino operator served with an Order of Monetary Penalty by the AGCO Registrar has the right 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.
“Ontario casino operators have an obligation to ensure minors are not able to access casino floors or activities such as slot machines or table games. The AGCO will continue to monitor and hold all casino operators accountable for fulfilling this important role.” – Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, AGCO.
ToonieBet, Soft2Bet’s flagship online casino and sportsbook for Ontario, has officially launched its sportsbook on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The platform is tailored specifically for local players, offering a dynamic betting experience with a broad range of sports events and competitive odds. The platform also features personalised promotions and loyalty rewards designed to match the preferences of Ontario’s diverse betting community.
The sportsbook uses official data feeds, ensuring players have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information on top local and international sports events. Additionally, the platform offers live broadcasting with real-time match analytics, allowing users to make informed betting decisions as events unfold. Integrated with MEGA and advanced player account management features, the operator is committed to delivering a seamless and responsible gaming environment that enhances the overall player experience while supporting local sports initiatives.
As part of this launch, the platform has also introduced a Sportsbook section on its official website, expanding its portfolio and bringing more choice to its growing customer base. With access to over 85,000 live events each month and more than 70,000 pre-match events across a wide range of sports, players now have even more ways to bet on what they love. Soft2Bet’s Canadian brand invites all players to explore its standout online casino and the full spectrum of sports betting, all delivered through a fast, secure, and fully localised platform.
Since its debut at the end of 2024, ToonieBet has offered a fast, fair, and secure online casino and sportsbook experience, fully localised for Ontario’s vibrant gaming market. The Apple App and Google Play additions further enhance accessibility, bringing ToonieBet’s premium entertainment to players on the go.
Additionally, this milestone complements the operator’s recent partnership with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, which made ToonieBet the Official Online Casino Partner of the team. The partnership includes in-arena branding, digital promotions, and fan engagement initiatives like social contests, allowing ToonieBet to connect with Ontario sports fans in exciting ways and offering chances to win team merchandise and tickets.
Yoel Zuckerberg, Soft2Bet’s Chief Product Officer, said: “As Soft2Bet continues our rapid growth, we are excited to provide Ontario players with access to ToonieBet’s sportsbook which is now available on the Apple App and Google Play Store, offering seamless access to a customised experience tailored for the province’s passionate gaming community.”
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