Canada
Fraudsters in Canada Shift Focus to Travel and Leisure
As the prevalence of digital fraud attempts on businesses and consumers continues to rise, TransUnion’s newest quarterly analysis found that fraudsters are re-focusing their efforts from financial services to the travel and leisure and gaming industries.
Across industries, the rate of suspected digital fraud attempts1 rose 16.5% globally when comparing Q2 2021 to Q2 2020. In Canada, the percentage of digital fraud attempts increased at a much higher rate of 44.9% during the same time period. Gaming and travel and leisure were the two most impacted industries globally for the suspected digital fraud attempt rate, rising 393.0% and 155.9% in the last year, respectively. In Canada, this rate rose 209.8% for gaming and 216.1% for travel and leisure.
TransUnion monitors digital fraud attempts reported by businesses in varied industries such as gambling, gaming, financial services, healthcare, insurance, retail and travel and leisure, among others. The conclusions are based on intelligence from billions of transactions and more than 40,000 websites and apps contained in its flagship identity proofing, risk-based authentication and fraud analytics solution suite – TransUnion TruValidate™.
“It is quite common for fraudsters to shift their focus every few months from one industry to another,” said Anne-Marie Kelly, head of Market Development, Identity Management and Fraud Solutions at TransUnion. “Fraudsters tend to seek out industries that may be seeing an immense growth in transactions. This quarter, as countries began to open up more from their COVID-19 lockdowns and travel and other leisure activities became more mainstream, fraudsters clearly made this industry a top target. The immense growth in gaming fraud also can likely be attributed to the shifts in focus of fraudsters as this growing market becomes a larger target.”
An example of the shift in focus of fraudsters can be seen in financial services. Global financial services suspected online fraud attempt rates had risen 149% when comparing the first four months of 2021 and the last four months of 2020. But when comparing Q2 2021 and Q2 2020, the rate of suspected online financial services fraud attempts have still risen, but at a much lower rate of 18.8% globally and 29.7% in Canada.
Global Industry Year-over-Year Suspected Digital Fraud Attempt Rate Increases and Declines in Q2 2021
| Industry | Suspected Fraud Percentage Change |
Top Type of Fraud | |
| Largest Percentage Increases | |||
| Gaming | 393.0% | Gold Farming | |
| Travel & Leisure | 155.9% | Credit Card Fraud | |
| Gambling | 36.2% | Policy/License Agreement Violations | |
| Largest Percentage Declines | |||
| Logistics | -49.2% | Shipping Fraud | |
| Telecommunications | -30.8% | True Identity Theft | |
| Insurance | -16.7% | Suspected Ghost Broker | |
Industry Year-over-Year Suspected Digital Fraud Attempt Rate Increases and Declines in Q2 2021 Coming from Canada
| Industry | Suspected Fraud Percentage Change |
Top Type of Fraud | |
| Largest Percentage Increases | |||
| Travel & Leisure | 216.1% | Credit Card Fraud | |
| Gaming | 209.8% | Gold Farming | |
| Retail | 139.4% | Inappropriate Content | |
| Logistics | 90.3% | Shipping Fraud | |
| Largest Percentage Declines | |||
| Telecommunications | -97.2% | True Identity Theft | |
| Gambling | -39.8% | Policy/License Agreement Violations | |
| Communities (Online dating, forums, etc.) |
-22.2% | Profile Misrepresentation | |
More than one-third of consumers continue to be targeted by COVID-19 related digital fraud
As online fraud attempts against businesses continue to escalate, one in three consumers stated that they have been targeted by a digital fraud scheme related to COVID-19 during the second quarter of 2021. TransUnion’s Consumer Pulse study in June 2021 found that approximately 36% of global survey respondents said they were targeted by fraudsters in COVID-19 related digital schemes. The same percentage of respondents (36%) in Canada also said they were targeted.
Phishing is the top type of COVID-19 related digital fraud impacting global consumers in Q2 2021. Phishing is a cybercrime that uses methods like email, text messages and websites to steal personal information, which criminals use to commit identity and financial crimes. Among global consumers who say they were targeted with COVID-19-related digital fraud, 33% state they have been targeted by or fallen victim to such fraud. Stolen credit card or fraudulent charges was the second most cited type of COVID-19 related online fraud among those targeted, affecting global consumers at 24%. In Canada, phishing was number one at 41% followed by stolen credit card or fraudulent charges at 25%.
“More than one in three Canadians surveyed have been targeted by or fallen victim to digital fraud during the pandemic, placing even more pressure on businesses to ensure their customers are confident in transacting with them,” said Kelly. “As fraudsters continue to target consumers, it’s incumbent on businesses to do all that they can to ensure their customers have an appropriate level of security to trust their transaction is safe all while having a friction-right experience to avoid shopping cart abandonment.”
Incentive Games, a leading B2B games provider, is proud to announce that it has been awarded an Ontario Gaming License by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), effective today. This achievement enables the company to offer its portfolio of real-money games to licensed operators and players across the province.
The license underscores the Incentive Games’ commitment to meeting the highest standards of compliance, security, and operational excellence. The rigorous application process demands robust security protocols and comprehensive responsible gaming measures and affirms the company’s readiness to enter one of Canada’s most dynamic iGaming markets.
The North American market is a strategic focus for Incentive Games, and this milestone follows closely on the heels of the company receiving its Provisional Michigan gaming licence from the Michigan Gaming Control Board earlier this month.
Incentive Games will distribute its real-money gaming content in Ontario through Incentive Studios, the company’s dedicated Real-Money Gaming division, ensuring a focused and tailored approach to the market.
“Ontario represents a huge opportunity for us, and securing this license is a proud moment for the whole team,” said John Gordon, Chief Executive Officer at Incentive Games. “It reinforces our dedication to meeting the highest standards while delivering compelling real-money content. We’re looking forward to building strong relationships in the region and continuing our momentum across regulated markets worldwide.”
Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has announced the appointment of Larry Spagnolo as the new Board Chair, effective August 15, 2025. This announcement follows the official Order in Council issued by the Alberta Government and marks a new chapter in AGLC’s ongoing commitment to support communities, encourage responsible choices and position Alberta as the best place to do business.
Larry brings a wealth of experience in technology and business leadership to the AGLC Board and will play an integral role in guiding AGLC’s strategic direction. He is currently serving as VP and GM of Emerson’s SaaS SCADA business and has held senior roles at Zedi and Telus, driving innovation, growth, and global success.
A strong advocate for education and community, Larry serves as Vice Chair of Athabasca University’s Board of Governors and has held board roles with NAIT and Polytechnics Canada. He was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his community contributions.
AGLC and the Board of Directors extend their heartfelt thanks to Len Rhodes for his leadership and dedication as Board Chair since August 2019. He decided not to seek a third term and will continue to serve in this role until August 14, 2025. Len led AGLC through some significant milestones, including reducing red tape by 51%, growth of the emerging cannabis industry and ensuring AGLC delivered a balanced approach to business development, social responsibility, and regulatory oversight.
EveryMatrix has expanded its partnership with tier-1 operator Pinnacle powering its new casino in Ontario, Canada, using CasinoEngine platform technology – the first time its platform solution has gone live in North America.
The latest agreement builds on the two companies’ previous collaboration that saw EveryMatrix’s CasinoEngine productivity platform power the well-known brand’s global casino offering.
The new launch takes the relationship to North America, marking EveryMatrix’s debut CasinoEngine platform integration in that market.
BonusEngine, EveryMatrix’s cross-vertical bonusing tool will be integrated in the second phase of launch. This will equip Pinnacle Ontario with a host of bonus types as well as AI-powered bonus abuse solution Bonus Guardian.
BonusEngine is the first of multiple engagement tools from EveryMatrix’s EngageSuite that Pinnacle plans to integrate.
With this comprehensive toolkit at its disposal, and the opportunity to add even more casino products in the future, Pinnacle Ontario can tailor campaigns, segment audiences, and reward players more effectively, creating a world-class digital entertainment experience for its customers.
EveryMatrix has more than 300 global customers and holds North American licences in Ontario, New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Stian Enger Petersen, CEO, Casino, EveryMatrix, said: “This launch marks a key milestone for EveryMatrix as we bring our market-leading CasinoEngine platform to Canada for the first time.
“We’re delighted to expand our partnership with Pinnacle and support their ambitions in Ontario with a powerful combination of platform, content, and engagement tools that are proven to drive success.”
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